are
naturally generated in an advanced and speculative state of society.

This discontent has been aggravated and fermented by the language of
every party in the state. Lord Melbourne can exempt no party from
this blame, nor hardly any individual except himself. The Tories and
Conservatives (not the Leaders, but the larger portion of the party)
have done what they could to inflame the public mind upon that most
inflammable topic of the Poor Laws. The _Times_ newspaper has been the
most forward in this. The Whigs and Radicals have done what they could
in the same direction upon the Corn Laws. Mr Attwood[75] and another
set have worked the question of the Currency, and the whole career of
Mr O'Connell in Ireland has been too manifest to be mistaken. It is
no wonder if working in this manner altogether they have at last
succeeded in driving the country into this which is certainly very
near, if not actually a rebellion.

Lord Melbourne earnestly hopes that your Majesty and the Prince, the
Prince, and Princess are all well.

[Footnote 74: Parliament was prorogued by the Queen in person
on 12th August.]

[Footnote 75: Who represented the Radical views of the
Birmingham school.]

[Pageheading: THE DISTURBED DISTRICTS]

_Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _18th August 1842._

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, is happily enabled to state to
your Majesty that the accounts from the disturbed districts received
this morning are more satisfactory.

In Lancashire a disposition to resume work has been partially evinced;
and at Preston, where the most vigorous measures were taken in the
first instance, there has hardly been a cessation of employment.

Sir James Graham encloses a letter from the Chief Constable of the
County of Lancashire detailing a successful resistance to a fresh
attempt on the part of a mob to enter Preston; and he sends also
a report from the Mayor of Manchester and from Mr Forster, the
Stipendiary Magistrate. Decisive measures will be adopted for the
immediate apprehension of the Delegates, not only at Manchester, but
in every other quarter where legal evidence can be obtained which will
justify their arrest. The law, which clearly sanctions resistance to
the entry of these mobs into cities, is now understood by the local
authorities. A bolder and firmer spirit is rising among all classes
possessing property in defence of their rights against these bands
of