whole question with them, and would see Lord Palmerston and Lord John to-morrow, before he could make any report to the Queen.
This is all really very bad! Albert.
Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria.
CHESHAM PLACE, 11th April 1854. Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty; he has the honour to acknowledge, with gratitude, your Majesty’s communication of yesterday. Lord John Russell waited to see Lord Aberdeen before he answered, and having now had a long conversation with him, Lord John Russell being assured of your Majesty’s support, of Lord Aberdeen’s concurrence, and of the assent of the majority of his colleagues, is willing to continue his humble services in the Cabinet, and in the House of Commons.
Lord John Russell must ask your Majesty to excuse what may have seemed intemperate in his letter of Sunday last. He is still of opinion that without public confidence in his integrity and uprightness he can be of no use to your Majesty, or to the Country.
And on that confidence must depend the continuance of his services.[1]
Memorandum by the Prince Albert.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, 11th April 1854. We saw Lord Aberdeen at three o’clock to-day, who reported to the Queen that the change of mind of Lord John had been the result of an hour and a half’s discussion with him this morning. He must admit, however, that he found Lord John in a mood willing to let himself be convinced. The Queen’s letter might have contributed to this as well as the entreaties of the Duke of Bedford and Lord Lansdowne. Lord Aberdeen could tell Lord John in truth that there was not a shadow of difference of opinion amongst any of his friends, that he would lose himself for ever, and meet with universal reprobation, if he persisted in resigning after every cause for it had been removed, and he had agreed to the course Lord Palmerston had insisted upon. Lord Palmerston had written a very clever letter to Lord John, begging him not to desert the Queen and
- ↑ On the same day Lord John announced in the Commons the withdrawal of the Reform Bill. He admitted that this course would expose him to the taunts and sarcasms of his opponents, and to the suspicions of his supporters. Here “his feelings overcame him, and, as he used the word ‘suspicion’ in reference to his motive, his utterance was choked, and the sentence he struggled to pronounce was evidently given through tears.” {Ann. Reg., 1854, p. 120.) Loud and sympathetic cheers followed from all parts of the House.
