the country to the new
Government; he thought a decision on that point ought to depend on the
peculiar circumstances of the case.

Lord Lansdowne, who had come from Bowood by the express train, arrived
at twelve o'clock, and came at once to meet Lord John Russell here at
the Palace.

In the audience which the Queen gave him he expressed his entire
concurrence with the decision the Cabinet had come to, as the
resignation could at any rate only have been delayed. It was clear
that the Cabinet had lost the confidence of the House of Commons; what
had happened the other night was only the last drop which made the
cup flow over, and that it was much more dignified not to let the
Government die a lingering and ignominious death; he [thought] that
Lord Stanley would have great difficulties, but would be able to form
a Government; at least the Protectionist Party gave out that they had
a Cabinet prepared.

We then saw Lord John Russell, who formally tendered his resignation,
and was very much moved on taking leave; he said that, considering
Lord Stanley's principles, it would not be possible for him to hold
out any hope of support to that Government, except on the estimates
for which he felt responsible, but he would at all times be ready
vigorously to defend the Crown, which was in need of every support in
these days.

At three o'clock came Lord Stanley, whom the Queen had summoned.

The Queen informed him of the resignation of the Government, in
consequence of the late vote, which had been the result of the
Protectionists staying away, of the small majority which the
Government had had upon Mr Disraeli's Motion, and of the many symptoms
of want of confidence exhibited towards the Government in the House
of Commons. The Queen had accepted their resignation, and had sent
for him as the head of that Party, which was now the most numerous in
Opposition, in order to ask him whether he could undertake to form a
Government.

Lord Stanley expressed great surprise. The impression had been that
the Government had not been in earnest in their opposition to Mr L.
King's Motion; in the minority had voted only twenty-seven members of
the Government side, the rest had been of his Party. He asked if the
whole Cabinet had resigned, or whether there had been dissension in
the Cabinet upon it? The Queen replied that the resignation had been
unanimously agreed upon in the Cabinet, and that Lord Lansdowne,
who had only come up from Bowo