d the Foreign Office combined
with it would satisfy Lord John as following the precedent of Mr Fox.
The Peelites would not have served under Lord Lansdowne, much less
under Lord John; but a great many Whigs even objected to Lord John.
This was a temporary and undeserved unpopularity, and still Lord John
remained the first man in the country, and might be Prime Minister
again. The Peelites would know and learn to respect him when meeting
him in office. Lord Aberdeen hoped even many Conservatives now going
with Lord Derby would support such a Government, but to preserve to
it a Conservative character, two Secretaries of State at least must be
_Peelites_.

We next talked of Lord Palmerston, whom we agreed it would be
imprudent to leave to combine in opposition with Mr Disraeli. Lord
Aberdeen had thought of Ireland for him; we felt sure he would not
accept that. I gave Lord Aberdeen a list of the possible distribution
of offices, which I had drawn up, and which he took with him as
containing "valuable suggestions." He hoped the Queen would allow him
to strengthen himself in the House of Lords, where there was nobody to
cope with Lord Derby, by the translation of Sir James Graham or Mr
S. Herbert, if he should find this necessary. Sir James might gain in
moving from the House of Commons, as he lately fettered himself with
inconvenient Radical pledges. He felt he would have great difficulty
in the formation of his Government, for although everybody promised to
forget his personal wishes and interests, yet when brought to the test
such professions were often belied. The difficulty of measures lies
chiefly in the Budget, as the Income Tax would have to be settled,
and he was anxious to keep a good surplus. As to Reform, he felt that,
considering the Queen to have recommended it by a Speech from the
Throne, and Lord John to have actually introduced a Measure as Prime
Minister, the door could not be closed against it; but it might be
postponed for the present, and there was no real wish for it in the
country.

He was very sorry that the Government had been upset, and if the
Budget had been such that it could have been accepted he should much
have preferred it. Lord Derby seemed very much offended with him
personally for his speech in the House of Lords. Lord Aberdeen kissed
hands, and started again at four o'clock.

[Pageheading: LORD ABERDEEN]

[Pageheading: LORD JOHN RUSSELL]

_The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victo