Graham's reply--Smith
O'Brien's speech--His imprisonment (Note B.)--O'Connell's
motion--His speech--Sir Robert Peel replies--Substantially agrees
with O'Connell--Bill for the protection of life in Ireland--Its
first reading opposed by the Irish members--O'Connell leads the
Opposition in a speech of two hours--Mr. D'Israeli mistaken in
calling it his last speech--His account of it--He misrepresents
it--The opinions expressed in it were those O'Connell always held.
Break up of the Tory party--Lord George Bentinck becomes leader of
the Protectionists--Their difficulty in opposing the Coercion
Bill--Ingenious plan of Lord George--Strange combination against the
Government--Close of Debate on Coercion Bill--Government defeated by
a majority of 73--Measures to meet the Famine--Delay--Accounts from
various parts of the country--Great distress--"Are the Landlords
making any efforts?"--Notice for rent--The bailiff's reply--Number
of Workhouses open--Number of persons in them--Sir Robert Peel's
speech on his resignation--Accident to him--His death--The
Peels--Sir Robert's qualities and character--His manner of dealing
with the Famine--His real object the repeal of the Corn Laws, 93

CHAPTER V.

John Russell Prime Minister--He confers important offices on some
Irish Catholics--His address to the electors of London--Its
vagueness--Addresses of some of the other new Ministers--The Irish
difficulty greater than ever--Young and Old Ireland--The _Times_ on
O'Connell and English rule in Ireland--Overtures of the Whig
Government--O'Connell listens to them--The eleven measures--Views of
the advanced Repealers--Lord Miltown's letter to
O'Connell--Dissensions in the Repeal Association--The "Peace
Resolutions"--O'Connell's letters--He censures the _Nation_
newspaper--Debate in the Repeal Association--Thomas Francis
Meagher's "Sword speech"--The Young Ireland party leave Conciliation
Hall in a body--Description of the scene (_Note_)--Reflections--Sir
Robert Peel's speech after his resignation--Lord John Russell's
speech at Glasgow--His speech on the Irish Coercion Bill--His speech
after becoming Prime Minister--The Potato Blight reappears--Accounts
from the Provinces--Father Mathew's letter--Value of the Potato Crop
of 1846--Various remedies, theories, and speculations--State of the
weather--Mr.