de in the next few days, and succeeded in putting the
Government in a minority.]

[Footnote 3: On the 14th of January, the assassination of the
French Emperor, which had been planned in England by Felice
Orsini and other refugees, was attempted. On the arrival
of the Imperial carriage at the Opera House in the Rue
Lepelletier, explosive hand-grenades were thrown at it, and
though the Emperor and Empress were unhurt, ten people were
either killed outright or died of their wounds, and over one
hundred and fifty were injured. Notwithstanding the scene of
carnage, their Majesties maintained their composure and sat
through the performance of the Opera. In the addresses of
congratulation to the Emperor on his escape (published, some
of them inadvertently, in the official _Moniteur_), officers
commanding French regiments used language of the most
insulting character to England, and Count Walewski, the French
Foreign Minister, in a despatch, recommended the British
Government to take steps to prevent the right of asylum being
abused.]

[Pageheading: DEFEAT OF THE GOVERNMENT]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

PICCADILLY, _19th February 1858_.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and is
sorry to have to inform your Majesty that the Government were beat
this evening on Mr Milner Gibson's[4] Amendment by a majority of
19,[5] the numbers being for his Amendment, 234, and against it 215.

Mr Milner Gibson began the Debate by moving his Amendment in a speech
of considerable ability, but abounding in misrepresentation, which
nevertheless produced a marked effect upon the House. Mr Baines
followed, but only argued the Bill without replying to Mr Gibson's
speech. This was remarked upon by Mr Walpole, who followed him, and
who said that though he approved of the Bill he could not vote for
reading it a second time until Count Walewski's despatch had been
answered. Mr MacMahon supported the Amendment, as did Mr Byng. Sir
George Grey, who followed Mr Walpole, defended the Bill and the course
pursued by the Government in not having answered Count Walewski's
despatch until after the House of Commons should have affirmed the
Bill by a Second Reading. Mr Spooner remained steady to his purpose,
and would vote against the Amendment, though in doing so he should
differ from his friends. Lord Harry Vane opposed the Amendment, as