510 THE WELLINGTON GOVERNMENT. [1828. 



for your letter, and having no correspondent in Lon- 

 don upon whose authority or information I can en- 

 tirely depend, I am the more thankful for your com- 

 munication. I have seen Adam, who was with the 

 King several times at the cottage and dined with him, 

 and his account both of his health and spirits is very 

 favourable. I believe him to be well for the present. 

 I quite concur with you in thinking Ireland not only 

 the first and paramount object of interest and anxiety, 

 but so nearly the only one worth immediate notice, 

 that all other questions sink into nothing in compari- 

 son with it. I should be most happy to be able to 

 convince myself that the Duke of Wellington had 

 made up his mind to any scheme of conciliation, and 

 was prepared to carry his measure of substantial relief 

 into execution at all hazards ; but I cannot conquer my 

 fear that the difficulties may deter him, more especi- 

 ally when I see the extravagant folly of O'Connell, 

 who seems to be ready to sacrifice the whole cause, 

 and the peace of both countries, to the gratification of 

 his own inordinate vanity. 



" It must be confessed, that between the insane 

 bigotry of the Brunswickers and Orangemen on one 

 side, and the indiscretion and intemperance of O'Con- 

 nell on the other, a minister has a very hard game 

 to play, especially with his most effective colleagues 

 banded against him, and the King adverse. 



" If he really commits himself on the one side of 

 Catholic relief, he has some right to the support and 

 assistance of those who are to benefit by his measures. 



"Upon the friends of the Catholics or, to speak 

 more correctly, those who would make any sacrifice to 

 avoid civil and probably in the end foreign war, and 



