ABSTRACT
The Government was in temper and by conviction a Government of inaction. The Bill was dropped, to the scandal of The Times, which criticised the Melbourne Government in language recalling Cobbett’s invective, speaking of “the broken faith and callous feelings of the mercenary and jobbing clique.” Melbourne’s Government had long been in a precarious situation, for the General Election in 1837 had reduced its majority the margin of comfort. The Whig Government, to whom the subject was uncongenial, could be driven by popular pressure to take it up. Thanks to the sensible and moderate policy of the Whig Government, and most of all to the tact and the wide sympathies of Sir Charles James Napier, whom they put in command of the Northern area, the threat of serious disturbances passed away. The Queen resented the proposal to change her ladies, some of whom were relations of Whig Ministers, seeing no way out of the difficulty, abandoned his attempt.
