new town councils. Proud as he was of his destructive
exploits, as a triumph of toryism over conservatism, Lyndhurst soon
found that he could not so lightly override the wiser counsels of Peel.
When the lords' amendments came to be considered in the commons, Russell
prudently advised the acceptance of the less important, and the
disallowance of those inconsistent with the principle of the bill. He
was followed by Peel who, professing to uphold the independence of the
upper house, declared against the more obnoxious amendments, and
stickled only for points which the ministry was not unwilling to
concede. His action proved decisive. The commons stood firm on the main
issues, and the hostile party in the lords, who had vowed to mar this
reform, flinched at the last moment. Many of them abstained from
attendance. Wellington and even Lyndhurst recommended concession;
conferences took place between the houses, at which Russell played the
part of moderator, and on September 9 the corporation bill became law,
not in its entirety, but in all its essential features.

In spite of this pacific compromise, popular feeling ran higher than
ever against the house of lords which, under the evil influence of
Lyndhurst, seemed bent on thwarting every liberal measure. John Roebuck,
member for Bath, a prominent radical, who acted independently of party
connexions, took a lead in denouncing their conduct, and went so far as
to propose giving them a merely suspensory, instead of an absolute, veto
on legislation. A sweeping reform in their constitution was loudly
advocated in the press. O'Connell, exasperated by their wanton rejection
of a Dublin police bill, spent a part of the parliamentary recess in a
tour over the north of England and Scotland, exhausting the stores of
his scurrilous invective in pouring contempt on the 170 tyrants who
could dare to withstand the will of the people. But O'Connell's
eloquence, marvellous as it was, never stirred British audiences as it
stirred the Irish masses, and it happened that at this moment he was
somewhat discredited by accusations of corruption afterwards proved to
be false. The house of lords not only survived his attacks, but was
instigated by Lyndhurst to further acts of obstruction in the following
year.

[Pageheading: _COTTENHAM, LORD CHANCELLOR._]

His most powerful opponent was about to disappear from the political
scenes for the present, and in the future to be converted into an ally.
Wh