JET. 48.] CONTEST FOR WESTMORLAND. 437 



inherent weakness and the well-known disagreement 

 between Canning and Peel, might any day break up ; 

 and many were the speculations such hopes gave rise 

 to. Some of these will appear in the correspondence 

 which follows. 



In 1825 the' Eoman Catholic Eelief Bill was passed 

 by the House of Commons."* 



Parliament was dissolved in 1826, when for the 

 third time I stood for Westmorland ; and, after a hard- 

 fought contest, was again defeated. I have no wish 

 to enter into the local politics of that county, but I 

 cannot resist quoting an extract from a letter of my 

 esteemed friend Bishop Bathurst to Mr Howard of 

 Corby, by whose kindness I am enabled to give it. 



TO HENRY HOWARD, ESQ., CORBY CASTLE. 



" NORWICH, July 10, 1826. 



" DEAR MR HOWARD, The very deep interest which 

 I have uniformly taken for so many years in that 

 great question, the emancipation of the Catholics, upon 

 which depend, in no trifling degree, not only the peace 

 and prosperity of Ireland, but also that real cordial 

 goodwill between persons of all religious denomina- 

 tions in England, which is so much to be desired, 

 makes me anxious to know what will be the probable 

 result in the new Parliament of the many contested 

 elections which have engaged the public attention. 

 This information you will probably have it in your 

 power to give me, and I shall make no apology for 

 the liberty I take in requesting you to do so. 



* The second reading on the 21st April by a majority of 27; the third 

 on the 10th of May by a majority of 21. Canning spoke at some length 

 on the 21st April. He was very ill from gout, and took no further part 

 in the debate, being for many weeks confined to the house. 



