CHAPTER VI.

A. D. 1829.

REMAINDER OF HIS FIRST SESSION IN PARLIAMENT.

It will be sufficiently obvious to every one of the least reflection, that while a favourable commencement of a parliamentary career, must be in general a most auspicious circumstance, a debut of prodigious and perhaps excessive eclat is of all things the most undesirable. Such was the sensation produced by Mr. Sadler's first efforts, and such the impression left by them on the public mind, that no human powers could have sufficed to maintain that impression. The multitude generally, too, are not accustomed to discriminate wisely, or to take into their account the various circumstances of every case; and thus it necessarily happens that they generally overpass the limits of truth and justice, both in their blame and in their approbation. There can be no doubt, that the common feeling, on finding that Mr. Sadler was not about to make a brilliant speech at least every alternate week, was that of disappointment mingled with some

degree of discontent. And hence arose a prevalent notion, which is yet often to be met with,that Mr. Sadler fell short of the promise of his first appearance;-that he was equal to a single effort, but not competent to sustain that effort through a whole career; that, in short, he vaunted for a while in the foremost ranks, but soon fell back into a lower and more befitting station. This, however, was an unjust judgment, not only as being untrue, but as being altogether the reverse of the truth. There is no doubt, indeed, that a degree of eclat attended Mr. Sadler's first efforts in Parliament, which was in a great measure absent during the rest of his career; but for that eclat, which arose mainly from extrinsic circumstances, it would be the extremest absurdity to make him accountable. And, throwing all such considerations out of view, and sitting down to the perusal of Mr. Sadler's speeches, without any regard to the passing opinions of the day, there is no competent judge who will feel the least doubt, that, so far from declining from his earliest brilliancy,—his efforts rather rose than diminished in power and talent, and his latest addresses were his best.

One trivial circumstance, indeed, assisted the spread of the impression, that his powers had been exhausted by a single effort,-and that circumstance was, the state of lassitude and inertness

into which the political world seemed to fall, immediately the great apostacy of 1829 was completed, and the struggle of contending principles was over. Disgust and discontent brooded over one portion of the house, while the other contemplated their victory with doubtful misgivings; and thus, between both, the session of 1829 wore out its remaining weeks amidst a variety of mixed and perplexed feelings on all sides.

It is well known, that Mr. Sadler's personal feelings were so involved in the Protestant cause, for which he had just been pleading, that the sentiments of disgust and almost of despair, to which we have just alluded, took strong possession of his mind. Nevertheless, as the session advanced, and divers measures came before the House, touching which he entertained very decided opinions, he began to address himself to his duty, and to take his fair share in the discussions which arose.

The question of Free Trade came before Parliament, as involved in the measures proposed for the governance of our Silk Manufacturers; and on this topic Mr. Sadler spoke briefly on the 13th of April, and a second time, and at more length, on the 1st of May. He also took part, on the 19th of May, in the debate on the Anatomy Bill.

But the circumstance which tested and established his powers and his character, occurred in

the course of a discussion on his own question, that of Poor Laws for Ireland, which was brought before the House of Commons, without any concert or communication between him and the mover, by Mr. Villiers Stuart, on the 7th of May. This occasion was seized upon by Mr. Wilmot Horton, the chairman of the Emigration Committee, whose reports Mr. Sadler had handled somewhat roughly in his work on Ireland,—to call Mr. S. to a public account for his statements and reasonings on that work. At a moment's notice was the assailant met, and most triumphantly overthrown : in fact, the house rung with cheers when Mr. Sadler concluded his reply. Galled at his defeat, Mr. Horton sought for another opportunity of grappling with his antagonist. On the 4th of June he offered a series of resolutions to the house, avowedly as a mere expedient by which he might renew his controversy with Mr. Sadler. Again was he met, without preparation or hesitation, and again was his defeat the most signal. Mr. Sadler's speech on the second of these occasions, contains passages of such terseness and power, that we should be inclined to extract largely from the report, were it not better, perhaps, on the whole, to offer our readers the sketch of this little controversy which we find in the pages of one of the leading periodicals of that day.

"Mr. Sadler possesses a promptness and dexterity which render his resources readily available in the emergencies of debate, and cause his most expert and experienced adversaries to feel that he is not to be taken at fault, and that he is always prepared to give a reason for the faith that is in him. Perhaps no one would be more inclined to acknowledge this than poor Wilmot Horton. That pertinacious experimentalist (the most persevering and indefatigable of tentative legislators) was not easy until he selected Sadler for single combat in the House, and called upon him—a thing somewhat unusual-to answer, "in propria persona," for certain allegations respecting the Emigration Committee, which were contained in his work on the State of Ireland. The answer was accordingly given, and the baffled querist was put to silence, if not to shame. It was so fully, so eloquently, so completely given, as to give rise to the suspicion that the question, instead of being a stratagem to take him by surprise, was a contrivance concerted for the purpose of enabling him to appear to advantage. But that suspicion Wilmot Horton himself speedily removed, by the impertinent and unseemly repetition of his interrogatories. He was again in the field; and, armed at all points, he again threw down the gauntlet to his reposing conqueror. Sadler met him again at

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