ABSTRACT
It was generally understood, that the Premier had met with a firmer adherence to Mr. Canning’s measure than he expected among his colleagues; and he yielded, – as he had now become practised in doing. He had yielded to the expediency of taking the premiership, after openly declaring that he should be mad if he ever did such a thing. The truth plainly was, that Mr. Huskisson was first mistaken in his estimate of the fatal character of his vote; next, hasty in writing to the Duke under exhaustion and perturbation, though his impulse was worthy and honorable; and, finally, too slow to accept the consequences of his own act. During Mr. Canning’s short Administration, the Catholics had been very quiet. The Premier was their friend, and a powerful one. They found the priests and the great Catholic leader everywhere, interfering with their tenantry, and rousing the ignorant population of their estates to what they called ‘insubordination.
