onnections as matters of small
importance. My opinion is that party ties closely appertain to
those principles of confidence which we entertain for the House of
Commons.--GLADSTONE (1852).

As we have seen, on the morning of his arrival from his Italian journey
(February 26, 1851) Mr. Gladstone found that he was urgently required to
meet Lord Stanley. Mortified by more than one repulse at the opening of
the session, the whigs had resigned. The Queen sent for the
protectionist leader. Stanley said that he was not then prepared to form
a government, but that if other combinations failed, he would make the
attempt. Lord John Russell was once more summoned to the palace, this
time along with Aberdeen and Graham--the first move in a critical march
towards the fated coalition between whigs and Peelites. The negotiation
broke off on the No Popery bill; Lord John was committed to it, the
other two strongly disapproved. The Queen next wished Aberdeen to
undertake the task. Apparently not without some lingering doubts, he
declined on the good ground that the House of Commons would not stand
his attitude on papal aggression.[256] Then according to promise Lord
Stanley tried his hand. Proceedings were suspended for some days until
Mr. Gladstone should be on the ground. He no sooner reached Carlton
Gardens, than Lord Lincoln arrived, eager to dissuade him from accepting
office. Before the discussion had gone far, the tory whip hurried in
from Stanley, begging for an immediate visit.

I promised, says Mr. Gladstone, to go directly after seeing Lord
Aberdeen. But he came back with a fresh message to go at once, and
_hear_ what Stanley had to say. I did not like to stickle, and
went. He told me his object was that I should take office with
him--_any_ office, subject to the reservation that the foreign
department was offered to Canning, but if he declined it was open
to me, along with others of which he named the colonial office and
the board of trade. Nothing was said of the leadership of the House
of Commons, but his anxiety was evident to have any occupant but
one for the foreign office. I told him, I should ask no questions
and make no remark on these points, as none of them would
constitute a difficulty with me, provided no preliminary obstacle
were found to intervene. Stanley then said that he proposed to
maintain the system of free trade gener