The Greville Memoirs, Part 2 (of 3), Volume 1 (of 3): A Journal of the Reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1852Greville, Charles
History
The Greville Memoirs, Part 2 (of 3), Volume 1 (of 3): A Journal of the Reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1852
Greville, Charles
Great Britain -- History -- Victoria, 1837-1901
was of opinion that this Bill was so unwise and inexpedient, that
no considerations of a general nature would justify him in
consenting to it, or in not opposing it, he was right to take the
course he has done; but not otherwise; for, as the Bill can only
be carried, if at all, by a small majority, it will go out to
Jamaica with diminished moral effect, and it was above all things
desirable that an Act so penal should be invested with all the
authority derivable from unanimity, or at least the concurrence
of an overwhelming majority. Now this is the consideration of
which the importance is admitted by both sides, and it might have
afforded Peel a good reason for giving way to the Government,
when he found they would not give way to him. As it is, the Bill
will go up to the Lords with the usual majority, and the Lords
will have to determine upon a course full of important
consequences. If they throw it out, it seems to me that Ministers
must resign, and no question could be devised on which they could
resign so advantageously for their own interests as a party, none
of which would be less popular for their opponents, and which
would afford so good an occasion and such great facilities for
keeping together the Whigs and Radicals in a firm and consentient
opposition. The great object of Peel's policy appears to have
been to avoid returning to office until he could do so in such
strength as to be able to carry on the Government with security,
and it was my belief that he never would return until he had some
sort of guarantee that this would be in his power. The great
desideratum, therefore, of all moderate men, was the dissolution
of the connexion between the Whigs and Radicals, and the ultimate
establishment of a Government upon the anti-movement principle,
and it was with reference to this paramount object that I was so
desirous of getting Peel's course shaped so as to harmonise with
John Russell's sentiments and conduct. But if the Government
resign upon this Jamaica question, all this fine plan will be
defeated. Great are the effects of party rancour, and if the
battle is fought on merely party grounds, and the Lords are to be
the instruments of achieving the victory, the Whigs and Radicals
will forget their present bickerings and mutual topics of
grievance and discontent, and bury their animosities in a common
determination to resist and defeat their political antagonists.
With the majority against him unbroken in the Commons, but
without an option as to taking or refusing office if tendered to
him (because he would have himself compelled the Government to
resign), Peel must dissolve, and he would encounter the election
with the whole antagonist force united against him, aided by the
anti-slavery feeling together with all the jealousy that could be
excited against the predominance of the House of Lords. Suppose
the general election were to give him a very large majority, even
then the great opportunity of separating the Whigs and Radicals
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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