vernment in office, he could have wished it to survive the day on which intelligence should be received from the United States as to the result of our last attempt to close the differences between Great Britain and the United States. He then recounted to the House how, within two days after the British Government had received from the President of the United States the notice that the existing convention about the Oregon territory was to terminate at the close of twelve months, accompanied with a declaration that the notice was given in the hope that it might lead to an amicable termination of all disputes, Her Majesty's Government had not hesitated, although its offer of arbitration had been refused, to specify frankly, and at once, the terms on which it would consent to the partition of that territory. The President of the United States, on receiving our terms, had referred them at once to the Senate; and the Senate, acting in the same spirit of patriotism as the President, immediately advised that they should be accepted. He then stated the two main articles in the convention to be, first, that the line of boundary between the British and American territory should be continued along the 49th parallel of north latitude to the middle of the channel which separates the continent from Vancouver's Island, and thence southerly to the Pacific Ocean, off Fuca, south of that latitude, open to both parties; and secondly, that the navigation of the great northern branch of the Columbia should be free and open to all British subjects. That very day, on returning from the Isle of Wight, he had had

the satisfaction of receiving from Mr. Pakenham an official letter, dated Washington, the 13th June, informing him that the conditions offered by Her Majesty's Government had been accepted by the Government of the United States, without the addition or alteration of a single word. Thus the Governments of two great nations, both impelled by public opinion, had by their moderation and spirit of mutual conciliation averted a war, which was in danger of breaking out between them, in spite of their common blood and common language, and which, if it had broken out, would not have lasted long without involving Europe in its desolation. Mentioning, as he passed along, that the Earl of Aberdeen had intimated to the United States his desire of employing our good offices to mediate between them and Mexico, Sir Robert Peel concluded this part of his subject by expressing his gratification that, before he surrendered his power, he could assure the House that every chance of war with the United States was terminated with honour to this country.

Sir Robert Peel concluded his address in these words :

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Sir, I have now executed the task which my public duty imposed upon me; and I trust that I have said nothing which can lead to discussion or controversy. can say with truth, that whatever opinions may be formed with regard to the extent of the danger with which we were threatened, Her Majesty's Government, in proposing those measures of commercial policy which have disentitled them to the confidence of many of those who heretofore gave them their support, were influenced

regret the severance of party ties who deeply regret that severanec, not from any interested or personal motives, but because they believe fidelity to party, the existence of a great party, and the maintenance of a great party, to be powerful instruments of good government. I shall surrender power, severely censured, I fear, by many honourable men, who, from no interested motives, have adhered to the principles of protection, because they looked upon them as important to the welfare and interests of the country. I shall leave a name execrated, I know, by every monopolist-(Loud cheers and laughter)-who, professing honourable opinions, would maintain protection for his own individual benefit. But it may be that I shall be sometimes remembered with expressions of goodwill, in those places which are the abodes of men whose lot it is to labour and earn their daily bread by the sweat of their brow; in such places, perhaps, my name may be remembered with expressions of good-will, when they who inhabit them recruit their exhausted strength with abundant and untaxed food, the sweeter because no longer leavened with a sense of injustice.' (Loud and long-continued cheering, during which Sir Robert Peel resumed his seat.) When the cheering had subsided,

Sir Robert Peel again rose, and said: "I have received a communication from the noble lord whose services have been required by Her Majesty; and I trust, in conformity with his wish, the House will unanimously support the motion I now make, namely, that the House at its rising do adjourn till Friday next." (Cheers.)

Lord Palmerston rose to ex

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press his concurrence in this proposal, and also in the wish that tho House should abstain from entering upon topics likely to produce discussion. He proceeded to observe, that if he abstained from following Sir. R. Peel into the defence of his Administration, he must not be supposed to have either abandoned or retracted any opinion which he had formerly expressed upon it. The silence of his friends and himself must not be construed into any acquiescence in the commendations which the right honourable baronet had just passed upon his own Government. thought that Sir R. Peel had shown a proper deference to the House in thus bowing to its opinion, and that he had stated very correctly that the present was not an occasion on which he could properly have recommended the dissolution of Parliament. He was glad to hear him announce the principles on which he thought that the Government of Ireland ought to be conducted in future. Declining to follow him into many of his other observations, he remarked, that he could not pass by one of the topics of his speech without expressing the deep pleasure which he (Lord Palmerston) had received from Sir R. Peel's announcement that the unfortunate differences which had existed for some time past between England and the United States had been brought to a termination which was equally honourable to all parties. Sir R. Peel had well said that the success of the great measure just passed was not so much due to the Whigs on one side of the House or to the Tories on the other, as to the talents, perseverance, and eloquence of Richard Cobden. In the language

which he had used Sir R. Peel had paid a deserved compliment to his honourable friend; but the House and the country would look beyond that compliment, and would see, in Mr. Cobden, not only a great improver of our commercial code, but also a great result of Parliamentary reform-that reform, which was the source of Sir R. Peel's recent power, and which had enabled him, though he had opposed it, to pride himself on having carried his present policy through the House of Commons.

Mr. Hume congratulated Sir Robert Peel and the country on the successful termination of the Nve trade struggle. He considered that Sir Robert had rendered such * service to his country as would redound for ever to the honour of Ai namo When he came into othee he found the country engaged in warz and he was sure that no consolation would be greater to him than that when he left office he left it at peace with all the world. He had also by his great measure afforded fair and ample scope for the employment of capital

and industry, and for which he deserved as much or more credit than any predecessor in office. When this measure was properly carried out it would confer the greatest benefits on the civilized world. Mr. Hume therefore regretted, that at this moment circumstances should compel the right hon. baronet to resign the helm of power; and he was sure that his retirement was the source of regret and a matter of sympathy with millions. ("Hear, hear!") No one ever left power carrying with him so much of the sympathy of the people. ("Hear, hear!") He would venture to say, that those honourable gentlemen who were now opposed to him on this great question, would before many years elapsed regret the course which they had taken, and would become converts to the system he advocated. ("Hear, hear!") He individually felt the greatest gratitude to Sir Robert Peel for the manner in which he had carried out this great measure.

Sir Robert Peel's motion was then agreed to.