rded as of some importance is evident from the
terms in which Sir James Mackintosh addressed him. 'You are more wanted
than anybody, not only for general service, but because your Reform must
be immediately brought forward--if possible, as the act of the party,
but at all events as the creed of all Whig Reformers.' Writing to Moore
from Genoa on November 9, Lord John says: 'I am just setting off for
London. Mackintosh has written me an oily letter, to which I have
answered by a vinegar one; but I want you to keep me up in acerbity.'

Soon after Parliament met, the famous Six Acts--usually termed the
'Gagging Acts'--were passed, though not without strenuous opposition.
These measures were intended to hinder delay in the administration of
justice in the case of misdemeanour, to prevent the training of persons
to the use of arms, to enable magistrates to seize and detain arms, to
prevent seditious meetings, and to bring to punishment the authors of
blasphemous and seditious libels. No meeting of more than fifty people
was to be held without six days' notice to a magistrate; only
freeholders or inhabitants were to be allowed even to attend; and
adjournments were forbidden. The time and place of meeting were, if
deemed advisable, to be changed by the local authorities, and no banners
or flags were to be displayed. The wisdom of Lord Eldon, the patriotism
of Lord Castlereagh, and the panic of Lord Sidmouth were responsible for
these tyrannical enactments. On December 14 Lord John brought forward
his first resolutions in favour of Reform. He proposed (1) that all
boroughs in which gross and notorious bribery and corruption should be
proved to prevail should cease to return members to Parliament; (2) that
the right so taken away should be given to some great town or to the
largest counties; (3) that it is the duty of the House to consider of
further means to detect and to prevent corruption in Parliamentary
elections; (4) that it is expedient that the borough of Grampound should
be disfranchised. Even Castlereagh complimented him on the manner in
which he had introduced the question, and undertook that, if Lord John
would withdraw the resolutions and bring in a bill to disfranchise
Grampound, he would not oppose the proposition, and to this arrangement
Lord John consented. Shortly before the dissolution of Parliament,
consequent upon the death of the King, in January 1820, Lord John
obtained leave to bring in a bill for suspendi