Letter from Frederic Calvert, London, to Mary Dawson-Damer, 1833 May 14 : autograph manuscript signed.

Relating all the latest political news saying "I hate croaking, but I will tell you what people say about our politics, and if none of the auguries come true you will take the opportunity of scolding me for troubling you with them. It seems that the parties Agricultural & Manufacturers are in this state - their members will vote for taking off their respective taxes, but none will incur the odium of voting the maintenance of those taxes which press ever upon the opposite party. This is the cause of all that press about the malt & house & window duties. Then again there is such a deadly hostility between Whigs & Tories that the Radicals are not unlikely to supersede both. Hence the success of Whalley in Marylebone & of Evans in Westminster; & one scarcely knows whom to detest the most, the Whigs in one place or the Tories in the other. In the meantime no Irish Secretary is to be found. No Government dares resign his seat; for the recent votes have been so unpopular as to leave them slight chance of a reelection. To crown the whole, Stanley has produced a measure of emancipation which his best Friends pronounce impracticable, while the West Indians declare it ruins them, & the emancipationists that it is sufficiently favorable to the [illegible]. This last matter seems to me worse than the rest. A mistake committed by Stanley is a serious evil, for many persons have been recently expecting a junction between Peel & Stanley, to the exclusion of the republican Whigs & the High Tories. In short men of all parties (except the Radicals) concur in the ominous task of shaking heads & talking mysteriously about the destruction of the present Cabinet & little probability of forming new one. One lesson we have already learnt, that some provision must be made about the seats of Ministers. While politics are in this confusion, all the world is escaping from influenza & doctors & betaking themselves to balls & concerts - The Duke of Orleans is much fête, but is accused by his fair Partners of having nothing to say;" adding news of mutual friends, sending his love to her daughters and adding "The papers [illegible] this week will bring you much interesting news : among other things it is said that Howick will [illegible] an amendment to Stanley's bill - I cannot help thinking that the Greys & Stanleys are archenemies." .