n reference to
the principles of political economy, and more useful, practically, than
any which the government had devised; yet the ministerial side of the
house treated it with ridicule. An advance of sixteen millions sterling
to promote railways in Ireland they scouted as preposterous; but no
effective answer was given to the facts and figures of Lord George, who
was singularly careful on this occasion in his preparation of both. The
bill was brought in without any opposition from the government, but it
was foreseen that the influence of the cabinet would be used for its
defeat. Accordingly, on the 12th of February, on the proposal of the
second reading, government opposition was offered: the debate, after an
adjournment, was resumed on the 15th, and continued through that day and
the next, when the bill was thrown out by an overwhelming majority.

On the 22nd of February the chancellor of the exchequer made his
financial statement, and made a demand for an eight millions loan on
behalf of Ireland, noticed elsewhere. He gave an appalling picture of
the state of the English poor, showing that, in Manchester alone, nearly
thirty thousand workmen and labourers were out of employment, while the
prospect of the augmentation of the unemployed there was disheartening.
The grant for Ireland was especially opposed by two members of the
house, who, while they sympathised beyond most other members with the
political agitators of Ireland, looked upon her material condition
without an equally warm interest, and regarded her rather from an
English than an imperial point of view; these members were Mr. Hume and
Mr. Roebuck. Government was triumphant in those measures, so far as the
support of a majority in the commons was concerned. It was, however,
felt that neither the men nor the measures were adequate to the
exigencies of party, any more than to the magnitude of the occasion.
Lord John Russell was vacillating and time-serving, although with a show
of resolution in resisting and defeating measures which afterwards
met, at all events, his qualified approval. This was most singularly
exemplified in connection with Lord George Bentinck's measure for an
advance of money to create railways in Ireland. On the 26th of April
the house was taken by surprise when the chancellor of the exchequer
proposed a loan to certain Irish railways. The proposed sum was
L620,000, half a million of which was to be advanced to one particular
railway--"t