The Times and Morning Post have given currency this week
to a rumour that the Earl of Shrewsbury, with the cognizance of Ministers, had entered into a negotiation with the Irish Earl of Portarlingtou for the purchase of the Earl's borough of Portarlington, now represented by the 'fury Colonel Dawson Damer. The price was to be 4,000/. or .5,000/. cash, and an Irish Marquisate for Lord Portarlington. Mr. Pierce Mahony was said to be the go-between, and Mr. Wright, the banker, also a party. Both the Peers have positively contradicted the report. Mr. Wright, the banker, has also sent a letter to the Morning Post denying that he was a party to the alleged job. Mr. Wright, it seems, is, with Mr. Pierce Mahony and Mr. Blount, a trustee of the Portarlington property ; but he declares positively that the trustees never interfere in any way with the tenants as to the exer- cise of their franchise.
It happens, however, curiously enough that while these denials are publishing in London, Colonel Dawson Damer has been writing to the Dublin Evening Mail a partial confirmation of them. Colonel Lamer says- " 1 have reason to think it true that persons were found sufficiently profligate and corrupt to conceive the project, and to hint at its realisation to Lord Port. atlington ; but I beg to assure you, that my brother rejected the base proposi- tion, with becoming iodigaation."
So the " base proposition" was made by somebody—by whom ? We should like to know how much truth there really is in the story. To make all this smoke, there must have been a little tire ; and the Down- ing Street people talk very mysteriously, and with ill-suppressed exul- tation, of the curious changes that are about to take place in favour of the Whigs in certain quarters. Bribery in one shape or another will, we have no doubt, be put into requisition.
Another Tory rumour—this, as yet, we believe, has not been con- tradicted from authority—is, that the Duke of Marlborough is nego- tiating for the disposal of his interest in the borough of WoollstGek. It must be by some such means as these that any considerable addition will be made to the Whig majority in the House of Commons.
Within the last few days, her Majesty has expressed her cordial and entire conduct of the Earl of Mulgrave since the commencement of his administration of the affairs of Ireland.—Globe. " I have to ac. quaint Lord Mulgrave, that his friend, Lord John Russell, has, through Lord Melbourne, requested me to uphold the Irish policy of their joint Administration, by giving to the country their own version of their own measures for the government of Ireland, and pronouncing such measures to have been executed by your Lordship with equal ability and success."—Times.
A correspondent informs us that Sir Herbert Taylor will in a short time quit England, to reside for a year or two in Italy. The cause of this is said to be the state of health of some of the gallant General's family.—MorninF Post. [The Deputy King is dethroned : Sir Her- bert's " occupation's gone." Lord Melbourne is now King, with full powers. As his power is, so be his responsibility.] It is now certain, that at Windsor Castle a very extensive alteration will take.place in the formation of the Household of our new Queen ; the greater portion of the servants of his late Majesty being under orders of dismissal; but some of them, only those who held warrants of appointment, will have pensions granted to them according to the length and nature of their services. The pensions, however, will, it is be- lieved, be upon a much smaller scale than those granted upon former occasions. The establishment of the Queen Dowager, which is chiefly composed of her old servants, will, however, supply employment for many who were fearful of a dismissal. Of her Majesty's twelve foot- men she has selected eight. Nearly all of the highest members of the Household of his late Majesty will retire, and will be• superseded by others selected by Queen Victoria.
Admiral Sir Robert Otway is reappointed one of the Grooms of the Bedchamber.—Globe.
The Queen has appointed the Countess of Mulgrave and Mrs. Brand to be Ladies of the Bedchamber. Mrs. Brand is wife of the present Whig candidate for Lewes, and we presume a relative of Lord Deere.
It is very generally reported and believed that a brevet, on a very confined scale, will soon be promulgated, as is usual on the accession of the Sovereign; and we also learn that a military order, to be called the "Order of Victoria," will be immediately instituted in place of the " Guelph," which can now only be conferred by the King of Hanover. The new order is to be divided into classes, and will be accessible to all ranks of officers who have seen service. The report, restricting it to those serving at Vittoria alone, is as ridiculoutsas it is untrue.— United Service Gazette.
The Queen, in an interview with the Duke of Norfolk, preparatory to the creating her brother a Knight of the Garter, after the prelimi- naries were arranged with the Earl Marshal, said, with simple naïveté, " My Lord Duke, where am I to wear the Garter ?" The Duke, in reply, said he recollected some print of Queen Anne, in which the Gar- ter was placed on her left arm. By reference to various authorities that fact was established.—Morning Chronicle.
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