The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 94

[Footnote 20: _See_ Disraeli's _Endymion_ (chap. c.) for a graphic description of this remarkable scene.]

After the Council Lord Hardinge was called to the Queen, and explained that he accepted the Ordnance only on the condition that he was not to be expected to give a vote which would reverse the policy of Sir R. Peel, to which he had hitherto adhered. He had thought it his duty, however, not to refuse his services to the Crown after the many marks of favour he had received from the Queen.

Lord Derby then had an Audience to explain what he intended to state in Parliament this evening as the programme of his Ministerial Policy.

It was very fluent and very able, but so completely the same as the Speech which he has since delivered, that I must refer to its account in the reports. When he came to the pa.s.sage regarding the Church, the Queen expressed to him her sense of the importance not to have _Puseyites_ or _Romanisers_ recommended for appointments in the Church as bishops or clergymen. Lord Derby declared himself as decidedly hostile to the Puseyite tendency, and ready to watch over the Protestant character of the Church. He said he did not pretend to give a decided opinion on so difficult and delicate a point, but it had struck him that although n.o.body could think in earnest of reviving the old Convocation, yet the disputes in the Church perhaps could be most readily settled by some a.s.sembly representing the laity as well as the clergy. I expressed it as my opinion that some such plan would succeed, provided the Church Const.i.tution was built up from the bottom, giving the Vestries a legislative character in the parishes leading up to Diocesan a.s.semblies, and finally to a general one.

On Education he spoke very liberally, but seemed inclined to support the views of the bishops against the so-called "management clauses"

of the Privy Council, viz. not to allow grants to schools even if the parish should prefer the bishops' inspection to the Privy Council inspection.

ALBERT.

_The Earl of Derby to Queen Victoria._

ST JAMES'S SQUARE, _27th February 1852._ (_Half-past seven_ P.M.)

Lord Derby, with his humble duty, hastens to acquaint your Majesty, having just returned from the House of Lords, that his statement, going over the topics the substance of which he had the honour of submitting to your Majesty was, as far as he could judge, favourably received. Earl Grey attempted to provoke a Corn Law discussion, but the feeling of the House was against the premature introduction of so complicated and exciting a topic. Lord Aberdeen, dissenting from any alteration of commercial policy, entirely concurred in Lord Derby's views of Foreign Affairs, and of the course to be adopted in dealing with Foreign Nations. Lord Derby did not omit to lay stress upon "the strict adherence, in letter and in spirit, to the obligations of Treaties," which was well received.

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _5th March 1852._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--I have to offer my affectionate thanks for a most gracious and long letter of the 2nd.

Within these days we have not had anything very important, but, generally speaking, there has been, at least in appearance, a quieter disposition in the ruling power at Paris. We are here in the awkward position of persons in hot climates, who find themselves in company, for instance in their beds, with a snake; they must _not move, because that irritates_ the creature, but they can hardly remain as they are, without a fair chance of being bitten.... Your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Pageheading: FOREIGN AFFAIRS]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

OSBORNE, _9th March 1852._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Your dear letter of the 5th reached me just after we arrived here, at our sweet, peaceful little abode.

It seems that Louis Napoleon's mind is chiefly engrossed with measures for the interior of France, and that the serious question of Switzerland is becoming less menacing. On the other hand, Austria behaves with a hostility, and I must say folly, which prevents all attempts at reconciliation. All the admirers of Austria consider Prince Schwartzenberg[21] a madman, and the Emperor Nicholas said that he was "Lord Palmerston in a white uniform." What a calamity this is at the present moment!

We have a most talented, capable, and courageous Prime Minister, but all his people have no experience--have never been in _any sort_ of office before!

On Friday the House of Commons meets again, and I doubt not great violence will be displayed.

With every kind love to my dear Cousins, ever your very devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 21: Prime Minister of Austria. He died in the April following.]

_Colonel Phipps to Queen Victoria._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _10th March 1852._

Colonel Phipps' humble duty to your Majesty.

He has this day visited the Marionette Theatre, and feels quite certain not only that it would not be a suitable theatre for your Majesty to visit, but that your Majesty would derive no amus.e.m.e.nt from it.

The mechanism of the puppets is only pa.s.sable, and the matter of the entertainment stupid and tiresome, consisting in a great part of worn-out old English songs, such as "The death of Nelson"! Colonel Phipps considers "Punch" a much more amusing performance. Lady Mount Edgec.u.mbe, who was in a box there, would probably give your Majesty an account of it....

_The report in London is_, that Lord John Russell is to recommend moderation at the meeting at his house to-morrow. He has, very foolishly, subjected himself to another rebuff from Lord Palmerston by inviting him to attend that meeting, which Lord Palmerston has peremptorily refused. Since that, however, Lady Palmerston has called upon Lady John with a view to a _personal_--not political--reconciliation. Lady Palmerston, as Colonel Phipps hears, still persists in the unfounded accusation against Lord John of having quoted your Majesty's Minute in the House of Commons without giving Lord Palmerston notice of his intention.[22]

[Footnote 22: Palmerston, however, admitted the contrary (_Life of the Prince Consort_, vol. ii. chap. xliv.).]

[Pageheading: DEMOCRACY]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _12th March 1852._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--I have to thank you for a most kind letter from peaceful Osborne, which must doubly appear so to you now, after all the troubles of the recent Ministerial arrangements. I am glad that you are struck with the good qualities of your new Premier. I am sure his great wish will be to make the best possible Minister of the Crown. His task will be very difficult. "Bread, cheap bread," "the poor oppressed by the _aristocratie_," etc.--a whole vocabulary of exciting words of that kind will be put forward to inflame the popular mind; and of all the Sovereigns, the Sovereign "People" is certainly one of the most fanciful and fickle. Our neighbour in France shows this more than any other on the whole globe; the Nation there is _still_ the _Sovereign_, and this renders the President absolute, because he is the representative of the supreme will of the _supreme Nation_, sending us constantly some new exiles here, which is very unpleasant. We are going on very gently, merely putting those means of defence a little in order, which ought by rights always to be so, if it was not for the ultra-unwise economy of Parliaments and Chambers.

Without, at least, comparative security by means of well-regulated measures of defence, no country, be it great or small, can be considered as possessing National Independence. I must say that in Austria, at least Schwartzenberg, they are very much intoxicated. I hope they will grow sober again soon. It was very kind of you to have visited the poor Orleans Family. Rarely one has seen a family so struck in their affections, fortunes, happiness; and it is a sad case.

Those unfortunate Spanish marriages have much contributed to it; even angelic Louise had been caught by _l'honneur de la maison de Bourbon_.... Your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Pageheading: THE NEW MILITIA BILL]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Derby._

OSBORNE, _12th March 1852._