London
22d March 1833
Dear Mr F.
What do you think of the division on Attwood’s motion?<1> I was absent, from an impression that the Ministers had the power of preventing its being brought forward pending the progress of the Irish Bill,<2> and that they certainly would prevent it as they had done Sir A. Agnew’s motion on the Sabbath laws<3> the day before. Therefore, thinking there was nothing going on but the Irish Bill & that that was now safe, I did not attend, being very busy. Had I been there I shd have voted with Attwood, tho’ I wish the Ministry would consent to an enquiry without being compelled. It is unpleasant to have to vote with the Radicals against them,<4> but if they will not consent to fair discussion they are themselves to blame if they get outvoted.
I have been reading in a scientific journal a curious account of the running away of a steam carriage down hill near Abingdon<5> last autumn. It ran a mile in one minute ten seconds – This coach travelled all the way from Southampton to Liverpool & back to London, it passed a stagecoach going full gallop that tried to race with it, with eas[e,]<6> in fact on one occasion at Knutsford in Cheshire it went 3 miles ˝ in 5 minutes ˝ without running away. It goes up hill at a great pace, so that I don’t see why it should not come into general use, except that Capital is wanted for such an undertaking.
We cannot come before Wednesday night or Thursday morning.
Yours affly
Henry
Captn Feilding
Notes:
1. Thomas Attwood (1783–1856), radical MP, banker & manufacturer.
2. Irish Reform Bill (August 1832). [See Doc. No: 02396].
3. Sir Andrew Agnew, 7th Baronet (1793–1849), MP, Sabbatarian Promoter; of Whig principles, inclining towards Conservatism. He supported the Reform Act and was the mover of the Sabbath Observance Committee of 1832. He was first elected for Wigtonshire in 1830. He sat until retirement in 1837.
4. The term ‘Radical’ was used as a general term covering all those who supported the movement for parliamentary reform.
5. Town and parish in county of Berkshire.
6. Written off the end of page.