n of a conservative ministry. He accepted
this responsibility, though he thought the King had mistaken the
condition of the country and the chances of success which had awaited
his political friends. A new House of Commons was instantly called,
and for nearly three months Sir Robert Peel maintained a struggle
against the most formidable opposition that for nearly a century any
minister had been called to encounter. At no time did his command of
temper, his almost exhaustless resources of information, his vigorous
and comprehensive intellect appear to create such astonishment or draw
forth such unbounded admiration as in the early part of 1835. But,
after a well-fought contest he retired once more into the opposition
till the close of the second Melbourne Administration in 1841. It
was in April, 1835, that Lord Melbourne was restored to power, but
the continued enjoyment of office did not much promote the political
interests of his party, and from various causes the power of the
whigs began to decline. The commencement of a new reign gave them some
popularity, but in the new House of Commons, elected in consequence
of that event, the conservative party were evidently gaining strength;
still, after the failure of 1834-5, it was no easy task to dislodge an
existing ministry, and at the same time to be prepared with a cabinet
and a party competent to succeed them. Sir Robert Peel, therefore,
with characteristic caution, "bided his time", conducting the business
of opposition throughout the whole of this period with an ability and
success of which history affords few examples. He had accepted the
Reform Bill as the established law of England, and as the system upon
which the country was thenceforward to be governed. He was willing
to carry it out in its true spirit, but he would proceed no further.
He marshaled his opposition upon the principle of resistance to any
further organic changes, and he enlisted the majority of the peers
and nearly the whole of the country gentlemen of England in support
of the great principle of protection to British industry. The little
maneuvres and small political intrigues of the period are almost
forgotten, and the remembrance of them is scarcely worthy of revival.
It may, however, be mentioned, that in 1839 ministers, being left in
a minority, resigned, and Sir Robert Peel, when sent for by the Queen,
demanded that certain ladies in the household of her majesty,--the
near relatives of eminent