Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/279

 1837-] First Reformed Parliament to Death of William IV. 265 ticians has suffered. On a previous occasion, when in office, they had submitted clauses carrying out the principle, and had withdrawn them; and they had themselves assisted to out-vote Ward when he proposed a resolution of a similar character. Afterwards they allowed the very question on which they destroyed Peel's Government to be carried against them; but, unlike Peel, they submitted to the defeat, and con- sented to live on as a Ministry under the disgrace. On the 3Oth of March Russell moved his famous resolu- tion, " That this House resolve itself into a committee of the whole House in order to consider the present state of the Church establishment in Ireland, with the view of applying any surplus of revenues not required for the spiritual care of its members to the general education of all classes of the people, without distinction of religious persuasion." The debate occupied three nights, and the division was taken on the 3rd of April, when the numbers were for the resolution, 322 ; against, 289, giving the opposition a majority of thirty- three. This majority was created by the Scotch and Irish vote, the English leaving the motion in a minority of nine.* It was early on Friday morning that this division was obtained, and the minister proposed that the committee should not be taken until the following Monday. The opposition would not allow even that delay, and on the same evening, therefore, the debate was begun, and was adjourned to the 6th, when the numbers voting were in favour of the resolution, 262 ; against it, 237, leaving a majority of twenty-five. On this Lord John moved another resolution declaring " That it is the opinion of this House that no measure upon the subject of tithes in Ireland can lead to satisfactory and final adjustment, which does not embody the principle contained in the foregoing resolution." This second resolution was carried by a majority of twenty- seven ; the declaration which condemned beforehand any bill which it was possible for them to introduce ministers con- sidered fatal, and on the 8th of April Peel announced that he and his colleagues had resigned.
 * " Annual Register," 1835, p. 221.