368 History of the Radical Party in Parliament. [1846- brilliance and vigour. The debate lasted two nights. Minis- ters had no help in the way of speaking from the Peelites, but the opinion that they would receive their votes was confirmed when, at the close of the second night's discussion, a motion for further adjournment was defeated by 22 1 to 80 votes, and the amendment was withdrawn. In the debates in both Houses, Ministers were taunted with having introduced in the speech the statement, that " the present aspect of affairs has enabled me to make large re- ductions on the estimates of last year," not from conviction, but as a concession to pressure from the Radicals in and out of Parliament. Stanley said, " I venture to state, openly and fearlessly, that it is not the aspect of affairs abroad or in Ireland, but the aspect of affairs in another place, which has induced the Government to make reductions." Disraeli had made merry over their conversion to the principles of financial reform ; and Cochrane said that they were influenced by a pressure from without, and by a fear of Cobden. It was perfectly true that there had been a very strong expression of public feeling on the subject of economy. Associations for promoting the cause of financial reform were established in London, Edinburgh, and other large towns * that of Liver- pool being especially active in the diffusion of information and the expression of opinion. That the Ministry should be in- fluenced by a movement so general in its character was natural enough ; the strange thing was, that it should be urged as a charge against the head of a representative Government that they were desirous of carrying out the undoubted wishes of the people they were supposed to represent. The opposition were right also in regarding Cobden as being one of the most important leaders of the agitation. The reputation which he had acquired during the corn law agitation secured an amount of attention which his ability 11 grasping, and explaining, financial and commercial question: amply justified. He had, moreover, the way of putting such subject in a concrete and striking form, so as at once to attract
- "Annual Register," 1849, p. 153.
