XVi CONTENTS. Chapter VII. — continued. Lord Aberdeen and Mr Gladstone remained in office, . . 66 Effect of this in paralysing the efforts of those who wished to prevent a war, ......... fi7 It was not for want of ample grounds to stand njion, that their cause was brouffht to ruin, ...... 08 Not for want of oratorical power, ...... 69 Mr Cobden and Mr Ihiglit, 69 Reasons why they were able to make no stand, , . . 71 CHAPTEK VIII. Meeting of Parliament, 76 The Queen's Speech, ... ..... 76 The erring policy which it indicated, ..... 77 Unswerving resolve of Austria (with the approval of Prussia) to rid the Principalities of Eussian troops, ... 77 Proofs of this drawn from tran.sactions anterior to the Queen's Speech, .......... 78 Proofs drawn from transactions subsequent to the Queen's Speech, 82 The time when the interests of Austria and Prussia began to divide them from the "Western Powers, .... 89 From first to last Austria and Prussia never swerved from their resolve to secure the Czar's relinquishment of the Princi- palities, 90 CHAPTER IX. Spirit of warlike adventure in England, . , . . 92 The bearing of this spirit upon the policj- of the Government, 93 England was under cngiigements with the French Emiieror, . 94 Into this policy the bulk of the Cabinet drifted, ... 95 The Minister who went his own way, ..... 95 His way of masking the tendency of the Government, . 105 Debates upon the Address, 106 Parliament still in the dark as to the real tendency of the Gov- ernment, ...... ... 107 Production of the Papers, . 108 Their effect, 108 The question on which the judginent of Parliament should have been rested, 110