his intention to prepare a modified measure which he knew they would regard as a mockery, unless he believed that their declaration for broad principles was one by which they did not mean to abide.
On that same Wednesday, Messrs. E. H. Greg, W. Rawson, J. Bright, J. Brooks, J. Dixon, and W. Evans, deputed by the conference, had an interview with Lord John Russell. They stated their deliberate conviction that no less a measure of relief than that of total repeal would ever satisfy the country, or restore its prosperity; and exposed the fallacy of a fixed duty, and urged its relinquishment on his lordship. But years of intense suffering on the part of the people had not yet convinced him; he gave respectful attention to the statements of the deputation, but gave them no reason to believe that they had effected any change in his opinion. He had made up his mind to abide by a fixed duty, which the repealers were now in the way of designating "a fixed injustice." He very probably thought they would give in their adhesion to him on that evening. Peel's expected modification recognised higher duties, with all the uncertainty of the slide. Miss Martineau says:—"The whigs were delighted to find, that the minister had failed to come up to their own point of an 8s. fixed duty." It is, perhaps, too much to say that they were delighted; but no doubt visions of return to office flitted before them.
The house and gallery were crowded. Below the bar was seen a number of distinguished strangers, amongst whom was the Duke of Cambridge. Peel rose to speak at five o'clock, and deep silence instantly prevailed. The minister had not his usual confident manner. "He was uneasy and nervous," says Miss Martineau, " and there was no argument in his speech." He admitted the distress and deplored it in, but said that he could not attribute it, any degree, to the operation of the Corn Laws. His hearers wondered what would follow.
