which he
had had with Sir James Graham and Lord John Russell at Lord John's
request. He reported that at that interview Lord John renewed his
complaint of the Cabinet, declared that he could not state to the
House what was untrue, and must therefore resign. Lord Aberdeen called
this "really too monstrous" after the pledge given by the Sovereign,
himself as Prime Minister, and the whole Cabinet, with the exception
of one man, and he would repeat his promise that whenever Lord John
said, "The Reform Bill is to come on," and Lord Palmerston opposed it,
he should go.

Lord John could not be appeased, but spoke with the greatest
bitterness. He had written to Lord Palmerston in the same sense; and
Lord Palmerston's answer arrived during the interview. It was to the
effect that if one of them was to resign, it was not Lord John, who
agreed with the rest of the Cabinet upon the Bill, but himself,
who was the dissentient. Lord Aberdeen asked Lord John whether Lord
Palmerston's resignation would satisfy him; to which he answered, he
believed it would not mend matters. Lord Aberdeen's opinion, however,
is that it is what Lord John, and still more what Lady John, wants.
He thinks the Country will never understand how the Government could
break up, and that Lord John is cutting his own throat, and told him
so. If Lord John went, he could not go on with Lord Palmerston as
Leader of the House of Commons, which he called "perfectly ludicrous."
Lord Palmerston would probably insist upon this, however; Lord
Palmerston's retirement would be a great blow to the Government, as
the Country persisted in thinking him the only able War Minister, and
would cry out at "the imbecile old Head of the Government having it
now all his own way." He thought, should he not be able to go on, new
combinations could be formed, perhaps under the Duke of Newcastle and
Mr Gladstone, as the Country liked younger men. Lord John must give
his answer in the House of Commons to-morrow at half-past four. Lord
Aberdeen would wish to see the Duke of Newcastle, Sir James Graham,
and Mr Gladstone, as his more particular friends, this evening, to
discuss the 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; h