Chapter XVI: THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (continued)

Opening of 1843--Assassination of Drummond--The _Quarterly_ on
the League--Scene between Peel and Cobden--Mr. Villiers's Annual
Motion--Peel's Free Trade Admissions--Progress of the League
Agitation--Activity of its Press--Important Accessions--Invasion of
the County Constituencies--The Free Traders in Parliament--Disraeli
attacks Peel--Lord John Russell's Attitude--Debate on Mr.
Villiers's Motion--Mr. Goulburn's Budget--The Sugar Duties--Defeat
of the Government--Peel obtains a Reconsideration of the
Vote--Disraeli's Sarcasms--The Anti-League League--Supposed Decline
of Cobdenism--The Session of 1845--The Budget--Breach between Peel
and his Party--The Potato Disease--The Cabinet Council--Memorandum
of November 6--Dissent of Peel's Colleagues--Peel's Explanation
of his Motives--Lord Stanley's Expostulation--Announcement in the
_Times_--The Edinburgh Letter--Resignation of the Ministry--Russell
fails to form a Government--Return of Peel--Parliament
meets--Debates on the Queens Speech--Peel's general Statement--Mr.
Bright's Eulogium--The Corn Bill passes the Commons and the
Lords--Defeat of Sir Robert Peel--Some scattered Facts of his
Administration 505