Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/107

 1815.] Dismissal of Grenville to the End of the War. 93 support. On the Qth of July, less than a month after the opening of the session, a new Irish Coercion Bill was brought in; it was opposed by Sheridan, but carried by 108 votes to 10. The attention of the ministers was mainly devoted to the conflict with France, which was becoming ever more and more desperate. It was now, that, finding it hopeless to contend with England on the sea, and impossible for that reason to strike her by means of the long-threatened invasion, Napoleon pushed forward his scheme of forcing all the states which were either friendly or subservient to him to interdict all commerce with this country, hoping thereby to ruin the trade by which alone we were enabled to keep up the contest. During this and the following year, the British Government responded to this policy by issuing the famous Orders in Council. These orders, which damaged our own trade more even than did the action of Napoleon, and which ultimately involved us in war with the United States, were issued in forms of constantly increasing stringency. They culminated in a decree that no neutral vessels would be allowed to trade with France, or with any other hostile country, unless they first touched at an English port, and, paying custom dues, obtained proper permission. These orders were vigorously but vainly resisted by the opposition, but they were not revoked till 1812. Amongst the noteworthy things respecting them is the fact that Henry Brougham established his first claim to the notice and respect of the country by his vigorous opposition to their maintenance, appearing before the House as counsel for merchants and other persons in Liverpool. Whilst the Government was thus engrossed by the war, and the public interest in politics was limited to a desire for fuller representation, questions were now and again brought forward with a view of improving the social and material condition of the people. All these proposals emanated from the opposition side, and such of them as did not involve any constitutional reform, but could be regarded as gifts from the governing class to the community, were sure of the support of the united Whig party. Under existing conditions mem-