tead of being collected together
for the purpose of considering in concert every measure that is
taken, as well as the whole course of policy, with any changes
and modifications that may be called for, the Ministers
themselves, such of them at least as are here, cannot discover
any occasion for any Cabinets or meetings, and seem to think it
quite natural and proper to leave the great question of peace or
war to be dealt with by Palmerston as a mere matter of official
routine. Lord Minto and Labouchere could not imagine why a
Cabinet was called, nor by whom, and Palmerston still less. The
day before the summons, he told Labouchere he might safely go
into the country, as there was no chance of a Cabinet; and now
Minto can only imagine that they are summoned to discuss the time
to be fixed for the prorogation or the meeting of Parliament.

September 26th, 1840 {p.310}

[Page Head: LORD JOHN CALLS A CABINET.]

On Wednesday I went to Woburn, and, as soon as I arrived, the
Duke carried me off to his room and told me everything that had
taken place, and the exact present posture of affairs. John
Russell has for some time past been impressed with the necessity
of bringing the Eastern Question to a settlement, to avert all
possibility of a war with France, and he has repeatedly urged
Melbourne in the strongest terms to do something to prevent the
danger into which the policy of the Treaty is hurrying us. None
of the Ministers, except Melbourne himself, and Palmerston, have
been apprised of these remonstrances, nor are any of them at this
moment aware of what has been and is passing. Palmerston has been
indignant at the opposition thus suddenly put forward by Lord
John, and complains (not, I think, without very good cause), that
after supporting and sanctioning his policy, and approving of the
Treaty, he abandons him midway, and refuses to give that policy a
fair trial. This he considers unjust and unreasonable, and it
must be owned he is entitled to complain. Lord John, however, as
far as I can learn, not very successfully justifies himself by
saying that it was one thing to defend _the treaty_, of which he
approved and does still, and another to approve _the measures_
which are apparently leading us into a war. Between the urgent
remonstrances of Lord John and the indignant complaints of
Palmerston, Melbourne has been at his wit's end. So melancholy a
picture of indecision, weakness, and pusillanimity as his conduct
has