1846.] Sir Robert Peel's Administration. 321 discussion occupied the greater part of the time of Parliament. The remedy which it applied to the distress in the country was effectual, but it was slow, and it was rendered unnecessarily so by the too long postponement of the repeal of the corn laws, without which its other provisions were incomplete. The delay in the improvement of their condition was borne with difficulty by a people who were suffering distress of the most terrible kind, approaching often to that actual state of famine the occurrence of which in Ireland finally led to the ultimate triumph of free trade. It was to be expected that political agitation would be aroused, and that the people would seek a change of Government as the means of relief from misery which they knew to be increased, if not entirely caused, by the operation of laws which the masters of the existing constituencies were interested in maintaining. There was accordingly constant agitation going on with regard to Parliamentary reform, which was mainly directed by the Chartist and Manhood Suffrage organizations. The connection between these associations and the Parliamentary Radicals was less close than it had at one time been, but there existed never- theless a good deal of sympathy and some amount of combined action. This showed itself on several occasions during the year. On the 2ist of April Sharman Crawford moved a resolution declaring it to be the duty of the House to take into consideration the laws relating to the representation, " with a view of giving to every portion of the community a full, fair, and free representation in the Commons' House of Parliament." Ward, Villiers, Cobden, and Roebuck spoke in favour of the resolution, which was defeated by 226 votes to 67. An occasion which tried still more the loyalty of the Radicals to their principles occurred a few days later. On the 2nd of May Buncombe presented to the House a great petition with nearly 3,500,000 signatures in favour of the six points of the charter. The petition, besides setting forth the prayer, went at great length into the social and political causes which made reform necessary. Among other things it advocated the disestablishment of the Church, some method of dealing with Y
