s he
should delay this step till he hears again from home, as he might repent
it, in which case either retracting or abiding by it would be bad. Having
regretted his acceptance of office it seems inconsistent to discourage
resignation, but is not really so. His reputation cannot afford a fresh
storm, and he must show that he did not lightly consent to belong to a
Ministry of which he knew the materials so well."

At the end of April they came back to England.

_May 5,_ 1855, LONDON

After all the Emperor rejects the plan [the proposal to limit the
Russian fleet in the Baltic to its strength at the close of the
war] on the plea that the army would not bear it. John disturbed
and perplexed.

_May 6,_ 1855, _Sunday_

John went to town for a meeting at Lord Panmure's on Army
Reform--found here on his return a letter from Lord Clarendon
telling him that the Emperor had sent a telegram through Lord
Cowley and the Foreign Office to Walewski, offering him Foreign
Affairs and asking whether the Queen would agree to Persigny as
French Ambassador. Thus the dismissal or resignation of Drouyn
obliged John to resolve on his own resignation unless the Cabinet
should accept his own view.

_Lord John Russell to Lord Clarendon_ [46]

PEMBROKE LODGE, _May_ 6, 1855

MY DEAR CLARENDON,--I was at Panmure's when your box arrived here,
and did not get back till past eight. I am very much concerned at
the removal or resignation of Drouyn. I cannot separate myself from
him; and, having taken at Vienna the same view which he did, his
resignation entails mine. I am very sorry for this, and wished to
avoid it. But I have in some measure got Drouyn into this scrape,
for at first he was disposed to advise the Emperor to insist on a
limitation of ships, and I induced him not to give any advice at
all to the Emperor. Afterwards we agreed very much; and, if he had
stayed in office there, I might have gulped, though with
difficulty, the rejection of my advice here. However, I shall wait
till Colloredo has made a definite proposal, and then make the
opinion I shall give upon it in the Cabinet a vital question with
me. It is painful to me to leave a second Cabinet, and will injure
my reputation--perhaps irretrievably. But I see no other course. Do
as you please about communicating to Palmerston what I have
writt