326 THE LAST SESSION. 



in subjection. The " last session" has proved that all the eloquence, 

 all the remonstrances, all the warnings of a virtuous few in their 

 Lordships House, can work no good in a body predetermined to 

 trample on national rights, and renew the iron age of baronial 

 dominion. The mild and unanswerable reasonings of Melbourne ; 

 the straight-forward and mighty oratory of Brougham, and the 

 manly resistance of the rest of the minority in the Upper House, 

 could have no effect in an assembly on which the finger of Heaven 

 has set its seal of reprobation. 



Let us bear in mind that this obstinacy in the Lords this mani- 

 festation of contempt for the desires of the Commons is displayed 

 at the very moment when the tyrants of Europe are convened, as is 

 supposed, to crush every attempt of the people of all countries to 

 emancipate themselves from despotic government ; let us reflect 

 that the Prime Minister of the Orange faction in this country is 

 deputed to assist at the diabolical orgies which are taking place at 

 Kalisch ; let us also take into the account the infamous measures of 

 the hypocritical usurper, Louis Philippe, to stifle the last spark of 

 liberty in France ; let us not forget that the dunderheaded king 

 of Dutchland is moving heaven and earth to regain the sovereignty 

 of the Netherlands, which his insane policy (similar to that of 

 our lords) so deservedly lost; and then it will require but little 

 stretch of judgment to divine the ultimate views of the congress 

 at Tseplitz. That our lords have separated themselves completely 

 from the interests of the mass of the people of Great Britain, there 

 can now be but little doubt. They may henceforth be considered 

 as part and parcel of the " foreign clique" which aims at nothing 

 less than absolute sway over the lives and liberties of free-born men, 

 and the enforcement of worse than Turkish institutions on national 

 governments. However France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and 

 Italy may endure their dictation, England, isolated as she is, need 

 not fear, if she be true to herself, and watch with jealous appre- 

 hension the manoeuvres of her internal foes. By crushing the 

 insatiable faction which is now preying upon our vitals, and endea- 

 vouring to paralyse our energies, we may stand aloof, laugh at its 

 liberticide machinations, and even stay the arm of foreign oppres- 

 sion : we may, with only a thousandth part of the treasure which 

 was wasted in saving from the grasp of Napoleon the heartless 

 despots who would now compass the destruction of all popul ar 



