iend of his country and its
constitution.'

It was probably owing in a measure to the hopelessness of the situation,
but also partly to ill-health, that Lord John absented himself to a
great extent from Parliament. He was, in truth, chagrined at the course
of affairs and discouraged with his own prospects, and in consequence he
lapsed for a time into the position of a silent member of the House of
Commons. Meanwhile, the summer of 1816 was wet and cold and the harvest
was in consequence a disastrous failure. Wheat rose to 103_s._ a
quarter, and bread riots broke out in the Eastern Counties. The
Luddites, who commenced breaking up machinery in manufacturing towns in
1811, again committed great excesses. Tumults occurred in London, and
the Prince Regent was insulted in the streets on his return from opening
Parliament.

[Sidenote: PANIC-STRICKEN AUTHORITY]

The Liverpool Cabinet gave way to panic, and quickly resorted to
extreme measures. A secret committee was appointed in each House to
investigate the causes of the disaffection of a portion of his Majesty's
subjects. Four bills were, as the result of their deliberations, swiftly
introduced and passed through Parliament. The first enacted penalties
for decoying sailors and soldiers; the second was a pitiful exhibition
of lack of confidence, for it aimed at special measures for the
protection of the Prince Regent; the third furnished magistrates with
unusual powers for the prevention of seditious meetings; and the fourth
suspended the Habeas Corpus Act till July 1, giving the Executive
authority 'to secure and detain such persons as his Majesty shall
suspect are conspiring against his person and Government.'

The measures of the Government filled Lord John with indignation, and he
assailed the proposal to suspend the Habeas Corpus Act in a vigorous
speech, which showed conclusively that his sympathies were on the side
of the weak and distressed classes of the community. 'I had not
intended,' he said, 'to trouble the House with any observations of mine
during the present session of Parliament. Indeed, the state of my health
induced me to resolve upon quitting the fatiguing business of this House
altogether. But he must have no ordinary mind whose attention is not
roused in a singular manner when it is proposed to suspend the rights
and liberties of Englishmen, though even for a short period. I am
determined, for my own part, that no weakness of frame, no indisposit