harm than good, I think. It will not allow that Reform has anything
to do with his resignation--swears he is an out-and-out
Reformer--and that his differing from the policy of the Cabinet on
the Eastern Question is the only reason. Now this, in my humble
judgment, I believe not to be the case. I feel certain, in fact I
feel sure, that he goes out solely on the question of Reform,
having been opposed to it _in toto_ from the first moment of
the discussion on it in the Cabinet, and though he went on with
them for a time, they came to something that he could not swallow.
As to the question of the East, if he does differ from the Cabinet
it is no more than Lord John or several others might say if they
went out to-morrow.... The _Times_ of to-day has a very severe
article against him. The _Daily News_ is very sensible and
implies great confidence in Lord John. The _Chronicle_ is calm
in its disapprobation of Pam--the _Morning Advertiser_, of all
papers! is the most in favour, and is crying Pam up for Prime
Minister already, and gives extracts from county papers to show how
popular he is. The _Morning Herald_ is silent on the subject.
I send you these flying remarks, as I dare say you will see nothing
at Minto except perhaps the _Times_, and any news in the
country goes a great way.... London is very cold and painfully dull
without 24 Chester Square, and you must write to me very often. You
see _I_ have begun very well....

Lord John, however, insisted on bringing forward his Bill in spite of
opposition from his colleagues and many of the Government's supporters. He
felt that the party was bound to keep its promise to the country, while his
colleagues urged that the House of Commons was so much occupied by the war
that they had no time to consider such a Bill. As the House of Commons was
not conducting the war itself the excuse was shallow. Lord John threatened
to resign unless he was allowed to introduce his measure, for he considered
the honour of the Ministry and his own honour at stake. From the following
letters it will be seen how hard he fought for this measure, and with what
poignant regret he found himself compelled at last to choose between
letting it drop and resignation. His resignation would have meant a serious
shock to a Ministry already in disgrace through their mismanagement of the
war; rather than embarrass them further