Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/438

 424 History of the Radical Party in Parliament. [1855- Sir J. Walmsley, who moved for a committee to consider the representative system and report upon means for " ex- tending to the unenfranchised that share of political power to which they may be justly entitled." The support of this proposal was not general even with the Radicals, for Dun- combe opposed it on the ground of its uselessness, and on a division it was lost by 190 to 73. The relative strength of Liberals and Conservatives in the House of Commons, when both acted strictly on party lines, was fairly indicated by a vote which took place on the 23rd of February. On that day Disraeli moved an amendment to the budget, and was defeated by a majority of eighty. Three days afterwards, on the 26th of February, the Ministry were overthrown by a majority of sixteen. This was on a resolution moved by Cobden on the Chinese question, which stated, " This House considers that the papers which have been laid upon the table fail to establish satisfactory grounds for the violent measures resorted to at Canton, in the late affair of the Arrow" In favour of this resolution there was a union of Radicals, Peelites, and Conservatives, and it was carried by 263 to 247. Cobden and Milner Gibson were the tellers, and the motion was on their part a vindication of the principles of justice and honour in dealing with weaker states. They were followed by the bulk of the Radicals, amongst them being Fox, Goderich, Hadfield, Locke King, Layard, and Roebuck ; but there were some well-known members against, of whom Sir W. Clay, Cobbett, Villiers, and Scholefield were conspicuous. For the time it seemed that this victory was fatal to the in- terests of the party, and there was certainly a strong feeling in the constituencies which resented their action ; but a calmer review of the facts has convinced the people of the country that no better service could be rendered to them than to up- hold the cause of justice against the selfish feelings of the hour. The reverses which followed were soon made good, and the character of the men who suffered for a time has been permanently raised by the transaction. On the 5th of March Palmerston announced that, in consequence of the vote of the