to public subjects which only came to the knowledge of the writer by his official situation.  He should be told it was a high breach of public confidence, and he should be displaced if he was guilty of it.  He will have a hint, but I fear not one sufficiently strong.  It is Lady Canning who thinks she can injure the Duke of Wellington, and so publishes these papers.  Stapleton is her editor.  She demanded from Aberdeen official letters of Canning’s, and actually threatened him with a suit in Chancery if he did not give them up.  The Duke says he has copies of all Canning’s letters, and he shall publish if they do. [Footnote:  Augustus Granville Stapleton had been private secretary to Canning, and published about 1830-31 The Political Life of George Canning, and nearly thirty years later, George Canning and his Times.  The latter work contains much correspondence the publication of which might have been objected to at the earlier date.]

We had Scarlett and afterwards Bosanquet in upon the Welsh Judicature question.  It was at last decided that the Equity Jurisdiction of the Courts of Great Session should be sent to the Court of Exchequer, that power should be taken to the King of directing the circuits to be held where he pleased, and that the two new judges of the English Courts should do the duty of the Welsh circuits.  The proceedings to be assimilated to those of the English Courts.

The saving by the reduction of the Welsh judges, after allowing for their pensions, will leave an ample fund for the compensation of the officers reduced.

I read Lord Stuart de Rothesay’s last despatches and Lord Heytesbury’s.  There seems to me to be great over-confidence in their strength on the part of the French Ministers.  I cannot help thinking they will fall.  Villele will have nothing to do with the Government under this House of deputies, which declared his administration deplorable.  He seems to stipulate for their dissolution.

Halil Pacha takes to Petersburg fine presents for the Emperor and Empress, and other presents he is to distribute ‘selon son gre et en son nom’ which are enough to bribe all the ladies in Europe.  There is a list of them extending over seven pages.

It seems to be doubtful whether the French have not been endeavouring to induce Mehemet Ali to revenge their quarrel with Algiers by marching along the whole coast of Africa.  The French are much out of humour with their Algerine follies, and heartily tired of their expensive gasconade.

Mehemet Ali does not seem much inclined to send his fleet to Constantinople, although he has honour enough to send the Sultan’s.

The Russians have launched two large ships (120 and 74), and they have bought a double-banked frigate built in the United States.

Monday, January 11.

At the Cabinet room, where I met Sir George Murray; read the letters relative to the alterations in the judicial system of Scotland.