Cabinet dinner.  The King’s digestion is affected now; but otherwise he is well.  He has had many attacks of embarrassed breathing; but none serious.  The Duke of Clarence was in the room with him (the Duke of W. being present) for a quarter of an hour today.  The King talked of his own danger.  He said, ‘God’s will be done.  I have injured no man.’  This he often repeated.  He said, speaking of his own danger to the Duke of Clarence, ’it will all rest on you then.’  He was in very good humour, very angry, however, with Leopold—­his anger brought on a slight spasm.

He afterwards talked of going to Ascot, and told the Duke to manage that he might be able to go to Aix-la-Chapelle.

He is much pleased with the conduct of both Houses about his Signature Bill.  After dinner Aberdeen read His proposed answer to Leopold to be addressed to the Residents with a copy of Leopold’s letter.  It was full of admissions, many of which Peel noticed.  Aberdeen was going to meet Laval about it.  I objected to sending a copy of the letter to Leopold, as that would as much lead to a reply as if they answered him directly.  This the Cabinet seemed to feel; and if there is a letter to the Residents it will be printed with the other papers only, and not communicated.

May 27.

Privy Council at one.  The Archbishop of Canterbury ordered to frame a prayer for the King’s recovery.

Cabinet.  King’s Signature Bill amended.  Then Aberdeen read a letter from the Residents in Greece giving an account of all that took place from the notification of the protocol to the Senate to their adhesion.  Unfortunately this letter was not sent to Leopold as it ought to have been, when he on the 15th sent Capo d’Istria’s letter to Aberdeen, and it is thought we cannot publish it.  It shows that the adhesion was entire.

No answer to his letter is to be published.  We are to wait till we can have a protocol.  Laval would not sign any joint letter to the Residents.  Being so near he prefers waiting for the orders of his Court.

House.  King’s Signature Bill passed, with some amendments.  It is to last till the end of the Session.

The King’s command is to be signified by word of mouth, a very inconvenient mode to a sick man.

East Retford for a House.

All Columbia is at war again.  The Mexicans are urging the Haytians to land 5,000 men in Cuba.  Peel fears war will begin there by the Americans taking Texas.

Fitzgerald writes from Paris that he thinks the French will not retain Algiers.  That an energetic demand on our part would have drawn from Polignac a distinct disavowal of the intention.  That he does not think the channel (Lord Stuart) a good one.

I think Fitzgerald would not at all dislike being made Ambassador at Paris.

It seems there is a very sore feeling indeed excited by de Peyronnet’s appointment.  He thinks the only safety of the Government is in throwing themselves upon the ultra-Royalists.