the Duke
of Wellington consented to it is difficult to see, unless it be
that his mind is a little enfeebled, and his strong sense no
longer exercises the same sway. They hardly seem to have intended
what they did, for they made no whip up, and Lord Wicklow went
away without voting. As it was, Government had better have rested
upon their old declaration, that as long as they were supported
by the House of Commons they should disregard the opposition of
the House of Lords; and so in fact they would have done, if the
next day Normanby had not flared up so violently and insisted on
resignation or reparation. At the Cabinet there was a long
discussion whether they should resign or not, and the Speaker,
Ellice, and others of their friends, were strongly for their
taking this opportunity of retiring with all their strength, and
upon a question which would have rendered it next to impossible
for their successors to go on if they took their places. The
result, however, was the declaration of John Russell, and their
determination to try their strength in the House of Commons. If
the Radicals support them they will get their usual majority of
from fifteen to twenty; but it does not appear that they will
gain much by that, for the Lords will go on with their Committee
and put Normanby on his trial without caring for the vote of the
Commons.

[Page Head: LORD NORMANBY'S IRISH ADMINISTRATION.]

With regard to the merits of the case, Normanby's Government was
no doubt on the whole carried on in a very good spirit; but as it
was in an Irish spirit, it was of course obnoxious to the old
dominant party. There is not the slightest suspicion that in his
exercise of the prerogative of mercy he was ever influenced by
any improper motives or showed any partiality; though Lord
Wellesley said, that 'he dramatised royalty, and made mercy
appear blind instead of justice.' But the system is of very
questionable propriety, and on some occasions he probably was
rather too free with it, and went a little further than in strict
prudence he ought to have done. Generally speaking, however, on
this point as well as on the other grounds on which he has been
attacked, he has defended himself with great vigour and success.
The night after the debate, he gave Brougham a heavy fall, and
exposed his glaring inconsistency and falseness. Brougham is said
to have appeared more annoyed and crestfallen than ever he did
before. He certainly made a very poor a