ever, is only mentioned here as a matter of curious and
technical interest to the reader of Parliamentary history. Brougham
was made a peer soon enough for all purposes, and in the mean time he
was removed altogether from the House of Commons. Brougham did not
accept his new position without some grumbling. Probably he had the
idea that Lord Grey and others of his colleagues were glad to have him
safely provided for out of the range of the representative assembly,
where his eloquence might now and then become an inconvenient
influence. He accepted the position, however, and became a member of
the House of Lords. From that time his real influence over the country
may be said to have come to an end. After he ceased to be Lord
Chancellor he remained simply an eloquent, overbearing member of the
House of Lords, often delighting the galleries and the public with his
meteoric flashes of eloquence; but his power as a reformer was gone,
and for the greater part of his remaining career, when one or two
important questions to which he was pledged had been disposed of, he
took little interest in any movement of reform.

Lord Althorp became Chancellor of the Exchequer. Lord Althorp, who was
leader of the House of Commons as well as Chancellor of the Exchequer,
was an influential person in those days, but is almost forgotten in our
time. He was a model country gentleman, devoted to the duties and the
delights of such a position; had a natural gift for farming and no
natural inclination whatever for politics. Not merely did he make no
pretensions to oratory, but, even for a country gentleman, he could not
be regarded as a particularly good speaker. Yet he undoubtedly was a
man of much weight in the Parliamentary life of his time. He was
thoroughly straightforward and disinterested; he was absolutely
truthful and honorable; his word was his bond, {126} and the House of
Commons and the country in general could always feel sure that any
advice given by Lord Althorp was guided by the light of his own
judgment and his own conscience, and that he was never unduly swayed by
fear, favor, or affection, whether towards sovereign or party. Lord
Melbourne was Home Secretary.

[Sidenote: 1830--The Reform Administration]

If we glance down the list of this Reform Administration to-day we
shall all probably be struck by the fact that the men who were regarded
as juniors and something like beginners have come to occupy, in many
cases,