n five years.[5] There can
be no doubt that if the Government had declared a neutrality,
perhaps if John Russell had not so deeply committed himself
against it, it would have been carried now. Some men in office,
many others closely connected with Ministers, did vote for it; a
great number stayed away, and of those who followed John many did
so very reluctantly, and some certainly will never vote against
it again. Then it is indubitable that the Ballot is getting more
popular in the country, and it is not regarded with much
apprehension by many of those who are altogether opposed to
Radical principles: by such as Fazakerley for instance, a
sensible man and moderate Whig, who did not vote at all on this
occasion.

[5] [It was carried, but in _thirty-four_ years from this
time. It is possible to foresee and predict political
events with considerable certainty, but very difficult
to foretell when they will arrive. The division on this
occasion, on Mr. Grote's motion in favour of the
Ballot, was 305 to 198.]

On Friday night Brougham announced to the Lords that they must
make up their minds to the Ballot after the division of the
preceding night, and yesterday morning, when we were assembled in
my room before going into court (Parke, Erskine, Bosanquet, and
himself) he gave us his speech in high glee. Parke, who is an
alarmist, had just before said that he had never doubted when the
Reform Bill had passed that England would become a republic, and
when Brougham said that he gave the Ballot five years for its
accomplishment, Parke said, 'And in five years from that we shall
have a republic,' on which Brougham gave him a great cuff, and,
with a scornful laugh, said, 'A republic! pooh, nonsense! Well,
but what if there is? _There are judges_ in a republic, and very
well paid too.' 'Well paid!' said the other in the same tone,
'and no.' 'Yes, they are; they have L350 a year. But, never mind,
you shall be taken care of; I will speak to Grote about you.'
This is the way he goes on. He sits every day at the Judicial
Committee, but pays very little attention to the proceedings; he
is incessantly in and out of the room, giving audience to one
odd-looking man or another, and while in court more occupied with
preparing articles for the 'Edinburgh Review' or his
Parliamentary tirades than with the cases he is by way of
hearing. The day after the Lord Advocate's attack upon him