Chapter I: Preface

THIS monograph could not have been written--in the intimate sense--if the Dowager Countess Russell had not extended a confidence which, I trust, has in no direction been abused. Lady Russell has not only granted me access to her journal and papers as well as the early note-books of her husband, but in many conversations has added the advantage of her own reminiscences.

I am also indebted in greater or less degree to Mrs. Warburton, Lady Georgiana Peel, Lady Agatha Russell, the Hon. Rollo Russell, Mr. G. W. E. Russell, and the Hon. George Elliot. Mr. Elliot's knowledge, as brother-in-law, and for many years as private secretary, touches both the personal and official aspects of Lord John's career, and it has been freely placed at my disposal. Outside the circle of Lord John's relatives I have received hints from the Hon. Charles Gore and Sir Villiers Lister, both of whom, at one period or another in his public life, also served him in the capacity of secretary.

I have received some details of Lord John's official life from one who served under him in a more public capacity--not, however, I hasten to add, as Chancellor of the Exchequer--but I am scarcely at liberty in this instance to mention my authority.

My thanks are due, in an emphatic sense, to my friend Mr. Spencer Walpole, who, with a generosity rare at all times, has not only allowed me to avail myself of facts contained in his authoritative biography of Lord John Russell, but has also glanced at the proof sheets of these pages, and has given me, in frank comment, the benefit of his own singularly wide and accurate knowledge of the historical and political annals of the reign. It is only right to add that Mr. Walpole is not in any sense responsible for the opinions expressed in a book which is only partially based on his own, is not always in agreement with his conclusions, and which follows independent lines.

The letter which the Queen wrote to the Countess Russell immediately after the death of one of her 'first and most distinguished Ministers' is now printed with her Majesty's permission.

The late Earl of Selborne and Mr. Lecky were sufficiently interested in my task to place on record for the volume some personal and political reminiscences which speak for themselves, and do so with authority.

I am also under obligations of various kinds to the Marquis of Dufferin and Ava, the Earl of Durham, Lord Stanmore, Dr. Anderson of Richmond, and the Rev. James Andrews of Woburn. I desire also to acknowledge the courtesy of Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Andrew Lang, Mr. James Knowles, Mr. Percy Bunting, Mr. Edwin Hodder, Messrs. Longmans, and the proprietors of 'Punch,' for liberty to quote from published books and journals.

In Montaigne's words, 'The tales I borrow, I charge upon the consciences of those from whom I have them.' I have gathered cues from all quarters, but in almost every case my indebtedness stands recorded on the passing page.

The portrait which forms the frontispiece is for the first time reproduced, with the sanction of the Countess Russell and Mr. G. F. Watts, from an original crayon drawing which hangs on the walls at Pembroke Lodge.

It may be as well to anticipate an obvious criticism by stating that the earlier title of the subject of this memoir is retained, not only in deference to the strongly expressed wish of the family at Pembroke Lodge, but also because it suggests nearly half a century spent in the House of Commons in pursuit of liberty. In the closing days of Earl Russell's life his eye was accustomed to brighten, and his manner to relax, when some new acquaintance, in the eagerness of conversation, took the liberty of familiar friendship by addressing the old statesman as 'Lord John.'

STUART J. REID.

CHISLEHURST: _June 4, 1895_.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

EARLY YEARS, EDUCATION, AND TRAVEL

1792-1813
PAGE
Rise of the Russells under the Tudors--Childhood and early
surroundings of Lord John--Schooldays at Westminster--First
journey abroad with Lord Holland--Wellington and the Peninsular
campaign--Student days in Edinburgh and speeches at the
Speculative Society--Early leanings in politics and
literature--Enters the House of Commons as member for Tavistock 1

CHAPTER II

IN PARLIAMENT AND FOR THE PEOPLE

1813-1826

The political outlook when Lord John entered the House of
Commons--The 'Condition of England' question--The struggle for
Parliamentary Reform--Side-lights on Napoleon Bonaparte--The
Liverpool Administration in a panic--Lord John comes to the aid
of Sir Francis Burdett--Foreign travel--First motion in favour
of Reform--Making headway 21

CHAPTER III

WINNING HIS SPURS

1826-1830

Defeated and out of harness--Journey to Italy--Back in
Parliament--Canning's accession to power--Bribery and
corruption--The repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts--The
struggle between the Court and the Cabinet over Catholic
Emancipation--Defeat of Wellington at the polls--Lord John
appointed Paymaster-General 47

CHAPTER IV

A FIGHT FOR LIBERTY

1830-1832

Lord Grey and the cause of Reform--Lord Durham's share in
the Reform Bill--The voice of the people--Lord John introduces
the bill and explains its provisions--The surprise of the
Tories--Reform, 'Aye' or 'No'--Lord John in the Cabinet--The
bill thrown out--The indignation of the country--Proposed
creation of Peers--Wellington and Sidmouth in despair--The
bill carried--Lord John's tribute to Althorp 63

CHAPTER V

THE DAWN OF A NEW ERA

1833-1838

The turn of the tide with the Whigs--The two voices in the
Cabinet--Lord John and Ireland--Althorp and the Poor Law--The
Melbourne Administration on the rocks--Peel in power--The
question of Irish tithes--Marriage of Lord John--Grievances
of Nonconformists--Lord Melbourne's influence over the
Queen--Lord Durham's mission to Canada--Personal sorrow 88

CHAPTER VI

THE TWO FRONT BENCHES

1840-1845

Lord John's position in the Cabinet and in the Commons--His
services to Education--Joseph Lancaster--Lord John's
Colonial Policy--Mr. Gladstone's opinion--Lord Stanmore's
recollections--The mistakes of the Melbourne Cabinet--The Duke
of Wellington's opinion of Lord John--The agitation against the
Corn Laws--Lord John's view of Sir Robert Peel--The Edinburgh
letter--Peel's dilemma--Lord John's comment on the situation 113

CHAPTER VII

FACTION AND FAMINE

1846-1847

Peel and Free Trade--Disraeli and Lord George Bentinck
lead the attack--Russell to the rescue--Fall of Peel--Lord
John summoned to power--Lord John's position in the
Commons and in the country--The Condition of Ireland
question--Famine and its deadly work--The Russell Government
and measures of relief--Crime and coercion--The Whigs
and Education--Factory Bill--The case of Dr. Hampden 136

CHAPTER VIII

IN ROUGH WATERS

1848-1852

The People's Charter--Feargus O'Connor and the crowd--Lord
Palmerston strikes from his own bat--Lord John's view of the
political situation--Death of Peel--Palmerston and the
Court--'No Popery'--The Durham Letter--The invasion scare--Lord
John's remark about Palmerston--Fall of the Russell
Administration 163

CHAPTER IX

COALITION BUT NOT UNION

1852-1853

The Aberdeen Ministry--Warring elements--Mr. Gladstone's
position--Lord John at the Foreign Office and Leader of the
House--Lady Russell's criticisms of Lord Macaulay's
statement--A small cloud in the East--Lord Shaftesbury has
his doubts 199

CHAPTER X

DOWNING STREET AND CONSTANTINOPLE

1853

Causes of the Crimean War--Nicholas seizes his opportunity--The
Secret Memorandum--Napoleon and the susceptibilities of the
Vatican--Lord Stratford de Redcliffe and the Porte--Prince
Menschikoff shows his hand--Lord Aberdeen hopes against
hope--Lord Palmerston's opinion of the crisis--The Vienna
Note--Lord John grows restive--Sinope arouses England--The
deadlock in the Cabinet 213

CHAPTER XI

WAR HINDERS REFORM

1854-1855

A Scheme of Reform--Palmerston's attitude--Lord John sore
let and hindered--Lord Stratford's diplomatic triumph--The
Duke of Newcastle and the War Office--The dash for
Sebastopol--Procrastination and its deadly work--The
Alma--Inkerman--The Duke's blunder--Famine and frost in the
trenches 236

CHAPTER XII

THE VIENNA DIFFICULTY

1855

Blunders at home and abroad--Roebuck's motion--'General
Fevrier' turns traitor--France and the Crimea--Lord John at
Vienna--The pride of the nation is touched--Napoleon's visit
to Windsor--Lord John's retirement--The fall of Sebastopol--The
treaty of Paris 254

CHAPTER XIII

LITERATURE AND EDUCATION

Lord John's position in 1855--His constituency in the
City--Survey of his work in literature--As man of letters--His
historical writings--Hero-worship of Fox--Friendship with
Moore--Writes the biography of the poet--'Don Carlos'--A
book wrongly attributed to him--Publishes his 'Recollections
and Suggestions'--An opinion of Kinglake's--Lord John on
his own career--Lord John and National Schools--Joseph
Lancaster's tentative efforts--The formation of the Council of
Education--Prejudice blocks the way--Mr. Forster's tribute 270

CHAPTER XIV

COMING BACK TO POWER

1857-1861

Lord John as an Independent Member--His chance in the
City--The Indian Mutiny--Orsini's attempt on the life of
Napoleon--The Conspiracy Bill--Lord John and the Jewish
Relief Act--Palmerston in power--Lord John at the Foreign
Office--Cobden and Bright--Quits the Commons with a
Peerage 286

CHAPTER XV

UNITED ITALY AND THE DIS-UNITED STATES

1861-1865

Lord John at the Foreign Office--Austria and Italy--Victor
Emmanuel and Mazzini--Cavour and Napoleon III.--Lord
John's energetic protest--His sympathy with Garibaldi and
the struggle for freedom--The gratitude of the Italians--Death
of the Prince Consort--The 'Trent' affair--Lord John's
remonstrance--The 'Alabama' difficulty--Lord Selborne's
statement--The Cotton Famine 299

CHAPTER XVI

SECOND PREMIERSHIP

1865-1866

The Polish Revolt--Bismarck's bid for power--The
Schleswig-Holstein difficulty--Death of Lord Palmerston--The
Queen summons Lord John--The second Russell Administration--Lord
John's tribute to Palmerston--Mr. Gladstone introduces
Reform--The 'Cave of Adullam'--Defeat of the Russell
Government--The people accept Lowe's challenge--The
feeling in the country 320

CHAPTER XVII

OUT OF HARNESS

1867-1874

Speeches in the House of Lords--Leisured years--Mr. Lecky's
reminiscences--The question of the Irish Church--The
Independence of Belgium--Lord John on the claims of the
Vatican--Letters to Mr. Chichester Fortescue--His scheme
for the better government of Ireland--Lord Selborne's estimate
of Lord John's public career--Frank admissions--As his
private secretaries saw him 334

CHAPTER XVIII

PEMBROKE LODGE

1847-1878

Looking back--Society at Pembroke Lodge--Home life--The house
and its memories--Charles Dickens's speech at Liverpool--Literary
friendships--Lady Russell's description of her husband--A packet
of letters--His children's recollections--A glimpse of
Carlyle--A witty impromptu--Closing days--Mr. and Mrs.
Gladstone--The jubilee of the Repeal of the Test and Corporation
Acts--'Punch' on the 'Golden Wedding'--Death--The Queen's
letter--Lord Shaftesbury's estimate of Lord John's career--His
great qualities 349

INDEX 371

LORD JOHN RUSSELL