s were all off the business of
the day began. All the Cabinet was there--the new Master of the
Horse (Lord Albemarle), Lord Wellesley, his little eyes twinkling
with joy, and Brougham, in Chancellor's costume, but not yet a
Peer. The King sent for me into the closet to settle about their
being sworn in, and to ask what was to be done about Brougham,
whose patent was not come, and who wanted to go to the House of
Lords. These things settled, he held the Council, when twelve new
Privy Councillors were sworn in, three Secretaries of State,
Privy Seal, and the declarations made of President of Council and
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. The King could not let slip the
opportunity of making a speech, so when I put into his hands the
paper declaring Lord Anglesey Lord-Lieutenant he was not content
to read it, but spoke nearly as follows:--'My Lords, it is a part
of the duty I have to perform to declare a Lord-Lieutenant of
Ireland, and although I certainly should have acquiesced in any
recommendation which might have been made to me for this
appointment by Earl Grey, I must say that I have peculiar
satisfaction in entrusting that most important charge to the
noble Lord, whom I therefore declare with entire satisfaction
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. And, my Lords, I must say that this
day is since that of the death of my poor brother (here his voice
faltered and he looked or tried to look affected) the most
important which has occurred since the beginning of my reign, for
in the course of my long life it has never happened to me to see
so many appointments to be filled up as on this day; and when I
consider that it is only last Tuesday night that the force of
circumstances compelled those who were the confidential advisers
of the Crown to relinquish the situations which they held, and
that in this short space of time a new Government has been
formed, I cannot help considering such despatch as holding forth
the best hopes for the future, and proving the unanimity of my
Government; and, my Lords, I will take this opportunity of saying
that the noble Earl (Grey) and the other noble Lords and
gentlemen may be assured that they will receive from me the most
cordial, unceasing, and devoted support.' The expressions of
course are not exactly the same, but his speech was to this
purpose, only longer. Brougham kissed hands in the closet, and
afterwards in Council as Chancellor and Privy Councillor, and
then went off to the House of Lords.