1 85 9.] Resignation of Aberdeen to Dissolution in 1859. 425 26th of February, he had decided to appeal to the country ; and, some formal business having been transacted, Parliament was, on the 2 ist of March, prorogued and dissolved. The result of the general election which followed was a great triumph for Palmerston. His opponents were routed in all directions, and he was supposed to be insured a long period of office.* The Radical leaders especially suffered, amongst those who were defeated at the polls being Cobden, Bright, Milner Gibson, W. J. Fox, Wilkinson, Walmsley, Layard, and Vincent Scully. The repulse was only temporary ; before the end of the year Bright and Milner Gibson were both returned, the latter for Ashton, and the former in a most honourable manner for Birmingham. Cobden was elected in 1859 for Rochdale, and other members found seats at different times. If the leaders of the party suffered, however, there was no suggestion that their general principles were condemned by the country. On the contrary, the growth which we have seen taking place in the Liberal ranks was quite as distinctly mani- fested now as at any former time. That the Radicals were an important section of his party was recognized by Palmerston, who was shrewd enough to know their power and to endeavour to retain it in his service. The new Parliament met on the 3Oth of April, and the pre- liminary business of swearing in members and electing a Speaker being gone through, the session was formally opened on the /th of May. The address in reply to the speech was carried without a division. In the course of the debate Palmerston, referring to the question of Parliamentary reform, said that there was no time during that session to deal with it, but that between then and the next session the Government would consider it, with a view to introduce a practical measure. This, coming from the old opponent of reform, was a proof of the position which the subject held in the opinions of a large number of Liberals. It had, however, the effect no doubt, anticipated by the astute Premier of postponing all attempts
- The party strength in the new Parliament, as given in " McCalmont's Poll
Book," was Liberals, 366 ; Conservatives, 287, showing a Liberal majority of seventy-nine.
