d not compromise the
liberty of the House of Commons by further and particular pledges.

It was sometimes charged against Mr. Gladstone that he neglected his duty
to the crown, and abandoned the Queen in a difficulty. This is wholly
untrue. On June 20, Sir Henry Ponsonby called and opened one or two
aspects of the position, among them these:--

1. Can the Queen do anything more?

I answered, As you ask me, it occurs to me that it might help Lord
Salisbury's going on, were she to make reference to No. 2 of my
memorandum [the paragraph just quoted], and to say that in her
judgment he would be safe in receiving it in a spirit of trust.

2. If Lord Salisbury fails, may the Queen rely on you?

I answered that on a previous day I had said that if S. failed,
the situation would be altered. I hoped, and on the whole thought,
he would go on. But if he did not? I could not promise or expect
smooth water. The movement of questions such as the Crimes Act and
Irish Local Government might be accelerated. But my desire would
be to do my best to prevent the Queen being left without a
government.(126)

Mr. Gladstone's view of the position is lucidly stated in the following
memorandum, like the others, in his own hand, (June 21):--

1. I have endeavoured in my letters (_a_) to avoid all
controversial matter; (_b_) to consider not what the incoming
ministers had a right to ask, but what it was possible for us in a
spirit of conciliation to give.

2. In our opinion there was no right to demand from us anything
whatever. The declarations we have made represent an extreme of
concession. The conditions required, _e.g._ the first of them
[control of time], place in abeyance the liberties of parliament,
by leaving it solely and absolutely in the power of the ministers
to determine on what legislative or other questions (except
supply) it shall be permitted to give a judgment. The House of
Commons may and ought to be disposed to facilitate the progress of
all necessary business by all reasonable means as to supply and
otherwise, but would deeply resent any act of ours by which we
agreed beforehand to the extinction of its discretion.

The difficulties pleaded by Lord Salisbury were all in view when
his political friend, Sir M. H. Beach, made the motion which, as
we apprised him, would if carried eject us fro