Lansdowne House <1> Apl 12th
Dear Henry
Altho’ from what Kerry <2> tells me I conceive that you may not feel as much interest now in the fate of Malmsbury as you did when I last saw you, I may as well tell you that it is determined as far as Govt is concerned to recognize its claim to be raised out of the unfortunate Schedule A. <3> to the comparative paradise of B. where I trust in future its one member will be returned upon purer principles than have hitherto produced two –
Yours ever truly
Lansdowne
Notes:
1. Lansdowne House, London: home of the Marquis of Lansdowne, WHFT's uncle and cousins.
2. William Thomas Fitzmaurice, Earl of Kerry (1811–1836), MP.
3. List of boroughs with fewer than 2000 inhabitants, which were to lose the right to return a member to parliament. Schedule B boroughs had between 2000 and 4000 inhabitants and returned two members each. This was to be reduced to one.