WILLIAM THE TniBD.

13

laughed heartily at the fury with which the nation had ona sudden begun to persecute men for doing what every body-had always done and was always trying to do. But if peoplewould befools, it was the business of a politician to make useof their folly. The cant of political purity was not so familiarto the lips of Wharton as blasphemy and ribaldry: hut hisabilities were so versatile, and his impudence so consummate,that he ventured to appear before the world as an austere patriotmourning over the venality and perfidy of a degenerate age.While he, animated by that fierce party spirit which in honestmen would be thought a vice, but w'hich in him was almosta virtue, was eagerly stirring up his friends to demand an inquiryinto the truth of the evil reports which were in circulation, thesubject was suddenly and strangely forced forward. It chancedthat, while a bill of little interest was under discussion in theCommons, the postman arrived with numerous letters directedto members; and the distribution took place at the bar witha buzz of conversation which drowned the voices of the orators.Seymour, whose imperious temper always prompted him todictate and to chide, lectured the talkers on the scandalousirregularity of their conduct, and called on the Speaker toreprimand them. An angry discussion followed; and one ofthe offenders was provoked into making an allusion to thestories which were current about both Seymour and the Speaker.“It is undoubtedly improper to talk while a bill is under discus-sion: but it is much w r orse to take money for getting a billpassed. If we are extreme to mark a slight breach of form,how severely ought we to deal with that corruption which iseating away the very substance of our institutions! ” That wasenough: the spark had fallen: the train was ready: the explo-sion was immediate and terrible. After a tumultuous debatein which the cry of “the Tower” w r as repeatedly heard,Wharton managed to carry his point. Before the House rose

CHAP.

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1G95.