Letter from Marquess of Londonderry, Wynyard Park Durham, to Lord Burghersh, 19 November 1831 (pp.271-278) ‘My dear Burghersh I am very glad to see your letter dated from Brighton as I know Lady Burghersh was anxious to get fresh Sea Air and it always does children good. Indeed in these times we have nothing to do but to take care of ourselves and see if we can escape the general swamping that seems to surround us. All feelings of publick Conduct and publick Spirit are become dead and mortified by the imbecile Apathy of the Monarch, and the weakness which pervades his Character makes me feel we shall have no Security or Peace in England until the Almighty delivers us from his Reign. The Case as to the Bill or a measure as efficient stands thus, Lord Grey and his colleagues are pledged to it and bound, if any thing can bind them to a common Act, except the Determination, come what may, to stick to their places. The Majority of Peers, appear to me, in Honor, in Conscience, in Uprightness, in Justice to their Peerage and their Ancestry, bound to resist again any Bill that can be shewn to be as effectual in revolution as the last Bill. What then must be the issue? All the intimidation which has been used against the Church and the late Majority are so many additional grounds in my Mind for us Opposition Peers to adhere to our principles and our Votes. For Base and Cowardly indeed must that mind be, which delivers an Opinion before God and his Country, and then abandons it from the Menaces and Machinations of the Revolutionists and the Mob. The crisis therefore in my Mind must resolve itself into this. Either the king must make Peers, and then the Country becomes not worth living in, or by His Majesty’s Resistance (of which I have no hopes) some better but, at present, totally unforeseen Chance may arise to give us more breathing time, if it does not save us from the gratuitous and Wanton Deluge ‘of’ deleted which Lord Grey has been pleased to inundate this hitherto happy Country with. The Cholera at Sunderland has added much to my private Anxieties as well as the State of publick Events which has made My thoughts most gloomy on general politicks. Although I am persuaded the accounts have been largely exaggerated, still that an unusual Epidemic reigns there can not be denied. And with Wife, Children and Servants who are all of the weaker and timid Nature it is not quite easy to stem all Rumours, Apprehensions and daily Histories that arise. Still I felt that had I abdicated and given way to the Alarm, the mischief that it would have occasioned in this Country would have been incalculably. It would have been the Tocsin for a general Emigration. Neither Lords Cleveland, Durham, Ravensworth or any Feature of note is now resident here but my family and myself, and with the large number of persons in my employ my Fears would have given general dismay. Whatever I may therefore individually feel, and however I may be ill at ease in my own Mind, for those I love and cherish far more than Myself and whose early age may make their Lives valuable, while mine has run for more than half its Course, I have determined to put the best face I could upon the General Position and place my faith in Providence more than in any of the Doctors or their Reports. I wrote my Letter however to the Standard to give all the Confidence I could and by going over to Seaham and Sunderland 2 or 3 times a week, I shew outwardly no Apprehension while I trust my Children etc. are as safe here as they well can be. I am very glad you approve of the Course I have taken as it is always gratifying to know ones friends think one has done right I hope the Duke will intimate to those at a Distance in time what he wishes them to do. Having taken my line here and doing all the good I can I should be very sorry to move till after Christmas, indeed I should like to stay in the Country as long as possible, and I could send my proxy for the meeting. Unless, therefore, I hear it is particularly wished, I should not stir for the meeting if it is so early as the 6th of December. You however will hear the best intelligence and I shall take it as a great favour if you will communicate Now as to your own position, I do indeed think and you must excuse me for saying so that Lord Westmoreland behaves extremely ill to you and nothing can justify such Conduct. A paltry expenditure at Lyme (if he is sure of a return of which I suppose there can not be a doubt) should not in justice or fairness prevent his bringing a Son forward, whose position diplomatically and militarily is known in Europe! A niggardliness as to spending for such an object in Lord Westmoreland is bad toward the Country and bad for an old Servant of the Crown long in office and long personally enjoying the advantages of Government. If he thinks he is as well represented by another in the House of Commons as by you, he grossly misses himself. I am not one who would preach Disobedience or Disconduct against paternal decrees, but I do think nothing can justify Lord Westmoreland’s insouciance towards you on this subject. Now my dear Burghersh you ask me if I should know of any place for which you might come on, to let you know it, and I do understand by this that Lord Westmoreland would pay for a seat for you, or pay any Chance Contest. If so, let me know, I always find things are to be had for money. But I much fear Lord Westmorland will say no, and you know without money how few seats could be had. But surely the Duke of Wellington’s means (more especially against another Parliament) might provide for you three lines torn off I wish you had been able when at Apthorpe to have come on here. I think you would have been pleased at all I have done, we are now really very comfey. Seaham Harbour also promises well and I have made up my mind to work on as well as I can in my own little Nook and in my own humble way until le bon Dieu chooses to call me elsewhere. Kindest love to Lady Burghersh Pray write on a bad day which is (I know) the Devil at Brighton, of all places under the Globe. Ever your most attached friend Vane Londonderry’ – From: Londonderry Estates – Additional Records Acc: 1193(D)