h pleased to hear of Lord John's intention to
stay in the House of Commons, said all was changed now; there had been
a great conspiracy against him, he had been accused in Parliament, put
on his trial and acquitted. The acquittal had produced the greatest
enthusiasm for him in the country, and he was now supported by a
strong party; he owned, however, that his success had been chiefly
owing to the handsome manner in which Lord John and his colleagues had
supported him in the debate. That he should incur the momentary enmity
of those states whose interests and plans he might have to cross was
quite natural; he had never intended any disrespect to the Queen, and
if he had been guilty of any he was quite unconscious of it and sorry
for it.

Lord John reminded him that although the Government had got a majority
in the House of Commons in the Foreign debate, it was not to be
forgotten that the fate of the Government had been staked upon it, and
that many people voted on that account who would not have supported
the Foreign policy; that it was remarkable that all those who had the
strongest reason to be anxious for the continuance of the Government,
but who could not avoid _speaking_, were obliged to speak and vote
against the Government. Sir R. Peel's speech was a most remarkable
instance of this.

Lord Palmerston saw in Sir Robert's speech nothing but a reluctant
effort to defend Lord Aberdeen, whom he was bound to defend. If he
(Lord Palmerston) were to leave the Foreign Office, there must be a
ground for it, such as his having to take the lead in the House of
Commons, which was evidently impossible with the conduct of Foreign
Department at the same time. (It had killed Mr Canning, and after
that failure nobody ought to attempt it.) But without such a ground it
would be loss of character to him, which he could not be expected
to submit to. There was not even the excuse of wishing to avoid a
difficulty with a foreign country, as all was smooth now. Those who
had wished to injure him had been beat, and now it would be
giving them a triumph after all. If the Queen or the Cabinet were
dissatisfied with his management of the Foreign Affairs, they had a
right to demand his resignation, and he would give it, but they could
not ask him to lower himself in public estimation. Lord John answered
that his resignation would lead to a further split of parties: there
were parties already enough in the House, and it was essential that a