conditions of
separation which the courts of Austria, France, Great Britain, Prussia,
and Russia, had declared to be unalterable and irrevocable." His
majesty, therefore, declared his readiness to accept the twenty-four
articles which had been agreed upon in the year 1831. Belgium, however,
now refused to accede to the arrangement, by resolving not to cede
Luxembourg. But the conference insisted peremptorily on its cession;
and it was quite apparent that Belgium would be compelled to render
obedience to its decree.

It may be mentioned that an important treaty of amity, commerce, and
navigation, was this year concluded between Great Britain and Austria,
thus further cementing the ancient and natural alliance between two
countries, of whom it has been said, "that for one hundred and fifty
years they have always had the same enemies, though those enemies have
not been the same."

CHAPTER L.

{VICTORIA. 1839--1840}

State of Parties..... Meeting of Parliament..... The Corn-
law Question..... The Affairs of Ireland discussed in
Parliament..... Proceedings in Parliament respecting
Jamaica..... Resignation of Ministers, and Failure of Sir
Robert Peel to form a new Administration, &c...... National
Education..... The Affairs of Canada..... The second Jamaica
Bill, &c...... Bill for the Suppression of the Portuguese
Slave trade, &c...... Motion for the Ballot..... Act for the
better ordering of Prisons..... Motion for a Committee of
the whole House to consider the National Petition.....
Birmingham Riots, &c...... The Budget; proposed Reduction of
Postage Duties, &c...... Prorogation of Parliament.....
Affairs in the East Indies..... State of the Continent.

STATE OF PARTIES.

{A.D. 1839}

It has been noticed in a previous page that the relative strength of the
two great parties in the country continued much the same as they were
at the commencement of the year 1837. The Whigs, indeed, gained by the
change which had taken place in the monarchy, inasmuch as by the death
of the late king they were delivered from an avowed adversary, and by
the accession of Queen Victoria they gained a known friend to their
cause. The ministers, indeed, found considerable advantage in her
support. Yet in the house of commons the number of' their supporters had
upon the whole rather decreased since their accession to the government;
and in the country generally t