PEMBROKE LODGE, May 6, 1855

MY DEAR CLARENDON,—­I was at Panmure’s when your box arrived here, and did not get back till past eight.  I am very much concerned at the removal or resignation of Drouyn.  I cannot separate myself from him; and, having taken at Vienna the same view which he did, his resignation entails mine.  I am very sorry for this, and wished to avoid it.  But I have in some measure got Drouyn into this scrape, for at first he was disposed to advise the Emperor to insist on a limitation of ships, and I induced him not to give any advice at all to the Emperor.  Afterwards we agreed very much; and, if he had stayed in office there, I might have gulped, though with difficulty, the rejection of my advice here.  However, I shall wait till Colloredo has made a definite proposal, and then make the opinion I shall give upon it in the Cabinet a vital question with me.  It is painful to me to leave a second Cabinet, and will injure my reputation—­perhaps irretrievably.  But I see no other course.  Do as you please about communicating to Palmerston what I have written.  I fear I must leave you and Hammond to judge of the papers to be given....  But I hope you will not tie your hands or those of the Government by giving arguments against what the nation may ultimately accept.  I hold that a simple provision, by which the Sultan would reserve the power to admit the vessels of Powers not having establishments in the Black Sea, through the Straits at his own pleasure at all times, ... and a general treaty of European alliance to defend Turkey against Russia, would be a good security for peace.  If the Emperor of the French were to declare that he could not accept such a peace, of course we must stick by him, but that does not prevent our declaring to him our opinion.  Walewski spoke to me very strongly at the Palace in favour of the Austrian plan, but I suppose he has now made up his mind against it.

    I remain, yours truly,

    J. RUSSELL

[46] Spencer Walpole’s “Life of Lord John Russell,” chap, xxvi.

Lord Clarendon replied: 

    GROSVENOR CRESCENT, May 7, 1855

MY DEAR LORD JOHN,—...  I am very sorry you did not come in just now, as I wanted most particularly to see you.  I now write this earnestly to entreat that you will say nothing to anybody at present about your intended resignation.  The public interests and your own position are so involved in the question, and so much harm of every kind may be done by a hasty decision, however honourable and high-minded the motives may be, that I do beg of you well to weigh all the points of the case; and let me frankly add that you will not act with fairness, and as I am sure you must wish to act, towards your colleagues, if you do not hear what some of them may have to say.

As you allowed me to do as I pleased about informing Palmerston, I did not think it