The Invasion of the Crimea: Vol. VII [Sixth Edition] by Alexander W. Kinglake

Author:Alexander W. Kinglake [Kinglake, Alexander W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, Europe, Great Britain, General, Military, Wars & Conflicts (Other), Russia & the Former Soviet Union, France
ISBN: 9781787203495
Google: t4cBDgAAQBAJ
Publisher: Pickle Partners Publishing
Published: 2017-01-23T15:55:15+00:00

V.—Motion in House of Commons for a Committee of Enquiry,—Resignation of Lord Aberdeen’s Government,—Formation of Lord Palmerston’s Government,—The two displaced Ministers,—Lord Aberdeen,—The Duke of Newcastle,—General import of the change of Ministry.

Upon the reassembling of Parliament on the 23rd of January 1855, the House of Commons quickly proved itself to be animated with the anger of the country at large; and Mr. Roebuck gave notice of motion for a Committee, to be charged with a task thus defined: ‘To enquire into the condition of our army before Sebastopol, and into the conduct of those Departments of the Government whose duty it has been to minister to the wants of that army.’ Before the motion came on, Lord John Russell resigned.

On the 26th of January, Mr. Roebuck moved for his Committee. It chanced that, owing to illness, the speech he had intended to make was cut short in an early stage; but the House was so eager, and already so full of the subject, that this incident did not mar the debate, and may even, perhaps, have helped to ensure the success of the motion.{336}

After lengthened discussion, the motion was carried by a majority of 157. Thereupon Lord Aberdeen’s Government resigned.

After making three successive appeals, the first to Lord Derby, the second to Lord Lansdowne, and the third to Lord John Russell, the Crown at length acquiesced in an opinion already formed by the country, and entrusted to Lord Palmerston the charge of forming an administration.

It was rightly taken for granted that Lord Aberdeen and the Duke of Newcastle would remain out of office; but impelled by highly honourable motives, these two fallen Ministers addressed themselves to their friends and late colleagues belonging to what was called in those days the ‘Peelite’ connection, and succeeded in persuading Sir James Graham, Mr. Gladstone, Mr. Sidney Herbert, and Mr. Cardwell to take part in the new Government; so that, in spite of the late resignation, the actual removal of Ministers brought about by the vote of the House of Commons was confined, after all, to the change which made Lord Palmerston Prime Minister instead of Lord Aberdeen, and Lord Panmure Secretary of State for War instead of the Duke of Newcastle.

Of the part taken in the conduct of the war by the two Ministers thus displaced, a few words perhaps ought to be said. Lord Aberdeen was not so constituted as to be a foreseeing, propelling, initiating, perturbing Minister, well qualified to lead the warlike efforts of a country long negligent of its military duties, or to make up by brain-power for the amazing tardiness of his military preparations;{337} but at all events, he had the negative merit of not hampering the Duke of Newcastle in his administration of the War Department.

The zeal of the Duke of Newcastle drove him to send out the fated word, to send out the fated man, to send out the fated gift which unhappily were fitted to change what might otherwise have proved a swift conquest into a painful, lengthened siege;{338} but, to charge him with want of vigour was unjust.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.