Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/322

 308 History of the Radical Party in Parliament. [1837- missioners were the only two domestic subjects referred to, and these, although important in themselves, were not of a character calculated to excite interest in the mind of a nation whose people were suffering from a distress which in many parts amounted almost to famine. With such a programme it seemed almost like a profane farce to " humbly implore of Divine Providence that all your counsels may be so directed as to advance the great interest of morality and religion, to preserve peace, and to promote by enlightened legislation the welfare and happiness of all classes of my subjects." The feeling of the Radicals as to the state of things which existed was well expressed by Grote, in the last speech which he was to make in Parliament. In the debate on the address, after objecting to the ministerial policy with regard to Turkey, which he considered endangered the peace of Europe and especially estranged the sympathies of France, Grote said, " If, in respect to our internal affairs, we are destined to obtain no further progress or improvement ; if the cold shadows of finality have at length closed in around us, and intercepted all visions of a brighter future ; if the glowing hopes once associated with the reform Ministry and the reformed Parliament have perished like an exploded bubble ; at least, in regard to our foreign affairs, let us preserve from shipwreck that which is the first of all blessings and necessities, that which was bequeathed to us by the anti- reform Ministry and the unreformed Parliament I mean peace and accord with the leading nations of Europe, but especially with our nearest and greatest neighbour, France." To this appeal Russell could only reply with commonplaces about his desire to maintain the institutions of the Established Church, the hereditary House of Lords, and the hereditary Monarchy. The address in reply to the speech was agreed to in both Houses without a division ; but this was the last sign of confidence or respect which the Government were to receive all after this was defeat, reverse, and humiliation. They had suffered several disasters before they brought in the