[Footnote 212:  See his “Civil Despatches,” iv., 570.  In February, 1829, he said to Lord Sidmouth, “It is a bad business, but we are aground.”  “Does your Grace think, then,” asked Lord Sidmouth, “that this concession will tranquillize Ireland?” “I can’t tell; I hope it will,” answered the Duke, who shortly discovered, and had the magnanimity to admit, his mistake.—­Life of Lord Sidmouth, iii., 453.  It is remarkable that the question of endowing the Roman Catholic clergy was again considered by Lord John Russell’s ministry in 1848.  A letter of Prince Albert in October of that year says, with reference to it:  “The bishops have protested against Church endowment, being themselves well off; but the clergy would gratefully accept it if offered, but dare not avow this.”—­Life of the Prince Consort, ii., 186.]

[Footnote 213:  This first extract refers in part to the proposal which he made to the Duke to resign his office as Secretary of State, and to support the Emancipation as a private member, a design which he only relinquished at the Duke’s earnest entreaty.  The second extract refers to the seat in Parliament alone.—­See Peel’s Memoirs, i., 310, 312.]

[Footnote 214:  Speech to the electors of Bristol on being declared by the sheriffs duly elected member for that city, November 3, 1774.—­Burke’s Works, iii., 11, ed 1803.]

[Footnote 215:  It is worth pointing out, however, that, as if it were one of the natural fruits of the Reform Bill, the Liberal Committee of the Livery of London in 1832 passed a series of resolutions asserting the principle of delegation without the slightest modification; one resolution affirming “that members chosen to be representatives in Parliament ought to do such things as their constituents wish and direct them to do;” another, “that a signed engagement should be exacted from every member that he would at all times and in all things act conformably to the wishes of a majority of his constituents, or would at their request resign the trust with which they had honored him.”—­Annual Register, 1832, p. 300; quoted by Alison, 2d series, v., 355.]

CHAPTER IX.

Demand for Parliamentary Reform.—­Death of George IV., and Accession of William IV.—­French Revolution of 1830.—­Growing Feeling in Favor of Reform.—­Duke of Wellington’s Declaration against Reform.—­His Resignation:  Lord Grey becomes Prime-minister.—­Introduction of the Reform Bill.—­Its Details.—­Riots at Bristol and Nottingham.—­Proposed Creation of Peers.—­The King’s Message to the Peers.—­Character and Consequences of the Reform Bill.—­Appointment of a Regency.—­ Re-arrangement of the Civil List.