ially Lord John Russell and Mr
Gladstone, whose views on the questions of Reform and National Defence
respectively were opposed to those of the Premier. Lord Palmerston was
indifferent to the support of Mr Gladstone; but a unity of view on
the Italian policy of the Government held the three Liberal statesmen
together.

The attack on the Paper Duties was repeated by Mr Gladstone, who, on
this occasion, combined all his fiscal proposals in a single Bill. The
measure, after strong opposition, passed the Commons by a majority of
fifteen, and the Peers subsequently accepted the Budget, which took a
penny off the income tax, while maintaining the existing tea and sugar
Duties. In July, Lord John Russell, who had entered Parliament in
1813, before he came of age and had been leader of the House of
Commons at the time of the Queen's accession, was transferred to the
House of Lords. In August, the Queen and the Prince Consort, with the
Prince of Wales and Prince Alfred, paid a third visit to Ireland.

The affairs of Italy still continued to attract public attention.
At the end of 1860, the French fleet had been despatched to Gaeta
to protect the interests of King Francis; this protection, given
in violation of the principle of non-intervention, was withdrawn in
January, and the garrison surrendered to the Piedmontese Admiral. On
the 18th of February, the new Parliament of Italy met at Turin, the
debates emphasising the vital necessity of including both Rome and
Venetia in a united nation; Victor Emmanuel was declared King of
Italy, a title promptly recognised by Great Britain; but in June, to
the profound grief of the Italian nation, Cavour, its Prime Minister,
and the mainspring of the Piedmontese policy, died while still in the
prime of life.

King Frederick William of Prussia had died in January, and was
succeeded by his brother, William I., Prince of Prussia, who was
crowned with Queen Augusta, at Koenigsberg, on the 18th of October,
Lord Clarendon attending as British representative. In the following
month, King Pedro of Portugal, son and successor of Donna Maria, and
his brother Ferdinand, died of typhoid fever; another brother, Prince
John, succumbed to the same malady before the close of the year.

Events of great importance took place in North America, where the
secession of South Carolina was followed by that of other Southern
States. The delegates of the latter assembled in February at
Montgomery, Alabama, and no