unseen ally of
Wilberforce, and the pillar of his strength,--'a man of profound
benevolence, of acute understanding, of indefatigable industry, and of
that self-denying temper which is content to work in secret, and to seek
for its reward beyond the grave.' Macaulay was the last man to suffer
rebuke in silence, and he made a sharp reply on the following day,
followed by a magnanimous peace-making behind the Speaker's chair.

DEFEAT OF WHIG MINISTRY

Meanwhile the air was thick and loud with rumours. Lord Eliot told Mr.
Gladstone in the middle of the debate that there had been a stormy
cabinet that morning, and that ministers had at last made up their minds
to follow Lord Spencer's advice, to resign and not to dissolve. When the
division on the sugar duties was taken, ministers were beaten (May 19)
by a majority of 36, after fine performances from Sir Robert, and a good
one from Palmerston on the other side. The cabinet, with, a tenacity
incredible in our own day, were still for holding on until their whole
scheme, with the popular element of cheap bread in it, was fully before
the country. Peel immediately countered them by a vote of want of
confidence, and this was carried (June 4) by a majority of one:--

On Saturday morning the division in the House of Commons presented
a scene of the most extraordinary excitement. While we were in our
lobby we were told that we were 312 and the government either 311
or 312. It was also known that they had brought down Lord ---- who
was reported to be in a state of total idiocy. After returning to
the House I went to sit near the bar, where the other party were
coming in. We had all been counted, 312, and the tellers at the
government end had counted to 308; there remained behind this
unfortunate man, reclining in a chair, evidently in total
unconsciousness of what was proceeding. Loud cries had been raised
from our own side, when it was seen that he was being brought up,
to clear the bar that the whole House might witness the scene, and
every one stood up in intense curiosity. There were now only this
figure, less human even than an automaton, and two persons, R.
Stuart and E. Ellice, pushing the chair in which he lay. A loud cry
of 'Shame, Shame,' burst from our side; those opposite were silent.
Those three were counted without passing the tellers, and the
moment after