had been much wished that it should be
brought forward this week, but on account of Epsom it has been
deferred till the following Friday. I shall be very sorry if you
are prevented from attending, under all the particular
circumstances in which you stand, and should even think that it
might be worth while for you to come up and return next day. Lord
Clare, Lord Gosford, Lord Caledon, and Lord Gage are mentioned
among the new votes expected, but I am told that there are ten of
them. Lord Headfort's proxy has been forgotten, and as he is in
Italy cannot now be obtained. Lord Camden and Lord Clancarty will
not vote. Could not you get Lord Torrington's proxy? I think he
used to give you charge of it. Bulkeley hangs undecided about
coming or staying away. Old St. Vincent is to take his seat and
make a proxy. Lord Buckinghamshire is not yet ascertained.

You do not mention anything on the subject of the Alien Bill,
which, as I told you, I feel considerable difficulty about from the
part which we have both taken. With respect to the Finance plan, I
feel convinced that it must end where it ought to have begun, in an
appropriation of part of the Sinking Fund, and that this will be
done with more or less disguise and humbug, but that no regard for
consistency will be sufficient to prevent a measure so essentially
necessary.

I will try what I can do to obtain a postponement of the Catholic
Bill for you, but have little hope of success.

Ever affectionately your,

C. W. W.

Thirty or forty years ago the public press was managed with much less
talent and principle than the respectable portion of it now possesses.
Personality and scurrility appear to have gone out of fashion, and such
attacks as that from which the Duke of Buckingham suffered in the
columns of a provincial paper, are of very rare occurrence.

LORD GRENVILLE TO THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

Dropmore, May 21, 1822.

I learn from my brother that the Duke of Portland is to move the
second reading of Canning's Bill, and that they talk of the 31st
for it; that day being opportunely hitched in between the two
important epochs of Ascot and Epsom. But these arrangements of days
for Parliamentary business are always so uncertain, and so liable
to be varied up to the last moment, that I have never found one got
much previous communic