tate to denounce the conduct of Louis
Philippe as utterly faithless, and she was accustomed to refer to him as
incapable of acting with the honour of a private gentleman, for he had
given his hand to her while making a solemn promise that this marriage
should not take place. This state of feeling on the part of her majesty
was well known to the King of the French, who, while he regretted it,
took credit to himself for having frustrated her majesty's own
intention to have the infanta married to a Cobourg. Her reference to
the extinction of the free city and state of Cracow was made in terms of
great severity, as a manifest violation of the treaty of Vienna, and her
intention of laying before the house copies of her protests to the three
states was expressed. Allusion was made to the action of the combined
squadrons of France and England in the River Plate. Her majesty read the
passages which described the condition of Ireland with a subdued tone,
as if mingled shame and sympathy struggled within her breast.

The debates which ensued upon the address were neither remarkable for
judgment nor eloquence. Lord Stanley, in the lords, was, as usual,
apt, ready, and ingenious, but dealt in platitudes unworthy of his
reputation. Lord Brougham was bitter against his former friends,
allowing his personal spleen to interfere with his patriotism and the
public welfare. He did not succeed either in embarrassing the ministry
or enlightening the lords. The debates in the commons were regarded with
more interest by the country than those in the lords. Mr. Disraeli's
sarcasm that the house of lords had become "the high court of registry,"
had truth in it. The address gave rise to much animated discussion,
envenomed by party spirit. Smith O'Brien laid the grievances of Ireland
before the house in terms more patriotic and honest than wise. Lord
George Bentinck taunted the government with the failure of their
remedial measures for Ireland, political and material, and his taunts
were keenly felt. The cabinet was not equal to the crisis.

On the 21st of January Lord John Russell moved that the house should
go into committee on the corn importation acts; and he announced his
intention to follow that up by a motion on the navigation laws, by which
they should be suspended until the 6th of November. He accordingly first
proposed the suspension of the duties on the importation of foreign corn
until September. Bills were brought in, and passed both