My dear Henry
Surely you did not mean you wd vote into for another change of our monetary system? mischief enough has been done in all commerce first by the Bank restrictions, & then by the too sudden, or rather too long delayed, return to a metallic Currency – For an unprejudiced examination of the cause of the present distress I would vote, & so I conclude would all others of the opposition who supported government the other Night – but to grant a committee composed of Persons all predisposed, or predetermined to find, that that, which certainly arises from <various> <1> & complicated causes, is derived only from one seems worse than careless – It was ingenious enough in Attwood <2> so to bring up the two Questions the apparent & occult, as to force many persons to vote with him who detest the his ideas on the latter, but who are anxious, to appear at least desirous of forwarding any measure which hold out the prospect of any relief to the Poor – So it was with Hume <3> with this ad captandum <4> notion about Sinecure, <5> <illegible deletion> which in his Heart he cares not one Farthing about – but it obliged many People to vote against a motion which they approved of – but are brought forward by him – gaining to himself to a momentary Popularity at their expence – Your stage coach story is “important if true” – but as the Southampton establishment for building their coaches is Bankrupt – I have my Doubts – There is an excellent Article in the Foreign Quarterly on steam coaches – which you shall read when you come – I am glad you are <illegible deletion> to be here so soon I fear an Horse can be of no use in bringing you here the last stage as there is no seat for the coachman to drive from, to your Carriage – I concluded you leave one of your men inTown & he is on leave to remain in Sackville St <6>
1st he will be of use in attending to the Door while Fanny <7> is cleaning the House &ca till your return – Have you got a Horse–
Y aff
CF
Sunday
Henry F. Talbot Esqr M P
Sackville Street
London
Notes:
1. Text partly obscured by ink blot.
2. Thomas Attwood (1783–1856), radical MP, banker & manufacturer.
3. Probably Joseph Hume (1777–1855), Radical politician.
4. He probably means a kind of popular acceptance.
5. Any office or position which has no work or duties attached to it, especially one which yields some stipend or emolument.
6. 31 Sackville Street, London residence of the Feildings, often used as a London base by WHFT.
7. Housemaid.