Yorkshire. The real
fact being that the line he took about the late war has made him so
unpopular with his constituents that he would probably not be returned
again.[4]

Viscount Palmerston has heard privately and confidentially that Lord
John Russell wrote some little time ago to the Duke of Bedford to say
that it had been intimated to him that an offer would be made to him
if he were disposed to accept it, to go to the House of Lords and to
become there the Leader of the Government. In case your Majesty may
have heard this report, Viscount Palmerston thinks it right to say
that no such communication to Lord John Russell was ever authorised
by him, nor has been, so far as he is aware, ever made, and in truth
Viscount Palmerston must candidly say that in the present state
of public opinion about the course which Lord John has on several
occasions pursued, he is not inclined to think that his accession to
the Government would give the Government any additional strength.

[Footnote 2: See _ante_, Introductory Note, to Chapter XXVI.
The difficulty with China had arisen out of her refusal to
throw open the city of Canton to European trade in conformity
with the Treaty of Nankin, _ante_, vol. i. 23rd November,
1842. Sir John Bowring, Chief Superintendent of Trade (and,
in effect, British Plenipotentiary) at Hong-Kong, had
resented this, and the feeling thus engendered had come to
a crisis on the occasion of the seizure of the crew of the
_Arrow_.]

[Footnote 3: The probability of this combination was now
being perpetually mooted, and, in fact, the two ex-Chancellors
combined in attacking the Budget.]

[Footnote 4: He stood instead for Huddersfleld, and was
defeated by an untried politician; one Liberal (the present
Lord Ripon) and one Conservative were returned unopposed in
the West Riding.]

[Pageheading: CHURCH APPOINTMENTS]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _25th February 1857_.

The Queen would wish to know before she approves of the appointment
of Mr Alford, of Quebec Chapel, to the head Deanery of Canterbury,
whether he is a very Low Churchman, as Lord Palmerston will remember
that he agreed in her observation after the appointment of several of
the Bishops, that it would be advisable to choose those who were
of moderate opinions--not leaning too much to either side. Extreme
opinions lead to mischief in the e