ion in the House
of Commons, in which the Radicals principally figured, making
speeches of such exceeding violence that it was only justifiable
to pass them over, because those who uttered them are not worth
notice. Gladstone spoke very well, and Lord John Russell closed
the discussion with an excellent speech just such as a Minister
ought to make, manly, temperate, and constitutional. He is a
marvellous little man, always equal to the occasion, afraid of
nobody, fixed in his principles, clear in his ideas, collected in
his manner, and bold and straightforward in his disposition. He
invariably speaks well when a good speech is required from him,
and this is upon every important question, for he gets no
assistance from any of his colleagues, except now and then from
Howick. This is a fine occasion for attacking the Government and
placing them between two fires, for the Radicals abuse them for
their tyrannical and despotic treatment of the Canadians, and the
Tories attribute the rebellion to their culpable leniency and
futile attempts at conciliation by concessions which never ought
to have been made, and only were made out of complaisance to the
Radicals here. As generally happens when there are charges of an
opposite nature, and incompatible with one another, neither of
them is true.

Since Brougham and Melbourne's set-to in the House of Lords, the
former has been speaking every day and entering a protest about
every other day. He is in a state of permanent activity, and
means to lead such of the Radicals as will enlist under his
ragged banner. He was quite furious about the Civil List, and
evidently means to outbid everybody for popularity. He goes on
belabouring and 'befriending' the Government Lords, but the
effect he produces (if any) is out of doors, for he usually
wastes his rhetoric on empty benches.

The Queen went to the House yesterday without producing any
sensation. There was the usual crowd to look at the finery of
carriages, horses, Guards, &c., but not a hat raised nor a voice
heard: the people of England seem inclined to hurrah no more.

December 30th, 1837 {p.035}

Since the receipt of Colborne's despatches,[18] the alarm about
Canada has subsided, and if Ministers had been aware that matters
were no worse, probably Parliament would have had longer
holidays. Nobody doubts that the insurrection will be easily put
down, but the difficulty will be how to settle matters
afterwards. It does not app