120 THK MINISTRY A\D THF. PAULIAM KNT. ' 



a majority of 10. On one of the essential clauses of the Irish Coer- 

 sion Bill, they were left in a minority of 3G. Lord Ashley's motion 

 for a committee on the Factory Bill, was carried against them, by a 

 majority of 23, though the measure, owing to the trickery of Lord 

 Althorp, aided by the servility of some hon. members, and the 

 stupidity of others, was afterwards lost. And, to mention no more 

 instances, they were in a minority of 9, on Mr. Ruthven's important 

 motion for the reduction of taxation, and the abolution of sinecures. 

 In the Lords, as already mentioned, the ministers were still weaker. 

 There, had it so seemed good to the Tories, they were liable to be 

 defeated at any time. Several of their leading measures, the Local 

 Courts Jurisdiction Bill for example, were unceremoniously thrown 

 out. That they carried any measure at all, was altogether an act 

 of sufferance on the part of the conservatives. The latter faction., 

 indeed, openly declared, that they permitted Lord Grey to remain in 

 power because " the pear was not ripe for eating ;" in other words, 

 because they did not conceive the time had yet arrived for their own 

 resumption of office. They deemed it the better course to suffer the 

 Whigs to blunder on and betray the people a little longer, until, 

 the measure of their folly and iniquity being complete, the nation 

 might become so thoroughly ashamed of and disgusted with them, 

 as to put their return to office at any future time beyond the range 

 of possibility. 



On whatever course Ministers may decide the approaching session 

 will be a most eventful one. The great battle of liberty and justice, 

 against oppression and injustice, not only as concerns this country, 

 but in a great measure Europe generally, is about to be fought. The 

 struggle may be severe, and it may be more protracted than most 

 people apprehend ; but there cannot be a doubt of the issue : the 

 great principles of liberty and right must and will triumph, if not 

 in the persons of the present Ministers, in those of the men who will 

 succeed them. 



It will possibly be inferred by some that we are hostile to Earl 

 Grey's government as individuals. The inference is altogether 

 groundless. It is to their measures, not themselves, that we are op- 

 posed. We have no wish to see them displaced : what we desire is 

 to see them sympathize with the wishes of the people, and set them- 

 selves, forthwith and in earnest, to redress their grievances. Let 

 them only do this which, we repeat, they will find to be the best 

 policy for themselves and they shall not only have our best sym- 

 pathies, but all the support it is in our power to give them. 



