were, on their return, hissed and hooted by the populace. Every hope of
conciliation being now at an end on the motion of Lord Castlereagh,
the commons voted a further adjournment, in order to leave initiatory
proceedings to the house of lords. But though the commons waited quietly
till their lordships made a further movement in the matter, the
country did not. The whole kingdom was turned into one great arena
of disputation, in which the innocence or the guilt of the queen was
advocated according to the different views of the people. Addresses were
sent to the queen from all quarters; and in answer to that presented by
the common-council of London, she made this declaration,--"In the many
and deep sorrows and afflictions with which it has pleased Providence
to visit me, I have derived unspeakable consolation from the zealous and
constant attachment of this warm-hearted, just, and generous people; to
live at home with, and to cherish whom, will be the chief happiness of
the remainder of my days."

The secret committee made their report on the 4th of July. This report
stated that the charges appeared calculated so deeply to affect, not
only the honour of the queen, but also the dignity of the crown, that
in the opinion of the committee it was necessary they should become the
subject of a solemn inquiry, which might best be effected in the course
of a legislative proceeding. This was followed, on the 6th of July, by a
motion in the lords, moved by the Earl of Liverpool, for a bill of pains
and penalties; or an act which, according to precedents in former ages,
might pronounce the queen guilty of an adulterous intercourse; degrade
her from her exalted station; and dissolve the marriage between her and
the king. This bill was read a first time as a preliminary step to the
introduction of evidence, and then a copy of it was sent to her majesty
by the usher of the black rod. The day fixed for the second reading was
the 17th of August, on which day counsel appeared in support of the bill
and on behalf of the queen.

In the meantime addresses were presented to her from cities, towns, and
villages in every part of the United Kingdom. Encouraged by the popular
support, the queen took a house at Hammersmith, on the banks of
the Thames, and thither processions went every day, except Sundays,
numbering on an average 30,000 people. Eventually she was obliged to
appoint certain days in the week for receiving them: the other days were