304 WAR AGAINST [1816. 



the campaign of 1812 against the Orders in Council 

 was renewed, and under the same leaders, Baring and 

 myself. The ministers at first pursued the same course 

 of obstinate silence. The Opposition debated every 

 petition, but in vain all the ministers and all their 

 supporters held their peace. No arguments, no state- 

 ments of facts, no sarcasms, no taunts could rouse 

 them. The feelings of the country, the anxiety of 

 particular constituencies, were referred to, but not a 

 word could be drawn from the ministers, and hardly 

 from any of their supporters, except those locally con- 

 nected with the petitions. But at length it was found 

 that this silence did not prevent us from debating, 

 that their plan had failed to stifle discussion, and that 

 it had only given us all the debating, which had proved 

 the more hurtful to the Government in the House, and 

 still more prejudicial to them in the country. They 

 were therefore forced into discussion ; and then began 

 a daily scene of unexampled interest, which lasted 

 until the second reading of the bill. Each night, at a 

 little after four, commenced the series of debates which 

 lasted until past midnight. These were of infinite 

 variety. Arguments urged by different speakers; 

 instances of oppression and hardship recounted ; anec- 

 dotes of local suffering and personal inconvenience; 

 accounts of the remarkable incidents at different meet- 

 ings; personal altercations, interspersed with more 

 general matter, all filled up the measure of the night's 

 bill of fare; and all were so blended and varied, 

 that no one perceived any hour thus spent to pass 

 tediously away. Those not immediately concerned 

 peers, or persons belonging to neither House flocked 

 to the spectacle which each day presented. The in- 



