is
amendment, that it would decide the fate of the bill, and that by their
votes on this occasion they would be judged by their constituents and by
the country. In giving their votes, he added, they would either vote for
or against the carrying of that question, for the carrying of which, if
now lost, an opportunity so favourable might not soon again return, and
that the result of that night's division would be, either to carry that
great question, or to defeat the hopes of the people of this country.
Sir James Graham, on the same side, remarked that he did not say if this
amendment was carried, ministers would abandon the bill; but he did say,
that if it should be, it would be a matter of very grave consideration,
whether the bill would be so impugned, that they ought not to attempt
to carry it through its other stages. General Gaseoyne expressed his
surprise at being told that the motion he had made for keeping the
sixty-two members was inconsistent with the essence and principles of
the bill. If I understood the noble lord who brought in the bill, right,
in a conversation which I had with him only yesterday, he distinctly
admitted to me that my amendment would not touch the principle of the
bill. Lord John Russell replied that the amendment now moved was a
different one to that to which General Gaseoyne alluded: and thus ended
this debate. On a division, the amendment was carried by two hundred
and ninety-nine against two hundred and ninety-one, being a majority of
eight against ministers.

MOTION OF ADJOURNMENT PENDING THE ORDNANCE ESTIMATES CARRIED AGAINST
MINISTERS--PROROGATION AND DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT.

{WILLIAM IV. 1831--1832}

It has been seen that ministers looked at the amendment of General
Gaseoyne as one likely to destroy the bill of reform which they had
introduced into parliament. It was evident from the beginning that a
majority of the present house could not be relied on by its supporters.
Ministers, however, did not seem at first determined to have recourse
to a dissolution. On the 20th, nothing transpired except that Mr. Hume
declared that he would offer no opposition to the ordnance estimates,
because, after the vote of last night, he was anxious to assist
ministers in getting through the necessary business, in order that a
dissolution might take place. On the following day, Lord Wharncliffe,
in the upper house, asked Earl Grey whether ministers had advised his
majesty to dissolve parli