sformed.

A bill framed upon these lines, and remedying some minor abuses, was
introduced by Althorp on April 17, having been foreshadowed in the
speech from the throne, and carefully matured by the cabinet. So wide
and deep was the conviction of the necessity for some radical treatment
of an intolerable evil that party spirit was quelled for a while, and
the bill met with a very favourable reception, especially as its
operation was limited to five years. It passed the second reading by a
majority of 299 to 20 on May 9, notwithstanding a violent protest from
De Lacy Evans, an ultra-radical, who had displaced Hobhouse at
Westminster. The keynote of the radical agitation which followed was
given by his declaration that "the cessation of out-door relief would
lead to a revolution in the country," and by Cobbett's denunciation of
the "poor man robbery bill". The _Times_ newspaper, already a great
political force, took up the same cry, and had not Peel, with admirable
public spirit, thrown his weight into the scale of sound economy, a
formidable coalition between extremists on both sides might have been
organised. He stood firm, however; radicals like Grote declined to
barter principle for popularity, and the bill emerged almost unscathed
from committee in the house of commons. It passed its third reading on
July 2 by a majority of 157 to 50. Peel's example was followed by
Wellington in the house of lords, and Brougham delivered one of his most
powerful speeches in support of the measure. With some modification of
the bastardy clauses and other slighter amendments it was carried by a
large majority, and received the royal assent on August 4.

No other piece of legislation, except the repeal of the corn laws, has
done so much to rescue the working classes of Great Britain from the
misery entailed by twenty years of war. Its effect in reducing the rates
was immediate; its effect in raising the character of the agricultural
poor was not very long deferred. Happily for them, though not for the
farmers, bread was cheap for two years after it came into force. Still,
the sudden cessation of doles and pensions in aid of wages could not but
work great hardship to individuals in thousands of rural parishes, and
there was perhaps too little disposition on the part of the
commissioners to allow any temporary relaxation of the system. The
rigorous enforcement of the workhouse test, and the harsh management of
workhouses, continued for y