1 855.] Death of Peel to Resignation of Aberdeen. 389 carried out* Palmerston, whilst he had outraged public feeling by his hasty approval of the coup d'Jtat, had given some satisfaction to the people by the favourable views he was known to have entertained towards Kossuth, the Hun- garian patriot, who, in the autumn of 1850, had visited England, but had been denied that official reception which, but for the pressure of the Premier, the Foreign Minister, it was thought, was willing to allow. There would, therefore, be necessarily much difference of opinion as to the propriety of Palmerston's dismissal ; but it was evident to every one that, necessary or not, it would be a serious loss to the Government, and materially weaken them in Parliament. In less than a month he had shown his power, and revenged himself on the Ministry by its destruction. This action left Lord John with only just time to introduce -and describe the new Reform Bill, of which all that can be said is, that it was useful as a definite official declaration of the necessity for a change. On the gth of February Russell moved for leave to bring in a bill which was to lower the borough franchise from a 10 to a 5 rating qualification ; to give county votes to 20 rated occupiers, and to persons who paid forty shillings a year assessed taxes and lived outside a borough ; to enlarge some small boroughs, but not dis- franchise any ; to abolish property qualification ; to alter the oath which excluded Jews from Parliament ; and to make some slight changes in the Scotch and Irish franchises. The announcement of the provisions of the measure was received without enthusiasm. It was accepted by the Radicals, but not as a satisfactory proposal ; and it was evident that it had no element of vitality, and could make no appeal to that popular support which alone could overcome the dead weight of opposition on both sides of the House. Leave was given for its introduction, and that was the last that was heard of it, until the author himself moved its abandonment. The only
- The account of the transactions is given in Lord Russell's speech in Parlia-
ment on the opening of Parliament on the 3rd of February, and in Martin's " Life of the Prince Consort," ch. xliv.
