34-37. Argument of Ministers against the Catholic Association,

34-36

48. Impression it produced over the country. Mr Brougham's speech on the

occasion,

44

CHAPTER XXI.

BRITISH EMPIRE FROM THE MONETARY CRISIS OF DECEMBER 1825 TO THE

EMANCIPATION OF THE CATHOLICS IN MARCH 1829.

1. Gloomy prospects of the nation in the beginning of 1826,

2. Acts of rioting in various places,

3. King's speech on the subject, and letting out of bonded grain,

4. Real causes of the distress, and its remedy,

45

46

47

ib.

5-11. Argument by Ministers in support of the bill suppressing small notes, 48-52

12-15. Argument against the proposed measure,

53-56

16. The bill is carried by a large majority in both Houses,

17. Vast importance of this decision,

56

57

18. Way in which the changes it induced were brought about,

58

19. Way in which prices affect this desire for political change,

59

20. Error in the debates in Parliament on both sides on this question,

24. Banking system in Scotland and Ireland,

25. Sir Walter Scott prevents the suppression of small notes in Scotland and

26. Commencement of the emigration question,

27. Appointment of a committee on emigration,

28. Debate on the subject in the House of Commons,

29. Reflections on this subject, and its vast importance,

30-31. Prevailing errors on the subject,

32. Finances,

33. Motion for the repeal of the Corn Laws,

2332

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

34-36. Argument for the repeal of the Corn Laws,

37-40. Answer by Sir Francis Burdett,

73-75

76-78

43. Excessive heat and drought of Great Britain in 1826,

41. Division on the question, and interim admission of foreign grain,

42. Character of Sir Francis Burdett,

44. Dissolution of Parliament, and elections,

45. General interference of the priests in the Irish elections,

46. Opening of the new Parliament,

47. Temporary relaxation of the Corn Laws,

Ꭶ

Page

48. King's message regarding Portugal,

84

66. Composition of the new Cabinet,

68. Manner in which the changes were received in Parliament,

49. How this had come to pass,

50-53. Mr Canning's speech on the subject in the House of Commons,

54. Vast effect of this speech, and the expedition sets out for Lisbon,

55. Reflections on this point,

56. Improved state of the country in the beginning of 1827,

57. Death of the Duke of York,

58-59. His character,

60. Illness and retirement of Lord Liverpool,

61-63. His character, and its adaptation to his times,

64. Difficulty in the choice of his successor, and Mr Canning's appointment,

65. What made his Tory colleagues resign?

67. Importance of these events on England's future history,

69. Character of Lord Eldon, who now retired from public life,

70. His character as a statesman,

85

86-88

89

90

91

92

93

95

95-97

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

80. Important and curious things occurring in the course of the debate,

81. Finances of 1826-1827-1828,

82. Other proceedings in Parliament-silk-weavers, shipowners,

114

83. Penryn and East Retford are convicted of bribery. Commencement of

the Reform question,

88. Had he lived, he would have disappointed their expectations,

119

89. Review of his last acts,

120

90. His character as a statesman and orator,

121

91. Lord Goderich made premier, and reconstruction of the Cabinet,

95. The Duke of Wellington appointed premier, and his Cabinet,

96. Mr Huskisson's resignation on the East Retford question, and that of his

97. Reconstruction of the Cabinet by Wellington,

98. Notice of the battle of Navarino in the King's speech,

99. Grant to Mr Canning's family, .

100. Finance Committee and Catholic question,

ib.

127

128

ib.

129

130

131

133

134-135

136-138

138

ib.

111. Rapid increase of disturbances in Ireland,

112. Facilities which the forty-shilling freeholders gave to their designs,

113. The Catholic Association gets the complete command of the forty-shilling

freeholders,

Page

139

140

141

118. The Catholic Association interferes to moderate the transports,

146

119. Proclamation of Government against the meetings,

147

120. Meeting on Penenden Heath,

148

121. The King in vain urges more vigorous measures against the Catholics,

122. Difficulties with which the question was beset,

125. Ambiguous letter of the Duke of Wellington, and explicit one of the

Lord-Lieutenant,

153

126. Increased violence of the Catholic leaders,

154

127. Difficulties which Ministers had with the King on the subject,

128. King's speech,

129. Immense sensation which this speech excited in the country,

130-139. Argument of Mr Peel in favour of the Catholics,

159

160-166

140-146. Answer of the anti-Catholics,

167-172

147. Division on the question, and violent resistance to the bill in the country, 173

148. Speech of the Duke of Wellington in the Lords on the subject,

174

149. The bill is carried in the Peers, and by a large majority,

175

150. Great reluctance of the King to the bill,

ib.

151. Bill for disfranchising the forty-shilling freeholders,

177

152. Mr O'Connell's claim for a seat before the bill is rejected,

178

153. The second Clare election,

154. His violent language and ingratitude,

155. Character of Mr O'Connell,

179

180

181

156. Explanations of his inconsistencies in the Catholic faith,

158. Catholic emancipation a victory gained by the highly educated classes

over the people,

185

159. Aided by the contraction of the currency, and the power of the Catholic

clergy,

160. Great difference between the results of emancipation and what was pre-
dicted by all parties,

161. Emancipation was a wise and great measure,

187

162. Religious differences unavoidable, when religion is thought of at all,

163. Unworthy spirit in which emancipation was received by the Roman

166. Emancipation would have equally failed if granted earlier, or if it had

167. Emancipation has brought a righteous retribution to both parties,

168. First effect of emancipation in inducing reform,

193

194

169. Effects of reform in inducing Free Trade,

ib.

170. Effects of these changes on the population and Catholics of Ireland,

171. Beneficial effect of these changes on the United Empire,

172. Reaction against Catholicism in Great Britain,

173. And in America,

CHAPTER XXII.

DOMESTIC HISTORY OF ENGLAND FROM THE PASSING OF THE CATHOLIC RELIEF BILL

IN 1829 TO THE FALL OF THE WELLINGTON ADMINISTRATION IN 1830.

1. The interval between emancipation and the passing of the Reform Bill

was entirely occupied by the question of reform,

200

3. The interests of the boroughs now at variance with those of the country,
4. Effects of the contraction of the currency on the desire for reform,

ib.

202

5. Effect of Catholic agitation, and its success in stimulating reform,

204

6. Division among the Tories from the effect of the contraction of the currency, 205

7. Catholic emancipation powerfully aided the desire for reform,

8. Great effect of the entire suppression of small notes in March 1829,
9. Motion on the distress of the silk weavers,

10. The budget of 1829,

207

208

209

11. Statement of Mr Attwood as to the causes of Irish distress and agitation,
12. Mr Waithman's exposition of the effect of the monetary system on manu-
factures,

13. Relations with Portugal, and refusal of the English Government to inter-
fere in its concerns,

14. The expedition to Terceira,

15. And is beat off by the British squadron,

16. Great distress in Great Britain and Ireland during the whole of 1829,

17. Serious riots in many places,

18. And in Ireland, where the agitation for the repeal of the Union commenced, 217

19. Serious riots between Protestants and Catholics in Ireland,

20. Meeting of Parliament,

219

21-22. Interesting debate on the public distress in the House of Lords,

23-24. Duke of Wellington's reply,

220-221

221-222

25. Narrow division, and declared changes in Parliament,

223

26. Critical and painful position of the Duke of Wellington,

224

27. Reflections on the Duke's explanation, .

225

28. Sir James Graham's motion for a reduction of the salaries of public officers, 227

29. Mr Hume's motion for a reduction of the army and navy lost,.

228

30. Mr Thomson's motion for a revision of the system of taxation,

229

31. Ministers beat on a minor question,

230

32. Motion of Mr Attwood on the currency,

ib.

33. Financial measures, and great reductions of Government,

35. Great satisfaction at the Budget, and its entire failure to relieve the general

36-37. Mr Baring's speech on the abandonment of the Sinking Fund,

38. Reflections on the abandonment of the Sinking Fund,

39. Which arose from the repeal of so many indirect taxes,

234

40. Which was occasioned by the contraction of the currency,

239

42. Disinclination of the Whigs generally to parliamentary reform,

241

43. Various motions on parliamentary reform made in Parliament during the

session of 1830,

243

44. Rise of the political unions, and their great influence,

45. Illness and death of George IV., .

244

245

46. Character of George IV., variously given by opposite parties,

246

53. Precarious condition of Ministers after the accession of William IV.,

54. Debate on the question of a Regency, in the event of the King's death,

55. Prosecution of the press, and West India Question,

ib.

252

ib.

56. Prorogation and dissolution of Parliament, and French Revolution,

57. Result of the elections favourable to the Liberals,

253

255

70. Disturbances and incendiarism in the southern counties,

71. King's speech,

73. Duke of Wellington's famous speech against any reform,

58. Distracted state of Ireland, and entire failure of emancipation to pacify it, 256

59. Successive efforts of the agitators, and their influence on the elections,

60. Opening of the Manchester and Liverpool Railway,

61. And death of Mr Huskisson,

62. Reflections on the railway system, and its rapid growth,

63. Its vast and lasting monetary effects,

64. And moral and political effects,

65. Political effects of the railway system,

66. Its evils and dangers in the undue sway of the capital,

67. Its political effects,

68. Military results of the railway system,

69. On the whole, it augments the means of defending nations,

72. Lord Grey's declaration on reform,

257

ib.

258

259

260

ib.

261

262

263

ib.

264

265

266

267

268

269

270

271

77. General consternation on the occasion,

272

78. Speech of Mr Brougham on the occasion,

273

79. Division on the Civil List leaves Ministers in a minority,

274

CHAPTER XXIII.

DOMESTIC HISTORY OF ENGLAND FROM THE FALL OF THE WELLINGTON ADMINIS-

TRATION IN 1829, TO THE PASSING OF THE REFORM BILL IN 1832.