resent Ministers have not looked
on with indifference and let famine and fever rage at will; that
the subject of Ireland is _not_ one to which the Houses of
Parliament never give a day's or an hour's thought, but that on the
contrary, _her_ interests and happiness are daily and nightly
the object of more intense anxiety and earnest endeavours on the
part of her rulers than any portion of the Empire. We have had a
week of such real spring with all its enjoyments, and to-day is so
much finer and milder than ever, that the notion of streets and
smoke and noise is odious. However, we have enough to go for,
private and public. May God prosper the good cause of peace and
freedom all over Europe.

The European revolutionary movement of 1848 did not prove serious in
England. What actually took place was a mild mass meeting on Kennington
Common, well kept within the bounds of decorum by an army of citizen
police. In Ireland, a rough-and-tumble fight between Smith O'Brien's
followers and the police was all that came of the dreaded rebellion. But
before these events took place the future looked ominous, especially to
those responsible for what might happen.

_Lady John Russell to Lady Mary Abercromby_

_April_ 8, 1848

John had a late night in the House, and made two speeches on the
unpleasant subjects of the Chartist meeting next Monday and Sir
George Grey's "Security of the Crown" Bill; both of which ought to
do good, from their mild and _whiggish_ tone, in spite of the
sadly _un_-whiggish nature of the topics; the very, last to
which one would wish a Whig Government to have to turn its
attention. All minds are full of next Monday, and at this moment we
have not a manservant in the house, as they are summoned to a
meeting to learn their duties as special constables for that day. I
find it difficult to be in the least frightened, and I trust I am
right. The only thing I dread is being long without knowing what
John is about, and as he would be equally unwilling to know nothing
about me, in case of any march upon this house or any other
disagreeable demonstration against the Prime Minister, we have
arranged that I am to go to Downing Street with him in the morning
and remain all day there, as that is the place he will most easily
come to from the House of Commons. My spirits have been much
lowered about