at a break-up on that was more to be deprecated than on
almost any other subject. John said this morning of his own accord
that he feared he had been wrong in ever joining this Ministry. I
wake every morning with the fear of some terrible national disaster
before night, of disasters which could be borne if they were
unavoidable, but will be unbearable if they could have been
avoided. Do _not,_ pray, think me a croaker without good
reason for croaking. The greatness of the occasion is not
understood.

Ever, my dearest Papa,

Your affectionate child,

F.R.

Matters were coming to a crisis in the Cabinet. The autumn and early winter
of 1854 brought the victories of Alma, Balaclava, and Inkerman. As the
country grew prouder of its soldiers its indignation at the way the civil
side of the war had been organized increased. The incompetence of the War
Office made the Government extremely unpopular, and a motion was brought
forward in the House of Commons charging them with the mismanagement of the
war. Directly after Mr. Roebuck had given notice of a motion for a
Committee of Inquiry, Lord John wrote to Lord Aberdeen that since he could
not conscientiously oppose the motion, he must resign his office. The view
which most historians have taken of this step is that it was an act of
cowardly desertion on his part. As a member of the Government, he was as
responsible as his colleagues for what had been done, and by resigning he
was admitting that they deserved disgrace. Quotations from two important
historical books will show the view which has been generally taken of his
action.

Lord Morley, in his "Life of Gladstone," says:

... When Parliament assembled on January 23, 1855, Mr. Roebuck on
the first night of the session gave notice of a motion for a
Committee of Inquiry. Lord John Russell attended to the formal
business, and when the House was up went home, accompanied by Sir
Charles Wood. Nothing of consequence passed between the two
colleagues, and no word was said to Wood in the direction of
withdrawal. The same evening, as the Prime Minister was sitting in
his drawing-room, a red box was brought in to him by his son,
containing Lord John Russell's resignation. He was as much amazed
as Lord Newcastle, smoking his evening pipe of tobacco in his
coach, was amazed by the news that the battle of Marston Moor had
begun. Nothing has