CHAPTER XI.

REIGN OF WILLIAM IV. (_concluded_).

Prorogation of Parliament--Agitation against the House of Lords--O'Connell's Crusade--Inquiry into the Orange Lodges--Report of the Committee--Mr. Hume's Motion--Renewed Attack in 1836--The Lodges dissolved--Lord Mulgrave in Ireland--His Progresses--Wrath of the Orangemen--Prosperity of the Country--Condition of Canada--A Commission appointed--Violence of the King--Lord Gosford in Canada--His Failure to pacify the Canadians--Upper Canada--Pepys becomes Lord Chancellor--Opening of Parliament--The King's Speech--O'Connell and Mr. Raphael--The Newspaper Duty--The Irish Poor--Appointment of a Commission--Its numerous Reports--The Third Report--Private Bills on the Subject--Mr. Nicholls' Report--Lord John Russell's Bill--Abandonment of the Measure--Debate on Agriculture--Finance--The Ecclesiastical Commission--Its first Report--The Commission made permanent--The Tithe Commutation Act--The Marriage Act--The Registration Act--Commercial Panics--Foreign Affairs--Russian Aggression--Occupation of Cracow--Disorder in Spain--Revolution in Portugal--Position of the Ministry--A Speech of Sheil's--The Church Rates Bill--Death of the King--His Treatment of the Ministry 392