In December Lord Palmerston resigned. The nominal cause of his resignation was Lord John Russell's persistence in attempting to introduce a Reform Bill. But when he returned to office, a few days afterwards, the British Fleet was ordered to the Black Sea. On March 28, 1854, England and France declared war against Russia. Meanwhile, on March 6, when war was known to be imminent, though it had not actually begun, Gladstone introduced his second Budget. It was very different from the first. He had to provide for an expenditure of which he had no idea in the spring of 1853. But he declined to borrow. He made an animated protest against carrying on war by means of loans, which he said had nearly ruined the country at the close of the last century. His proposal was to double the Income Tax for half the year, thus raising it from 7d. to 1s. 2d., and to collect the whole of the increase within the first six months. On May 8, however, he was obliged to introduce a Supplementary Budget, and to double the tax for the second half-year too. He also raised the duty on spirits, increased the Malt Tax, much to the disgust of the agriculturists, and made a small addition to the duty on sugar. He courageously defended these proposals, on the double ground that the year's expenditure should be met within the year, and that all classes of the nation should contribute to the cost of a national war. Al

though there was a good deal of grumbling, this Budget also passed without serious difficulty. On December 12, Parliament met for a winter session. But the country was now enthusiastic for the war, and the Government were able to do exactly what they pleased.

The winter of 1854-5 was one of unusual and almost unprecedented severity throughout Europe. The sufferings of the troops in the Crimea were terrible, and were brought prominently before the notice of the public by Mr. William Howard Russell, afterwards Sir William Russell, the war correspondent of the 'Times.' When Parliament met, after the Christmas recess, on January 23, Mr. Roebuck, the Radical member for Sheffield, at once gave notice that he would move for a Select Committee to inquire into the condition of the Army, and into those public departments which were responsible for it. Lord John Russell, feeling himself unable to oppose this motion, resigned, and his resignation was announced on the 25th. On the same day Roebuck proposed his motion. On the 29th Gladstone spoke with great energy against it, and in doing so severely condemned, by implication, the conduct of Lord John. If,' he said, 'the Government had accepted such a resolution, or had retired rather than meet it, they would have deserved to be described as "men who, to

His argu

escape punishment, ran away from duty.' ments, however, were unavailing. The House of Commons was thoroughly indignant with the Government, and Roebuck's motion was carried by the enormous majority of 157. This put an end to the Ministry of Lord Aberdeen. The Queen sent for Lord Derby, and he again made overtures to the Peelites. He first, however, invited Lord Palmerston. But he suggested to Palmerston that Gladstone and Sidney Herbert should come in with him. To Lord Derby's extreme annoyance and surprise, they all refused; thus, in his opinion, justifying his statement, in 1851, that the Peelites used their talents chiefly for the purpose of making all government impossible. They promised him, indeed, an independent support : but for that he did not care; and it was upon this occasion that he favoured her Majesty with his celebrated definition of an independent member as a member who could not be depended on. Lord Derby having felt himself unable to form a Government out of his own party, and Lord John Russell having failed, as, under the circumstances, might have been anticipated, the old Government was reconstructed, with Lord Palmerston as Premier in place of Lord Aberdeen. The Duke of Newcastle, who, as the first Secretary of State for War, had been the chief target of attack, retired with his chief; but Gladstone,

though on February 5 he warmly defended his old friend the Duke against the strictures of Lord John, remained for a few weeks in office. On February 22, however, he resigned, together with Sir James Graham, Mr. Herbert, and Mr. Cardwell. Their ground for taking this step was that Lord Palmerston had agreed to accept Mr. Roebuck's committee, although he was himself opposed to it, and had given them an assurance that he would resist it. They also took the line that the committee, which included no member of the Government, was unconstitutional, inasmuch as it tended to relieve the Executive of a responsibility which belonged only to Ministers of the Crown. Their explanations were made in the House of Commons on February 23, in the course of a miscellaneous debate, rendered memorable by Mr. Bright's great speech, with its famous and familiar image of the Angel of Death.

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CHAPTER VII

THE PERIOD OF TRANSITION

LORD PALMERSTON, immediately after the formation of his Government, sent Lord John Russell, who had accepted office under him as Colonial Secretary, on a special mission to Vienna, to negotiate terms of peace. The effort failed; but from that time Gladstone ceased to defend the war, and contended that its ultimate objects had been secured. The Protectorate had, he argued, been given up; the unfair pretensions of Russia were abated, and the destruction of her preponderant power in the Black Sea was not a sufficient reason for continuing the struggle. During the progress of the war the House of Commons, like the country, took little interest in any other subject. But, on July 12, 1855, Gladstone spoke strongly in favour of open competition in the public service, as recommended in a report signed, nearly two years before, by Sir Charles Trevelyan and by Sir Stafford Northcote, who had been his own private secretary at the Board of Trade. On August 3 he returned to the subject of the Vienna Conference, and in supporting a motion made by