THE SUPREMACY OF PUBLIC OPINION. 287 



and that progress indeed appears almost incredible, when we com- 

 pare our present political situation with what it was less than ten 

 years ago. The efforts made to promote the education and intellec- 

 tual improvement of the people have greatly contributed to extend 

 the limit of political knowledge, and at the same time many external 

 events have concurred in bringing about the political changes which 

 would sooner or later have been demanded and extorted by public 

 opinion. The circumstances which attended the separation between 

 Mr. Canning and the ultra Tories, as they at once disorganized the 

 the Tory party, and established for a time the supremacy of the 

 liberals, were not a little influential in hastening on the great political 

 events which we have lately witnessed. The conduct of the Wel- 

 lington administration was ultimately not less favourable to the 

 popular cause, and the settlement of the question of Catholic eman- 

 cipation (which no other ministry could have accomplished at that 

 time, and in a manner so complete and satisfactory,) conferred an in- 

 valuable benefit upon the popular party, which could have intro- 

 duced no other popular measure with any prospect of success while 

 that of emancipation remained undecided. The French revolution of 

 1830 excited the strongest sympathy throughout England, and the 

 demand for domestic reform, which before was very great, then be- 

 came still more general and importunate. The Duke of Wellington 

 reversing all the principles by which he appeared to have been 

 guided, since he came into office, now declared his unalterable hosti- 

 lity to all reform, and as a necessary consequence of this declaration 

 was soon after compelled to retire from office. He was succeeded by 

 Earl Grey, who became prime minister, under a pledge to bring in a 

 measure of parliamentary reform, and the whole kingdom awaited 

 with eager impatience the period when the ministerial plan was to be 

 announced. 



The unbounded popularity which the reform bill acquired on its 

 first introduction, and maintained during its future progress, presents 

 us with one of those rare occurrences when government acts in per- 

 fect harmony with the feelings of the people j and the active, steady, 

 and enlightened support which ministers received from public opi- 

 nion, proves that popular favour is not always so unstable and incon- 

 sistent as is sometimes asserted. The enemies of the reform bill 

 exclaim indeed that that bill far exceeded the anticipations and 

 wishes of public opinion, and was therefore inexpedient, rash, and 

 uncalled for. Now, without denying that the ministerial measure of 

 reform far surpassed the expectations entertained by the people, we 

 do not hesitate to express our conviction that no measure essentially 

 different or less extensive could have settled this great question in a 

 manner likely to prove permanent, or to give general satisfaction. It 

 must never be forgotten that the administration of Earl Grey was 

 placed in a very different situation from that of the Duke of Welling- 

 ton; and the reform which would have been thankfully accepted 

 from the latter would have been scorned and rejected if offered by 

 the former. W^hen the Wellington ministry was driven from office, 



and succeeded by an administration composed of men who were pro- 



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m r ' e"H( /iir 



