=Source.=—_Life of Lord John Russell_, by Spencer Walpole,
vol. ii., p. 263. (London: 1889.)
I was ready to incur the responsibility of advising the acceptance of
the terms proposed in conjunction with the French Government. But I was
not prepared to advise that we should depart from or even hazard our
alliance with France for the chance of a peace on terms which I could
not consider entirely satisfactory. Moreover, it was impossible for
me to know the full weight of the motives which might have swayed the
Emperor. The immediate result of our acceptance of the Austrian terms
might have been the instant acquiescence of Russia, and the consequent
evacuation of the Crimea. How would the French army have borne a
retreat from before Sebastopol, relinquishing a siege which had cost so
much blood and so much suffering? Might not the discontent of the army
have disturbed the internal tranquillity of France, and even menaced
the throne of the Emperor?