een introduced.]

[Footnote 9: This refers to the Catholic Emancipation
discussions of 1827, when Bentinck and Disraeli accused Peel
of having hounded Canning to death.]

[Pageheading: ATTACK ON PEEL]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _22nd June 1846._

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and assures
your Majesty that he is penetrated with a deep sense of your Majesty's
great kindness and your Majesty's generous sympathy with himself and
Lady Peel.

Sir Robert Peel firmly believes that the recent attack made upon him
was the result of a foul conspiracy concocted by Mr Disraeli and Lord
George Bentinck, in the hope and belief that from the lapse of time
or want of leisure in Sir Robert Peel to collect materials for his
defence, or the destruction of documents and papers, the means of
complete refutation might be wanting....

He hopes, however, he had sufficient proof to demonstrate the
falseness of the accusation, and the malignant motives of the
accusers.

He is deeply grateful to your Majesty and to the Prince for the kind
interest you have manifested during the progress of this arduous
struggle, which now he trusts is approaching to a successful
termination.

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

DOWNING STREET, _26th June 1846._ (_Two o'clock._)

Sir Robert Peel, with his humble duty to your Majesty, begs leave
to acquaint your Majesty that the members of the Government met in
Cabinet to-day at one.

Sir Robert Peel is just returned from this meeting.

He stated to the Cabinet that after the event of yesterday (the
rejection of the Irish Bill by so large a majority as 73) he felt
it to be his duty as head of the Government humbly to tender his
resignation of office to your Majesty. He added that, feeling no
assurance that the result of a Dissolution would be to give a majority
agreeing with the Government in general principles of policy, and
sufficient in amount to enable the Government to conduct the business
of the country with credit to themselves and satisfaction to your
Majesty and the public at large, he could not advise your Majesty to
dissolve the Parliament.

Sir Robert Peel said that, in his opinion, the Government generally
ought to resign, but his mind was made up as to his own course.

There was not a dissenting voice that it was the duty of the
Government to tender their resignation to your Majesty, and for the
reasons