at it was just to the H. of C. that it should
have an opportunity of voting upon the substance. Lord Russell
wished in any case to state, and H.M. approved, that the Queen had
founded her hesitation to accept the resignation (1.) on the fact
that the decision was on a matter of detail; (2.) on the state of
the continent(145) (and the difficulty of bringing a new ministry
in such a state of things at once into the position of the old).
The Queen offered to write what she had said about Lord Russell's
proposed amendment. Lord Russell waived this. But thinking it
desirable, I afterwards revived the question, and H.M. said she
thought it would be better, and went to do it.

I said to Lord Russell, "It is singular that the same members of
the cabinet (generally speaking) who were prematurely eager for
resignation after the division on Lord Grosvenor's motion, are now
again eager to accept almost anything in the way of a resolution
as sufficient to warrant our continuing in office." He replied,
"Yes, but I am afraid at the root of both proceedings there is a
great amount of antipathy to our Reform bill. They were anxious to
resign when resignation would have been injurious to it, and now
they are anxious to avoid resignation because resignation will be
beneficial to it." Lord Russell showed me a letter he had written
to Clarendon justifying me for my unwillingness to accept Mr.
Crawford's motion of confidence. He also said that if the Queen
should desire the revival of his plan for a further vote, he
thought it ought to be proposed.

"On returning," Mr. Gladstone enters in the diary, "we went to consult
Brand and then to the cabinet, when resignation was finally decided on,
and a telegram was sent to Windsor. At six I went down and made my
explanation for the government. I kept to facts without epithets, but I
thought as I went on that some of the words were scorching. A crowd and
great enthusiasm in Palace Yard on departure." Lord Derby was sent for,
accepted the royal commission, and finding Mr. Lowe and the Adullamites
not available, he formed his third administration on regular conservative
lines, with Mr. Disraeli as its foremost man.

_July 6._--Went to Windsor to take my leave. H.M. short but kind.
H. of C. on return, took my place on the opposition bench, the
first time for fifteen years.(146) ... Finished