some being for so doing on Stanley's Irish Registration
Bill, if then defeated, while others (more judiciously, _mea
sententia_) are against going to the country on any Irish
question.[8]

[8] [The Irish system for the registration of voters
differed materially from that of England. In Ireland,
every person claiming to vote for the first time was
obliged to prove his title; in England, all claims were
admitted that were not objected to, and other abuses
had crept in. Attempts had been made by the Government
to remedy this evil, but in vain; and in 1840 Lord
Stanley, then in Opposition, took it in hand, and
brought in an Irish Registration Bill, which was
opposed by O'Connell and by Lord Morpeth, then Irish
Secretary, but on two successive divisions Ministers
were beaten. This Bill was, however, withdrawn. In 1841
Lord Stanley and Lord Morpeth both brought in Irish
Registration Bills; the former was meant to clear the
Register of fictitious voters, the latter was a Reform
Bill in disguise, for it extended the franchise to
leaseholders rated at L5 a year. The contest between
these two rival Bills occupied the early parts of the
session. The second reading of Lord Morpeth's Bill was
carried by 299 to 294, but eventually the qualification
clause was struck out of the Bill in Committee by a
division of 300 to 294 on April 29. (See Walpole's
_History of England_, vol. iii. p. 520.)]

February 9th, 1841 {p.373}

The Duke of Wellington had an attack the other night in the House
of Lords, and was taken home speechless, but not senseless. It
was severe, but short, and after the stomach was relieved, he
rapidly recovered, and in a day or two _pronounced_ himself as
well as ever. Of course the alarm was very great. He is very
eager about politics, and the Tory language is that of exceeding
gloom about the general aspect of affairs, while their own
affairs, as far as elections are concerned, flourish. In
Monmouthshire the Whig has resigned without a contest; the Tories
affect to consider Morpeth's Registration Bill as a revolution,
while the Whigs pretend that Stanley's will make every county in
Ireland a close Orange borough. Perhaps the debates may strike
out something approaching to the truth. Great