Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/427

 1859.] Resignation of Aberdeen to Dissolution in 1859. 413 influence of public honesty and morality on the national character, and desirous to elevate by education the standard of national intelligence." Not long before his death, Hume had received a sort of official recognition of the public gratitude by being called to the Privy Council ; but it was at once a loss to the nation and a disgrace to its political system, that such a man should not have been chosen to take part, as a responsible minister, in the practical administration of the government which he did so much to purify, and in carrying out the reforms which he originated. He had ability, experience, and industry ; but he had neither a connection with the governing class nor a subservience to their privileges and interests, without one or other of which, in the then state of the representation, in- dependence in office was impossible ; and Hume was a man who, like Cobden, would decline any nominal power which involved the inability to actively press forward the reforms to which he was devoted. His work was not the less of national importance. As regarded the Radical party in Parliament, his great service was that he kept constantly before it not only occasions for protests on behalf of its broad principles, but opportunities for making advances towards them by reforms in detail in every administrative department. Palmerston's first Cabinet, which had been formed after such long deliberation, went speedily to pieces. The Premier had strongly opposed the appointment of Roebuck's com- mittee, and the Peelites who consented to remain in office did so with the belief that he would resist its final acceptance. There was no definite engagement on the matter, and Palmer- ston did not chose to risk his popularity by resolutely refusing to go on with the Government if the committee were elected. He declared his own opinion, and asked the House to re- consider its decision, but did not attempt to make it a matter of confidence. His own character as an administrator was not touched by the inquiry, and if Parliament were disposed to in- sist, he was prepared to run the risk to the public service which he thought that such a public investigation would involve.