th nothing. The elections promise well for
Government even in the boroughs, as I was persuaded they would.
O'Connell has put forth a proclamation entreating, commanding
peace, order, and support of the Bill's supporters. Tom Moore
called on me yesterday morning. He said that he was a Reformer
and liked the Bill, but he was fully aware of all that it might
produce of evil to the present system. He owned frankly that he
felt like an Irishman and that the wrongs of Ireland and the
obstinacy of the faction who had oppressed her still rankled in
his heart, and that he should not be sorry at any vengeance which
might overtake them at last. I hear renewed complaints of Peel,
of his selfish, cold, calculating, cowardly policy; that we are
indebted to him principally for our present condition I have no
doubt--to his obstinacy and to his conduct in the Catholic
question first, to his opposition and then to his support of it.
Opposing all and every sort of Reform _totis viribus_ while he
dared, now he makes a death-bed profession of acquiescence in
something which should be more moderate than this. All these
things disgust people inconceivably, and it is not the less
melancholy that he is our only resource, and his capacity for
business and power in the House of Commons places him so far
above all his competitors that if we are to have a Conservative
party we must look to him alone to lead it.

May 7th, 1831 {p.141}

[Page Head: THE QUEEN ALARMED IN THE CITY.]

Nothing could go on worse than the elections--Reformers returned
everywhere, so much so that the contest is over, and we have only
to await the event and see what the House of Lords will do. In
the House of Commons the Bill is already carried. It is supposed
that the Ministers themselves begin to be alarmed at the devil
they have let loose, and well they may; but he is out, and stop
him who can. The King has put off his visit to the City because
he is ill, as the Government would have it believed, but really
because he is furious with the Lord Mayor at all the riots and
uproar on the night of the illumination. That night the Queen
went to the Ancient Concert, and on her return the mob surrounded
the carriage; she had no guards, and the footmen were obliged to
beat the people off with their canes to prevent their thrusting
their heads into the coach. She was frightened and the King very
much annoyed. He heard the noise and tumult, and paced backwards
and forwards in