illiancy, and he was careful to
rest his case on constitutional equity and political expediency of the
highest order rather than on vague and abstract principles of popular
rights. The debate on the motion for leave to bring in the bill lasted
seven nights, and was vigorously sustained on both sides. The drastic
and sweeping character of the measure took the whole house by surprise,
while its authors justly claimed some credit for moderation in rejecting
the radical demands of universal suffrage, vote by ballot, and
triennial, if not annual, parliaments. Not only inside but outside the
walls of St. Stephen's the statement of the government had been awaited
with the utmost impatience, and it was universally felt that an issue
had now been raised which hardly admitted of compromise. The king
himself, though much engrossed by minor questions affecting the civil
list and the pension list, heartily congratulated Grey on the favourable
reception and prospects of the measure, which he regarded as a safeguard
against more democratic schemes. His great fear was of a collision
between the two houses, and the sequel proved that it was not unfounded.
For the present, however, all promised well. Peel denounced the bill
with less than his usual caution, but declined to give battle upon it,
and it passed the first reading on March 9 without a division. Indeed,
the chief danger to the stability of the government arose from its
defeat on the timber duties. This and other vexatious rebuffs so
irritated Grey that he actually contemplated a dissolution, lest the
reform bill itself should meet with a like fate. But the king would not
hear of it, and the cabinet wisely decided to follow the example of Pitt
and ignore an adverse division on a merely financial proposal, however
significant of parliamentary feeling.

[Pageheading: _SECOND READING OF THE FIRST BILL._]

Between the 9th and the 21st, the date fixed for the second reading,
popular excitement rose to a formidable height. Monster meetings were
held in the great centres of population, and the political unions put
forth all their strength. Nevertheless, the efforts of the
"borough-mongers" were all but successful, and after only two nights
debate the bill passed its second reading by a bare majority of one, 302
voting for it, and 301 against it. After this demonstration of strength
on the part of its opponents, no one could expect that it would survive
the ordeal of discussion in comm