gh Graham, Stanley, and others
of the principal men voted with him, they did so very
reluctantly, and maintained an invincible silence throughout all
the discussions. When at last it was settled that a Bill should
be introduced, and that Bill had passed the House of Commons,
considerable doubt existed whether it would pass the Lords, the
Duke of Wellington's opinion being decidedly at variance with
Peel's on the question. Nothing could have gratified his party
more than the rejection of this Bill by the Lords, but however
well inclined the Duke was to reject it, he knew that this would
be too desperate a game to play, and while it might lead to the
dissolution of the Government, it would entail that of the Tory
party also. Many conferences took place between Graham and
Arbuthnot and Lyndhurst, the result of which was, that the Duke
was persuaded to let the Bill pass, but this was not accomplished
without much murmuring against the obstinacy of Peel.

[Page Head: THE DUKE CONTROLS THE TORIES.]

Soon afterwards the China question was brought forward by Graham,
but whatever benefit they expected to derive from this attack on
the Government was entirely marred by the Duke's speech in the
House of Lords, in which he completely threw over Graham, as well
as all who supported him; and while this vexed and offended the
Tory leaders in the Commons, the 'Democracy' were as indignant
with the Duke as they had lately been with Peel. After this, a
sort of running fight went on (Stanley's battles presenting the
only important results) up to the period of the introduction of
the Canada Bill.[10] To this Peel offered no opposition whatever,
and it passed the House of Commons with his concurrence, and
consequently without difficulties or even divisions. But as soon
as it got into the Lords, the Duke broke out in fierce hostility
against it, denounced its provisions in the most unmeasured
terms, and for a considerable time nobody knew whether they would
throw it out or not. Peel (it appeared) had taken his line and
supported the Bill, without any previous concert with the Duke,
and the latter, as well as all the Tory Lords, were exceedingly
indignant at finding themselves so far committed by his conduct
that it became absolutely impossible for them to throw it out.
Why Peel did not communicate with the Duke, I cannot divine, or
why it was not made a great party measure, and a resolution taken
to act in concert. Lyndhurst spoke to me