e 48: See _ante_, p. 267.]

[Pageheading: CONFUSION OF PARTIES]

_The Earl of Derby to Queen Victoria._

DOWNING STREET, _25th November 1852._
(_Thursday, four_ P.M.)

Lord Derby, with his humble duty, in obedience to your Majesty's
gracious commands of this morning, proceeds to report to your Majesty
what he finds to have taken place and to be in contemplation; but the
accounts of the latter are so conflicting and contradictory, that his
report must be as unsatisfactory to your Majesty as the state of the
case is unintelligible to himself.

On arriving in London, Lord Derby called on Mr Disraeli, and found
that late last night he had had, by his own desire, a private
interview with Lord Palmerston, who had come to his house with that
object; that Lord Palmerston's language was perfectly friendly towards
the Government; that he assured Mr Disraeli that his only object in
offering his Amendment was to defeat Mr Villiers; that if that could
be done, it was a matter of indifference to him which Amendment was
adopted; and he concluded by declaring that though he sat by Mr Sidney
Herbert in the House of Commons, and was an old personal friend, he
did not act in concert with him or with Mr Gladstone; and that he did
not see, on their part, any disposition to approach the Government!
After this declaration Mr Disraeli felt that it would be useless and
unwise to sound him farther as to his own ulterior views, and the
conversation led to nothing.

As Lord Derby was walking home, he was overtaken by Lord Jocelyn, who
stated, in direct opposition to what had been said by Lord Palmerston,
that he, and the other two gentlemen named, were consulted upon, and
had concocted the proposed Amendment; and that they were decidedly
acting together. He was present at a dinner of the Peelite Party
yesterday at Mr Wortley's, when Speeches were made, and language held
about the reunion of the Conservative Party, resulting, however, in
a declaration that if your Majesty's servants did not accept Lord
Palmerston's Amendment, they, as a body, would vote in favour of Mr
Villiers. Lord Derby has been farther informed that they are willing
to join the Government, but that one of their conditions would be
that Lord Palmerston should lead the House of Commons, Mr Gladstone
refusing to serve under Mr Disraeli. This, if true, does not look like
an absence of all concert.

To complete the general confusion of Parties, the Duke of Bedford,