nowledged and gratefully felt by the whole
nation.

_January_ 7, 1862

John to town at twelve, back at half-past six; dispatches and
letters from Lord Lyons of December 26th discouraging, cabinet
still considering our demands. Surrender possible, but in Lord
Lyons's opinion very unlikely.

_January_ 8, 1862

Telegram to John at 6 p.m. Commissioners surrendered! Thank God.
General rejoicing in the House.

_Lady Russell to Lady Dunfermline_

PEMBROKE LODGE, _January_ 13, 1862

Well, what do you say to our American triumph? It ought to go far
to cure you all. It is long since any political event has given me,
my particular self, such unmixed pleasure. For my country, for my
husband, and for the other country too, with all its sins, I
rejoice with all my heart and soul. John is delighted. He was very
anxious up to the last moment.

...We "Plodgians" were all so delighted that it has been a surprise
to us to hear of the very tempered joy, or rather the ill-concealed
disappointment, of _London society_; but John says London
society is always wrong, and I believe the country to be all right.

_Lady Russell to Lady Dunfermline_

LONDON, _February_ 10, 1863

You ask me about Kinglake's book--everybody except ourselves is
reading or has read it.... With regard to the sleepy Cabinet dinner
at Pembroke Lodge he has from what we hear fallen into great
inaccuracy.... John says that the despatch, having been circulated
in the Cabinet before that dinner, was already well known to them
all. As far as he remembers none but Sir William Molesworth went to
sleep. I remember perfectly how several of them told me afterwards
about Sir William sleeping and falling from his chair, and we have
often laughed about it, but I do not remember being told of anybody
else going to sleep. I suppose I shall read the book, but I cannot
tell you how I shrink from anything that must recall and make one
live over again those terrible months of vacillation and weakness,
the consequence of a Coalition Cabinet, which "drifted" us into a
most terrible war--a war from which consistency and firmness would
have saved us. A thoroughly Aberdeen Ministry would have maintained
peace. A thoroughly Russell or Palmerston Ministry would have
maintained peace and honour too.

_Lord Russel