a division the measure was
carried by a majority of five only, the numbers being, in favour of
the bill, two hundred and ninety-four; against it, two hundred and
eighty-nine.

RESIGNATION OF MINISTERS, AND FAILURE OF SIR ROBERT PEEL TO FORM A NEW
ADMINISTRATION, ETC.

The result of the debate on the Jamaica suspension bill was followed by
the resignation of the ministers. On the 7th of May the leading members
of the administration in both houses declared their inability to carry
on the government with advantage to the public service, and that they
had in consequence tendered their resignations, which her majesty had
graciously accepted. After the lapse of a week the house of commons
again met, when Lord John Russell stated, that since he last addressed
them Sir Robert Peel had received authority from her majesty to form a
new administration; and that the attempt of the right honourable baronet
having failed, her majesty had been graciously pleased to permit that
gentleman to state the circumstances which had led to that failure. In
explanation, Sir Robert Peel said that her majesty had invited the Duke
of Wellington to assist her in the formation of a new government;
and that his grace had informed her that, in his opinion, the chief
difficulties a government would have to encounter would be in the house
of commons; and for that and other reasons the noble duke had advised
her majesty to send for him as the person best qualified to undertake
the duties of prime minister. Her majesty accordingly sent for him, and
when he waited on her, he stated his sense of the difficulties a new
government would have to encounter; but that, having been a party to
the vote of the house which led to those difficulties, nothing should
prevent him from tendering to her majesty every assistance in his power.
Subsequently he submitted the following list of names to her majesty for
approval in the formation of the new cabinet:--The Duke of Wellington,
Lords Lyndhurst, Aberdeen, Ellenborough, and Stanley; Sirs James Graham,
and Henry Hardinge, and Mr. Goulburn. Sir Robert proceeded to state
that no difficulties arose to lead to his relinquishing to form a new
administration until Thursday; and that difficulty arose, he said,
exclusively from that portion of the household which is filled by the
ladies in her majesty's service. On the Wednesday night previous to this
event, he had stated to those whom he proposed to submit to her majesty