CHANGES AT THE COLONIAL OFFICE.]

After much difficulty about filling up Sir George Grey's place at
the Colonies,[2] Labouchere has very handsomely volunteered to
take it, though lower in rank and pay, and far more laborious
than that which he before held. They did not venture to ask him,
but it was thrown out by Le Marchant that he would be the most
eligible successor to Grey; when he said immediately, that if
Government thought he could be of use to them and to the public,
and he was satisfied the measures to be proposed would be such as
he could conscientiously support, he would take the office
without hesitation. They took him at his word, and he was
installed _instanter_; had he not taken it, Ben Stanley would
have gone there. These changes have so much disconcerted Stephen
that he has proposed to resign, and it is still a question
whether he does or not; but they will hardly let him go, for his
knowledge and powers of wielding the business cannot be dispensed
with, particularly by two men perfectly new and inexperienced in
Colonial affairs.

[2] [Sir George Grey, who had been Under Secretary for the
Colonies, was made Judge Advocate and a Privy
Councillor on the 1st of March, 1839. Mr. Labouchere,
who had been Vice-President of the Board of Trade and
Master of the Mint since 1835, very handsomely
consented to take the inferior office at the Colonies.
Mr. Labouchere, however, returned to the Board of Trade
as President on the 29th of August, 1839. Mr. Stephen
was the permanent Under Secretary for the Colonies.]

March 2nd, 1839 {p.172}

The whole town has been engrossed for some days with a scandalous
story at Court, and although of course great exaggerations and
falsehoods are grafted upon the real case, and it is not easy to
ascertain what and how much is true, enough is known and
indubitable, to show that it is a very discreditable transaction.
It appears that Lady Flora Hastings, the Duchess of Kent's lady,
has been accused of being with child. It was at first whispered
about, and at last swelled into a report, and finally into a
charge. With whom it originated is not clear; but the Queen
appears to have been apprised of the rumour, and so far to have
entered into it as to sanction an intimation to the lady that she
must not appear at Court till she could clear herself of the
imputation. Medical examination was either