But the memorandum of October 13 does clearly negative what has been the accepted British political tradition which is to the effect that Palmerston, angered at Gladstone's presumption and now determined against action, had "put up" Cornewall Lewis to reply in a public speech, thereby permitting public information that no Cabinet decision had as yet been reached.

Lewis' speech was made at Hereford on October 14.

Such were the relations between Palmerston and Russell that it is impossible the former would have so used Lewis without notifying Russell, in which case there would have been no Foreign Office memorandum of the thirteenth[784].

Lewis was, in fact, vigorously maintaining his objections, already made known to Russell, to _any_ plan of departure from the hitherto accepted policy of neutrality and his speech at Hereford was the opening gun of active opposition.
Lewis did not in any sense pose as a friend of the North.

Rather he treated the whole matter, in his speech at Hereford and later in the Cabinet as one requiring cool judgment and decision on the sole ground of British interests.