ir Robert
Peel's and Lord Aberdeen's. Dining at Grillion's he heard Stanley,
speaking of the new parliament, express a high opinion of Roebuck as an
able man and clear speaker, likely to make a figure; and also of Cobden
as a resolute perspicacious man, familiar with all the turns of his
subject; and when the new House assembled, he had made up his mind for
himself that '_Cobden will be a worrying man on corn_.' This was
Cobden's first entry into the House. At last the whigs were put out of
office by a majority of 91, and Peel undertook to form a government.

_Aug. 31/41._--In consequence of a note received this morning from
Sir Robert Peel I went to him at half-past eleven. The following is
the substance of a quarter of an hour's conversation. He said: 'In
this great struggle, in which we have been and are to be engaged,
the chief importance will attach to questions of finance. It would
not be in my power to undertake the business of chancellor of the
exchequer in detail; I therefore have asked Goulburn to fill that
office, and I shall be simply first lord. I think we shall be very
strong in the House of Commons if as a part of this arrangement you
will accept the post of vice-president of the board of trade, and
conduct the business of that department in the House of Commons,
with Lord Ripon as president. I consider it an office of the
highest importance, and you will have my unbounded confidence in
it.'[146]

I said, 'of the importance and responsibility of that office at the
present time I am well aware; but it is right that I should say as
strongly as I can, that I really am not fit for it. I have no
general knowledge of trade whatever; with a few questions I am
acquainted, but they are such as have come across me incidentally.'
He said, 'The satisfactory conduct of an office of that kind must
after all depend more upon the intrinsic qualities of the man, than
upon the precise amount of his previous knowledge. I also think you
will find Lord Ripon a perfect master of these subjects, and depend
upon it with these appointments at the board of trade we shall
carry the whole commercial interests of the country with us.'

VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF TRADE

He resumed, 'If there be any other arrangement that you would
prefer, my value and "affectionate regard" for y