and division, at five in the morning,
Government got a majority of twenty-one, just what was (at last)
expected. Peel spoke for three hours, and so elaborately as to
fatigue the House, so that his speech probably seems much better
to the reader than to the hearer of it. The Opposition all along
abstained from attacking the Government upon their measures, and
Peel directed his artillery against their compromise of principle
in making Ballot an open question, and the general laxity of
their political morality. But the most important part of his
speech was his declaration of the principles by which he meant to
be governed in office or out; and his manly and distinct
announcement to his followers, that they must support him on his
own terms, and that if they did not like them, he was sorry for
it, and they might look elsewhere for a leader if they chose it.
There can be no doubt that it was wise and bold thus to cast
himself on public opinion, and to put forth a manifesto, which
leaves no doubt of his future conduct, and from which there is no
retreat for him, and by which all his adherents must be equally
bound. On the other hand, Lord John, considering he rose at three
in the morning, when he and the House must have been pretty well
exhausted, made a very good and honourable speech, and ended with
a declaration quite as Conservative as Peel's was on the other
hand Liberal, so much so that it is really difficult to say what
difference there now is between them, nor does there appear any
reason why (circumstances permitting) they should not act
together to-morrow. As far as the two _parties_ are concerned,
taking debate and division, perhaps no great advantage has been
gained by either, but I think the discussion has been beneficial
by eliciting the above declaration from the respective leaders.

[Page Head: ROYAL PRECEDENCE REFUSED.]

The Precedence Question has fallen to the ground, and is left
unsettled, in a manner much to be regretted. After my interview
with FitzGerald, I went to Clarendon and told him what had
passed. He went to the Cabinet, and prevailed on Duncannon to
speak to Melbourne and get him to communicate with the Duke, for
the purpose of settling the question if possible amicably.
Melbourne said he would, but did not. On Friday the Cabinet
agreed to give up the precedence over the Prince of Wales; but to
a question of Brougham's the Chancellor said, he had no other
concession to offer. It was then agr