ity of forty-eight, and the
No-popery cry influenced the general election of 1826. In that year no
further effort was made by the friends of catholic claims, but O'Connell
showed his growing power in Ireland by exciting a political revolt of
the peasantry at Waterford, and procuring the defeat of Lord George
Beresford.

[Pageheading: _CATHOLIC RELIEF._]

In the session of 1827, before Canning succeeded Lord Liverpool, Burdett
renewed his motion of 1825 on the catholic question, but found himself
defeated by four votes. The division had taken place in a full house,
after the fierce encounter, already mentioned, between Copley and
Canning; but it cannot be regarded as a decisive token of contrast
between the old and the new parliament, since relief was now claimed
without any mention of "securities". The subject was in abeyance during
the short administrations of Canning and Goderich, but was raised again
by Burdett in May, 1828, after the repeal of the test and corporation
acts. The number of votes on the catholic side, 272, was the same as in
1827, that on the protestant side, 266, was less by ten, the result
being a majority of six for the motion. A similar resolution was lost in
the house of lords, as a matter of course; but the language held by the
new lord chancellor, Lyndhurst, and by Wellington himself, as prime
minister, prepared observant men for an impending change of policy. Then
followed the Clare election, which revealed nothing which might not have
been foreseen, but which had the same effect in precipitating the
removal of catholic disabilities as the Irish famine afterwards had in
precipitating the repeal of the corn laws.

We now know that Peel had made up his mind to yield shortly after the
Clare election,[87] partly influenced by the alarming reports of
Anglesey, the Irish lord-lieutenant, on the state of Ireland. We also
know that Wellington himself was more than half convinced of the
necessity of concession, and was preparing to strengthen his government
for the coming struggle, in the event of Peel feeling bound to retire.
Meanwhile a vacancy in the ministry had been created by the Duke of
Clarence's resignation of his office of lord high admiral. In spite of
the limitations imposed on his power, he had insisted on hoisting his
flag, and assumed command. For this he was severely reprehended by the
king and Wellington, and was virtually forced to resign office. Melville
now became once more first