The Creevey Papers
Thomas Creevey to Elizabeth Ord, 22 November 1834
“22nd.
“. . . Lord Grey
and I are of opinion that Wellington’s difficulties appear greater every day. His
assuming all the offices of State into his own hands, without knowing if he can
ever fill them, is a most offensive and wanton act of power. For instance, he
has dismissed from their offices in the most insulting manner Palmerston and Rice, without naming any successors, when, according to
established usage, they might have held the seals of their offices till such
successors had been found. . . . It is clear that this move of the King’s was not anticipated by the Tories,
or Peel would have been on the spot. This
vesting, or rather assuming, of all the power by one man, and him a soldier and
with such known opinions, for a whole fortnight or perhaps three weeks, is
giving opportunities for every species of criticism upon such conduct. The
Whigs might have died a natural death, as they shortly would, had they been let
alone;
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| 1834.] | CHARACTER OF LORD SEFTON. | 299 |
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but it is quite another
thing to have them kick’d out of the world by this soldier, and to see
him stand single-handed on their grave, claiming the whole power of the nation
as his own.”
Queen Adelaide (1792-1849)
The daughter of George Frederick Charles, duke of Saxe-Meiningen and consort of William
IV, whom she married in 1818.
Charles Grey, second earl Grey (1764-1845)
Whig statesman and lover of the Duchess of Devonshire; the second son of the first earl
(d. 1807), he was prime minister (1831-34).
Thomas Spring Rice, first Baron Monteagle (1790-1866)
The son of Stephen Edward of Limerick; he was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and
was MP for Limerick City (1820-32) and Cambridge borough (1832-39). He was chancellor of
the exchequer (1835-39) and contributed to the
Edinburgh
Review.
James Scarlett, first baron Abinger (1769-1844)
English barrister and politician educated at Trinity College, Cambridge and the Inner
Temple; he was a Whig MP (1819-34) who served as attorney-general in the Canning and
Wellington ministries.
Edward Stanley, first Baron Monteagle (1460 c.-1523)
The son of Thomas Stanley, first earl of Derby; fighting under Thomas Howard, earl of
Surrey, he was instrumental in the English victory at Flodden Field.
Henry John Temple, third viscount Palmerston (1784-1865)
After education at Harrow and Edinburgh University he was MP for Newport (1807-11) and
Cambridge University (1811-31), foreign minister (1830-41), and prime minister (1855-58,
1859-65).
