"
When Parliament met the first great subject of interest was the
desertion of Mr. Monk from the Ministry. He at once took his place
below the gangway, sitting as it happened exactly in front of Mr.
Turnbull, and there he made his explanation. Some one opposite asked
a question whether a certain right honourable gentleman had not left
the Cabinet. Then Mr. Gresham replied that to his infinite regret his
right honourable friend, who lately presided at the Board of Trade,
had resigned; and he went on to explain that this resignation had,
according to his ideas, been quite unnecessary. His right honourable
friend entertained certain ideas about Irish tenant-right, as to
which he himself and his right honourable friend the Secretary for
Ireland could not exactly pledge themselves to be in unison with him;
but he had thought that the motion might have rested at any rate over
this session. Then Mr. Monk explained, making his first great speech
on Irish tenant-right. He found himself obliged to advocate some
immediate measure for giving security to the Irish farmer; and as he
could not do so as a member of the Cabinet, he was forced to resign
the honour of that position. He said something also as to the great
doubt which had ever weighed on his own mind as to the inexpediency
of a man at his time of life submitting himself for the first time
to the trammels of office.
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