doubt that I had very solid
grounds for what I said; but at the same time he thought the
motion of which John Russell had given notice was in itself a
measure of such a violent character that it was inconsistent with
the moderation which I ascribed to him, and he feared that, in
the event of a change, he might be persuaded to put himself at
the head of the Whigs and Radicals, and acquiesce for party
purposes in those movement measures to which he was certainly not
personally inclined; that as for himself, and Stanley also, they
had old feelings of regard, and friendship for Lord John, which
would always influence them; and that he had recently had a sort
of reconciliation with him (the circumstance of which he
detailed), after an alienation on account of his attack upon Lord
John in his speech at Glasgow; but that Peel had no such amicable
feelings towards him, and thought he had got him at a great
disadvantage on the present occasion; that their amendment would
be moderate in terms; but they intended to be very strong in
debate, and it was a good deal to ask of them to emasculate their
speeches for the prospective but uncertain advantage of Lord
John's future support. 'You say,' he continued, 'that you are
convinced, on what you deem good and certain ground, that John
Russell is disposed to resist the movement, and, in order to do
so, to support Peel, if he comes in; and you ask us to place such
confidence in this impression of yours, as to shape our conduct
in conformity with it. You ask us to adopt a tone so moderate as
to give no offence to John Russell, a lower tone than would be
naturally expected from us by our friends, who will, and can,
know nothing of our reasons for foregoing the advantage which
seems to be in our power, and for treating our opponents with
such extraordinary and unaccountable lenity and forbearance. This
is asking a great deal.' I owned that it was; but I urged that
the paramount importance of winning over the Whig leader, and a
part of the Whig party, to a decided opposition to the movement,
and the prospect it held out of separating the Whigs from the
Radicals, fully justified the sacrifice of any such advantage as
that to which he alluded. He said that, 'supposing such were the
views and feelings of John Russell himself, he doubted whether
the great Whig families would follow him. He thought the Dukes of
Sutherland, Devonshire, Bedford, and others, would throw their
influence into the o