JET. 38.] THE INCOME-TAX. 313 



I had reason to know and to feel against whom I had 

 to act. There were great difficulties in the way of 

 both ; but not the least error was committed by him, 

 though I believe he was not quite prepared for the 

 course which I suddenly took that is, took without 

 having previously communicated to any one but Den- 

 man. I have never come upon this part of the subject, 

 any more than the rest of it, with the Duke. I always 

 carefully avoided it, being quite convinced that, had 

 his position in the Government been different, and his 

 experience in political matters, especially Parliament- 

 ary, been greater, he would have prevented by his 

 authority the whole of the disgraceful affair. 



The method of proceedings by petition and debate 

 is the most effectual possible, but is only applicable 

 to particular cases. The subject must be of general 

 interest; the people must be strongly excited; they 

 must have leaders in Parliament of sufficient weight 

 and experience, and firmly resolved to carry the mea- 

 sure or to defeat it ; and for the most part it is much 

 better suited to opposing than supporting a measure. 

 It was therefore a matter of great regret to all leaders 

 of the popular party that the new rule should be 

 adopted, which at once made such proceedings impos- 

 sible the rule confining those who present petitions to 

 a bare statement of the substance and the parties peti- 

 tioning, without a word of remark, or even of explana- 

 tion. I own that I agreed entirely with these regrets, 

 and greatly blamed those who introduced the change. 

 This was natural in one who had had such successful 

 experience of the old system, and in such remarkable 

 cases. It seemed that the people were deprived of a 

 great security against hard measures, and even bad 



