Page:History of the Radical Party in Parliament.djvu/453

 1865.] Palmerston's Last Administration. 439 the events which have reconciled Palmerston and Russell will make Bright less assuming and confident" The Whig leaders had to meet the case, and they did it in a fairly satisfactory manner. If the object was to give the Radicals an actual voice, but not an important vote, in the inner council of the State, it was obtained by the selection made. Cobden, who was then abroad, had the office of President of the Board of Trade, with a seat in the Cabinet, left open for his acceptance. Such an appoint- ment was evidently bond fide. No Whig could even hope, much less believe, that Cobden could be silenced or diverted from his own line of policy by any place. Milner Gibson, who was made head of the Poor Law Board, and was also in the Cabinet, was, if less decided in character than Cobden, a sound and conscientious Radical, who, if not able to lead the Ministry in his own direction, might at least be counted on to resist any reactionary policy. Charles Gilpin, who also possessed the confidence of many Radicals, had a subordinate office. If Mr. Bright was to be left out, it would not have been easy to find a better representation of the party, supposing that Cobden would accept the offer made to him. This, however, he declined to do. On his return to England, he let it be known that his opposition to Palmerston was too thorough and sincere to admit of taking office under him. Whatever may have been thought of the immediate effect of this refusal on the fortunes of the Radical party, there can be no doubt that it was calculated to elevate the tone of political morality, and to increase the personal influence of the statesman who would not sacrifice principle for place. The necessity of filling the vacancy thus occasioned in a manner which should be acceptable to the Radicals and serviceable to their policy was generally admitted. A writer in the Examiner newspaper gave definite expression to this feeling in commenting on Cobden's refusal. " We trust," he wrote, "that the place vacant will be filled by a staunch
 * Times, 24th of May, 1859, leading article.