266 ADMINISTRATION OF EARL GREY COMPLETED. [1830. Commons? If I yield, do not be surprised if my repentance should urge me to some rash act of which you may too soon hear.'" The administration of earl Grey had been readily completed, when the difficulty about Mr. Brougham had been surmounted. On the 22nd of November the principal members of the government kissed hands on their appointments; and on that evening earl Grey, in the House of Lords, made his statement, as Prime Minister, of the principles which would determine. the conduct of his government. Moderate Reform; Economy and Retrenchment; repression of Outrage and relief of Distress; the preservation of Peace with foreign Powers-these were the principles which he and his friends would uphold, and for the maintenance of which they threw themselves upon the confidence and support of their sovereign, of their lordships, and of the country. In the course of a fortnight all the minor offices were filled up, and were printed in the Gazette. The two Houses continued to sit for a month after the accession of the Whigs to power; but, in consequence of the necessity for re-election of various members of the Lower House, the proceedings were of little permanent interest. On the 23rd of December earl Grey, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, moved the adjournment of the Houses to the 3rd of February. CHAPTER XV. Re-assembling of Parliament-Reform Bill prepared by the Cabinet-Lord John Russell introduces the Reform Bill-Wonder and alarm at its contemplated provisions-Fears of the Aristocracy-The Debates on the First Reading-The Debates on the Second ReadingDefeat of the Ministry in Committee-Lord Grey and Lord Brougham urge the King to Dissolve-The Dissolution and General Election-The Reform Bill carried-The Bill in Committee--It is passed-The Bill in the House of Lords-The Bill rejected upon the Second Reading--Resolutions of the House of Commons-Parliament prorogued. WHEN the Legislature re-assembled on the 3rd of February, numerous petitions were presented to the House of Commons praying for Reform of Parliament. Lord Althorp then informed the House that on Tuesday the 1st of March the government would be prepared to submit their plan for the improvement of the representative system; and that the task of explaining the nature and extent of the reform which they contemplated would be confided to Lord John Russell. He was best entitled to propose a full and efficient improvement of the representation who had so often failed in his most zealous attempts to procure a partial one. In the House of Lords earl Grey stated that a measure of reform which would be effective, without exceeding the bounds of a just and well-advised moderation, had received the unanimous consent of the whole government, and would at as early a period as possible be submitted to the other House of Parliament. It is now known that a Committee of four members of the government, two of whom were of the Cabinet, had been selected by lord Grey to consider the manifold details connected with so large a change, and to prepare a Bill. That Committee consisted of lord Durham, sir James Graham, lord John Russell, and viscount Duncannon. The assertion of a son of earl Grey that his father "laid down the principles on which the measure was to be founded, the details of which were to be worked out by other members of the government," is no doubt substantially correct. The measure prepared by the Committee, which was finally adopted by the Cabinet, was submitted to the king on the 30th of January. The time had gone by, as far as regarded England, when, on that day which was then called the anniversary of a martyrdom, according *"Life and Opinions of Charles Earl Grey," by Lieut. -General Hon. C. Grey, 1861. |