Prospects of the Government and of the Opposition--Mr. Disraeli's commanding Position--Preparation of a Reform Bill--A Congress--Death of Macaulay--The Affairs of Italy--Policy of the Emperor Napoleon--The Commercial Treaty with France--M. de Cavour resumes Office--Opening of Parliament--Negotiation of the Commercial Treaty--The Emperor a Free Trader--Perplexity of Italian Affairs--Moderation of Lord Derby--Opposition to the Commercial Treaty--The Reform Bill of 1860--Tory Opposition to Reform--Mr. Gladstone's great Budget Speech--Opposition to the Treaty and the Budget--Triumph of Mr. Gladstone--The Italian Correspondence--Democratic Opinions of Mr. Gladstone--Introduction of the Reform Bill--The Annexation of Savoy and Nice--Annexation of Tuscany to Piedmont--The Dénouement of the Plot--Complete Apathy of the Country as to Reform--Lord Derby declines to interfere--Lord John's adverse Declaration to France--Consequences of Lord John's Speech against France--Our Position in Europe--Anecdote of the Crimean War--Designs of the Emperor Napoleon in 1858--Lord Palmerston's Distrust of Napoleon III.--Lord John's Indifference to his own Reform Bill--Mr. Gladstone's Ascendency--Designs of the Emperor and Cavour--Unpopularity of the Reform Bill--Correspondence of Lord Grey and Lord John Russell--Reaction against Mr. Gladstone's Measures--Opposition to the Repeal of the Paper Duties--Coolness with France--Garibaldi's Expedition--Lord Palmerston attacks the Neapolitan Minister--The Paper Duties Bill rejected by the Lords--The Reform Bill withdrawn--Lord Palmerston adjusts the Difference between the two Houses--Mr. Gladstone supported by the Radicals--Mr. Senior's Conversations in Paris--A Letter from the Speaker--Mr. Cobden's Faith in the Emperor Napoleon--Conclusion of these Journals.
_London, December 25th_, 1859.--The Government are getting ready for the session which is near at hand, Palmerston with his usual confidence, but Granville, who is not naturally desponding, and who I dare say represents the feeling of his colleagues, is conscious of the want of that strength and security which a commanding majority alone can give, and, without thinking the danger great or imminent, anticipates the possibility of their being defeated on some vital question. The Opposition, conscious of their numerical force, but anything but united, profess the most moderate views and intentions. Derby professed at Liverpool to have no wish to turn out the Government or to come into office himself. Disraeli himself told me that he and all his party desired the Reform question to be settled quietly, and that if the Government only offered them such a Bill as they could possibly accept, they should be ready to give them every assistance in carrying it through. Since this, Walpole has made a formal communication to Granville (through Henry Lennox) of his and Henley's disposition to the above mentioned end. We are told, moreover, that a great number of the Conservative party will not only support a fair and moderate Reform Bill, but support the Government generally, not so much, however, from wishing well to the Government as from their antipathy to Disraeli and their reluctance to see _him_ in power again. That they will join in carrying through a safe and moderate Reform Bill is no doubt true, but it is not probable that the division amongst them and the hostility to Disraeli will last long, or continue a moment after the appearance of any prospect of the return of the Conservative party to power.