hy went on with
his explanation. The details of this measure, as soon as they were
made known to him, appeared to him, he said, to be fraught with
the gravest and most pernicious consequences. He was sure that the
members of her Majesty's Government, who were hurrying on this
measure with what he thought was indecent haste,--ministers are
always either indecent in their haste or treacherous in their
delay,--had not considered what they were doing, or, if they had
considered, were blind as to its results. He then attempted to
discuss the details of the measure, but was called to order. A
personal explanation could not be allowed to give him an opportunity
of anticipating the debate. He contrived, however, before he sat
down, to say some very heavy things against his late chief, and
especially to congratulate the Duke on the services of the honourable
gentleman, the member for Mayo,--meaning thereby Mr. Laurence
Fitzgibbon.

It would perhaps have been well for everybody if the measure could
have been withdrawn and the Ministry could have resigned without the
debate,--as everybody was convinced what would be the end of it. Let
the second reading go as it might, the Bill could not be carried.
There are measures which require the hopeful heartiness of a new
Ministry, and the thorough-going energy of a young Parliament,--and
this was one of them. The House was as fully agreed that this change
was necessary, as it ever is agreed on any subject,--but still the
thing could not be done. Even Mr. Monk, who was the most earnest of
men, felt the general slackness of all around him. The commotion
and excitement which would be caused by a change of Ministry might
restore its proper tone to the House, but in its present condition it
was unfit for the work. Nevertheless Mr. Monk made his speech, and
put all his arguments into lucid order. He knew it was for nothing,
but nevertheless it must be done. For hour after hour he went
on,--for it was necessary to give every detail of his contemplated
proposition. He went through it as sedulously as though he had
expected to succeed, and sat down about nine o'clock in the evening.
Then Sir Orlando moved the adjournment of the House till the morrow,
giving as his reason for doing so the expedience of considering the
details he had heard. To this no opposition was made, and the House
was adjourned.

On the following day the clubs were all alive with rumours as to the
coming debate. It was know