have ever held power and, what was perhaps still more important, it dissolved the union between Pitt and Grenville, and the section of the Whigs which had followed the latter in his alliance with the late Premier.
This dissolution of the Ministry restored the possibility of solidarity to the Liberal party by reuniting Grenville and his friends to the section which had stood by Fox. On the other hand, it took from the Tory ranks all that had any semblance of Liberality. Pitt, even in the days when his hatred and dread of French principles urged him most strongly to a policy of repression and coercion, could not forget the love of liberty and the desire for reform which he inherited from his father and avowed in his own youth. He gave a proof of this by resigning, because he could not accomplish the act of justice to the Roman Catholics of Ireland to which he considered himself pledged. All that had been thoroughly oppressive, obscurantist, reactionary in the Government remained there unchecked and undiluted. Addington, Castlereagh, Eldon, the respectable but dull courtier, terrified at every popular movement; the friend and ally of despotism at home and abroad; the passionate, invincible enemy of change—these were the men who were now retained in office. The full effect of their policy was not yet to be felt, for whilst Pitt and Fox, Windham and Grenville were alive, complete power could not remain in the hands of men so inferior in political ability and with less hold upon the public feeling of the country. Their present tenure of office was but a prelude to the chapter of oppression and misery which they were destined to write in the history of their country. Evidence was soon given of their ideas of government. They took office in the middle of March, and before the prorogation on the 2nd of July, they had passed Acts for the suppression of rebellion in Ireland, the suspension of Habeas Corpus Acts in England and Ireland, for preventing seditious—that was all free public—meetings, and for indemnifying all persons concerned in securing, imprisoning, and detaining individuals under former suspensions of the Habeas Corpus Act.
