Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/273

 259 CHAPTER XII. FROM THE DISSOLUTION OF THE FIRST REFORMED PARLIA- MENT TO THE DEATH OF WILLIAM IV. (1834-1837). THE dismissal of the Ministry and the dissolution of Parlia- ment were events which struck the Whigs with as much surprise as indignation. The surprise was shared by the country ; it remained to be seen if the anger was anything like as general. Only two years ago the Tories had believed that the Reform Act had entirely changed the course of English political life ; that at one step the line between order and anarchy had been passed ; that the old influences of aristocracy, church, wealth, and social position, had been destroyed, and that democracy had been made supreme. The Whigs believed that whilst the fears of their opponents were exaggerated, they had so manipulated the constitu- encies that a long and unbroken tenure of power had been secured. The elections in 1832 seemed to give colour to both these views. The majority of Liberals in the Com- mons was so overwhelming that practically the House was of one mind ; and amongst the Liberals the Radicals were so numerous, so earnest, and so strong in the possession of public confidence that they seemed destined to give the law to the Government. The Peers professed to be fighting rather to preserve their existence than to maintain their old political predominance, and the Crown had no choice but to accept a Ministry so unmistakably nominated by the national will. Now only two years had passed, and the King ventured to dismiss the ministers who had been so popular, and to dissolve