as low as possible—­still its ordinary Budget exceeds the Budget of the former reign—­the extravagant reign of the Bourbons—­to the amount of 10,000,000 l. sterling; and, including those laws for two years, there is the extraordinary expenditure of 50,000,000 l. in that space of time.  To say, then, that popular excitement tends to cheap government, is monstrous and absurd, and it is impossible for any man who regards these facts to arrive at that conclusion.  We are called upon to adopt a system which is to lead to these results.  I ask, then, whether such a system can be more effectual in this country, than that under which we have so long prospered?  I ask, whether the Civil Government will have more power—­whether it is possible that the Government can be carried on with a smaller proportion of the army?  I beg your Lordships to observe the transactions which have occurred at Paris within the last two years, and you will see that, while Louis XVIII, and Charles X. were able to maintain the peace and tranquillity of the capital with a gendarmerie of from 500 to 1000 men,—­since the period of the revolution of July, 1830, the Government has not had less than 60,000 once a month put into requisition to maintain the peace of the city.  I say once a month, upon an average, not to exaggerate the facts; being convinced that upon not less than twenty-four occasions the army has been under arms.

If the system now proposed to your Lordships is adopted, will any man tell me that it will be possible for any Government to be carried on, as the Government of this country has hitherto been, by a civil power, aided by a small military force?  In the course of this last summer, events of a fearful character occurred, nearly at the same time, in this country and in France.  I allude to the disturbances at Bristol and at Lyons.  The riots at Bristol were put down by ninety men, as soon as an officer was found who would employ the force entrusted to him.  But what happened at Lyons—­were the disturbances there so easily quelled?  The events at Lyons—­a larger town, I admit, but not much larger than Bristol—­required 40,000 troops to be brought against the town, under the command of a Marshal of France, the present Minister-at-War, and a Prince of the Blood, before tranquillity could be restored.  I entreat, then, your Lordships to consider well, first of all, the causes of this difference,—­to see that it is the sovereignty of the people that you are called upon to establish in this country,—­and whether it is possible to carry on the civil Government of England, as it has hitherto been, under such a Government as you would establish, if you pass this Bill.

April 10,1832.

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Fiscal Regulations for the Extinction of Slavery not defensible.