of the bill
in order to conciliate opposition in the house of peers. Grey's constant
reply was that no concessions would propitiate men bent on driving the
government from office, and that no measure less efficacious than that
already introduced would satisfy the just expectations of the people.
Both of these arguments were perfectly sound, and the constitutional
triumph ultimately achieved was largely due to the admirable tenacity of
purpose which refused to remodel the original reform bill in any
essential respect to please either the borough-mongers or the radicals.
The elections were conducted on the whole in good order. Seventy-six out
of eighty-two English county members (including the four Yorkshire
members), and the four members for the city of London, were pledged to
vote for the bill. Several notable anti-reformers were among the many
county representatives who failed to obtain re-election; even some of
the doomed boroughs did not venture to return anti-reformers; and the
government found itself supported by an immense nominal majority. The
new bill, introduced on June 24 by Lord John Russell, who had recently
been admitted in company with Stanley to the cabinet, differed little
from the old one. The number of boroughs to be totally disfranchised was
slightly greater, that of boroughs to be partially disfranchised
slightly less, but the net effect of the disfranchising and
enfranchising schedules was the same, and the L10 rental suffrage was
retained. The measure was allowed to pass its first reading after one
night's discussion. The debates on the second reading lasted three
nights, but the bill passed this stage on July 8 by a majority of 136 in
a house of 598 members.

[Pageheading: _SECOND REFORM BILL._]

The victory, however, though great, was far indeed from proving
decisive. By adopting obstructive tactics, of a kind to be perfected in
a later age, the opposition succeeded in prolonging the discussion in
committee over forty nights, until September 7. Though Peel separated
himself from the old tories, and steadily declined to cabal with
O'Connell's faction against the government, such an unprofitable waste
of time could not have taken place without his tacit sanction. Only one
important alteration was made in the bill. This was the famous "Chandos
clause," proposed by Lord Chandos, son of the Duke of Buckingham,
whereby the county suffrage was extended to all tenants-at-will of L50
rental and upwards.