On Peel's resignation (1846) the task of forming an adminis tration was entrusted to Russell, and he remained at the head of affairs from July 1846 to Feb. 1852, but, though his ministry at once set to work to adapt the Free Trade policy to all branches of British commerce, his tenure of office was not marked by any great legislative enactments. His celebrated Durham letter (Nov. 4, 1850) on the threatened assumption of ecclesiastical titles by the Roman Catholic bishops weakened the attachment of the "Peelites" and alienated his Irish supporters. The impotence of their opponents, rather than the strength of their friends, kept the Whig ministry in power, and, although beaten by a majority of nearly two to one on Locke King's County Franchise Bill in Feb. 1851, it could not divest itself of office. Lord Palmerston's unauthorized recognition of the French coup d'etat was followed by his dismissal from the post of foreign secretary (Dec. 1851), but he had his revenge in the ejectment of his old colleagues in Feb. 1852. During Lord Aberdeen's administration Lord John Russell led the Lower House, at first as foreign secretary (to Feb. 21, 1853), then without portfolio, and lastly as president of the council (June 1854). In 1854 he brought in a Reform Bill, but in consequence of the war with Russia the bill was allowed to drop. His popularity was diminished by this failure, and although he resigned in Jan. 1855, on Mr. Roebuck's motion fcr an inquiry into the conduct of the war in the Crimea, he did not regain his old position in the country. At the Vienna confer ence (1855) Lord John Russell was England's representative, and immediately on his return he became secretary of the colonies (May 1855), but the errors in his negotiations at the Austrian capital followed him and forced him to retire in July of the same year.
For some years after this he was the "stormy petrel" of poli tics. He was the chief instrument in defeatine Lord Palmerston in 1857. He led the attack on the Tory Reform Bill of 1859. A
reconciliation was then effected between the rival Whig leaders, and Russell become foreign secretary in Palmerston's ministry (1860) and accepted an earldom (July 1860. During the Ameri can War Russell exercised a powerful influence in restraining his country from taking sides in the contest, and he warmly sympathized with the efforts for the unification of Italy, but he was not equally successful in preventing the spoliation of Den mark. On Palmerston's death (Oct. 1865) Russell was once more summoned to form a cabinet, but the defeat of his ministry in the following June on the Reform Bill which they had introduced was followed by his retirement from public life. His leisure hours were spent after this event in the preparation of numberless letters and speeches, and in the composition of his Recollections and Sug gestions (1875). He died at Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park, on May 28, 1878.
Earl Russell was twice married-first in 1835, to Adelaide, daughter of Mr. Thomas Lister, and widow of Thomas, second Lord Ribblesdale, and secondly, in 1841, to Lady Frances Ann Maria, daughter of Gilbert, second earl of Minto.
Russell's tales, tragedies and essays (including The Nun of Arrouca, 1822, and Essays and Sketches by a Gentleman who has left his Lodg ings, 182o) are forgotten, but his historical works, Life of William Lord Russell (1819), Memoirs of the Affairs of Europe 2 vols.), Correspondence of John, 4th Duke of Bedford (1842-46, 3 vols.), Memorials and Correspondence of C. J. Fox (1853-57, 4 vols.) and Life and Times of C. J. Fox (1859-66, 3 vols.) are among the chief authorities on Whig politics. He also edited the Memoirs, Journal and Correspondence of Thomas Moore (1853-56, 8 vols.).
The chief biography is that by Sir Spencer Walpole (1891, 2 vols.). The volume by Stuart J. Reid (1895, "Prime Ministers of .Queen Victoria" Series) should also be consulted.
See also J. Russell, The Latter Correspondence of Lord John Russell, (1925, 2