H ORDERS IN COUNCIL. [1812. 



on the evidence tendered. The Government that is, 

 Perceval, who had adopted Stephen's system conceived 

 that the feeling excited by the distress in the manu- 

 facturing districts would subside, and maintained that 

 the accounts of that distress were greatly exaggerated. 

 The object, therefore, of the Government was to pro- 

 tract the inquiry by all means in their power, and give 

 time for what they regarded as clamour to diminish, if 

 not to cease. Thus the constant struggle between us 

 was, Baring and I pressing on the examination of 

 witnesses, Perceval and Stephen interposing obstacles 

 to gain time. We insisted on beginning each day as 

 early as possible, and so far prevailed as to have it 

 settled that I should call my witnesses at half-past 

 four, and continue till ten ; by which arrangement I 

 was practically enabled to continue much longer, be- 

 cause all save those who took peculiar interest in the 

 subject had left the House. Our attack was carried on 

 not only by the examination of witnesses, but partly 

 by debating the petitions presented night after night, 

 partly by discussions arising on objections taken to 

 questions put, and by additional statements proceed- 

 ing from members connected with different parts of the 

 country, as well as with Yorkshire, Lancashire, London, 

 and Glasgow, from whence the bulk of the petitions 

 had come. Our adversaries had even hopes of support 

 by petitions from some quarters. In the only conver- 

 sation I had with Perceval during the inquiry, he said, 

 " In that quarter (the woollen) you will not run alone; 

 there will be counter-petitions from the clothing dis- 

 tricts/' He spoke as comparing it with the hardware 

 districts, where we had made great play. But it 

 turned out that the case was considerably stronger in 



