_Times_, which, without giving Brougham's
name, published his message in his own words. It stated that the king
had turned out the ministry, and ended with the words: "The queen has
done it all". After this the king was determined to be done with his
ministers as quickly as possible. It is certain that neither Wellington
nor Peel wished to be thought responsible for their dismissal, the
propriety of which they both secretly doubted. The king, however, had
acted within his strict rights, and the outgoing ministers, as a whole,
were not ill pleased to be relieved from the burdens of office.

Peel, though by no means hopeful of ultimate success, endeavoured to
construct a cabinet on a comprehensive basis. He first obtained the
king's "ready assent" to his inviting the co-operation of Stanley, who
had succeeded to the courtesy title of Lord Stanley, and Sir James
Graham. These overtures were declined in friendly terms, and both
promised independent support. But Stanley explicitly declared that, in
his judgment, "the sudden conversion of long political opposition into
the most intimate alliance would shock public opinion, would be ruinous
to his own character," and would rather injure than strengthen the new
government.[127] After this failure, Peel felt his task well-nigh
hopeless, and though he spared no effort to procure an infusion of fresh
blood, he complained that after all "it would be only the duke's old
cabinet".[128] There was, in fact, no man of known ability in it, except
himself, the Duke of Wellington (as secretary for foreign affairs), and
Lyndhurst, the chancellor; for the capacity of Aberdeen, who had been
foreign secretary under Wellington, and who now became secretary for war
and the colonies, and Ellenborough, who returned to the board of
control, had not yet been generally recognised. Peel himself became
first lord of the treasury and chancellor of the exchequer; Goulburn was
home secretary, Rosslyn lord president, and Wharncliffe lord privy seal.
Earl de Grey, elder brother of the Earl of Ripon, was made first lord of
the admiralty, Murray became master-general of the ordnance, Alexander
Baring president of the board of trade and master of the mint, Herries
secretary at war, and Sir Edward Knatchbull paymaster of the forces. It
was fully understood that a conservative government, even purged of
ultra-tory elements, could not face the first reformed house of commons,
and the dissolution which took place