s, and it was equally unnecessary and ill-judged to
lay the Instructions on the table of the House. The result has
been a very clamorous triumph on the part of the Tories, and a
somewhat unlucky exposure of themselves by the Government; as one
of their own friends (in office) acknowledged to me to-day, they
have had 'to eat humble pie.'

[1] [Lord John Russell adopted amendments proposed by Sir
R. Peel by striking out of the preamble of the Bill the
words recognising Lord Durham's council of advice and
the clause empowering the Queen to suspend the Act by
Order in Council.]

February 5th, 1838 {p.052}

[Page Head: MODERATION OF THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON.]

Another debate in the House of Lords on Friday, and a good one,
which will probably finish the Canadian discussion. Upon this
occasion Brougham fired off another fierce philippic, and was
bitterly answered by Melbourne, who declared war against him once
for all. Aberdeen made an attack on the Government which he had
intended to make on the first debate; but as the Duke then said
'Shall I speak?' he said, 'Oh yes, do,' expecting the Duke would
make one instead, but was bitterly disappointed when he heard
that moderate speech which gave such offence to his friends and
such comfort to his foes. So on Friday Aberdeen said what he had
intended to say before, and to do him justice, he made some
strong points against the Government, which told well. He accused
them of unnecessary delay in bringing in this Bill last year,
after they had passed their Resolutions, and asserted that they
shuffled it off for fear they should be inconvenienced thereby in
the election contests which were approaching. I incline to
believe this accusation is well founded, and if so, it was very
paltry conduct, and not an inapt illustration of the Duke of
Wellington's famous question during the Reform Bill, 'How is the
King's Government to be carried on?' The King's Government was
not carried on; its interests were neglected or postponed to the
more pressing interest (as they thought, and I believe thought
erroneously) of the party in their election contests. The Duke of
Wellington was expected upon this occasion to make some amends to
his party by explaining away the exculpatory remarks with which
he had before assisted his opponents. But not a bit: he repeated
the same thing, and made a second speech quite as moderate as his
first. The Duke is ther