he Government, or a vote of want of confidence in the Government, and
thus compel them, if defeated, to go out of office, instead of
endeavoring to enforce on them the adoption of a resolution dealing
with questions which the Government had already promised to make the
subject of legislation, and without waiting to hear what manner of
legislation they were prepared to introduce?

There was an eloquent defiance in the closing words of Peel's speech.
The great minister knew that defeat was {250} awaiting him, and he
showed himself resolved to meet it half way. At three o'clock on the
morning of April 3 the division on the resolution of Lord John Russell
took place. There were 322 votes for the resolution and 289 against
it. The resolution was therefore carried by a majority of 33. The
student of history will observe with interest that the abolition of the
Irish State Church was the result of a series of resolutions carried by
Mr. Gladstone in the House of Commons in 1868, and afterwards embodied
in an act of legislation.

[Sidenote: 1835--Melbourne and Brougham]

The debate on Lord John Russell's resolution was carried on for a few
days longer, but it was chiefly concerned with mere questions as to the
form in which the Ministry were called upon to give effect to the wish
of the majority, and submit the resolution to the King. There was no
heart or practical purpose in these debates, for everybody already knew
what the end must be. On April 8 Sir Robert Peel announced to the
House that he could not take any part in giving effect to the
resolution, and that, therefore, he and his colleagues had determined
on resigning their offices. The course taken by Peel was thoroughly
honest, consistent, and upright, and Lord John Russell bore prompt and
willing testimony to the constitutional propriety of the retiring Prime
Minister's resolve. The Peel Ministry had come to its end. The
country had been put to the trouble and expense of a general election,
valuable time had been wasted, legislative preparations had been thrown
away, and everything was now back again in just the same condition as
when the King made up his mind to dismiss the Melbourne Administration.
The whole blame for the muddle rested on the King, who now found
himself compelled to take up again with Lord Melbourne just as if
nothing had happened. The King, indeed, made an attempt to induce Lord
Grey to come out of his retirement and form another Ministry