At that time, the British War Department was far from being as prestigious as today's Ministry of Defense in various countries. Many old-fashioned officers believed that the War Department was merely an auxiliary department established to execute the orders of the Commander-in-Chief. However, Palmerston stubbornly refused to view his department in such a manner. To affirm the War Department's authority, the young Palmerston often had heated arguments with Sir David Dundas and the Duke of York, even escalating matters to His Majesty the King.
After achieving some success in the War Department, Palmerston intended to play a greater role in Parliament.
However, just as he came up with this idea, he encountered an old adversary who was vocally critical of him in Parliament—Lord Brougham.
