The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 90

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _1st February 1852._

The Queen has received the draft of the Speech. The pa.s.sage referring to the proposed Reform Measure varies so materially from the one which was first submitted to her that she feels that she ought not to sanction it without having received some explanation of the grounds which have led the Cabinet to recommend it in its altered shape. The Queen will not object to the mode of filling the Offices still vacant which Lord John Russell proposes.

[Pageheading: WOMEN AND POLITICS]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _3rd February 1852._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--My warmest thanks for your kind little letter of the 30th. Matters are very critical and all Van de Weyer has told us _n'est pas ra.s.surant_. With such an extraordinary man as Louis Napoleon, one can never be for one instant safe. It makes me very melancholy; I love peace and quiet--in fact, I _hate_ politics and turmoil, and I grieve to think that a spark may plunge us into the midst of war. Still I think _that_ may be avoided. Any attempt on Belgium would be _casus belli for us_; _that_ you may rely upon.

Invasion I am not afraid of, but the spirit of the people here is very great--they are full of defending themselves--and the spirit of the olden times is in no way quenched.

In two hours' time Parliament will be opened, and to-night the explanations between Lord John and Lord Palmerston will take place. I am _very_ curious _how_ they will go off. The curiosity and anxiety to hear it is very great.

I never saw Stockmar better, or more active and more sagacious, or more kind. To me he is really like a father--only too partial, I always think.

Albert grows daily fonder and fonder of politics and business, and is so wonderfully _fit_ for both--such perspicacity and such _courage_--and I grow daily to dislike them both more and more. We women are not _made_ for governing--and if we are good women, we must _dislike_ these masculine occupations; but there are times which force one to take _interest_ in them _mal gre bon gre_, and _I_ do, of course, _intensely_.

I must now conclude, to dress for the opening of Parliament ... Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

CHESHAM PLACE, _4th February 1852._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has the honour to report that the Address was agreed to last night without a division.

The explanations between Lord Palmerston and himself were made. Lord Palmerston made no case, and was not supported by any considerable party in the House. His approbation of the President's conduct seemed to confound the Liberal Party, and he did not attempt to excuse his delay in answering Lord John Russell's letter of the 14th.[5]

The rest of the debate was desultory and heavy. Mr Disraeli made a long speech for the sake of making a speech. Mr Roebuck was bitter without much effect.

Generally speaking, the appearance of the House was favourable. Sir James Graham says the next fortnight will clear up matters very much.

The tone of the House was decidedly pacific.

[Footnote 5: See _ante_, p. 341.]

[Pageheading: THE NEW HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _4th February 1852._

We have learned with much satisfaction that everything went off so well in the House of Commons last night. Lord John Russell's speech is a most useful one, and he has given a most lucid definition of the const.i.tutional position of the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary opposite to the Crown. Lord Palmerston's speech is a very weak one, and he in no way makes out a case for himself. This seems to [be] the general impression.

The Houses of Lords and Commons being now almost completed, and the Queen having entered the House of Lords by the Grand Entrance (which is magnificent), the Queen thinks this will be the right moment for bestowing on Mr Barry the knighthood, as a mark of the Queen's approbation of his great work.

[Pageheading: PALMERSTON'S DISCOMFITURE]

_The Marquis of Normanby to Colonel Phipps._[6]

ST GEORGE'S HOTEL, _5th February 1852._

MY DEAR CHARLES,--Yesterday morning I got a note from John Russell, saying that all had gone off so well the night before, and Palmerston had been so flat that he thought it better I should not revive the subject in the other House, as he had said nothing about me which in the least required that I should do so. I yielded, of course, to such an appeal, though there are several points in his speech on which I could have exposed inaccuracies. The fact is, John has never shown any consideration for me in the whole of these affairs; but I do not mean in any way to complain, and am very grateful to him for the very successful way in which he executed his task on Tuesday. Nothing can be more universal than the feeling of the utter discomfiture of Palmerston.[7] I am convinced that what floored him at starting was that letter of the Queen's,[8] because every one felt that such a letter would never have been written unless every point in it could have been proved like a bill of indictment; and then came the question, how could any man, even feeling he deserved it, go on under such a marked want of confidence?...[9]

Aberdeen, whom I saw at Granville's last night, told me that Cardwell had said to him, that often as he had felt indignant at the arrogance of "that man," he really pitied him, so complete was his overthrow.

Disraeli said that he had watched him during Johnny's speech, and doubted whether the hanging of the head, etc., was merely acting; but before he had spoken two sentences he saw he was a beaten fox. Many said that the extreme flippancy and insolence of his manner was more remarkable than ever, from their being evidently a.s.sumed with difficulty. I have always thought Palmerston very much overrated as a speaker; his great power arose from his not only knowing his subject better than any one else, but being the only man who knew anything about it, and using that exclusive knowledge unscrupulously for the purposes of misrepresentation.

Thiers was at Lady Granville's last night, and was enchanted with the spectacle of the Opening. He said that he had been endeavouring for thirty years to support the cause of Const.i.tutional Monarchy, as the best Government in the world, and there he saw it in perfection, not only in its intrinsic attributes, but in the universal respect and adhesion with which it was received. He said, though he did not understand a word of English, he could have cried at the Queen's voice in reading the Speech. He is very "impressionable," and I am convinced at the time he was quite sincere in his appreciation.

I am vexed at not having been able to say anything publicly about all this, as I believe I could have dispelled many misrepresentations; but it cannot be helped. I have endeavoured throughout not to be selfish, and I may as well keep up that feeling to the last. Ever, etc.

NORMANBY.

I told John Russell last night I regretted that he had vouched for the intentions of Louis Napoleon. He said he had not done that, but owned that he had said more than he ought. "The fact is, I did not know what to say next. I stopped as one sometimes does, so I said that; I had better have said something else!" Candid and characteristic!

[Footnote 6: Submitted to the Queen by Colonel Phipps.]

[Footnote 7: It appears from a Memorandum made about this time by Prince Albert that when Lord Palmerston's retirement became known, the Radical const.i.tuency of Marylebone wished to present him with an Address of sympathy, and to invite him to stand at the next Election, promising him to bring him in.

Sir Benjamin Hall (one of the Members) told them that they had better wait till the explanation in Parliament had taken place, for at present they knew nothing about the merits of the case. This the Committee which had been organised consented to do. After the Debate on the 4th of February, Sir Benjamin called upon the Chairman of the Committee to ask him whether they would still carry out their intention. "No," said the Chairman; "we have considered the matter: a man who does not answer the Queen's letters can receive no Address from us."]

[Footnote 8: See _ante_, p. 264.]

[Footnote 9: _Cf._ Greville's account in his Journal, 5th February 1852. _See_ also p. 368.]

_Queen Victoria to Earl Granville._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _10th February 1852._