Catholic Emancipation, when Peel took the wind from his
sails. George IV., however, supported by a majority of the Lords
Spiritual and Temporal, was as stoutly opposed to concession as George
III. Lord John Russell's words on this point are significant 'George
III.'s religious scruples, and even his personal prejudices, were
respected by the nation, and formed real barriers so long as he did not
himself waive them; the religious scruples of George IV. did not meet
with ready belief, nor did his personal dislikes inspire national
respect nor obtain national acquiescence.' The struggle between the
Court and the Cabinet was, however, of brief duration, and Wellington
bore down the opposition of the Lords, and on April 13, 1829, the Roman
Catholic Emancipation Bill became law.

In June the question of Parliamentary reform was brought before
Parliament by Lord Blandford, but his resolutions--which were the
outcome of Tory panic concerning the probable result of Roman Catholic
Emancipation--met with little favour, either then or when they were
renewed at the commencement of the session of 1830. Lord Blandford had
in truth made himself conspicuous by his opposition to the Catholic
claims, and the nation distrusted the sudden zeal of the heir to
Blenheim in such a cause. On February 23, 1830, Lord John Russell sought
leave to bring in a bill for conferring the franchise upon Manchester,
Birmingham, and Leeds, on the plea that they were the three largest
unrepresented towns in the country. The moderate proposal was, however,
rejected in a House of three hundred and twenty-eight members by a
majority of forty-eight. Three months later Mr. O'Connell brought
forward a motion for Triennial Parliaments, Universal Suffrage, and the
adoption of the Ballot; but this was rejected. But in a House of three
hundred and thirty-two members, only thirteen were in favour of it,
whilst an amendment by Lord John stating that it was 'expedient to
extend the basis of the representation of the people' was also rejected
by a majority of ninety-six. On June 26 George IV. died, and a few weeks
later Parliament was dissolved. At the General Election, Lord John stood
for Bedford, and, much to his chagrin, was defeated by a single vote.
After the declaration of the poll in August, he crossed over to Paris,
where he prolonged his stay till November. The unconstitutional
ordinances of July 25, 1830, had brought about a revolution, and Lord
John Russell, wh