Editing John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (section)

=== Chartists' movement ===
Within six years after the passage of the [[Reform Act 1832|Great Reform Act]] and the accession of the Queen, the [[Chartism|Chartist movement]] grew out of frustration following the [[Reform Act 1832|Great Reform Act]]'s failure to give the vote beyond those who owned property and aimed to extend further political reform.{{Sfn|Reid|1895|p=163}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chartist movement |url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/electionsvoting/chartists/overview/chartistmovement/ |access-date=2024-12-19 |publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=1838 Peoples Charter gallery |url=https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/2015-parliament-in-the-making/get-involved1/2015-banners-exhibition/ross-sinclair/1838-peoples-charter-gallery/ |access-date=2024-12-19 |publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom |language=en}}</ref> In 1838, representatives of the working class amplified calls for reform in the [[People's Charter of 1838]] which demanded [[universal manhood suffrage]], equal division of constituencies, vote by [[ballot]]s and abolishing the qualification of owning property in order to sit in Parliament. Following the upheaval in [[Europe]] during the [[Revolutions of 1848]], fears in Britain grew of the similar unrest despite it not being "formidable". The events on the continent eventually inspired the Chartists and demand for reform increased as many in the [[working class]] began to view that their interests were disregarded. The movement was led by the Irish barrister and journalist [[Feargus O'Connor]] who entered Parliament as a follower of [[Daniel O'Connell]] and as member for [[Cork (city)|Cork]].{{Sfn|Reid|1895|p=165}} The Chartists planned a protest in April and Russell was at first supportive of the demonstration to take place. He proposed that demonstration be permitted to cross the [[Westminster Bridge]] and be able to present the petition to Parliament itself with the police preventing the protesters from marching to [[Charing Cross]] and regrouping. But by 6 April, Russell's government felt compelled to declare the demonstration illegal.{{Sfn|Reid|1895|p=166}} On the advice of the [[Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington|Duke of Wellington]] the [[Bank of England]], the [[Tower of London]], and the surrounding neighbourhood of [[Kennington Common]] were protected by cavalry and infantry with the entrances to Parliament itself and [[Whitehall]] government offices were protected by artillery.{{Sfn|Reid|1895|pp=166–167}} On 10 April, London braced for a feared uprising as the Chartists planned a massive protest at Kennington Common, but the turnout was far smaller than expected, with many present merely out of curiosity. O’Connor abandoned the march to Parliament, and the petition boasting "five million" signatures contained numerous fictitious ones and was delivered quietly by cab. Heavy rain and public ridicule ultimately dispersed the crowd, ending the agitation with anticlimactic results. Russell characteristically said of the incident: "London escaped the fate of [[Paris]], [[Berlin]], and [[Vienna]]. For my own part, I saw in these proceedings a fresh proof that the people of England were satisfied with the Government under which they had the happiness to live, did not wish to be instructed by their neighbours in the principles of freedom, and did not envy them either the liberty they had enjoyed under Robespierre, or the order which had been established among them by Napoleon the Great."{{Sfn|Reid|1895|p=|pp=167–168, 168–169}}