ich they had come. This bill was
introduced in the middle of April. It readily passed the lords. On the
first of May it was introduced to the commons by the home secretary,
and after an opposition of great force, from Sir William Molesworth and
others, was carried.

_Motion for Extension of the Franchise, Triennial Parliaments,
and Apportionment of Members to Population_.--A very extensive and
influential agitation for these objects, headed by Mr. Hume, was
maintained throughout the country, by persons much opposed to the
socialist doctrines and riotous practices of the Chartists. On the 21st
of June, Mr. Hume moved a resolution declaring the opinion of the house
to be in favour of these measures, It was seconded by Dr. Bowring,
afterwards so famous in connection with the government of Hong-Kong.
Mr Henry Drummond partly supported the views of those gentlemen,
but nevertheless exposed, in very able and eloquent terms, the
inconsistencies of Mr. Hume's speech, who seemed to have no clear and
definite notions of the way in which his own theory should be carried
out. Lord John Russell opposed the resolution in a speech as anti-reform
in its character as if it had been made by Sir Charles Wetherell. Mr.
Fergus O'Connor bitterly opposed Mr. Hume's motion, and afterwards voted
for it. Mr. Urquhart and Mr. Anstey offered to it an opposition foolish
and factious. Mr. Cobden supported Mr. Hume's resolution, but not
upon any political principle, but exclusively in reference to his own
economical views, which he considered it would, if carried, promote.
Mr. Cobden was ably answered and exposed by Mr. Sidney Herbert. The
resolution found only eighty-four supporters in a house of four hundred
and thirty-five members.

_Discussions on Foreign Policy_.--The conduct of the government in
sending Lord Minto to Italy, as a sort of _quasi-envoy_, and its
interference in the quarrel between Sicily and Naples, led to long
discussions, in which Lord Stanley and Mr. Disraeli laboured with
unusual energy to gain a party victory over the government. The reply
of Lord Palmerston was, however, so luminous and convincing that it
dispelled all doubt of the wisdom of the policy which he had pursued.
His lordship resumed his seat amidst cheers from both sides of the
house--the government was triumphant. Nevertheless there existed
throughout the country a strong antipathy to the mission of Lord Minto;
nor did the public feel quite sure that the manag