ir
as well as prudent, and said that if his father was to resign, he
himself, and he believed many others, would be willing to support
a Government headed by Peel. It is remarkable how men's minds are
gradually turning to Peel. I was amused yesterday with Poulett
Thomson, who told me that Peel had been very courteous to him,
and that they had some important points of coincidence of
opinion; that Peel did not like Graham, Palmerston, or Grant, but
to the rest of the Government he was remarkably civil. I think he
reckons without his host if he calculates upon Peel's politeness
extending to the offer of a place to our Vice-President in the
event of his coming in.

March 29th, 1834 {p.075}

[Page Head: ADMISSION OF DISSENTERS TO THE UNIVERSITY.]

At the beginning of the week there was a discussion in the House
of Commons which lasted for three mornings on the Cambridge
petition. Spring Rice, O'Connell, Stanley, and Palmerston spoke
for it; Goulburn, Inglis, and Peel against it. Old Cobbett made as
mischievous a speech as he could to blow the coals between the
parties. Peel spoke last, and as usual very well; but several
people expected he would have supported it, and have abstained
(from prudential motives) from saying anything likely to offend
the Dissenters. I expected no such thing; he was not violent, and
addressed his argument to the weak parts of his adversaries'
speeches rather than against the general principles of toleration;
and I still think that when the great question of concessions to
the Dissenters comes to be argued he will not be found in the
ranks of their virulent and uncompromising opponents. It would
have been an extraordinary thing indeed if he had all of a sudden
stood forth in the character of an anti-Churchman, for such he
especially would have been considered if he had united himself
with the petitioners, and he would have disgusted and alienated
all the High Churchmen and High Tories to a degree which must have
made a fresh and irreconcilable breach between them. This would
not have been judicious in his position, and I am satisfied that
he took the most prudent course. I am the more satisfied of it
from the circumstance that his speech by no means gave unalloyed
pleasure to the 'Standard,' which is the organ of the High Church
party. I feel it a strange thing to find myself the advocate and
admirer of Peel; but there is such a dearth of talent, his
superiority is so obvious, and it is so