What Bernal Osborne prophesied at
the time, would in all likelihood have happened, that if the noble lord
went out by one door, he would come in by another. Many thought the risk
of breaking up the Government too great, considering the state of
Ireland; and many Irish liberal members were but too glad of an excuse
to keep it in office. If we assume that no action of the Irish
representatives would affect any votes but the votes of those returned
by Irish constituencies, the division shows that it was beyond their
power to secure a majority for the second reading; but it is not
unreasonable to suppose that, had the Irish members maintained a united
and determined opinion in favour of the bill, English members would see
the wisdom and necessity of yielding to them.
Between the 4th and the 11th great activity was shown at both sides.
The friends of Lord George Bentinck, who happened to be absent from
London, sent him assurances that nothing would prevent them from being
present at the division; whilst the Government and their supporters laid
their heads together to devise the best means of defeating the measure.
One thing they deemed essential--the Irish members must be taken in
hand, and their hopes and fears so wrought upon as to prevent them from
giving a united and determined support to Lord George.
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