Prime Minister in the Queen's reign. The consequence was that for seven
critical years Palmerston did what was right in his own eyes, until he
came to regard himself not merely as the custodian of English interests
abroad, but almost as the one man in the Cabinet who was entitled to
speak with authority concerning them. If the responsibility of the first
Afghan war must rest chiefly on his shoulders, it is only fair to
remember that he took the risk of a war with France in order to drive
Ibrahim Pacha out of Syria. From first to last, his tenure at the
Foreign Office covered a period of nearly twenty years. Though he made
serious mistakes, he also made despots in every part of the world afraid
of him; whilst struggling nationalities felt that the great English
Minister was not oblivious of the claims of justice, or deaf to the
appeal for mercy. Early in the Russell Administration Lord Palmerston's
high-handed treatment of other members of the Cabinet provoked angry
comment, and Sir Robert Peel did not conceal his opinion that Lord John
gave his impetuous colleague too much of his own way. The truth was, the
Premier's hands, and heart also, were in 1846 and 1847 full of the Irish
famine, and Lord Palmerston took advantage of the fact. Moreover, Lord
John Russell was, broadly speaking, in substantial agreement with his
Foreign Minister, though he cordially disliked his habit of taking swift
and almost independent action.

[Sidenote: CLIMBING DOWN]

At the beginning of 1848 Palmerston seemed determined to pick a quarrel
with France, and in February drew up a threatening despatch on the
difficulty which had arisen between our Ambassador (Lord Normanby) and
Louis Philippe, which brought matters to a crisis. Louis Philippe had
acted a dishonourable part over the Spanish marriages, and Palmerston
was prepared to go out of his way to humiliate France. At the last
moment, the affair came to Lord John's knowledge through Lord Clarendon,
with the result that the communication was countermanded. Lord
Palmerston appears to have taken the rebuff, humiliating as it was, with
characteristic nonchalance, and it produced little more than a momentary
effect. The ignominious flight of Louis Philippe quickly followed, and
the revolution in France was the signal in Vienna for a revolt of the
students and artisans, which drove Metternich to find refuge in England
and the Emperor Ferdinand to seek asylum in the Tyrol. Austrians,
Hungarians,