'Lord John Russell'

'Lord John Russell'

A portrait of John Russell, Earl, British Foreign Minister during the American Civil War

Maintaining different levels of power throughout his career in Parliament, including as Prime Minister, John Russell, the 1st Earl Russell, served as Foreign Minister in the Liberal government under Lord Palmerston during the late 1850s and early 1860s. This position, which he held for the duration of the American Civil War, put him into regular contact with the ambassadors of the Union and Confederate governments. Russell faced criticism both from both abroad and at home. He was a frequent target for Union frustrations over perceived Southern sympathies in British government, though he largely favored British neutrality as the status quo. Overall, his middling approach to handling controversies with the Union and the issue of British neutrality led to his unpopularity among some of his peers and the British public. Russell went on to serve as Prime Minister again following the death of Palmerston, though a brief Conservative rise to power removed him from the office.

Photographer Unknown

Library of Congress, https://lccn.loc.gov/00650535

Digitized by the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Browning Collection of Portraits

Between 1865 and 1878

No known restrictions on publication

Browning Collection of Portraits, etc., p. 19

Photographic albumen print

English

Still Image

Photographic albumen print