'On your Majesty's expressing a desire that the Earl of Liverpool
should hold an office in the household, Sir Robert Peel requested
your Majesty's permission at once to offer to Lord Liverpool the
office of Lord Steward, or any other which he might prefer.

"'Sir Robert Peel then observed, that he should have every wish to
apply a similar principle to the chief appointments which are filled
by the Ladies of your Majesty's household; upon which your Majesty
was pleased to remark, that you must reserve the whole of those
appointments, and that it was your Majesty's pleasure, that the whole
should continue as at present, without any change.

"The Duke of Wellington, in the interview to which your Majesty
subsequently admitted him, understood, also, that this was your
Majesty's determination, and concurred with Sir Robert Peel in
opinion that, considering the great difficulties of the present
crisis, and the expediency of making every effort, in the first
instance, to conduct the public business of the country with the aid
of the present Parliament, it was essential to the success of the
commission with which your Majesty had honoured Sir Robert Peel, that
he should have that public proof of your Majesty's entire support and
confidence, which would be afforded by the permission to make some
changes in that part of your Majesty's household, which your Majesty
resolved on maintaining entirely without change.

"Having had the opportunity, through your Majesty's gracious
consideration, of reflecting upon this point, he humbly submits to
your Majesty that he is reluctantly compelled, by a sense of public
duty, and in interest of your Majesty's service, to adhere to the
opinion which he ventured to express to your Majesty."

In a later portion of his speech, Sir Robert remarks:

"I, upon that very question of Ireland, should have begun in a
minority of upwards of twenty members. A majority of twenty-two had
decided in favour of the policy of the Irish Government. The chief
members of the Irish Government, whose policy was so approved of,
were the Marquis of Normanby and Lord Morpeth. By whom are the two
chief offices in the household at this moment held? By the sister of
Lord Morpeth, and the wife of Lord Normanby. Let me not, for a
moment, be supposed to say a word not fraught with respe