Wednesday, April 08, 2009

18Jul1865, Uncle William Not Returned

CHATSWORTH, July 18th, 1865.
This naval person has brought rain and clouds in his train ; nevertheless he and Lou managed to find the weather fine enough for divers tête-à-têtes in the garden. We thought the less of them to-day from the election news being exciting. Eddy has won by nearly 200, therefore the 3 brethren are now all county M.P.s, and will all 3 distinguish themselves I trust. I build Castles in the air of Uncle W. Prime Minister, with Cavendish Secretary of War, Freddy Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Eddy Home Secretary [FN: This bold prophecy was nearly fulfilled. Gladstone became Prime Minister in 1868, Hartington Secretary of War in 1866, and Gladstone more than once said that if Frederick Cavendish had been alive in 1886 he would have offered him the Exchequer. And Hartington was offered the Prime Ministership in 1887.]; or, further on still, Cavendish Prime Minister. But to descend to earth meanwhile, the unworthy University has driven out Uncle William by 186 votes, after his 18 years' representation of it ; revealing that it is not worthy of the greatest statesman in England. Oh, it is disgraceful and pitiable ! Gathorne Hardy, a good, respectable, slow-coach Conservative, comes in with Sir W. Heathcote, who heads the poll by a great deal.

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