|- |Mr. Sidney Herbert||Secretary for War |- |Sir C. Wood||Indian Secretary |- |Duke of Somerset||First Lord of the Admiralty |- |Lord Campbell||Lord Chancellor |- |Earl Granville||President of the Council |- |Duke of Argyll||Privy Seal |- |Earl of Elgin||Postmaster-General |- |Mr. Cobden||Board of Trade (declined) |- |Mr. Milner Gibson||Poorlaw Board |- |Mr. Cardwell||Secretary for Ireland |- |Sir George Grey||Duchy of Lancaster |} The refusal of Mr. Cobden to join the new Administration was considered to be “a heavy blow and sore discouragement” to Lord Palmerston and his colleagues. Much was expected from the champion of free trade, and his name would, no doubt, have carried great weight with it. It did not seem to be understood why a Cabinet which contained such men as Mr. Milner Gibson and Mr. Gilpin should have been thus spurned by Richard Cobden. The reasons which would induce the latter to decline joining it one would think would also weigh with the other two gentlemen here named. It was curious, moreover, to observe the opposition to the new Ministry which arose from the Liberal party from the fact, as alleged, that there was not a sufficient representation of the Independent Liberals to watch how the opposition would be intensified. It is assumed that Lord Palmerston and Lord John Russell were content to receive opposition from two quarters – from Conservatives and a large section of the Radicals. The retirement of Mr. Hayter was also felt to be a loss. He filled the post of Parliamentary Secretary, better known as the Government Whip. He was a most zealous supporter of the Reform party – active, shrewd and persevering. His successor was Mr. Brand. The new “whip” was bland and polite, as became a Sussex gentleman, but it was thought by many at the time that he would not show so much energy as did his predecessor.
Much as was said about the Reform Bill at the hustings on the day of the nomination – or rather, the two Reform Bills, the one that was defeated and the one that was to come – no one out of Bedlam, even when the new Ministry got to work, expected a reform bill that session. There was, however, a prospect of one being introduced after the prorogation; albeit, the question was, Would it pass? Whatever might be its character, it was sure to be vigorously attacked by the Conservatives because it probably would go too far, and by the Radicals because it would not go far enough. The session went on, and no Reform Bill appeared; but it was con-
