Page:The house of Cecil.djvu/286

 248 THE CECILS

Roebuck moved his famous vote of censure, based on the report of the Sebastopol Committee, Lord Robert Cecil was chosen to second the " previous question," moved by General Peel. The Aberdeen Ministry, which was responsible for the mismanagement of the war, had been turned out of office six months before, and it was thought by a large section of the Opposition to be inopportune to press the vote of censure, since they were not prepared to take the respon- sibility of taking Palmerston's place and carrying on the war. The attitude adopted by Cecil was patriotic in the highest degree, and his action in opposing his own leaders displayed his charac- teristic independence of thought. General Peel's amendment was carried by a large majority, and thus the Aberdeen ministry, of whom Gladstone was one, escaped the " severe reprehension " of the House of Commons.

At the General Election in 1857, Cecil was again returned for Stamford unopposed, and in the first session of the new Parliament he made his first attempt at constructive legislation by bringing in a measure to institute a system of voting at elections by means of voting papers distributed among the electors. This sensible proposal (adopted in 1861 for University voting) was withdrawn owing to Liberal opposition after a short debate.

In the same year he married Georgina Caroline, daughter of Sir E. H. Alderson, Baron of the Exchequer, and afterwards a celebrated judge.

�� �