The Greville Memoirs, Part 1 (of 3), Volume 3 (of 3): A Journal of the Reigns of King George IV and King William IVGreville, Charles
History
The Greville Memoirs, Part 1 (of 3), Volume 3 (of 3): A Journal of the Reigns of King George IV and King William IV
Greville, Charles
Great Britain -- History -- George IV, 1820-1830; Great Britain -- History -- William IV, 1830-1837
After the meeting at the Foreign Office there seems to have been
an end of all notion of any compromise, or any giving way on the
part of the Government about the clauses in the Tithe Bill, and
Lord John Russell held very strong language. The debate presented
nothing remarkable. Sheil came over from Ireland on purpose to
speak, not being able to vote, as he had paired. Great exertions
were made on both sides, and the Tories dragged up Sir Watkin
Williams Wynn from Wales, very infirm; and had a blind man in the
House, led about by Ross. The majority of twenty-nine ought to
have been twenty-six, just the same as the last division. Sir
Charles Cockerell (Whig) was shut out, whilst on the other side
Lord Arthur Hill's[5] vote was lost by his mother's death, which
made him a Peer, and the Lennoxes and Poyntz stayed away. The
whole thing went off tamely enough; everybody in Parliament knew
what was to happen, and out of doors people don't care. While the
revenue presents an excess of two millions, and everything
flourishes, political excitement is impossible. The Lords continue
to throw out Bills, and many complaints are made of their evident
determination to reject as many of the Commons' measures as they
can. Some of them have been opposed, particularly the Stafford
Disfranchisement Bill, by the Ministers themselves. The Lords,
however, no doubt evince a very imprudent disposition to exercise
their power of rejection without grave and sufficient cause, and
needlessly to expose themselves to the charge of wanton and
intemperate opposition to the measures of the Commons. It is the
height of folly to make the line between the two Houses as broad
as possible, and to publish to the world on every occasion that
the one House is Whig and the other Tory; not but what (in the
present rage for legislation, and the careless and hurried way in
which measures are bustled through the House of Commons) the
revision and watchful superintendence of the House of Lords are
more than ever necessary.
[5] [Lord Arthur Hill became Baron Sandys on the death of
his mother, the Marchioness of Downshire, who was
Baroness Sandys in her own right.]
There was a report of General Evans' death the other day, which
was believed for some time, and long enough to show that there
would have been a contest for Westminster if it had been true.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account