The Shadow of Great Britain

Capítulo 1614: Chapter 24: Turbulent Times (Part 2)

Arthur’s rashness is at most due to lack of experience leading to poor handling, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with his strategic direction.

And the Whig Party?

If they do not continue to promote Irish liberation, then it is a fundamental dispute over policy.

Just like parliamentary reform, they must fight to the end!

As for why choose Arthur Hastings instead of Eld Carter.

Admittedly, species considerations come first.

Secondly, even setting species aside, apart from Arthur Hastings, the University of London currently indeed has no other candidates to offer.

Founded in 1826, the University of London has only been operational for eight years, and there were only a few graduating classes, with the oldest not even reaching 30 years old. Picking out an Arthur Hastings who became famous at a young age from this group of young people is already remarkable, and it’s unrealistic to expect them to offer several more bicycles.

Arthur’s return home was so timely, coinciding exactly at the point when Lord Brougham and others were alienated from the Whig Party, even if they wanted to push for Mr. Carter, they’d at least have to wait for him to drift back from Australia, right?

Finally, although Lord Brougham didn’t say it directly, Arthur understood that compared to the Whig and Tory Parties, the Radicals were indeed too weak in media promotion.

Yet Arthur holds the “British” newspaper and the upcoming Imperial Publishing Company. Anyone with a sound mind can see the potential media value in this young Yorkshire tycoon.

However, for others, having someone elevate you to an MP’s seat might seem like a windfall.

But for Sir Arthur Hastings…

That might not quite be the case.

Setting aside the issue of MPs not being paid, Arthur is fundamentally skeptical of the so-called “New Whig Party” plan.

In the vast Lower House, while there are indeed non-Tory, non-Whig MPs, in terms of the current Lower House’s power structure, the Whigs occupy over 400 seats, and the Tories over 100 seats, with the two parties holding more than 80% of the seats.

Among the remaining 20%, although they are not Whigs and Tories in the usual sense, most of them will follow one of the two major parties on various issues. There are actually only 27 independents who truly hold firm to their opinions.

Even if Lord Brougham fully incorporates them, at most, he could form a weak third force in the Lower House, but this third force’s greatest weakness is not in the Lower House but in the House of Lords.

By daydreaming, they might manage to earn 20 or 30 seats in the Lower House.

But what about the House of Lords?

Even dreaming, Arthur doesn’t think they could gain more than five stable supporters there.

The decline of the Radicals in the House of Lords is not something that could be reversed in decades.

After all, the seats there rely on inheritance, not elections.

Regardless of Catholic emancipation or parliamentary reform, it all depended on the Duke of Wellington’s concessions, forcibly passing Catholic emancipation by pressing down on the King’s head, and ordering all Tory nobles to “turn around” in parliamentary reform.

Therefore, no matter how you look at it, Arthur believes the new force would be a party “trounced by the Whigs in the Lower House and trampled by the Tories in the House of Lords”.

This party cannot independently propose any issues, at most playing the role of a spoiler on some close matters.

In summary, according to Sir Arthur Hastings’ thorough analysis, while the title of a third force MP might be glamorous, the actual authority is too low, less cost-effective than a Superintendent at Scotland Yard.

Though Arthur has no intention of entering that well-known “zoo” in London, he does not object to the series of political dinners arranged for him by Lord Brougham, for one can always make new discoveries at such gatherings.

Holding a champagne glass, Arthur sat in a corner of the Seagull Club, looking in his direction, you could see a middle-aged gentleman dressed in a well-tailored black tailcoat.

Although this gentleman, like many older British gentlemen, suffered from hair loss, he stubbornly tried to manage his increasingly sparse hair, making each strand appear particularly shiny under the light.

His face bore the typical slick and cunning smile of middle-aged men, well-versed in the art of flattery, sometimes toasting with MPs, sometimes sitting down for a game of whist with significant figures present.

Arthur took out a small note from his jacket pocket. Although years had passed, his quirky habit of creating dossiers on every encounter was hard to give up.

Arthur murmured softly: “John Conroy, Irishman, born 1786 in Kilhen, Wales. Educated in Dublin in his early years, joined the Royal Artillery in 1803. Promoted to attendant officer by the Duke of Kent in 1817. After the Duke of Kent’s death, continued to serve the Duchess of Kent as a private secretary. In 1827, awarded the Royal Guelf Medal of the Kingdom of Hanover for his outstanding service to the Royal Family, earning a knighthood, ha…”

In some aspects, Arthur and his friend Mr. Disraeli share similarities.

Mr. Disraeli wishes to become nobility, but looks down on those second-generation nobilities who inherit their status.

As for Arthur, he is already a knight but disdains those who became knights not through taking a bullet.

Characters like Conroy served during the Napoleonic Wars, yet did not participate in any major battles. He had many proper ways to earn a knighthood, but he chose the one most looked down upon by everyone.

Arthur did not hurry forward to greet Conroy because he knew that today’s host, Lord Brougham, would surely introduce him.

If one wants to reverse the third force’s decline in the House of Lords, building a good relationship with influential figures like Conroy, who holds great sway over the future Queen, is necessary.

As for Conroy, he has always had a good relationship with the Whigs, since he also hopes that the ruling party would continue supporting the Duchess of Kent and him, rather than the other royal heirs.

While Arthur was in thought, sure enough, Lord Brougham walked over with a wine glass, exchanging pleasantries with others while whispering: “Conroy just mentioned you, saying he’s quite eager to meet the new Dean of London University.”

Upon hearing this, Arthur smiled slightly, adjusted his bow tie, and said, “Should I be cautious? Lest I disrespect the Prince of Wales Mother’s attendant.”

Brougham patted Arthur on the shoulder, unable to hide his disdain: “Don’t worry, though he is the Duchess of Kent’s confidant, Conroy outside the Royal Family doesn’t have many friends. He would love to ally with influential young people like you so he doesn’t seem like an old butler surviving on nepotism.”

The two chatted as they walked towards the gentleman with slicked-back hair.

Conroy indeed greeted them jovially, extended his hand to Arthur as if meeting an old friend: “Sir Arthur Hastings? I recall Lord Brougham once praised you at a banquet, saying ‘Your left hand writes poetry, your right hand composes music, and your mind contains electromagnetism and history,’ I was deeply impressed by this assessment. Since then, I’ve wanted to meet you.”

Arthur smiled slightly, politely shaking Conroy’s extended hand: “Truly a compliment, I had heard of you as well. Not long ago, at a ballet performance at the Alhambra Theater, I overheard the actors mention you. Your and the Duchess of Kent’s approach to the Crown Prince’s education is impressive. They said it was your idea to have Miss Taglioni as a dance teacher to train Princess Victoria’s posture?”

Upon hearing Arthur’s praise, Conroy couldn’t help but pridefully add: “I’m not deeply versed in the arts, but I had heard of Miss Taglioni’s accomplishments.”