Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/217

 1832.] Canning's Premiership to Passing of Reform Act. 203 their command of corrupt boroughs, either as private owners or as the depositaries of the Government power, in the Com- mons also, that no successful attack could be made upon them by ordinary Parliamentary proceedings.* There were but two ways in which the growing Liberalism of the country could make itself felt. One was by violent agitation and the fear of revolutionary action. This element was to make itself felt in the case of the Irish demand for emancipation ; and, later on, something of the same kind was experienced in the final struggle for Parliamentary reform. Another and better method of breaking down the obstinate resistance of the Tories was by some action within their own party, which should lessen the dead weight of obstruction, and increase to a sensible extent the number of members amenable to the expression of public opinion. It was in effecting this last object that Canning's action was most beneficial to the nation. A breach was made in the ranks of the defenders of abuses, and the army of reform was encouraged to make ever- renewed attacks. It seemed at first that Canning's death would arrest the sentative House, is illustrated by the following letter from Croker to Canning, which was written to induce Canning to pay more deference to the aristocracy. It is published in the recently issued " Life and Letters of Croker," vol. i. p. 370. "April 3, 1827. "DEAR MR. CANNING, "Some gentlemen, and particularly our friend Sir George, talk so slightingly of blue ribands that I think it right to send you a memorandum which will show you, in one view, how impossible it is to do anything satis- factory towards a Government in this country without the help of the aristocracy. I know that you must be well aware of this, yet the following summary may not be useless to you, though I know that it is imperfect. " Yours, dear Canning, most truly, "J. W. C. " Number of members returned to the House of Commons by the influence of some of the Peers : Tories. Lord Lonsdale, 9 ; Lord Hertford, 8 ; Duke of Rutland, 6 ; Duke of Newcastle, 5 ; Lord Yarbro' (for W. Holmes), 5 ; Lord Povvis, 4 ; Lord Falmouth, 4 ; Lord Anglesey, 4 ; Lord Ayles'bury, 4 ; Lord Radnor, 3 ; Duke of Northumberland, 4 ; Duke of Buccleuch, 4 ; Marquis of Stafford, 3 ; Duke of Bucks (2), 3 ; Lord Mount-Edgcumbe, 4 = 70, besides at least 12 or 14 who have each two seats, say 26 = 96. "Whigs. Lord Fitzwilliam, 8; Lord Darlington, 7; Duke of Devon, 7; Duke of Norfolk, 6 ; Lord Grosvenor, 6 ; Duke of Bedford, 4 ; Lord Carrington, 4 = 42, with about half a dozen who have each a couple of seats, 12 = 54."
 * The extent of the direct influence of the peerage upon the so-called Repre-