nd related to the Duke what had taken place, the
former saying he would face a thousand devils rather than such a
House of Commons. From that moment the whole thing was at an end,
and the next morning (Tuesday) the Duke repaired to the King, and
told him that he could not form an Administration. This
communication, for which the debate of the previous night had
prepared everybody, was speedily known, and the joy and triumph
of the Whigs were complete.

[6] [Alexander Baring, afterwards Lord Ashburton.]

[7] [The debate arose on a petition of the City of London,
praying that the House would refuse supplies until the
Reform Bill had become law.]

The King desired the Duke and Lyndhurst (for they went together)
to advise him what he should do. They advised him to write to
Lord Grey (which he did), informing him that the Duke had given
up the commission to form a Government, that he had heard of what
had fallen from Mr. Baring in the House of Commons the night
before on the subject of a compromise, and that he wished Lord
Grey to return and resume the Government upon that principle.
Lord Grey sent an answer full of the usual expressions of zeal
and respect, but saying that he could give no answer until he had
consulted his colleagues. He assembled his Cabinet, and at five
o'clock the answer was sent.[8]

[8] [These communications have been published in the
'Correspondence of Earl Grey with William IV.,' vol.
ii. pp. 406-411.]

[Page Head: TRIUMPH OF THE WHIGS.]

Yesterday morning Lord Grey saw the King; but up to last night
nothing was finally settled, everything turning upon the terms to
be exacted, some of the violent of the party desiring they should
avail themselves of this opportunity to make Peers, both to show
their power and increase their strength; the more moderate,
including Lord Grey himself and many of the old Peer-makers, were
for sparing the King's feelings and using their victory with
moderation, all, however, agreeing that the only condition on
which they could return was the certainty of carrying the Reform
Bill unaltered, either by a creation of Peers or by the secession
of its opponents. Up to the present moment the matter stands
thus: the King at the mercy of the Whigs, just as averse as ever
to make Peers, the violent wishing to press him, the moderate
wishing to spare him, all parties railing at each other, the
Tories broken and disco