He looked most
woeful, and said, "As sure as I stand here, he will not be the
member for the City."

I said I believed he thought it best at all events to stand. "Ah,
that's all very well if he had seen a chance of a tolerable
minority--but if he has only _two or three_ votes!" He also
said John had as much chance of being Pope as of being M.P. for the
City.

Although a lack of the faculty which conciliates individuals was one of the
criticisms most constantly brought against Lord John as a political leader,
he certainly possessed the power of overcoming the hostility of a popular
audience, without abating one jot of his own independence or dignity. A
bold, good-tempered directness is always effective in such situations. He
never lacked the tact of an orator. In this election the Liberal Committee,
on the first rumour of his resignation, without verifying it, or notifying
their intentions to Lord John, substituted Mr. Raikes Currie, late member
for Northampton, as their Liberal candidate. Lord John at once called a
meeting to protest against the action of the committee. The following
passage in his speech was received with enthusiastic applause, and did much
to secure a favourable hearing for his anti-Palmerstonian views during the
campaign. It must be remembered that he had represented the City for
sixteen years.

"If a gentleman were disposed to part with his butler, his
coachman, or his gamekeeper, or if a merchant were disposed to part
with an old servant, a warehouseman, a clerk, or even a porter, he
would say to him, 'John, I think your faculties are somewhat
decayed; you are growing old, you have made several mistakes; and I
think of putting a young man from Northampton in your place.' I
think a gentleman would behave in that way to his servant, and
thereby give John an opportunity for answering. That opportunity
was not given to me. The question was decided in my absence; and I
come now to ask you, and the citizens of London, to reverse that
decision."

His success won back for him some of the general admiration which he had
forfeited by his loyalty to the Ministers in 1855. Many of the best men in
England rejoiced in his triumph; among them Charles Dickens wrote his
congratulations.

_Lord John Russell to Lady Melgund_

PEMBROKE LODGE, _April_ 1, 1857

...The contest has brought out an amount of feeling in my favour