purpose, immediately rose, and appealed to the noble lord to postpone the second reading, saying (as the resolution had said) that the constituents of the Irish members had not had time to express their opinions on the Bill—­a most delusive plea, as if, forsooth, the Irish people would at such a moment, or at any time, object to the outlay of L16,000,000 on the improvement of their country.  Besides, they were known to be favourable to the Bill.  Mr. O’Brien gave the true reason, when he asked Lord George to postpone the second reading, because the Government had staked their existence upon it.  A change of ministry, he truly said, would throw into confusion legislation, which was of pressing necessity for Ireland.  He tendered his support to the noble lord, but he was anxious to consider the question apart from a change of ministry; and he knew that many members, like himself, wished for a postponement, at least for a few days.

The debate was adjourned to the next day.  The proposal of the Irish party to postpone the second reading of Lord George Bentinck’s Railway Bill, does not seem to have had much to recommend it.  Lord John Russell’s Government would have opposed it at any time it might be brought forward, and even with a better show of reason after than before a postponement; inasmuch as the expenditure made in the meantime by the Government, to stay the famine, would be a new argument against such an outlay as Lord George’s Bill contemplated.  Moreover, the Irish members had no claim upon his Lordship’s courtesy When his Bill was ready, he, in a most gracious manner, sent it to them for their opinion, before it was submitted to the House of Commons.  After it was some time in their hands, they called a meeting, to hear Lord George explain its provisions, which he did at much length, and with great force and clearness. He was then given to understand that the proposed Bill met the unanimous approval, and would receive the united support, of the IRISH PARTY, in the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament.[207] When they submitted to be cowed by Lord John Russell’s threat of resignation—­when they halted and vacillated, and at length changed, it was too much to expect the noble lord would derange his plans to accommodate such trimmers.

The following passage of a speech, delivered at a public meeting some years afterwards, lets in the light upon the motives which actuated many of the Irish members in their conduct with regard to this famous measure:  “I went into a certain room in London,” said the speaker, “where some thirty Irish members sat in conclave, after the intimation from Lord John Russell that he would resign if the Bill passed the second reading.  The question raised at that private conference was, what was the state of each man’s constituency? and it was agreed that, wherever there was a constituency that would not brook a sale, its representative must vote against the Government; but wherever there was an