nce over the house and the country.
When the ecclesiastical titles bill again came before the house, Sir F.
Thesiger moved three amendments, the object of which was to make it more
effective. This the party of Sir Frederic knew well neither Lord John,
his ministry, nor the Whigs generally, really desired. By this means the
true whig view of the question was forced out. Lord John resisted the
amendments. The house was indignant. His lordship confided in the votes
of the Roman Catholic members, but they, anxious to humiliate him,
walked out of the house in a body. The amendments were carried amidst
the derisive cheers of the Protectionists. Large majorities in every
case defeated the half measures of Lord John. So little did he appear
to comprehend the spirit of the house and the country, that instead of
bowing to their decision, or resigning his office, he attempted on
the third reading of the bill to reverse the votes carried by such
overwhelming majorities: he failed still more signally than before.
He stood in a false position to the house, the country, and the Roman
Catholic party. He had brought in, with vast pretensions to a zealous
Protestantism on his lips, a measure which was never intended by him, or
his party, to answer the purpose proclaimed. His opponents took it
out of his hands with skill and moderation, and made it much more
practicable for its ostensible purpose, although still short of a
sound and efficient bill to restrain the hierarchy of Rome from the
assumptions it desired.

The Protectionists found another occasion to damage the government
during the discussion of the budget. On the 5th of April the chancellor
of the exchequer made his second financial statement for the year, which
was much more favourably received than the former one. He, however,
retracted some of the boons conceded in the first budget to the
agricultural interest. This gave satisfaction to the majority, but
exasperated the protectionist party, which attempted to defeat the
government on the question of the income tax, by direct resolutions
moved by Mr. Herries; a considerable majority defeated the movement.
On the bill going into committee Mr. Hume, then in the zenith of his
influence, moved an amendment to the effect that the tax should be
maintained for one year only. The honourable member was an extreme
Liberal in politics, but his support of the free-trade party was neither
very warm nor very intelligent. His amendment was e