The distress of the poorer classes throughout the country during this autumn was terrible.  It was to meet this distress, unparalleled since the Middle Ages, that Lord John wrote from Edinburgh his famous Free Trade letter to his London constituents, urging them to clamour for the only remedy, “to unite to put an end to a system which has proved to be the blight of commerce, the bane of agriculture, the source of bitter divisions among classes, the cause of penury, fever, mortality, and crime among the people.”

Shortly afterwards he was called to London by the sudden death of his old friend Lady Holland, and he had hardly returned when the news of Peel’s resignation reached him.  Peel, thoroughly alarmed, had called a Cabinet Council to consider the repeal of the Corn Laws.  Lord Stanley, afterwards Lord Derby, had strongly dissented, and carried several Ministers with him, thus compelling Peel to resign.

    Lady John Russell to Lady Mary Abercromby

    EDINBURGH, December 2, 1845

I wonder what Ralph and William will say to John’s letter to his electors.  It is what I have long wished, and I am delighted that the chief barrier between him and the Radical part of the Whig party should be knocked down by it.  In short, patriotically I am quite pleased, but privately far from it; I dread its being a stepping-stone to office, which, not to mention myself, would kill him very soon.  He has already quite as much work as his health can stand, so what would it be with office in addition? However, I do not torment myself with a future which may never come, or which, if it does, I may never see.  I forget whether I have written since poor Lady Holland’s death, which John felt very much.  It is sad that her death should have startled one as only that of a young person generally does; but, old as she was, she never appeared so, and she belonged as much to society as she ever did.  Poor woman, it is a comfort that she died so calmly, whatever it was that enabled her to do so.

Lord John had hardly returned to Edinburgh when the event which she had been trying to think remote and unlikely was upon them.

    EDINBURGH, December 8, 1845

Evening of utter consternation.  A message from the Queen requiring John’s attendance at Osborne House immediately....  John set out at ten this morning (December 9th) on his dreary and anxious journey, leaving a dreary and anxious wife behind him.  Baby not well towards evening.  Sent for Dr. Davidson.  Oh, Heavenly Father, preserve to me my earthly treasures, and whatever be my lot in life, they will make it a happy one.  Forgive me for such a prayer.  The hope of happiness is too strong within me.

    Lord John to Lady John Russell

    LONDON, December 10, 1845