h the response that he was willing to act if his colleagues
were prepared to serve under him. Mr. Gladstone's position in the
country and in the councils of the Liberal Party had been greatly
strengthened by his rejection at Oxford, and by the subsequent boldness
and fervour of his speeches in Lancashire. He forestalled Lord John's
letter by offering, in a frank and generous spirit, to serve under the
old Liberal leader. Mr. Gladstone declared that he was quite willing to
take his chance under Lord John's 'banner,' and to continue his services
as Chancellor of the Exchequer. This offer was of course accepted, and
Mr. Gladstone also took Lord Palmerston's place as Leader of the House
of Commons. Lord Cranworth became Lord Chancellor, Lord Clarendon took
Lord John's place at the Foreign Office, the Duke of Argyll and Sir
George Grey resumed their old positions as Lord Privy Seal and Home
Secretary. After a short interval, Mr. Goschen and Lord Hartington were
raised to Cabinet rank; while Mr. Forster, Lord Dufferin, and Mr.
Stansfeld became respectively Under-Secretaries for the Colonies, War,
and India; but Lord John, in spite of strong pressure, refused to admit
Mr. Lowe to his Cabinet.

At the Lord Mayor's banquet in November, Lord John took occasion to pay
a warm tribute to Palmerston: 'It is a great loss indeed, because he was
a man qualified to conduct the country successfully through all the
vicissitudes of war and peace.' He declared that Lord Palmerston
displayed resolution, resource, promptitude, and vigour in the conduct
of foreign affairs, showed himself also able to maintain internal
tranquillity, and, by extending commercial relationships, to give to
the country the 'whole fruits of the blessings of peace.' He added that
Lord Palmerston's heart never ceased to beat for the honour of England,
and that his mind comprehended and his experience embraced the whole
field which is covered by the interests of the nation.

The new Premier made no secret of his conviction that, if the Ministry
was to last, it must be either frankly Liberal or frankly Conservative.
As he had the chief voice in the matter, and was bent on a new Reform
Bill, it became, after certain changes had been effected, much more
progressive than was possible under Palmerston. Parliament was opened on
February 1, 1866, by the Queen in person, for the first time since the
death of the Prince Consort, and the chief point of interest in the
Speech fro