e country decided for itself,
and Lord John has the merit, owing to his most dexterous move and our
want of unanimity."

On my observing that Sir Robert has a majority of one hundred in the
House of Commons, and asking whether it was not possible for him to
continue the Government, he said:--

"The Duke of Buccleuch will carry half Scotland with him, and Lord
Stanley, leading the Protectionists in the House of Lords, would lead
to great and immediate defections even in Her Majesty's household. The
Duchess of Buccleuch, Lord Hardwicke, Lord Exeter, Lord Rivers,
Lord Beverley, etc., would resign, and we should not be able to find
successors; in the House of Commons I am sure I should be beat, the
Tories, agriculturists, etc., in rage would turn round upon me and
be joined by the Whigs and Radicals, who would say, 'This is _our_
measure and we will not allow you to carry it.' It is better that
I should go now, when _nobody has committed himself_ in the heat
of party contest, when no factions have been formed, no imprudent
declarations been made; it is better for Her Majesty and for the
country that it should be so."

After we had examined what possibilities were open for the Crown, the
conclusion was come to that Lord John was the only man who could be
charged with forming a Cabinet. Lord Stanley, with the aristocracy as
his base, would bring about an insurrection [or riots], and the ground
on which one would have to fight would be this: to want to force the
mass of the people, amidst their great poverty, to pay for their bread
a high price, in favour of the landlords.

It is a matter of the utmost importance not to place the House of
Lords into direct antagonism with the Commons and with the masses of
the people. Sir Robert says very correctly:--

"I am afraid of other interests getting damaged in the struggle about
the Corn Laws; already the system of promotion in the Army, the Game
Laws, the Church, are getting attacked with the aid of the league."

After Victoria had in consequence [of the foregoing] decided in favour
of Lord John, and asked Sir Robert: "But how is it possible for him
to govern with so exceedingly small a minority?" Sir Robert said: "He
will have difficulties and perhaps did not consider what he was doing
when he wrote that letter; but _I will support him_. I feel it my duty
to your Majesty not to leave you without a Government. Even if Lord
John goes to the full extent of his declaration in tha