Intrigue--Effect of the _Coup_ at Holland House--The
Change of Government--The two Camps--The King's Address to the
New Ministers--The Duke's Account of the Transaction--And Lord
Lyndhurst's--Difficult Position of the Tories--Their Policy--
The Duke in all the Offices--Negotiation with Mr. Barnes--Power
of the 'Times'--Another Address of the King--Brougham offers to
be Lord Chief Baron--Mr. Barnes dines with Lord Lyndhurst--Whig
View of the Recent Change--Liberal Views of the Tory
Ministers--The King resolved to support them--Another Account
of the Interview between the King and Lord Melbourne--Lord
Stanley's Position--Sydney Smith's Preaching at St. Paul's--
Lord Duncannon and Lord Melbourne--Relations of the four
Seceders to Peel--Young Disraeli--Lord Melbourne's Speeches at
Derby--Lord John Russell's Speech at Totness--The Duke of
Wellington's Inconsistencies and Conduct.

November 16th, 1834 {p.143}

[Page Head: A STRANGE INTRIGUE.]

Yesterday morning the town was electrified by the news that
Melbourne's Government was at an end. Nobody had the slightest
suspicion of such an impending catastrophe; the Ministers
themselves reposed in perfect security. I never saw astonishment
so great on every side; nobody pretended to have prophesied or
expected such an event. Thus it befell:--On Thursday Melbourne
went to Brighton to make the arrangements necessary on Lord
Spencer's death. He had previously received a letter from the
King, which contained nothing indicative of the fate that awaited
him. He had his audience on Thursday afternoon, and offered his
Majesty the choice of Spring Rice, Lord John Russell, or
Abercromby to lead the House of Commons and fill the vacant
office. The King made some objections, and said he must take time
to consider it. Nothing more passed that night, and the next day,
when Melbourne saw the King, his Majesty placed in his hands a
letter containing his determination. It was couched in terms
personally complimentary to Melbourne, but he said that, having
lost the services of Lord Althorp as leader of the House of
Commons, he could feel no confidence in the stability of his
Government when led by any other member of it; that they were
already in a minority in the House of Peers, and he had every
reason to believe the removal of Lord Althorp would speedily put
them in the same situation in the other House; that under such
circumstances he felt other arrangements