o soon as a member of opposition raised his hand to point the
thunderbolt, they became conscience-stricken into a sense of guilt, and
hoping to escape punishment, they ran away from duty.' Such would be
their epitaph. Of the proposed inquiry itself,--an inquiry into the
conduct of generals and troops actually in the field, and fighting by
the side of, and in concert with, foreign allies, he observed--'Your
inquiry will never take place as a real inquiry; or, if it did, it would
lead to nothing but confusion and disturbance, increased disasters,
shame at home and weakness abroad; it would convey no consolation to
those whom you seek to aid, but it would carry malignant joy to the
hearts of the enemies of England; and, for my part, I shall ever
rejoice, if this motion is carried to-night, that my own last words as a
member of the cabinet of the Earl of Aberdeen have been words of solemn
and earnest protest against a proceeding which has no foundation either
in the constitution or in the practice of preceding parliaments; which
is useless and mischievous for the purpose which it appears to
contemplate; and which, in my judgment, is full of danger to the power,
dignity, and usefulness of the Commons of England.' A journalistic
observer, while deploring the speaker's adherence to 'the dark
dogmatisms of medieval religionists,' admits that he had never heard so
fine a speech. The language, he says, was devoid of redundance. The
attitude was calm. Mr. Gladstone seemed to feel that he rested upon the
magnitude of the argument, and had no need of the assistance of bodily
vehemence of manner. His voice was clear, distinct, and flexible,
without monotony. It was minute dissection without bitterness or
ill-humoured innuendo. He sat down amid immense applause from hearers
admiring but unconvinced. Mr. Gladstone himself records of this speech:
'Hard and heavy work, especially as to the cases of three persons: Lord
John Russell, Duke of Newcastle, and Lord Raglan.' Ministers were beaten
(January 29) by 325 to 148, and they resigned.

_Jan. 30, 1855._--Cabinet 1-2. We exchanged friendly adieus. Dined
with the Herberts. This was a day of personal light-heartedness,
but the problem for the nation is no small one.

END OF THE COALITION

The Queen sent for Lord Derby, and he made an attempt to form a
government. Without aid from the conservative wing of the fallen
ministry there was no hope, and his