1 855.] Death of Peel to Resignation of Aberdeen. 397 December Disraeli introduced his budget, of which the principal features were the reduction of the malt tax and the hop duty by one-half, and of the duty on tea from two shillings and twopence farthing to one shilling, to take place gradually during a period of six years ; the alteration of the income tax, reducing the amount at which exemption was allowed ; and the increase of the house duty to one shilling and sixpence on houses, and one shilling on shops, and applying it to houses of not less than ten pounds instead of those of not less than twenty pounds a year. This was clearly a budget giving compensation to the landed interest at the cost of the industrial communities, and it was vigorously opposed. The discussion upon it began on the loth, and lasted over four nights. On the 1 6th of December the Chancellor of the Exchequer replied, after which Mr. Gladstone rose to give the coup-dc-grace to the budget and the Ministry. His speech was, as Sir Theodore Martin says, "one of those few famous displays of oratory that are reputed to have decided an issue which had before been doubtful. " * The division followed, there being Ayes, 286; Noes, 305, a majority of nineteen against the Government whose fate it sealed. Lord Derby immediately resigned. In his speech on the 2 1st of December, explaining the causes which led to his defeat, he gave his account of the relative strength of parties in the House of Commons. The adherents of the Government numbered, he said, about 310 ; the mixed Whig and Liberal J party comprised about 260; and then there were the Irish Roman Catholics and the Peel party, which last were few in number, but strong in experience and ability. Thus the ministerialists, though stronger than any single section of the opposition, were unable to contend against them when united. They were now united not only for the purpose of defeating the Government, but also for that of forming a new Admini- stration. The Peelites had decided not to stand aloof, and not merely to support the Whigs, but to form a fusion and take their share in the power and responsibility of government.
- " Life of Prince Consort," chap, xlvii.
