A.D. 1850. The new year found the health of Prince Albert by no means good. His physician advised change of air, but there were reasons why he could not leave England just then. Parliament assembled on the thirty-first of January, and the prince had, besides, the affairs of the grand exhibition on his hands. A preliminary meeting had been held at Buckingham Palace many months before; but now committees had to be organized and communications opened with all parts of the civilized world to get contributions. There was a building to be erected, and for that and other purposes money had to be raised, and distinguished men pressed into the service to insure confidence, and to do their share of the work. The prince felt that he had undertaken a formidable task when at every point his guidance was sought.
On the twenty-first of February the first of the great public meetings was held on account of the exhibition, all the representatives from the countries that were to send contributions being present. The following month a grand banquet was given at the Mansion House, to which the chief officers of state, the foreign ambassadors, the royal commissioners for the exhibition, and the chief magistrates of more than two hundred towns were invited. This gave Prince Albert an opportunity to make known the entire plan and purpose of the exhibition; and no man could have more thoroughly explained all the details.
The speech was received with such enthusiasm that Prince Albert felt confident of the success of his undertaking. Congratulations poured in upon him from all sides, and the newspapers were filled with words of encouragement and praise. Her majesty wrote King Leopold at this time: "Albert is, indeed, looked up to and beloved as I could wish he should be; and the more his rare qualities of mind and heart are known, the more will he be understood and appreciated. People are much struck by his power and energy; by the great self-denial and constant wish to work for others which are so striking in his character. But this is the happiest life. Pining for what one cannot have, and trying to run after what is pleasantest, invariably ends in disappointment."
As soon as parliament closed in the spring the court removed to Windsor Castle, where Prince Albert's health improved very much. On the first of May a prince was born, and, as he came into the world on the eighty-first birthday of the Duke of Wellington, it was decided to name him after that great general. Arthur William Patrick Albert were the names bestowed on the royal infant at his christening, the old duke and the present Emperor of Germany being sponsors. No doubt the Patrick was added in remembrance of the old woman's request to the queen when she visited Cork the previous year.
During the summer of this year there was a prospect of war with France on account of certain claims which England had against Greece that had been acknowledged, but never settled. Matters were brought to a crisis by an English admiral, who stationed himself off the Piræus, and prevented a Greek vessel from leaving. France and Russia took offence at this; but the first notice England had of such being the case was when, at the levee given on the queen's birthday, the ambassadors of the two countries failed to appear.
This event led to one of the most remarkable debates that ever took place in the English parliament. A question arose as to whether the Whig ministry, then in power, were free from censure in their dealings with the Greek government. Lord Palmerston, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, was put upon trial, as it were, with some of the most powerful of the representatives opposed to him. But he was undaunted. His speech on the occasion was considered a masterpiece. He explained the whole course of his policy, and ably defended it. The stand he took was one that appealed to the citizenship of the nation; for he contended that he had been prompted in his actions by a determination to protect the rights of even the poorest claimant to the name of Englishman against foreign oppression.
He spoke for five hours without a note, a pause, or a sign of fatigue, and held even his adversaries spell-bound with wonder and admiration. His success was complete. "No man," said Mr. Gladstone next day, "had listened with greater admiration than himself, while from the dusk of one day to the dawn of the next he defended his policy, before a crowded House of Commons, in that gigantic, intellectual, and physical effort." This, it must be remembered, was the generous remark of an opponent. Such another was made by Sir Robert Peel, who described Lord Palmerston's defence as "that most able and most temperate speech, which made us proud of the man who delivered it, and in which he vindicated with becoming spirit, and with an ability worthy of his name and place, that course of conduct which he had pursued."
Lord John Russell and Mr. Disraeli followed Sir Robert Peel in the debate, which terminated, after four nights, in the complete triumph of the ministry.
This does not prove, however, that the laws Palmerston had enforced were just, or even that the members of the cabinet who defended his action thought so. In private they condemned it; but for reasons which it would be difficult to explain to those not versed in diplomacy they felt bound to stand by the ministry. However, Lord John Russell, who defended the policy of Palmerston, declared that it would be impossible to remain in office with him.
It was during this memorable debate that Mr. Cockburn came into prominence. He defended the policy of Lord Palmerston, and his speech was remarkable for a grace and finish that was seldom heard. It was said by one of his hearers, "that when Mr. Cockburn concluded his speech one-half of the treasury benches were left empty, while honorable members ran after one another, tumbling over each other in their haste to shake hands with the honorable and learned member." Mr. Cockburn's reputation was made, and he sustained it for many years.