350

I

DOBUEN, cma?

1848. Gongh, the hero of the Sutlej, and had sore interestits
Zr. 42. private talk with him about the doings of his father. We
are going on again to-night with the Coercion Bill, and
there seems to be a prospect of the Irish repealers pursuits
a little more conciliatory course towards ns. I hear that mF
speech on Friday is considered to have been very judiciot®
inasmuch as I spoke soft words, calculated to turn aside the
wrath of the Irishmen. They are & very odd and unmanag®
able set, and I fear many of the most liberal patriots amongst
them would, if they conld find an excuse, pick a quarrel
with us and vote against Free Trade, or stay away. They
are landlords, and like the rest afraid of rent.”
“ April 29.—1I have three letters from you, but must not
attempt now to give you a long reply. We are meeting
this morning as usual on a Wednesday, at twelve o’clock
bill six in the House, and I have therefore little time for 1
correspondence. The Factory Bill is coming on which I
wish to attend to. . . . . You may tell onr League friend®
that I begin to see daylight through the fog in which
we have been so long enveloped. O’Connell tells me tha?
we shall certainly divide upon the first reading of he
Coercion Bill on Friday. That being out of the way, 7°
shall go on to Corn on Monday, and next week will I trust
see the Bill fairly out of the House. The general opinio®
is that the delay has been favourable to our prospects in the
Lords.”
“ May 2.—~The Corn measure comes on next Monday:
and will continue before the House till it passes. Some
people seem to expect that it will get out of our hands 0%
Friday next. I still hear more and more favourable reports
of the probable doings in the Lords.”
“May 8.~~The fact is we are here in a dead atate Of
suspense, not quite certain what will be our fate in the
Lords, and yot every day frying to learn something re