We then had Lord Winchilsea, Lord Camden, Duke of Leinster, and Lord Farnham.  Lord Winchilsea right in tone, but desiring inquiry into agricultural distress.  This, too, was the burden of a mouthy speech made by the Duke of Richmond, whom I had nearly forgotten.  Lord Farnham spoke, as he always does, well.  He deprecated the dissolution of the Union, but desired relief for Ireland.  This, too, was desired by the Duke of Leinster, who spoke very firmly, as all did, against agitators.

Lord Grey said it was a moment of great danger and importance.  Fortitude, caution, and wisdom were required.  He spoke strongly against the dissolution of the Union, and against the disturbers of the public peace everywhere.  He used the words of the speech, grief and indignation.  He joined in the determination to put down sedition by law.  Rejoiced no new laws were asked for.  Approved of the prompt recognition of King Louis Philippe; lamented the necessity of the French Revolution.  Said ’all Revolutions were in themselves evils,’ although they might produce eventual good.  Expressed his hope, for the honour of France and for the interests of Liberty, that they would not sully a Revolution hitherto unstained by a single act of vengeance.  This part of his speech was very well worded and spoken.  He objected to the terms in which the passage respecting the Netherlands was worded, as seeming to cast all the blame upon the Belgians, and so to make our mediation less effectual.  He likewise objected to the making the Portuguese Amnesty a seeming condition of the recognition of Miguel.  Of the recognition itself he did not complain, as he had so long been King de facto.  These objections were fair.

Lord Farnham having suggested the necessity of preparing for war, Lord Grey said the preparation should be by gaining the hearts of our own people—­and he advocated, but very temperately, Reform.  He did not, however, allow that there was any abstract right to a particular mode of constituting a Legislature.  The right of the people was to a good Government, and to whatever form of Legislative Assembly might seem best to secure that Government.

His speech was good, and temperate, as well as firm.  The Duke of Wellington followed him.  He declared his intention to oppose Reform.  He said we were not bound to interfere for the maintenance of the Amnesty further than by advice and remonstrance, not by war.

I should mention that Lord Grey seemed pleased by the abandonment of the droits.  He was not very well, and at times was almost unable to proceed.

Upon the whole the tone of the debate was very good, and will do good.

November 3.

Office at eleven to see Col.  Houston.

Upon the whole the debate in the Commons was satisfactory.  Peel was very much cheered.  O’Connell spoke well, and was heard in perfect silence.  Brougham made an ordinary speech; theme a bad one, violent.