tone's standard.

When the General Election of 1880 reached its close, everyone felt that
Gladstone was now the real, though not the titular, leader of the
Liberal Party, and the inevitable Prime Minister. Lord Beaconsfield did
not wait for an adverse vote in the new House, but resigned on the 18th
of April. We do not at present know, but no doubt we shall know when Mr.
Monypenny's "Life" is completed, whether Queen Victoria consulted Lord
Beaconsfield as to his successor. A friend of mine once asked the Queen
this plain question: "When a Prime Minister goes out, does he recommend
a successor?" And the Queen replied, with equal plainness, "Not unless I
ask him to do so." There can, I think, be little doubt that Her Majesty,
in April, 1880, asked Lord Beaconsfield's advice in this delicate
matter, and we may presume that the advice was that Her Majesty should
follow the constitutional practice, and send for Lord Hartington, as
being the leader of the victorious party. This was done, and on the 22nd
of April Lord Hartington waited on Her Majesty at Windsor, and was
invited to form an Administration. Feeling in the Liberal Party ran very
high. It was not for this that we had fought and won. If Gladstone did
not become Prime Minister, our victory would be robbed of half its joy;
and great was our jubilation when we learned that the task had been
declined. As the precise nature of the transaction has often been
misrepresented, it is as well to give it in Lord Hartington's own
words--

"The advice which Lord Hartington gave to the Queen from first to last
was that Her Majesty should send for Mr. Gladstone, and consult him as
to the formation of a Government; and that, if he should be willing to
undertake the task, she should call upon him to form an Administration.

"Lord Hartington had up to that time had no communication with Mr.
Gladstone on the subject, and did not know what his views as to
returning to office might be. With the Queen's permission, Lord
Hartington, on his return from Windsor, informed Mr. Gladstone and Lord
Granville, but no other person, of what had passed between Her Majesty
and himself."

The result of that interview was a foregone conclusion. If Lord
Hartington consented to form an Administration, Gladstone would not take
a place in it. If he was not to be Prime Minister, he must remain
outside. Having put this point beyond the reach of doubt, Lord
Hartington returned next day to Windsor, accompan