THE COUNSELS OF VAILLANT. 349 discarded; and before the evening closed, he sent chap. xii. in his resignation. The Emperor wrote to his Minister, and asked him to reconsider this step ; but M. Drouyn de Lhuys replied somewhat drily, and repeated his determination to quit the Gov- ernment.* Because finding himself at variance with the unaccepted rest of the Cabinet on the question of the Aus- ofLordJohn trian proposal, Lord John Eussell twice tendered his resignation to Lord Palmerston ; t but when unanimity , i -jt, , -,-... . , after the 5th the Emperors second decision was imparted to of May of our Ministers, there remained, of course, no room cabinet, for difference about the course to be taken by the then reunited Governments of France and Encr- land. Abstaining from further negotiations, they could not, as all saw, do otherwise than vigorously go on with the war ; and, since Lord John agreed with his colleagues in the conclusion thus reached, he was left without a ground for insisting that his last resignation should be accepted. He continued to be a member of the Government, and of what from the 5th of May downwards was a closely united Cabinet. The Emperor's new and sudden decision brought The Govern- him back all at once into what was substantial France and accord with the bulk of the English Cabinet ; for, onc S e more although he might thenceforth be fighting on the tiai accord, ground pressed upon him by Vaillant, whilst the English might hold that their object was still that
- Both these notes were shown by the Emperor to Lord
Cowley. — Senior's Conversations, vol. i. + Lord Palmerston in House of Commons, 16th July 1855.
