Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-04-25
From Chambers journal.
Al.iacity 0E a London Reporter.

| Wien the Duke of Wellington was
| Prime Minister one of the morning
! newspapers gave the programme Of a
very important Government proceed
! ing about to be adopted. It startled
! all parties, and created an immense
sensation among the Tories, for that
political party lad received no infor-
nation that the Cabinet intended any
such move nay, the majority Of the
| Cabinet Ministers themselves were
! equally il the dark and yet the an
nouncement was true The Duke was
| full of wrath at the premature display
| of his plans, and equally full of sur
| prise, seeing that those plans had not
, been committed to paper. The clue to
the mystery was, after a time, OBJ
tanned The Duke of Wellington was
rather deaf during the second half
OF his life, and Gas is usually the
case under such circumstances) adopted
somewhat loud tone in conversation.
! One evening, after stirring debate IN
the House of Lords, the Duke walked
| home arm-in-arm with another peer, q
trusted member of his party, but not
member of the Government. In the
course of conversation he gave the out
line of scheme which he had deter
mined to put into effect, but of which
he had said nothing to his colleagues
pcncd TO be outside the House of
Lords He caught some words from
the lips Of the loud-talking Duke, saw
/ ut once that they bore an important
! relation to the existing politics of the
! day. and resolved to attempt a neat
| thing III the way of business.
! aSiSa and ,lalIoary as
trouble companions he followed the
peers at cautious distance, and
/ picked the loud words as they fell
upon his ear. The night was dark,
! the tread of his steps was made soft
! for the occasion, and he escaped de-
! lection during a long portion of the
Dukes walk to Aspley House. Re
turning to his lodgings, the elmer"
| got up an account of the momentous
! policy intended by the noble Duke at
| the head OF His Naiesty's Govern
mcnt, written in the proper newspaper
style Knowing that none of the
papers would place trust in any fimsy
from a Elmer" if sent in the usual
way, on a subject SO peculiarly
special and momentou3 as this, he
adopted another plan. Mr.. Black,
editor of the Morning Chronicle,
| had that day given Il 'leader'. of his
own, in which the Duke was severely
handled for refusing to make known
his plans in the House of Lords. The
elmer went to Mr.. Black, handed him
the article he had prepared, and, on
being pressed, candidly avowed the
manmuvre he had adopted. The
temptation was too great TO be re-
sisted. Mr.. Black accepted the
''liner's' article, paid for it handsomely,
and inserted it next morning as q
double-leaded leading article. The
effect was immense.
The conductors of the other papers
were surprised and vexed at being
thus forestalled by the Morning
Chronicle the Wings were elated at
the disclosures thus made; the Tories
were mortified by the Ministers OF
: their choice the Dukes colleagues IL
, the Cabinet were somewhat more than
mortified at having been deemed
equally unworthy of his trust, and the
clubs discussed the affair day afte,
day. Many influential members OF
Parliament called upon William
! Clements, principal proprietor of the
t Morning Chronicle, and asked him t.
tell them Gin confidence how the in
) formation was obtained; but, until the
5 article had produced its full effect il
relation to the party politics Of thu
r day. Mr.. Black would not tell even hi
l own employer the history of the secret
, AS the Duke had not committed hi
plan to paper, and had communicate
1t orally only to his friend, the peer
his suspicious lighted in that quarter
+ and much unpleasantness resulted, un
: til the real truth ooZed out.