come on with his whole force,
sword in hand, against the constitution, the people will not only beat
him by their energies, but laugh at his efforts. There have, indeed,
been periods when the country heard with dismay that the soldier was
abroad; but such is not the case now. Let the soldier be never so much
abroad in the present age, he can do nothing. Another person, less
important, nay, even insignificant in the eyes or some persons, has
produced this state of things. 'The schoolmaster is abroad,' and I
trust more to the schoolmaster, armed with his primer, for upholding the
liberties of this country than I fear lest the soldier, in full military
array, should destroy them." Mr. Brougham had no occasion to fear the
effects of a military premier, even though the schoolmaster had not been
abroad; for no prime minister that ever presided over the councils
of the British nation has ever shown himself to be more alive to the
interests of the country, and the preservation of its constitutional
rights, than the Duke of Wellington.

QUESTIONS OF FINANCE.

While these explanations were proceeding, that committee of finance
which had dissolved the late administration, was appointed. The motion
was made by Mr. Peel, now the acknowledged leader of the house of
commons. He prefaced his motion, with an able and comprehensive
statement. By his details, it appeared that a reduction of L48,608,000
had taken place in the funded and unfunded debt since the year 1815,
while the actual sum of unredeemed debt amounted about L777,476,000.
This being the total encumbrance, Mr. Peel next looked at the revenue
and expenditure; and after detailing the various items, he stated the
income of last year at L49,581,000, and the expenditure at L49,487,000,
thus leaving an excess of income equal to L94,000,000. The estimates
of the present year, he said, were not completed; but, without binding
himself down to extreme accuracy they would be less than those of the
present year by L1,168,260. After having made this general statement Mr.
Peel declared that he and his colleagues would listen to any suggestion
of the committee, for the appointment of which he was about to move. He
took that opportunity, he said, of pressing one subject particularly
on its notice, namely, the simplification of the public accounts, in
imitation of France and America. The motion passed without opposition,
except from Mr. Hume, who contended, that if any good was to b