never received, excepting in the cases of the Duke of Buckingham
and recently of Lord Cardigan, a direct application on the subject of
the Garter.

Of those who from their position and rank in the Peerage, and from
the Garter having been heretofore conferred on their ancestors or
relations, may be regarded as competitors, the principal appear to Sir
Robert Peel to be the following:--

The Duke of Cleveland
The Duke of Montrose
The Marquis of Hertford
The Marquis of Bute
The Marquis of Abercorn
The Marquis Camden
The Marquis of Londonderry.

Sir Robert Peel names all, without meaning to imply that the
pretensions of all are very valid ones. He would humbly represent for
your Majesty's consideration, whether on account of rank, fortune and
general character and station in the country, the claims of the Duke
of Cleveland do not upon the whole predominate.[18]

His Grace is very much mortified and disappointed at Sir Robert Peel's
having humbly advised your Majesty to apply the general rule against
the son's succeeding the father immediately in the Lieutenancy of a
county to his case in reference to his county of Durham.

Sir Robert Peel thinks it better to write to your Majesty upon
this subject, as your Majesty may wish to have an opportunity of
considering it.

[Footnote 18: The Garter was conferred on the Duke of
Cleveland.]

[Pageheading: THE EARL OF MUNSTER]

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN AND THE INCOME TAX]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _21st March 1842._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. A letter from
Charles Fox to Lady Holland, and which she has sent to me, informs me
of the shocking end of Munster,[19] which your Majesty will have heard
long before you receive this. Charles Fox attributes it entirely to
the vexatious and uneasy life which he led with Lady Munster, but he
was always, as your Majesty knows, an unhappy and discontented man,
and there is something in that unfortunate condition of illegitimacy
which seems to distort the mind and feelings and render them incapable
of justice or contentment.

It is not impossible that upon this event application may be made to
your Majesty for the continuance of the pension upon the Privy Purse
to his son. As Lord Melbourne advised your Majesty to continue these
pensions upon the late King's death, perhaps it may not be improper
that he should now say that it is his strong opin