Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/228

 214 History of the Radical Party in Parliament. [1827- and from any chance of organized opposition. The closeness with which they kept the secret was made a subject of special attack. The chronicler of the day says, "The Protestant party found that, up to the very moment of the assembling of Parliament, they had been allowed to rest in the belief that the question would not be stirred, or that, if it should be stirred, the influence of the leading members of the Cabinet would still stand in its way ; while, in truth, their most tried friends had been plotting and planning how they might most successfully secure a triumph to the enemy, and were concealing at the same time their intended defection, up to the instant when the contest was to begin. It seems impossible to acquit the Duke of Wellington and Mr. Peel of having acted, in this part of the affair, with a disingenuousness which might be perfectly in its place in a miserable political intrigue, but which limited their character as public men in relation to a question of such vast and vital importance." * These and such-like criticisms, not altogether undeserved, ministers knew that they would have to face when they announced to Parliament the completeness of the concessions they proposed to make. The session opened on the 5th ol February, 1829, and the speech from the throne contained the following statements with regard to Ireland : " The state of Ireland has been the object of his Majesty's continued solicitude. His Majesty laments that in that part of the United Kingdom an association should still exist which is dangerous to the public peace and inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution ; which keeps alive discord and ill will amongst his Majesty's subjects ; and which must, if permitted to continue, effectually obstruct every effort per- manently to improve the condition of Ireland. His Majesty confidently relies on the wisdom and on the support of his Parliament ; and his Majesty feels assured that you will commit to him such powers as may enable his Majesty to maintain his just authority. His Majesty recommends that, when this essential object shall have been accomplished, you
 * "Annual Register," 1829, p. 4.