The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 46

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

OSBORNE, _21st August 1848._

The Queen has received Lord John Russell's letter of yesterday, but cannot say that she has been satisfied by the reasons given by Lord Palmerston. The union of Lombardy and Piedmont cannot be considered as a concession to France for the maintenance of peace, because we know that it is the very thing the French object to. The Queen quite agrees that the princ.i.p.al consideration always to be kept in sight is the preservation of the peace of Europe; but it is precisely on that account that she regrets that the terms proposed by Lord Palmerston (whilst they are not in accordance with the views of France) are almost the only ones which must be most offensive to Austria. Lord Palmerston _will_ have his kingdom of Upper Italy under Charles Albert, to which every other consideration is to be sacrificed, and Lord Normanby's alteration of the terms certainly serve _that_ purpose well; but it is quite independent of the question of mediation, and the only thing in the whole proceeding which is indefensible in principle.

It will be a calamity for ages to come if this principle is to become part of the international law, viz. "that a people can at any time transfer their allegiance from the Sovereign of one State to that of another by universal suffrage (under momentary excitement)," and this is what Lord Normanby--no doubt according to Lord Palmerston's wishes--has taken as the basis of the mediation. For even the _faits accomplis_, which are a convenient basis to justify any act of injustice, are here against Charles Albert.

Lord Palmerston's argument respecting Schleswig,[38] which the Queen quoted in her last letter, had no reference to the Treaty of 1720.

[Footnote 38: The first act of the _Vor-Parlament_, a body which had existed temporarily at Frankfort, to pave the way for the National a.s.sembly of a Consolidated Germany, had been to treat Schleswig, theretofore part of the Danish dominions, as absorbed in the German Confederation, and Lord Palmerston's objections to this proceeding had been treated by the Queen in a letter of 19th August as inconsistent with his att.i.tude towards Austria.]

[Pageheading: PRUSSIA AND GERMANY]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

OSBORNE, _29th August 1848._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Most warmly do I thank you for your very kind and dear letter of the 26th, with so many good wishes for that _dearest_ of days. It is indeed to me one of eternal thankfulness, for a purer, more perfect being than my beloved Albert the Creator could _not_ have sent into this troubled world. I feel that I could _not_ exist without him, and that I should sink under the troubles and annoyances and _degouts_ of my _very_ difficult position, were it not for _his_ a.s.sistance, protection, guidance, and comfort. Truly do I thank you for your _great_ share in bringing about our marriage.

Stockmar I do not quite understand, and I cannot believe that he _really wishes to ruin_ all the smaller States, though his princ.i.p.al object is that unity which I fear he will _not_ obtain.

I do not either at all agree in his wish that Prussia should take the lead; his love for Prussia is to me incomprehensible, for it is the country of all others which the _rest_ of Germany dislikes. Stockmar cannot be my good old friend if he has such notions of injustice as I hear attributed to him. But whatever they may be, I do _not_ believe the _Ausfuhrung_ to be possible.

I have great hopes of soon hearing of something decided about the fortunes of the poor French family. You will have seen how n.o.bly and courageously good Joinville and Aumale behaved on the occasion of the burning of that emigrant s.h.i.+p off Liverpool.[39] It will do them great good. I must now conclude. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 39: One hundred and seventy-eight persons perished in the burning of the _Ocean Monarch_; the French Princes were on board a Brazilian steam frigate, which saved one hundred and fifty-six lives.]

[Pageheading: AUSTRIA DECLINES MEDIATION]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

OSBORNE, _2nd September 1848._

The Queen has read in the papers the news that Austria and Sardinia have nearly settled their differences, and also "that it was confidently stated that a French and _British_ squadron, with troops on board, _are to make a demonstration in the Adriatic_."

Though the Queen cannot believe this, she thinks it right to inform Lord Palmerston without delay that, should such a thing be thought of, it is a step which the Queen could _not_ give her consent to.

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _4th September 1848._

The Queen since her arrival in Town has heard that the answer from Austria declining our mediation has some days ago been communicated to Lord Palmerston. The Queen is surprised that Lord Palmerston should have left her uninformed of so important an event. The Queen has received Lord Palmerston's letter respecting the proposal to mediate on the part of the central power of Germany,[40] and does not see why that power, which has a responsible Government, is to be precluded from taking part in a negotiation because the Archduke John might be friendly towards Austria--whereas the French republic, which had in public doc.u.ments espoused the Italian Cause, is to be a party to it.

Neither France nor England are neighbours to or directly interested in Lombardy, whereas Germany is both.[41]

[Footnote 40: See _ante_, p. 188, note 35.]

[Footnote 41: Lord Palmerston's object, in which he ultimately succeeded, was, by obtaining the French Government's co-operation in mediating between Austria and Piedmont, to prevent the aggressive party in France from maturing any designs on Italy.]

[Pageheading: AUSTRIA AND ITALY]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

ON BOARD THE _Victoria and Albert,_ ABERDEEN, _7th September 1848._

The Queen must send the enclosed draft to Lord John Russell, with a copy of her letter to Lord Palmerston upon it. Lord Palmerston has as usual pretended not to have had time to submit the draft to the Queen before he had sent it off. What the Queen has long suspected and often warned against is on the point of happening, viz. Lord Palmerston's using the new _entente cordiale_ for the purpose of wresting from Austria her Italian provinces by French arms. This would be a most iniquitous proceeding. It is another question whether it is good policy for Austria to try to retain Lombardy, but that is for her and not for us to decide. Many people might think that we would be happier without Ireland or Canada. Lord John will not fail to observe how very intemperate the whole tone of Lord Palmerston's language is.

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BALMORAL CASTLE, _13th September 1848._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I yesterday received your dear and kind letter of the 9th (it having arrived in London only the day before), which is very quick, and I thank you much for it. The Schleswig affair at Frankfort is _very_ unfortunate, and there seems a lamentable want of _all_ practical sense, foresight, or even _common_ prudence.[42]

The poor Austrians seem now to accept the (to me _very_ doubtful) mediation. It reminds me of the wolf in the lamb's skin. _Nous verrons_, how matters will be arranged....

My letter to Louise will have informed you of our voyage and our arrival here. This house is small but pretty, and though the hills seen from the windows are not _so_ fine, the scenery all around is the finest almost I have seen anywhere. It is very wild and solitary, and yet cheerful and _beautifully wooded_, with the river Dee running between the two sides of the hills. Loch Nagar is the highest hill in the immediate vicinity, and belongs to us.

Then the soil is the driest and best known almost anywhere, and all the hills are as sound and hard as the road. The climate is also dry, and in general not very cold, though we had one or two very cold days.

There is a deer forest--many roe deer, and on the opposite hill (which does not belong to us) grouse. There is also black c.o.c.k and ptarmigan.

Albert has, however, no luck this year, and has in vain been after the deer, though they are continually seen, and often quite close by the house. The children are very well, and enjoying themselves much. The boys always wear their Highland dress.

I must now wish you good-bye, and repeat how much delighted we are that everything goes on so well in Belgium. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.