Ever yours

T. B. M.

To Hannah M. Macaulay

London:  July 19, 1833.

My dear Sister,—­I snatch a few minutes to write a single line to you.  We went into Committee on the India Bill at twelve this morning, sate till three, and are just set at liberty for two hours.  At five we recommence, and shall be at work till midnight.  In the interval between three and five I have to despatch the current business of the office, which, at present, is fortunately not heavy; to eat my dinner, which I shall do at Grant’s; and to write a short scrawl to my little sister.

My work, though laborious, has been highly satisfactory.  No Bill, I believe, of such importance,—­certainly no important Bill in my time, has been received with such general approbation.  The very cause of the negligence of the reporters, and of the thinness of the House, is that we have framed our measure so carefully as to give little occasion for debate.  Littleton, Denison, and many other members, assure me that they never remember to have seen a Bill better drawn or better conducted.

On Monday night, I hope, my work will be over.  Our Bill will have been discussed, I trust, for the last time in the House of Commons; and, in all probability, I shall within forty-eight hours after that time be out of office.  I am fully determined not to give way about the West India Bill; and I can hardly expect,—­ I am sure I do not wish,—­that the Ministers should suffer me to keep my place and oppose their measure.  Whatever may befall me or my party, I am much more desirous to come to an end of this interminable Session than to stay either in office or in Parliament.  The Tories are quite welcome to take everything, if they will only leave me my pen and my books, a warm fireside, and you chattering beside it.  This sort of philosophy, an odd kind of cross between Stoicism and Epicureanism, I have learned, where most people unlearn all their philosophy, in crowded senates and fine drawing-rooms.

But time flies, and Grant’s dinner will be waiting.  He keeps open house for us during this fight.

Ever yours

T. B. M.

London:  July 22, 1833.

My dear Father,—­We are still very anxious here.  The Lords, though they have passed the Irish Church Bill through its first stage, will very probably mutilate it in Committee.  It will then be for the Ministers to decide whether they can with honour keep their places.  I believe that they will resign if any material alteration should be made; and then everything is confusion.

These circumstances render it very difficult for me to shape my course right with respect to the West India Bill, the Second Reading of which stands for this evening.  I am fully resolved to oppose several of the clauses.  But to declare my intention publicly, at a moment when the Government is in danger, would have the appearance of ratting.  I must be guided by circumstances; but my present intention is to say nothing on the Second Reading.  By the time that we get into Committee the political crisis, will, I hope, be over; the fate of the Church Bill will be decided one way or the other; and I shall be able to take my own course on the Slavery question without exposing myself to the charge of deserting my friends in a moment of peril.