After a time, Palmerston saw that the general feeling of the Cabinet was against being a party to the representation, and he capitulated.

I do not think his support was very sincere: it certainly was not hearty ...

I ought to add that, after the Cabinet had come to a decision and the outline of a draft had been discussed, the Chancellor uttered a few oracular sentences on the danger of refusing the French invitation, and gave a strong support to Lord John.

His support came rather late ...

I proposed that we should _tater le terrain_ at Washington and ascertain whether there was any chance of the proposal being accepted.