PALACE, _2nd February 1855._

Lord John Russell came at five o'clock.

The Queen said she wished to consult him on the present crisis, and
hear from him how the position of Parties stood at this moment. He
said that immediately at the meeting of Parliament a general desire
became manifest for a modification of the Government; that the
Protectionists were as hostile to the Peelites as they had been in the
year '46; that the old Whigs had with difficulty been made to support
the late Government; that the dissatisfaction with the conduct of the
war was general, and the country cried out for Lord Palmerston at the
War Department; that he considered it of the greatest importance
that Lord Clarendon should remain at the Foreign Office, where he had
gained great reputation, and nobody could replace him. On the
question whether Lord Palmerston would be supported if he formed an
Administration, he said everybody would give a general support, but he
doubted the Whigs joining him. He did not know what the Peelites
would do, but they would be an essential element in the Government,
particularly Mr Gladstone; the best thing would be if Lord Palmerston
took the lead of the House of Commons. A Government formed by Lord
Lansdowne or Lord Clarendon would ensure general support, but Lord
Lansdowne had declared that he would not undertake it for more than
three months, and then the Government would break down again; and we
objected that Lord Clarendon ought, as he had said, not to be moved
from the Foreign Office, to which he agreed. He himself would prefer
to sit on the Fourth Bench and support the Government. The Queen asked
him whether he thought he could form a Government. After having taken
some time for reflection, he said he thought he could,[24] but he
thought it difficult without the Peelites, and next to impossible
without Lord Palmerston; he did not know whether both or either would
serve with or under him; he would offer Lord Palmerston the choice
between the Lead of the House of Commons and the War Department--and
in case he should choose the former, ask himself to be removed to the
House of Lords; he had been Leader of the House of Commons since '34,
and as far as being able to support his title, he was enabled to do
so, as his brother, the Duke of Bedford, intended to leave an estate
of L5000 a year to his son. The Queen asked him whether he would do
the same under the Administration of Lord Lansdowne, for instance;
he b