Part 13

_1st August._--Ld. Rosslyn has written a letter on the subject of his Mission to Portugal, from which it appears he is not inclined to undertake the services assigned to him. When Admiral Markham read it, he observed upon it that, ‘Ld. St. Vincent, when he sees this, will say the fellow has got dung at his heart.’ Not a very elegant or delicate mode of expression!

It is said that Spain is disposed to a war with France, in consequence of their having discovered that a plan of partitioning Spain is in agitation, by which Estremadura and Galicia are to be annexed to Portugal, and made into a kingdom for the Prince of the Peace,[221] while the rest of Spain is to be given to one of B.’s brothers.

Mr. Goddard (Ld. Henry Spencer’s friend) arrived this evening from Paris with passports for Lauderdale. When the passport was required, Bonaparte exclaimed, ‘What! another passport! Have they not a blank one already? But this is of a piece with the whole of their conduct during the negotiation; delay, delay is their object.’ ‘But will you grant them the passport?’ ‘Yes, and for twenty more if they choose.’

_2nd._--Lauderdale set off for Paris this evening, with Professor Stewart, and Mr. Maddison from the Post Office. Ld. H. gave him a letter to Serra and Prince Masserano.[222]

Mr. Fox better; Vaughan said this morning that there was a greater assemblage of favourable symptoms than there had been any day since he attended.

[Sidenote: SHERIDAN’S INTRIGUES]

Sheridan came here in the evening, and talked over his schemes. He enlarged greatly upon the state in which the House of Commons would be left if Mr. Fox were removed from it; deplored the unpopularity of Ld. Howick, and seemed to insinuate that Petty had been tried and found unfit for the task.[223] He has some project, all founded upon his enmity to Ld. Howick and hereditary suspicion of Ld. Henry, to try and rouse Ld. H.’s old partiality for Canning, and get him and Perceval into the Administration.

_3rd._--Mr. Fox not quite so well.

_4th._--Mr. Fox in high spirits, and talks confidently of meeting Parlt. in October; approves of an early session in time of war. He has not the slightest expectation of peace, and expects Lauderdale’s immediate return.

_5th._--When Bonaparte was told that L. was coming, he said, ‘Comment! on m’envoye un ancien Jacobin.’ D’Oubril had been shut up for 14 hours with General Clarke, before he signed the Preliminaries. It is a dexterous way of carrying a point, to weary out a man’s physical strength, to tame him like a wild beast, to carry your purpose. The pretext was to carry the business through rapidly.

Ali Pacha[224] of Janina has sent a letter which he received from Bonaparte, all written in his own hand, inviting him to form a connection with France. Ali observed he had never received such a mark of respect and confidence from the English. Bonaparte is steady and indefatigable in all his undertakings.

_6th._--Ld. Grenville has proposed to Ld. H. that he should be one of the Commissioners for settling the points in dispute between this country and the U. States of America.[225] Ld. Auckland, as President of the Board of Trade, is to be the other Commissioner. The Americans are Messrs. Monroe[226] and Pinckney.[227] Ld. Howick and others consider this as a delicate opening on the part of Ld. G. to show his readiness to comply with the intimation he had recently had from Mr. F. through Lauderdale.

The operation is to be to-morrow.

_7th._--The operation was performed this morn.; Cline and Hawkins did it. Sixteen quarts of amber-coloured water was drawn off; he bore the operation perfectly well, his pulse very little affected, and no disposition to faintness.

_8th._--Not so well from nausea and lowness.

Ld. H. has accepted the appointment of Commissioner. Mr. Eden is the Secretary (by a shabby artifice of his father’s), Mr. Allen the Assistant-Secretary.

It has been proposed to Tierney to go to Lisbon in the capacity in which Ld. Rosslyn was to have gone. T.’s intimacy with Ld. St. Vincent made him be thought of for the service. Ld. St. V. is to follow with a squadron for carrying off, if necessary, the Portuguese fleet to the Azores, and for transporting the Prince Regent and his friends to Brazil. T. is disinclined, and has refused.

[Sidenote: LAUDERDALE’S MISSION]

_9th._--Ld. Grenville sent for Ld. Rosslyn late last night and renewed his former proposal of sending him to Lisbon. Ld. R. has accepted, and is to set off to-night. The Commissioners are Lds. Rosslyn, St. V., and General Simcoe;[228] and, to my great satisfaction, Mr. Brougham.

_10th._--Mr. Fox continues very low; a great flow from ye wound, the _anasarca_ diminishes fast.

_12th._--No messenger from Paris. It is suspected that some artifice is used to delay the messengers, in order to prolong the negotiation, it being a matter of importance to France to keep up the appearance of a negotiation with England till the changes she meditates in Germany are completed.

[Sidenote: NEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACE]

_14th._--Messengers in. Immediately on L.’s arrival he presented to the F. Governt. a short recapitulation of what had already passed during the negotiation, recalling to their recollection that the principle on which the E. Governt. had consented to treat was the _uti possidetis_, and reminding them how much this had been forgotten and departed from in their late demands, and concluding with the alternative, either to resume the uti possidetis as the principle of the Treaty, or to send him passports to return to England.[229] Three days elapsed before any answer was given to this note. General Clarke proposed that the business should be carried on by conversations, and not by written notes, which was refused. He also cavilled at some expressions in L.’s note, but at length presented a note couched in rather a high tone, complaining that when the Treaty was far advanced, and that Ld. Yarmouth was on the point of signing, L. should have been sent over to make inadmissible pretensions and to disappoint the hopes which all Europe had conceived of peace. The _uti possidetis_ could not be the basis of the Treaty, unless the Emperor were to be replaced in the possession of Fiume, Treviso, and of all the conquests which he had renounced by the Peace of Presburg. Upon this L. sent for his passports. Three days were employed in sending from one office to another to obtain them, without success. _M. de Lima_ (the Portuguese) called upon him, and implored in the most earnest manner that he would not break off the negotiation, as this would leave Portugal and Spain exposed to certain and immediate destruction. No effect being produced by this manœuvre, and L. persisting in his demand of passports, a 2nd note was sent, expressed in much more civil and moderate language, and tho’ _denying_ that the _uti possidetis_ had ever been admitted as the basis of the Treaty, and declaring that without great modifications it was inadmissible, but concluding with these words, ‘Mais l’Empereur l’adopte puisqu’il le trouve.’ It is remarkable that in this note the word _adopte_ was substituted in the Emperor’s own handwriting, in place of _accepte_ or _admet_. And in the date, the 11th had been inserted instead of the 7th, which had been the original date, so that the note had been detained some days, in hopes of Lauderdale’s yielding. On receiving this, L. addressed a note to the French Governt., in which, without taking any notice of the contents of theirs, he declared he could not go on with the negotiation, unless he had an explicit assurance from them that he should have passports at any time within half an hour, for himself or couriers, whenever he should chance to demand them. This note produced a very civil answer from Talleyrand, ascribing to accident entirely the blame of the former delay, and assuring him that it was in no respect owing to any want of civility to him. Lauderdale returned a second note, in answer to the former one, that he could not negotiate further, unless the _uti possidetis_[230] was distinctly admitted to be the basis of the Treaty, and that every deviation from it should be considered as an exception from the general basis of the peace. Things were in this state when Basilico was sent away.

Ministers, especially Ld. Grenville, are extremely pleased with L.’s conduct, particularly in his note on the subject of passports, after he received the second note from General Clarke. A Council was held immediately, in which it was determined to recall Ld. Yarmouth, and Basilico was sent back in the evening with an order to that effect. The reason for this measure:--1st, d’Oubril’s account and Ld. Yarmouth’s of the conclusion of the Russian Treaty are in flat contradiction. D’Oubril has written to Stroganoff that he signed the article with Ld. Yarmouth’s knowledge and approbation. 2ndly, Ld. Yarmouth seems to have spent some weeks at Talleyrand’s country house last autumn, tho’ he gave Ministry to understand that he was hardly acquainted with him. 3rdly, Ly. Yarmouth is very much connected with Monteron,[231] an agent of Talleyrand’s, and employed in his office.

Favourable accounts of the disposition of the new Russian Governt. towards this country; Stroganoff has received letters to that effect from the new Prime Minister, _Budberg_,[232] in which he expresses very strongly Alexander’s high opinion as well as his confidence in Mr. Fox. Stroganoff thinks Russia will _not_ ratify d’Oubril’s preliminaries.

Ld. Granville Leveson arrived this day from Petersburg, dined here, and is looking handsomer than ever. I have not seen him these four years.[233]

American Commissioners very amicable; disposed to settle the differences, and to conclude a Treaty of Commerce between the two countries.

_20th._--Ld. Howick dissatisfied with Sr. J. Borlase Warren, who lost three days after he got orders to sail, and wasted three more at Madeira, instead of going straight to ye W. Indies, by which Jerome may escape.[234] Alderman Prinsep did not know how to open the Stock Exchange.

Alas! Mr. Fox begins to fill again; they talk of another operation in three weeks.

Lauderdale is abused at Paris, and represented as having deserted Fox. Goldsmid is supposed to be Ld. Yarmouth’s agent in the Stock Exchange, and to have transacted business for him to a great amount. Narbonne was admonished not to visit L. so frequently, Fouché sent for him to that purpose. Emperor gone to hunt, his Ministers rejoice at his absence whilst in so violent a mood; they call him _bête féroce_.

[Sidenote: FOX’S HEALTH]

Second operation performed on Sunday. Bore the operation extremely well; less water taken from him than on the former occasion, but he was more completely emptied. Some pints of water which had remained in ye abdomen were drawn off; fell soon after into a state of languor and depression, but the physicians flattered themselves he had gained strength in the interval between the operations, and that he would soon be able to bear the course of medicines which they judged necessary for his recovery, and in this hope they remained until Monday, the 7th September. Water had, in this interval, flowed repeatedly from the wound in the abdomen, and the quantity of urine discharged had augmented. They said there was a greater assemblage of favourable symptoms than had appeared since they had been called in.

Sunday, ye 6th September, Vaughan thought that he felt some hardness in the region of the liver, which made him speak much more doubtingly to Ld. H. about Mr. Fox’s recovery than he had done the day before. On Monday as he was led about the rooms at Chiswick[235] to look at the pictures, a _gush_ of water burst from the wound, which had been closed for some hours; he fell into a state of alarming weakness, and continued so the whole of that and the succeeding day. A catch in his breathing. We were sent for, and reached Chiswick by two, and found him in this deplorable state. He was low, and never spoke willingly, but every now and then got up in consequence of some irritation in his bowels. He swallowed nothing but brandy, usquebaugh, and other strong cordials; his senses and understanding never left him, tho’ he spoke very little till Wednesday, when he reminded Ld. H. of a promise made to him in Stable Yard, of telling him when he was in danger. It was a painful duty, but he fulfilled it, and told him what the physicians thought. He thanked him with his usual tenderness.

On Wednesday, about 4, he began to revive, and during the night, whilst Ld. H. was sitting up with him, carried on a conversation in French, that his servant, who was present, might not understand it, as it regarded Mrs. Fox, &c. He had a few hours rest, and continued to get better. In the course of the morning he was wheeled into an adjoining room, and put on his spectacles to look at a caricature which Ld. L. had sent from Paris. I went into the room, kissed his hand, and he spoke kindly to me. During this amendment, he told Ld. H. he had never been in such danger as the physicians had apprehended. He had said on Tuesday night to Vaughan, ‘I have had a sad struggle for it, do you think it will do?’

[Sidenote: FOX’S DEATH]

On Friday morning he became languid without any apparent cause, and continued afterwards to sink without any interruption. His senses were good, but he used the wrong word to express his meaning, and seemed hurt that he could not find the right one. On Saturday death was fast approaching; his pulse became every moment feebler, but still regular, his breathing was deep, his strength gradually failing. Mrs. Fox sat upon the bed, holding his hand; he looked upon her with that sweet smile so expressive of all the benevolence and goodness of his heart. He articulated distinctly, ‘I die happy’; his last words were, ‘Bless you, I pity you.’ He died without a struggle or groan at ¼ before 6 o’clock, on Saturday, the 13th September, 1806.

The scene of unaffected grief was awful; every room contained a friend who shed unfeigned bitter tears. Ld. Fitzwilliam was so overcome that, for some time, it was feared he would follow the fate of his beloved friend. Ld. Holland and General Fitzpatrick immediately went to Mrs. Fox. A sad scene ensued. She wished the whole family should remain as long as the body continued at Chiswick; accordingly ourselves and the General continued until -- September. His body was examined by Mr. Cline. Ld. Howick was at Chiswick, and sent off a messenger to Windsor. The first account of Mr. Fox’s danger was communicated to Ld. Grenville by Petty, on Monday night, the 8th Sept., and he was very much affected on receiving the intelligence, which was quite unexpected. When informed of his death by Ld. Howick, he inquired what was proposed for his funeral, and when told that Ld. Holland had given orders that he should be buried in the family vault at Foxley,[236] he expressed his disappointment, and asked Ld. Howick what he thought fit. Finding they were of the same opinion, he offered to recommend to the King that a public funeral should be ordered. However, the private and political friends thought it more consistent with the simplicity and dignity of his character that he should be attended to the grave by his friends, public and private, without the interference of Governt., and an application signed by many of the friends was addressed to Lord H., begging that he might be interred in W. Abbey, and attended by his friends.[237]

The answer of the King to Ld. Howick’s notification of Mr. Fox’s death was in the coldest possible style, and did not express even sorrow for the event. When Ld. Grenville told him that he had given the Seals to Ld. Spencer, he approved of it, and added that there was no hurry about disposing of them, and recommended Ld. Grenville to take his time (considered as an intimation to take in the Pitts). He received Ld. Howick very coldly, and made the inquiries about Mrs. Fox from ye other Ministers.

A communication from Ld. Grenville through Ld. Howick to General Fitzpatrick to take Ld. H. into the Cabinet. Ld. Howick acknowledged Ld. Holland was the fittest to succeed in the Foreign Department, but that he could not undertake to lead in the H. of Commons if he remained at the Admiralty, the fatigue being too great. T. Grenville grumbled at the Admiralty, as the public looked to Ld. Spencer if a change were necessary, besides disliking the duties of the office.[238] Ld. Grenville wanted Tom to lead the H. of Commons; and there was a proposal of his being made Secretary for ye Home Department, and Windham kicked upstairs by a peerage, in order that he might, when Ld. Howick goes to the Lords, be considered as the head--impracticable from T. Grenville’s coldness of character, and, I think, want of the right stuff in his head.

[Sidenote: CABINET CHANGES]

The strongest reason which the Grenvilles have for proposing the Whigs to the Opposition in forming a new Administration, is that they can depend upon them in case of a quarrel with the King, which they could not on such men as Hawkesbury and Castlereagh. They are out of humour with Windham. On ye 19th September they proposed the peerage, and hoped he might bite at it, to escape from the Norfolk election, which will be strongly contested. Peace perhaps might be easier with Whigs, but tho’ Ld. Grenville is strenuous for peace, there seems to be very little hopes of attaining it at present.

Prussia has offered to go to war with France, and, with the concurrence of Russia, to guarantee Hanover to the King of England. Ld. Howick is very warlike. Whitbread has been absurdly extravagant in his views and demands; talks of the Cabinet!

Ld. Holland has agreed to accept the Privy Seal, with a full understanding, however, with Ld. Howick, that his views are directed to the Foreign Office, and that he only accepts this insignificant charge to serve the party, and satisfy that part of his uncle’s party who might suspect the Grenvilles, were he overlooked.[239] All this was subject to the approbation of the Prince of Wales and his uncle’s friends. He stipulated that in case of peace, he might resign in favour of Lauderdale, and go, if he chose, to Paris. Ld. Grenville agreed to his changing Privy Seal for Paris, and that Lauderdale might come in; not otherwise, as retiring from office would be injurious to the Governt.

An affectionate letter to Ld. H. from the Prince, expressing his wish that Ld. H. might be successor to his uncle in the Seals.

_20th._--A letter of Murat to the King of Prussia, addressing him by the style of ‘Mon Frère,’ is said to have been the origin of these movements of the Prussians against France.[240] Another is that Lucchesini has discovered, and communicated to his Court, Bonaparte’s scheme of annexing the Prussian States in Westphalia to Murat’s dominions. Some think Lucchesini is capable of having made this communication on the suggestion of Bonaparte, who would be glad of a pretext to reduce the Prussian power. The Prussians and Saxons are 240,000 ready to take the field. The French 220,000 to oppose them. Prince Louis,[241] son of Prince Ferdinand of Prussia, is the person who has the most hostility against France, and who is eager for military renown. Austria is determined to remain neutral.

Windham peremptorily refused the peerage. When he talked to Petty of the proposal, he mentioned it as being whimsical, that, as the great distress was the want of talent in the H. of Commons, they should therefore move their best speaker into the House of Lords.[242] Ld. Howick is _now_ desirous of retaining the Admiralty; he is satisfied of the impolicy of giving up such a mine of patronage, and has, in idea, been long enough in possession of the Foreign Office to be weary of it, but unluckily it is too late. The Foxites have not _one_ office which has patronage annexed to it.

[Sidenote: THE NEW CABINET]

The plan is finally fixed:--Mr. Grenville, Admiralty; Ld. Howick, F. Department; Ld. H., Privy Seal; Ld. Sidmouth, P. of the Council; Ld. Fitzwm., Seat in Cabinet, without office; Tierney, Board of Control. Ld. Howick had a thousand _freaks_, for they were too wild to be called plans, the burthen of which was that if he could not do things his own way, he would go out. He assured Ld. Holland through the General, and to _himself_ also, that he considered himself merely as _locum tenens_ during the period of his being in the H. of Commons, and that his being in the office ought not to be considered as an obstacle to Ld. H.’s views, he knowing also what Mr. Fox’s intentions had been upon that subject. In short, as far as professions and assurances can go, we must feel satisfied that he will make the offer when he is removed to the H. of Lords. The General says, ‘I have no doubt he is sincere now, but when the impression of Fox’s loss wears away, perhaps his intentions may change.’

_22nd._--Messenger from Lauderdale. He has had a severe bilious attack, caused, D. Stewart thinks, a good deal by the sad tidings from England. Talleyrand full of overstrained civility. England, he said, had a right to dictate her own terms, she being in a most commanding station. France has only to be careful not to concede too much. They want to have back Surinam and Demerara. L. has demanded Cuba in exchange. Capture of Buenos Ayres produced little sensation at Paris.[243] Emperor left Paris. Ld. Morpeth is to go to Berlin immediately.[244]

_25th._--In consequence of Ld. M.’s declining to go on acct. of the shortness of notice, Ld. Henry Petty having expressed some desire to go, Ld. Howick gladly caught at it, and it was mentioned to the King. Upon Ld. Holland hearing of it, he did his utmost, both in conversation and by letter, to dissuade Petty, who was so much shook by Ld. H.’s arguments that he was as eager to seek a pretext to avoid going as he had been before to get one to go, and he availed himself of some difficulties about putting the Seals into commission. Ld. Carlisle wished Morpeth to go, and accordingly he has agreed, and very kindly is to take B. Frere[245] with him, whom he will leave, in case he comes away, as Chargé d’Affaires, which will be getting B. F. employment, and perhaps a grade hereafter.

Lds. Grenville and Howick wrote to the Prince after Mr. Fox’s death. His answer to Lord Howick was that he wished for no change but that Ld. Holland should have his uncle’s Seals. But, being in the meantime informed of the arrangements agreed upon, he wrote to Ld. G. that his political interest was buried in the grave with Mr. Fox, but that, as it was probable he might at some future time be again forced to public matters, he thought it proper to say that he was ready to give his support to the present Administration, on acct. of the friends he had in it, and that he should always look to ye friends of Mr. Fox, and particularly to Ld. H., as his own political friends.

[Sidenote: LORD HOLLAND’S POST]