1834.] The First Reformed Parliament. 243 by the introduction of the Coercion Bill for Ireland, and the mutilation of the Church Bill by the withdrawal of the appropriation clause. So far the discontent was justifiable ; but as to the sins of omission, it must be admitted that the Radicals strove for and expected more than it was possible to achieve in the time. They had not yet accepted their position as pioneers of, and agitators for, thoroughly Liberal measures ; their early disappointment perhaps made them too willing to accept it in the future, when they continued to maintain in power ministers whom they might honourably either have compelled to make progress, or have left the Conservatives to deal with. In this first session, however, they developed a programme sufficiently comprehensive. With respect to political liberty and constitutional reform, besides Grote's motion on the ballot, which has been already referred to, a good fight was made on a- resolution proposed by Tennyson in favour of a bill to shorten the duration of Parliament, for which 164 votes were given to 213 against. In this case if the Ministry had not obtained Tory votes they would have been beaten, and this was an experience which they often had to undergo. Religious liberty was made the subject of nearly constant discussion. The most strenuous efforts were made by the Radicals to prevent the injury to the Irish Church Bill. But they went further than this, for on the i6th of April Faithful, one of the members for Brighton, introduced resolutions declaring that the Church of England as by law established was not recommended by practical utility ; that its revenues have always been subject to legislative enactments ; and that the greater part, if not the whole, of these revenues ought to be appropriated to the relief of the nation. These resolutions were seconded by Cobbett, but were negatived without a division. A bill for the removal of Jewish disabilities was carried through the Commons, but rejected by the Lords the first of a series of proceedings of the kind. The "Annual Register" for the year 1833 says that "there was nothing in regard to which more lively hopes had been
