1829.J Domestic Politics. 245 



But we are not, on those evidences alone, summoning the Minister 

 before that tribunal, which sits with more impartiality and judges 

 with a more irresistible sentence than all the courts besides — the mighty 

 tribunal of the English mind. If those letters never had been written, 

 what was the complexion of his whole management? He determines 

 to make an experiment on the public endurance of the " atrocious Bill." 

 He first scoffs at popery. His scoffs and scorn are scarcely recorded, 

 are yet hot upon his lips, when he sends out that most miserable tool, 

 Dawson, to sound the course. Dawson does his business with thorough 

 menialism ; but the experiment is found to have been rash. Public 

 disgust and wrath have been excited, and the wretched tool is instantly 

 disowned ; he is ostentatiously excluded from the sunshine of IMr. Peel's 

 refulgent countenance, and is branded by a sneer of the premier, as an 

 instance of " the folly of young politicians talking over their wine !" 

 The nation applauds the punishment, and the name of Iscariot is the 

 slave's portion for ever. 



But suspicion has been awakened, and Mr. Peel is the next menial 

 pitched on to extinguish the public vigilance. This blooming patriot 

 forthwith makes a tour among the manufacturing districts, harangues, 

 attends feasts, compliments the " staunch defenders of our glorious and 

 imperishable constitution in Church and State," and comes back with 

 the sallow smiles of a triumphant hypocrite, to soothe all alarms at Down- 

 ing-street, and reassure the palpitating bosom of the sensitive premier. 

 But some other menial of office at length lets out the rumour, that the 

 "atrocious Bill" is actually engrossed. Protestantism is justly alarmed, 

 and demands of the Premier whether, after his solemn protestations, this 

 can possibly be true ? All the ministerial joiirnals instantly lift up their 

 voices in a chorus of denial. Down to the hour when the King's Speech 

 was read at the minister's table, the night before the debate, the same 

 system of low craft is persevered in. And for what purpose ? 



This was no mere parliamentary stratagem to keep the opponents 

 of a minister in the dark on some passing question of party ; it was 

 a S3'stem of intrigue to keep the nation in the dark to the most 

 important change that could affect a nation ; to a breach of the 

 principles of the Constitution; to a fearful and hateful measure 

 which ought to have been announced in the fullest manner for the 

 solemn and general deliberation of the empire ; which in honour ought 

 to have been preceded by a dissolution of Parliament— by a direct 

 appeal to the people for its decision on a new state of things. In a crisis like 

 this, the conduct of a "great Statesman" would have been conspicuous 

 for the sincere and lofty abjuration of all official manoeuvre. The con- 

 trary would have been the conduct of a little statesman ; he would have 

 exhibited himself as a narrow-minded, hasty, and selfish struggler 

 for power ; degraded enough to stoop to paltry stratagem, and igno- 

 rant enough of the true sources of power to fling away the national 

 respect, and be consoled for its irreparable loss, by the most contempti- 

 ble and shortlived of all prizes— the brawling applause and rabble par- 

 tizanship of popery. 



Such was the management of the measure — mean and slniffling, shallow 

 and despicable. And what are its fruits ? Wortliy of the planter and 

 the seed — the apples of bitterness from the trees of Goniorrali. No 

 measure, within tlie memory of man, ever more instantly and formally 

 falsified the predictions of its abettors. The indignant empire saw the 

 decision removed from its true tribunal, tliat trii)uiial of tlie national 

 mind, which could not be corrupted. Parliament saw with increasing 



