ted to withdraw his resignation after not merely an
urgent, but a thrice-repeated personal request from the Premier.

[Sidenote: PRESSURE FROM PALMERSTON]

He ought unquestionably, at all hazards to Lord Palmerston's Government,
to have refused to remain a member of it when his colleagues intimated
that they were not in a position to accept his view of the situation
without giving mortal offence to the Emperor of the French. Under the
circumstances, Lord Palmerston ought not to have put the pressure on
Lord John. The latter stayed in order to shield the Government from
overthrow by a combined Radical and Tory attack at a moment when
Palmerston was compelled to study the susceptibilities of France and
Napoleon III.'s fears concerning his throne. There is a published
letter, written by the Prince Consort at this juncture to his brother
the Duke of Saxe-Coburg, which throws light on the situation. The Prince
hints that the prospects of the Allies in the Crimea had become more
hopeful, just as diplomatic affairs at Vienna had taken an awkward turn.
He states that in General Pelissier the French 'have at last a leader
who is determined and enterprising, and who will once more raise the
spirit of the army, which has sunk through Canrobert's mildness.' He
adds that the English troops 'are again thirty thousand men under arms,
and their spirit is excellent. At home, however, Gladstone and the
Peelites are taking up the cry for peace, and declaring themselves
against all further continuation of the war; whilst Lord Derby and the
Protectionists are all for making common cause with Layard and others,
in order to overthrow Palmerston's Ministry.' Disraeli, significantly
adds the Prince, has been 'chiefly endeavouring to injure' Lord John
Russell.

Towards the end of May, Mr. Disraeli introduced a resolution condemning
the conduct of the Government, and calling attention to Lord John
Russell's attitude at the Vienna Conference. Lord John had fulfilled the
promise which he had given to Count Buol before leaving Vienna; but Lord
Palmerston was determined to maintain the alliance with France, and
therefore, as a member of his Government, Lord John's lips were sealed
when he rose to defend himself. He stated in a powerful speech the
reasons which had led to the failure of the Conference, and ended
without any allusion to the Austrian proposals or his own action in
regard to them. Irritated at the new turn of affairs, Count Buol
dis