is actual position as
contrasted with his vast abilities is indeed calculated to 'point
a moral.'

December 8th, 1837 {p.029}

[Page Head: COMMITTEE ON THE PENSION LIST.]

The notion of a break-up of the Government has gradually faded
away, and though the Radicals have not forgiven John Russell for
his speech, they appear to have no intention of altering their
conduct towards the Government, and some concessions have already
been made partly for the purpose of mollifying them. Government
have given up the Pension List, and it is believed that the
Ballot is to be made an open question. This will be considered
more than an equivalent for the discouraging effect of John
Russell's speech. Peel and the Tories oppose the Committee on the
Pensions,[13] but it is remarkable that on the Civil List
Committee the other day, when Rice proposed that L75,000 should
be granted for pensions, and Grote moved to suspend the grant
till after the Pensions Committee had reported, Peel and his
people (Goulburn, Harding, Fremantle, &c.) supported Grote, and
the Chancellor of the Exchequer was in a minority of one. This
too was an accident, for Francis Baring was absent from the
division on account of the following circumstance. In a speech in
the House of Lords the night before on the Post Office, Lord
Lichfield[14] had attacked Mr. Wallace with great severity, and
immediately after Wallace sent him a message which was tantamount
to a challenge. Alvanley was employed to settle the quarrel,
which he did, but it became necessary to instruct Baring to say
something on the subject in the House of Commons, where Wallace
was going to allude to it. Alvanley detained Baring so long that
he was too late for the division in the Committee; had he been
there and made the numbers even, Rice, as chairman, must have
given the casting vote for or against his own proposition, either
of which would have been very awkward, but it is not very clear
why Peel voted as he did.

[13] [The Chancellor of the Exchequer moved for a Select
Committee to inquire how far pensions granted under the
Acts of the last reign, and charged on the Civil List
or the Consolidated Fund, ought to be continued. The
motion was carried by 293 to 233 votes.]

[14] [The Earl of Lichfield was Postmaster General.]

Lord Roden brought on the Irish question in the House of Lords,
when Mulgrave[15] made a very triumphant vindication o