AND TEE DUKES OF BICHMOND. 157 



CHAPTER XY. 



PUBLIC LIFE OF THE FIFTH DUKE {cOUtinued). 



The agricultural interest and the question of reform 

 being two subjects in which the fifth Duke of 

 Richmond took the highest interest, his Grace ex- 

 pressed his intention to support the Government, 

 as did also the Earl of Ripon, so far as they could 

 applaud its measures. During the debate upon the 

 address, which was carried without a division, his 

 Grace rose to explain the grounds on which he in- 

 tended to vote. He said : " Ridicule has been 

 attempted to be fastened upon those who wished 

 to give the present Government a fair trial ; now, 

 although he candidly acknowledged that he had 

 no confidence in the composition of the present 

 administration, the fact of its members having 

 turned round upon the Catholic question had never 

 had his approbation, or been a cause with him for 

 giving them confidence ; yet at the same time, when 

 he found the country had been appealed to by the 

 King, and that his Majesty in his speech, which was 



