ally as military events were "now
occurring" which might greatly alter the whole situation, though "the
main result of the contest was not doubtful." Here spoke that element of
the Ministry still convinced of ultimate Southern success.

If Gladstone's had been the only reply to Roebuck he and his friends
might well have thought they were about to secure a ministerial change
of front. But it soon appeared that Gladstone spoke more for himself
than for the Government. Roebuck had made a direct accusation and in
meeting this, Layard, for the Foreign Office, entered a positive and
emphatical denial, in which he was supported by Sir George Grey, Home
Secretary, who added sharp criticism of Roebuck for permitting himself
to be made the channel of a French complaint against England. It early
became evident to the friends of the South that an error in tactics had
been committed and in two directions; first, in the assertion that a new
French offer had been made when it was impossible to present proof of
it; and second, in bringing forward what amounted to an attempt to
unseat the Ministry without previously committing the Tories to a
support of the motion. Apparently Disraeli was simply letting Roebuck
"feel out" the House. The only member of the Tory party strongly
supporting him was Lord Robert Cecil, in a speech so clearly a mere
party one that it served to increase the strength of ministerial
resistance. Friends of the North quickly appreciated the situation and
in strong speeches supported the neutrality policy of the Government.
Forster laid stress upon the danger of war and the strength of British
emancipation sentiment as did Bright in what was, read to-day, the most
powerful of all his parliamentary utterances on the American war. In
particular Bright voiced a general disbelief in the accuracy of
Roebuck's report of his interview with Napoleon, called upon his
"friend" Lindsay for his version[1090] of the affair, and concluded by
recalling former speeches by Roebuck in which the latter had been fond
of talking about the "perjured lips" of Napoleon. Bright dilated upon
the egotism and insolence of Roebuck in trying to represent the Emperor
of France on the floor of the House of Commons. The Emperor, he
asserted, was in great danger of being too much represented in
Parliament[1091].

The result of this first day's debate on June 30 was disconcerting to
Southern friends. It had been adjourned without a vote, for which th