116 THE MINISTRY AND THE TARLIAMENT. 



were over-reached by the Directors, does not affect the merits of the 

 question. In either case the consequences to the country are the 

 same ; in either case ministers stand convicted of unfitness for the 

 offices they hold. 



So much for the leading measures of the reform ministry, and 

 the first session of the reformed parliament. The enumeration of 

 their negative misdeeds of the things they ought to have done, but 

 have left undone would present a catalogue of frightful extent. What 

 has been done to avenge the wrongs of unhappy Poland, and to chas- 

 tize Russian haughtiness and Russian aggression ? What to prevent 

 its meditated conquest, and consequent possession of Turkey ? What 

 has been done, even in the way of remonstrance, to promote the cause 

 of liberty in general, in any of the despotic countries of Europe ? 

 What, of any consequence, has been done to forward the same holy 

 cause even at home ? What for the emancipation of the Jews from 

 their civil disabilities ? What for the relief of the Dissenters from 

 their oppressive burthens ? What has been done to remedy the evils 

 of Ireland ? What to relieve the commercial and manufacturing in- 

 terests of England ? What for the better promotion of the ends of 

 good government ? The answer to each and all of these questions is, 

 " Literally nothing." 



Not only have ministers refused to do any thing themselves in the 

 respects above enumerated, and in many others which might be 

 added, but they have interposed all the obstacles in their power we 

 regret to say with too much success to its being done by others. 

 The instances in point crowd upon us. Take a few : They pro- 

 cured the defeat of Mr. Fergusson's motion on behalf of Poland of 

 Mr. Grote's, for the vote by ballot of Mr. Tennyson's, for shortening 

 the duration of Parliaments. Their extraordinary conduct in caus- 

 ing the Commons to rescind their vote, a few days after it was given, 

 for the partial repeal of the malt tax, must be fresh in the recollection 

 of all. Nor is the country likely soon to forget how, by Lord 

 Althorp's promises of ministers taking the subject into their consi- 

 deration, Mr. Hume and others were cajoled into a postponement of 

 their intended motions for the abolition of the assessed taxes. Not 

 less unprincipled was the conduct of government in the infant-slavery 

 question. A thousand commendable deeds will not wipe out the foul 

 stain which attaches to their character in defeating Lord Ashley's 

 great measure of humanity after it had once passed the lower house. 

 To the Commons' share of the inhumanity of that transaction, is 

 superadded the reproach of inconsistency. But why wonder at any 

 instance of inconsistency on the part of the Commons after the speci- 

 men of it exhibited in the case of the malt tax ? Never did any un- 

 reformed parliament exhibit itself in so pitiable a light, as did our 

 present representatives on that memorable occasion. 



In frustrating the great objects in question, ministers and the par- 

 liament not only incur the grievous charge of defeating the ends of 

 justice and good government, but they stand convicted of a palpa- 

 ble dereliction of their own principles, uniformly and unequivocally 

 avowed, during the entire term of their previous public lives. Europe, 

 before the Reform Bill had passed, and at the very moment of its 



