y of the question thus raised made me
feel that the day was come to eject the government.

ATTACK ON THE BUDGET

It was upon the increase of the house-tax that the great battle was
finally staked. Mr. Gladstone's letters to his wife at Hawarden bring
the rapid and excited scenes vividly before us.

_6 Carlton Gardens, Dec. 3, 1852._--I write from H. of C. at 41/2
just expecting the budget. All seem to look for startling and
dangerous proposals. You will read them in the papers of to-morrow,
be they what they may. If there is anything outrageous, we may
protest at once; but I do not expect any extended debate
to-night.... The rush for places in the H. of C. is immense.

_Monday, Dec. 6._--On Saturday, in the early part of the day, I had
a return, perhaps caused by the damp relaxing weather, of the
neuralgic pain in my face, and in the afternoon a long sitting at
Lord Aberdeen's about the budget, during which strange to say my
pain disappeared, but which kept me past the ordinary post hour.
These were the causes of your having no letter. The said budget
will give rise to serious difficulties. It is plain enough that
when its author announced something looming in the distance, he did
not mean this plan but something more extensive. Even his reduced
scheme, however, includes fundamental faults of principle which it
is impossible to overlook or compound with. The first day of
serious debate on it will be Friday next, and a vote will be taken
either then or on Monday.

_Dec. 8._--Be sure to read Lord Derby's speech on Monday. His
reference to the cause of his quarrel with Lord George Bentinck was
most striking, and is interpreted as a rap at Disraeli.[273] I have
had a long sit with Lord Aberdeen to-day talking over
possibilities. The government, I believe, talk confidently about
the decision on the house-tax, but I should doubt whether they are
right. Meantime I am convinced that Disraeli's is the least
conservative budget I have ever known.

_Dec. 14._--I need hardly say the vision of going down to-morrow
has been dissolved. It has been arranged that I am not to speak
until the close of the debate; and it is considered almost certain
to go on till Monday. Ministers have become much less confident,
but I understand that some, I kno