he is the only working man on the Commission for
the Exhibition of 1851, and have found him most able, good-natured,
and laborious. The Duke liked the proposal very much, and is going to
communicate all that passed between us to Lord John on Tuesday.

ALBERT.

[Pageheading: PALMERSTON'S POSITION]

[Pageheading: PALMERSTON'S JUSTIFICATION]

_Memorandum by the Prince Albert._

OSBORNE, _8th August 1850._

Lord John Russell came down here yesterday in order to report to the
Queen what had passed between him and Lord Palmerston the day before,
on whom he had called in order to have an explanation on the Foreign
Affairs.

Lord John reminded him of former communications, but admitted that
circumstances were much changed by the recent debates in both Houses
of Parliament; still, it was necessary to come to an understanding of
the position. The _policy_ pursued with regard to the Foreign Affairs
had been right and such as had the approval of Lord John himself, the
Cabinet generally, and he believed the greater part of the country.
But the manner in which it had been executed had been unfortunate,
led to irritation and hostility; although peace had actually been
preserved, and England stood in a position requiring no territorial
aggrandisement or advantage of any kind, yet all Governments and
Powers, not only Russia and Austria, but also France and the liberal
states, had become decidedly hostile to us, and our intercourse was
not such as was desirable. Lord John could instance many cases in
which they had been unnecessarily slighted and provoked by Lord
Palmerston, like M. Drouyn de Lhuys in the Greek affair. Lord
Palmerston's conduct towards the Queen had been disrespectful and
wanting in due attention and deference to her, and had been much
complained of.

In consequence of all this Lord John had before proposed to Her
Majesty that the Foreign Affairs should be entrusted to Lord Minto,
he himself should go to the House of Lords, and Lord Palmerston
should have the lead in the House of Commons. The Queen had, however,
objected to this arrangement, [thinking] the lead in the Lower
House to be more properly given to Sir George Grey, who had as Home
Secretary conducted all internal business in the House. Now had come
Sir R. Peel's death, which made it impossible for Lord John to leave
the House of Commons without endangering the position of Government
and of the parties in the House.

Lord Palmerston was muc