is hour have I
opened my lips in personal defence, you will understand why I might be
garrulous....

Notwithstanding the mild doctrine I have held about expenditure I admit it
may be said I ought not to have joined a government which had such
extended views in that direction, even though they were the views of the
nation. Much may be said on this. I may, however, remark that when the
government was formed I did not fully conceive the extent to which we
should proceed.

The Cabinet. 1860

_Page __36_

_Mr. Gladstone's memorandum on the currents of opinion in the cabinet of
1860 concludes as follows_:--

1. The most Italian members of the cabinet have been: Lord Palmerston,
Lord John Russell, W.E.G., Gibson, Argyll. The least Italian: Lewis, Wood,
Grey, Herbert, Villiers (especially).

2. In foreign policy generally the most combative have been: Lord
Palmerston, Lord John Russell, Duke of Newcastle, the chancellor. The
least combative: Duke of Somerset, Duke of Argyll, Granville, Gibson,
Herbert, Lewis, Grey, W.E.G., Wood, the same in feeling but not active.

3. In defences and expenditure, the most alarmed, or most martial (as the
case may be), have been: Lord Palmerston, Lord John Russell, Duke of
Newcastle, S. Herbert, followed by Duke of Somerset, the chancellor,
Granville, Cardwell. Inclined the other way: Gibson, W.E.G., Lewis, Grey,
Duke of Argyll (Elgin, I think).

4. In finance some are for movement, some stationary or retrograde so as
to be ready for immediate war. Yet here we are not divided simply as
combative or anti-combative. The onward men in finance are: Lord John
Russell, Duke of Newcastle, Granville, Argyll, Gibson, W.E.G., and, I
think, the chancellor. The stationary men are, first and foremost: Sir
George Lewis, Sir C. Wood; next to these, Lord Palmerston, Cardwell, and,
I think, Villiers, Herbert.

5. On reform I must distinguish between (_a_) extension of the franchise
and (_b_) redistribution of seats. In the first the more liberal men are:
Lord John Russell, Duke of Somerset, Duke of Newcastle, Duke of Argyll,
Gibson, W.E.G. The fearful or opposed are: Lord Palmerston, C. Villiers,
S. Herbert. In the second, for small disfranchisement were, I think, all
the first except Newcastle. For larger disfranchisement: Newcastle,
Villiers, and Lord Palmerston, I think not greatly averse. In fact, I
think that larger disfranchisement of places may have been favoured by
him, 1. as a substi