Before he received the office of First Lord of the Treasury, a humble Lord Palmerston defended his actions, as Foreign Secretary, and assistance for revolutions across Europe in the 1840s.
When Disraeli, and others, engaged in several long nights in the Commons to impeach Palmerston’s foreign policy; he eloquently responded;
“I hold that the real policy of England… is to be the champion of justice and right, pursuing that course with moderation and prudence, not becoming the Quixote of the world, but giving the weight of her moral sanction and support wherever she thinks that justice is, and whenever she thinks that wrong has been done.“
danielfurr
It’s a wonderful quote, unfortunately it’s not backed up by much he did. His foreign policy bore more resemblance to ‘The Vulcans’ Neo-Con adventurism. He was more intersted in projecting British power abroad for material and strategic advantage.
His conduct during the American Civil War was rather chauvinistic and almost desperate to seek a reason to intervene to dismantle the Union, to be truthfully honest.