ABSTRACT
Peace in 1815 failed to bring prosperity. Attempts were soon made to harness the energy released by these spontaneous outbreaks to the parliamentary reform movement. In 1824 Wooler abandoned the Black Dwarf, lamenting that there was now no 'public devotedly attached to the cause of parliamentary reform'. The introduction of the first Reform Bill in March 1831 opened a debate which, in the words of Professor Gash, 'went to the roots of political philosophy'. The third, revised, Reform Bill was introduced by Russell on 12 December. Wellington tried to form a government, even though it would entail the introduction of a Reform Bill, The attempt was nullified by Peel's refusal to join on such terms. Hence press reports, petitions and public demonstrations were designed to emphasise the depth of reform feeling and to persuade the government of the inevitability of revolution unless it kept its nerve and stood by its Reform Bill.
