Editing Benjamin Disraeli (section)

===Opposition and third term as Chancellor===
{{Main|Third Derby–Disraeli ministry}}
After Derby's second ejection from office, Disraeli faced dissension within Conservative ranks from those who blamed him for the defeat, or who felt he was disloyal to Derby—the former prime minister warned Disraeli of some MPs seeking his removal from the front bench.<ref name = "b426">Blake (1967), p. 426</ref> Among the conspirators were [[Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury|Lord Robert Cecil]], a Conservative MP who would a quarter century later become prime minister as Lord Salisbury; he wrote that having Disraeli as leader in the Commons decreased the Conservatives' chance of holding office. When [[James Gascoyne-Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Salisbury|Cecil's father]] objected, Lord Robert stated, "I have merely put into print what all the country gentlemen were saying in private."<ref name = "b426" />

[[File:Lord Robert Cecil aetat 27.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury|Lord Robert Cecil]], Disraeli's fierce opponent in the 1860s, but later his ally and successor|alt=A young man with dark hair and huge sideburns]]
Disraeli led a toothless Opposition in the Commons—seeing no way of unseating Palmerston, Derby privately agreed not to seek the government's defeat.<ref>Weintraub, pp. 382–383</ref> Disraeli kept himself informed on foreign affairs, and on what was going on in cabinet, thanks to a source within it. When the [[American Civil War]] began in 1861, Disraeli said little publicly, but [[United Kingdom and the American Civil War|like most Englishmen]] expected the South to win. Less reticent were Palmerston, Gladstone, and Russell, whose statements in support of the South contributed to years of hard feelings in the United States.<ref>Blake (1967), p. 429</ref> In 1862, Disraeli met Prussian Count [[Otto von Bismarck]] and said of him, "be careful about that man, he means what he says".<ref>Weintraub, p. 395</ref>

The party truce ended in 1864, with Tories outraged over Palmerston's handling of the territorial dispute between the [[German Confederation]] and Denmark known as the [[Schleswig-Holstein Question]]. Disraeli had little help from Derby, who was ill, but he united the party enough on a no-confidence vote to limit the government to a majority of 18—Tory defections and absentees kept Palmerston in office.<ref>Weintraub, p. 405</ref> Despite rumours about Palmerston's health as he turned 80, he remained personally popular, and the Liberals increased their margin in the [[1865 United Kingdom general election|July 1865 general election]]. In the wake of the poor election results, Derby predicted to Disraeli that neither of them would ever hold office again.<ref>Weintraub, p. 411</ref>

Political plans were thrown into disarray by Palmerston's death on 18 October 1865. Russell became prime minister again, with Gladstone clearly the Liberal Party's leader-in-waiting, and as Leader of the House Disraeli's direct opponent. One of Russell's early priorities was a Reform Bill, but the proposed legislation that Gladstone announced on 12 March 1866 divided his party. The Conservatives and the [[Adullamites|dissident Liberals]] repeatedly attacked Gladstone's bill, and in June finally defeated the government; Russell resigned on 26 June. The dissidents were unwilling to serve under Disraeli in the House of Commons, and Derby formed a third Conservative minority government, with Disraeli again as Chancellor.<ref>Blake (1967), pp. 436–445</ref>