e 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.[26]

[Footnote 26: 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.]

_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 the Country, which, if he read it to the
House of Commons, would floor Lord John completely.

We asked what had been agreed upon at yesterday evening's meeting.
Lord Aberdeen told us the decis