Owing to the length of the debates on this Bill and the many interruptions which had opposed its progress, the result just narrated did not take place until the 26th June. By a curious coincidence it happened that on that very evening the Corn Law Bill passed in the House of Lords, so that the same day which brought the great commercial measure of Sir R. Peel to a successful issue in one House, witnessed the defeat of his Government by a combination of parties in the other. This result had been for some time anticipated, and the retirement of the Conservative Government regarded as an inevitable event so soon as the great object of their retention of power had been accomplished. It was generally believed that the issue was one which the Prime Minister himself contemplated with no dissatisfaction. The intelligence which arrived from America just at this time announcing the settlement of the Oregon question, and the generally

prosperous condition of the trade and finances of the country, rendered the crisis an auspicious one for the retirement of the Ministry, and threw a genial light upon the close of its career. Upon the 29th of June the event was announced in both Houses, the Duke of Wellington appearing for the last time as the spokesman of Government in the House of Lords. He thus briefly declared the termination of its functions:

"My Lords: I have to announce to your Lordships, that Her Majesty's Ministers have tendered to Her Majesty their resignation of the offices which they have held in Her Majesty's service; in consequence of which, Her Majesty has sent for a noble Lord, with a view to his forming another Administration to conduct the affairs of the Government of this country. My Lords, this information will probably induce your Lordships to think that it would be desirable to suspend the discussion of measures which might become matters of controversy in this House, until those who are to have the honour of being Her Majesty's servants in public offices should have an opportunity of forming their arrangements, and should be able to come down to this House to transact the public business. ("Hear, hear!") My Lords, there is one question fixed for consideration in this House on Thursday next. I see a noble friend near me (the Earl of Powis) who has given notice of his intention to move the second reading of the Bangor and St. Asaph's See Bill on Thursday; and I would submit to my noble friend the expediency of postponing that motion for the second reading of that Bill until Her Majesty's servants shall be in this House to attend a dis

cussion upon it, as Her Majesty has an interest in that measure. My Lords, there are some other measures with which it will be necessary to proceed, and which will require your Lordships' immediate attention. One of them may be expected from the other House tonight, and will in all probability be on your Lordships' table this evening. I mean the short Sugar Duties Bill; a Bill continuing the existing duties on sugar for one month from the 5th of July next, which it is desirable should pass this House without delay. Whoever may be Her Majesty's servants, that is desirable. I would therefore propose to your Lordships not to adjourn, but rather to continue to sit from day to day, with a view to the consideration and passing of that measure; but that the consideration of all questions which are likely to be matters of controversy should be postponed until Her Majesty's servants shall have been appointed, and can be in this House to attend to the public business of the country. (Cheers.)

Lord Brougham put a question to Lord Aberdeen as to the truth of the report that the Oregon dispute had been settled.

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I allude," he said, "to reports of a most consolatory, and, I may add, most gratifying nature, which appear in the public prints of America and of this country, and which lead me to hope and trust, even in these times of false news, that the troublesome and in every respect disagreeable matter between us and the United States as to the Oregon territory and the boundary of that territory, has been brought to an amicable conclusion, and to one which is honourable for both parties."

The Earl of Aberdeen answered

in the affirmative; adding that he might have ventured without the pressure of a question to have made the gratifying announcement. Afer the President had declined to accept the repeated offers of the British Government to submit the whole question to arbitration, and had sent a message to both Houses on the subject of bringing the joint occupancy to a close, Lord Aberdeen felt that nothing could be done till the Senate and House of Representatives should have taken some steps in consequence of that message.

"When I saw," continued Lord Aberdeen, "that the Senate and the House of Representatives had adopted resolutions in such a conciliatory and friendly disposition, I did not delay for a moment, but, putting aside all ideas of diplomatic etiquette, which might have led me to expect that some steps would be taken on the other side, I prepared the draught of a convention, which was sent by the packet of the 18th of May to Mr. Pakenham, to be proposed for the acceptance of the United States Government.'

Lord Aberdeen read Mr. Pakenham's letter announcing the acceptance of the convention. He concluded by paying a compliment to Mr. M'Lane, the American Minister, for the friendly and conciliatory course adopted by him during the negotiation.

In the House of Commons the change of Government was announced by Sir Robert Peel, who said, that he felt it to be his duty to avail himself of the earliest opportunity of notifying to the House that in consequence of the position in which Her Majesty's Government was now placed, and more especially of the vote to which the

Owing to the length of the debates on this Bill and the many interruptions which had opposed its progress, the result just narrated did not take place until the 26th June. By a curious coincidence it happened that on that very evening the Corn Law Bill passed in the House of Lords, so that the same day which brought the great commercial measure of Sir R. Peel to a successful issue in one House, witnessed the defeat of his Government by a combination of parties in the other. This result had been for some time anticipated, and the retirement of the Conservative Government regarded as an inevitable event so soon as the great object of their retention of power had been accomplished. It was generally believed that the issue was one which the Prime Minister himself contemplated with no dissatisfaction. The intelligence which arrived from America just at this time announcing the settlement of the Oregon question, and the generally

prosperous condition of the trade and finances of the country, rendered the crisis an auspicious one for the retirement of the Ministry, and threw a genial light upon the close of its career. Upon the 29th of June the event was announced in both Houses, the Duke of Wellington appearing for the last time as the spokesman of Government in the House of Lords. He thus briefly declared the termination of its functions:

"My Lords: I have to announce to your Lordships, that Her Majesty's Ministers have tendered to Her Majesty their resignation of the offices which they have held in Her Majesty's service; in consequence of which, Her Majesty has sent for a noble Lord, with a view to his forming another Administration to conduct the affairs of the Government of this country. My Lords, this information will probably induce your Lordships to think that it would be desirable to suspend the discussion of measures which might become matters of controversy in this House, until those who are to have the honour of being Her Majesty's servants in public offices should have an opportunity of forming their arrangements, and should be able to come down to this House to transact the public business. ("Hear, hear!") My Lords, there is one question fixed for consideration in this House on Thursday next. I see a noble friend near me (the Earl of Powis) who has given notice of his intention to move the second reading of the Bangor and St. Asaph's See Bill on Thursday; and I would submit to my noble friend the expediency of postponing that motion for the second reading of that Bill until Her Majesty's servants shall be in this House to attend a dis

cussion upon it, as Her Majesty has an interest in that measure. My Lords, there are some other measures with which it will be necessary to proceed, and which will require your Lordships' immediate attention. One of them may be expected from the other House tonight, and will in all probability be on your Lordships' table this evening. I mean the short Sugar Duties Bill; a Bill continuing the existing duties on sugar for one month from the 5th of July next, which it is desirable should pass this House without delay. Whoever may be Her Majesty's servants, that is desirable. I would therefore propose to your Lordships not to adjourn, but rather to continue to sit from day to day, with a view to the consideration and passing of that measure; but that the consideration of all questions which are likely to be matters of controversy should be postponed until Her Majesty's servants shall have been appointed, and can be in this House to attend to the public business of the country." (Cheers.)

Lord Brougham put a question to Lord Aberdeen as to the truth of the report that the Oregon dispute had been settled.

"I allude," he said, "to reports of a most consolatory, and, I may add, most gratifying nature, which appear in the public prints of America and of this country, and which lead me to hope and trust, even in these times of false news, that the troublesome and in every respect disagreeable matter between us and the United States as to the Oregon territory and the boundary of that territory, has been brought to an amicable conclusion, and to one which is honourable for both parties."

The Earl of Aberdeen answered

in the affirmative; adding that he might have ventured without the pressure of a question to have made the gratifying announcement. Afer the President had declined to accept the repeated offers of the British Government to submit the whole question to arbitration, and had sent a message to both Houses on the subject of bringing the joint occupancy to a close, Lord Aberdeen felt that nothing could be done till the Senate and House of Representatives should have taken some steps in consequence of that message.

66

"When I saw," continued Lord Aberdeen, that the Senate and the House of Representatives had adopted resolutions in such a conciliatory and friendly disposition, I did not delay for a moment, but, putting aside all ideas of diplomatic etiquette, which might have led me to expect that some steps would be taken on the other side, I prepared the draught of a convention, which was sent by the packet of the 18th of May to Mr. Pakenham, to be proposed for the acceptance of the United States Government."

Lord Aberdeen read Mr. Pakenham's letter announcing the acceptance of the convention. He concluded by paying a compliment to Mr. M'Lane, the American Minister, for the friendly and conciliatory course adopted by him during the negotiation.

In the House of Commons the change of Government was announced by Sir Robert Peel, who said, that he felt it to be his duty to avail himself of the earliest opportunity of notifying to the House that in consequence of the position in which Her Majesty's Government was now placed, and more especially of the vote to which the

Owing to the length of the debates on this Bill and the many interruptions which had opposed its progress, the result just narrated did not take place until the 26th June. By a curious coincidence it happened that on that very evening the Corn Law Bill passed in the House of Lords, so that the same day which brought the great commercial measure of Sir R. Peel to a successful issue in one House, witnessed the defeat of his Government by a combination of parties in the other. This result had been for some time anticipated, and the retirement of the Conservative Government regarded as an inevitable event so soon as the great object of their retention of power had been accomplished. It was generally believed that the issue was one which the Prime Minister himself contemplated with no dissatisfaction. The intelligence which arrived from America just at this time announcing the settlement of the Oregon question, and the generally

prosperous condition of the trade and finances of the country, rendered the crisis an auspicious one for the retirement of the Ministry, and threw a genial light upon the close of its career. Upon the 29th of June the event was announced in both Houses, the Duke of Wellington appearing for the last time as the spokesman of Government in the House of Lords. He thus briefly declared the termination of its functions :

"My Lords: I have to announce to your Lordships, that Her Majesty's Ministers have tendered to Her Majesty their resignation of the offices which they have held in Her Majesty's service; in conse quence of which, Her Majesty has sent for a noble Lord, with a view to his forming another Administration to conduct the affairs of the Government of this country. My Lords, this information will probably induce your Lordships to think that it would be desirable to suspend the discussion of measures which might become matters of controversy in this House, until those who are to have the honour of being Her Majesty's servants in public offices should have an opportunity of forming their arrangements, and should be able to come down to this House to transact the public business. ("Hear, hear!") My Lords, there is one question fixed for consideration in this House on Thursday next. I see a noble friend near me (the Earl of Powis). who has given notice of his intention to move the second reading of the Bangor and St. Asaph's See Bill on Thursday; and I would submit to my noble friend the expediency of postponing that motion for the second reading of that Bill until Her Majesty's servants shall be in this House to attend a dis