exhibited, I never heard of. The Queen is all this time in a
great state of nervousness and alarm, on account of Leopold;
terrified at Palmerston's audacity, amazed at his confidence, and
trembling lest her uncle should be exposed to all the dangers and
difficulties in which he would be placed by a war between his
niece and his father-in-law. All these sources of solicitude,
pressure from without, and doubt and hesitation within, have
raised that perplexity in Melbourne's mind which has robbed him
(as he told Lord John) of appetite and sleep. At length, after
going on in this way for some time, matters becoming so bad
between Palmerston and Lord John that Palmerston refused to have
any communication with him, Lord Spencer's letter, the continued
state of danger, and the prospect of some arrangement growing out
of the new propositions, made Lord John determine to take a
decided course, and he accordingly requested Melbourne to call a
Cabinet, which was done, and this important meeting is to take
place on Monday next. At this Cabinet, Lord John is prepared to
make a stand, and to propose that measures shall be taken for
bringing about a settlement on the basis of mutual concession,
and he is in fact disposed to accept the terms now offered by the
Pasha with the consent and by the advice of France. He
anticipates Palmerston's opposition to this, and his insisting
upon a continuance of our present course; but he is resolved in
such a case to bring matters to an issue, and if he is overruled
by a majority of the Cabinet, not only to resign, but to take a
decisive part in Parliament against Palmerston's policy, and to
do his utmost there, with the support which he expects to obtain,
to prevent a war. He is aware that his conduct might not only
break up the Whig Government and party, but that it may bring
about an entirely new arrangement and combination of parties, all
of which he is willing to encounter rather than the evils and
hazards of war. On the other hand, if Palmerston refuses to
accede to his terms, and if unsupported by the Cabinet he tenders
his resignation, Lord John is ready to urge its acceptance, and
himself to undertake the administration of our foreign affairs.
In short, he has made up his mind, and that so strongly, that I
do not think it possible he can fail either to carry his point or
to break up the Government, or at least bring about very material
changes in it.

Prepared as I was, by the Duke of B