312 WAR AGAINST [1816- 



don, signed by 12,000 persons. No one could now be 

 heard in so impatient a House. At last I rose, and 

 merely read distinctly the words of the Act imposing 

 the income-tax "for and during the continuance of 

 the war, and no longer" The shout which these three 

 words raised I shall never forget. We divided immedi- 

 ately (18th March 1816), and threw out the bill by a 

 majority of 37, which, in reference to the snuff known 

 as "Hardham's 37," was called "Brougham's 37;" 

 and I remember being represented in a caricature as 

 offering a pinch of my 37 to the Eegent.* Mr Wilber- 

 force's ground of rejoicing was well received that war 

 and the income-tax were henceforth wedded together. 

 But we have unhappily outlived this pleasing association. 

 In conducting their case the Government com- 

 mitted two capital errors, to which I can hardly say 

 their defeat was owing, because, in the state of the 

 country, perhaps nothing could have saved them ; 

 but these two errors they never would have committed 

 under abler leadership. One was the allowing me to 

 go on and not adhering to their notice of Thursday at 

 all hazards ; the other was the not debating for the 

 first three or four days, which damaged them in the 

 House and in the country, and encouraged to an 

 extraordinary degree the petitions. Neither of these 

 faults would have been made had the Duke of "Wel- 

 lington directed their movements, as he did upon a 

 later occasion. On June 7th, 1820, he sat under the 

 gallery, and manifestly directed the Government on 

 the important day when the proceedings on the Queen 

 were announced. As I commanded on the other side, 



* On the motion " For the continuance " of the tax, the division was, 

 in favour, 201 ; against, 238. Hansard, 451. 



