Political Tranquillity page 5

This was decisive. There was nothing for Lord Melbourne but resignation. Accordingly, on the 30th of August, he rose in his place and said: - " My Lords, - I consider it my duty to acquaint your lordships, that in consequence of the vote which was come to by the other House of Parliament on Saturday morning last, which was precisely similar in terms to the vote come to by your lordships at an early period of the week, I have, on the part of my colleagues and myself, tendered to Her Majesty the resignation of the offices we hold; which resignation Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to accept, and we now continue to hold those offices only until our successors are appointed." The House received this announcement in perfect silence, and adjourned almost immediately afterwards. Lord John Russell made a similar statement in the House of Commons, but afterwards proceeded shortly to vindicate the course which had been recently pursued by the Government of which he was a member.

Sir Robert Peel was sent for. No difficulties were now raised about the ladies of the Court, and in due time the following administration was formed (the Duke of Wellington in the Cabinet, without any office): - First Lord of the Treasury, Sir Robert Peel; Lord Chancellor, Lord Lyndhurst; Chancellor of the Exchequer, Right Hon. H. Goulburn; President of the Council, Lord Wharncliffe; Privy Seal, Duke of Buckingham; Home Secretary, Sir J. Graham; Foreign Secretary, Earl of Aberdeen; Colonial Secretary, Lord Stanley; First Lord of the Admiralty, Earl of Haddington; President of the Board of Control, Lord Ellenborough; President of the Board of Trade, Earl of Ripon; Secretary at War, Sir H. Hardinge; Treasurer of the Navy and Paymaster of the Forces, Sir E. Knatchbull; Postmaster-General, Lord Lowther; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Lord G. Somerset; Woods and Forests, Earl of Lincoln; Master-General of the Ordnance, Sir G. Murray; Vice-President of the Board of Trade and Master of the Mint, W. E. Gladstone; Secretary to the Admiralty, Hon. Sidney Herbert; Joint Secretaries of the Treasury, Sir G. Clark and Sir T. Fremantle; Secretaries of the Board of Control, Hon. W. Baring and J. Emerson Tennent; Home Under-Secretary, Hon. C. M. Sutton; Foreign Under-Secretary, Lord Canning; Colonial Under-Secretary, G. W. Hope; Lords of the Treasury, Alexander Pringle, H. Baring, J. Young, and J. Milne Gaskell; Lords of the Admiralty, Sir G. Cockburn, Admiral Sir W. Gage, Sir G. Seymour, Hon. Captain Gordon, and Hon. H. L. Corry; Storekeeper of the Ordnance, J. R. Bonham; Clerk of the Ordnance, Captain Boldero; Surveyor-General of the Ordnance, Colonel Jonathan Peel; Attorney-General, Sir F. Pollock; Solicitor-General, Sir W. W. Follett; Judge-Advocate, Dr. Nicholl; Lord-Advocate of Scotland, Sir W. Rae. Ireland - Lord-Lieutenant, Earl de Grey; Lord- Chancellor, SirE. Sugden; Chief Secretary, Lord Elliot; Attorney-General, Mr. Blackburn, Q.C.; Solicitor-General, Serjeant Jackson.

The members of the Government were all re-elected, and the House of Commons again met on the 10th of September, when the new Premier announced the course he intended to pursue. Next day Lord John Russell expressed his views with regard to the great change in the position of parties, which had just been effected. This gave rise to another party debate. Sir Robert Peel replied to Lord John Russell. Lord Palmerston admonished the right honourable gentleman not to plume himself too confidently on his majority, for there was a country as well as a House of Lords. A desultory debate on the same subject took place on going into a committee of supply a few nights after, when there was a reiteration of the same topics on both sides, with the usual amount of recrimination. A similar debate occurred in the House of Lords - the chief subjects of discussion, which continually recurred, being the financial affairs of the country, and the Corn Laws. All the business of immediate urgency having been dispatched, both parties welcomed the day of prorogation, which took place on the 7th of October, the Lords Commissioners being the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Wellington, the Duke of Buckingham, the Earl of Shaftesbury, and Lord Wharncliffe. The Queen's speech announced the formation of the new administration, alluded to the equalisation of the public income and the annual expenditure, and other important objects connected with the trade and commerce of the country, which would necessarily occupy their attention at an early period of the recess, promising that she would give her cordial concurrence to all such measures as should appear, after mature consideration, best calculated to prevent the recurrence of distress in the manufacturing districts, and to promote the great object of Her Majesty's wishes - the happiness and contentment of all her people.

The necessity of the measures here alluded to mainly arose from the Anti-Corn-Law agitation; and the time has, therefore, now arrived for recording the events and incidents connected with this great national movement.