The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Iii Part 44

We have a striking proof of this in Pelissier not having obeyed the Emperor's orders and never having thought of occupying Sak.[22] _This really might_ be hinted to the Emperor....

The Queen finds Lord Palmerston very well pleased with the Peace, though he struggled as long as he could for better conditions....

[Footnote 22: The word is so written in the original draft.

There was a place of the name near Old Fort in the Crimea, but this is more probably an abbreviation for Sakatal in Caucasia.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _1st April 1856_.

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--... _Peace is signed!_ But till the ratifications have taken place its terms cannot be known. That so _good_ a Peace _has_ been obtained, and that this country stands in the high position she now does by _having_ made peace, but _not_ yielding to _unworthy_ and dishonourable terms, is _all_ owing to Lord Clarendon, whose difficulties were immense, and who cannot be too highly praised.

May I beg to remind you to make enquiries, _quietly_, about the young Prince of Orange[23]--as to his education, _entourage_, and disposition? Pray also don't forget to try and let us have a _new_ Russian; it would be infinitely _better_.[24]

We were much grieved to hear the day before yesterday from Sommer that poor Stockmar had had a relapse, but the illness is clearly of a spasmodic nature and therefore _not_ at all dangerous, and the pain had speedily left him, but of course left him again weaker, which is most distressing.

Now with Albert's affectionate love and our reiterated _warmest_ thanks, in which Vicky is included, for your having so VERY kindly come over for her Confirmation, believe me, ever, your devoted Niece and Child,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 23: Prince William Nicholas, born 1840, elder son of King William III. of Holland.]

[Footnote 24: The new Russian Amba.s.sador was Count Creptowitch.]

_Queen Victoria to the Emperor of the French._

PALAIS DE BUCKINGHAM, _le 3 Avril 1856_.

SIRE ET MON CHER FReRE,--V.M. me permettra de lui offrir toutes mes felicitations a l'occasion de la paix qui a ete conclue sous vos auspices, et peu de jours seulement apres l'heureux evenement qui vous a donne un fils. Quoique partageant le sentiment de la pluspart de mon peuple qui trouve que cette paix est peut-etre un peu precoce, j'eprouve le besoin de vous dire que j'approuve hautement les termes dans lesquels elle a ete concue, comme un resultat qui n'est pas indigne des sacrifices que nous avons faits mutuellement pendant cette juste guerre, et comme a.s.surant autant que cela se peut, la stabilite de l'equilibre Europeen....

Le Prince me charge de vous offrir ses hommages les plus affectueux, et je me dis pour toujours, Sire et cher Frere, de V.M.I., la bien affectionnee S[oe]ur et Amie,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: HONOURS GRATEFULLY DECLINED]

_The Earl of Clarendon to Queen Victoria._

PARIS, _6th April 1856_.

Lord Clarendon presents his humble duty to your Majesty....

Lord Clarendon humbly begs in Lord Cowley's name and his own most gratefully to acknowledge the kind and gracious intention of your Majesty to raise each of them a step in the Peerage, and they venture to hope that your Majesty will not have been displeased at their having respectfully declined this great distinction. Lord Cowley's reason was his extreme poverty, and the feeling that an accession of rank would only aggravate the inconvenience he already experiences from being a Peer....

Lord Clarendon felt that courtesy t.i.tles to his younger sons would be a positive injury to them in working for their bread, and he relied upon your Majesty's unvarying kindness for appreciating his reluctance to prefer himself to his children. He may, with entire truth, add that the knowledge that your Majesty has approved of their conduct is ample and abundant reward for Lord Cowley and himself. Lord Clarendon hopes it is not presumptuous in him to say that he would not exchange your Majesty's letters of approval for any public mark of your Majesty's favour....

[Pageheading: LORD PALMERSTON AND THE GARTER]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _11th April 1856_.

Now that the moment for the ratification of the Treaty of Peace is near at hand, the Queen wishes to delay no longer the expression of her satisfaction as to the manner in which both the War has been brought to a conclusion, and the honour and interests of this country have been maintained by the Treaty of Peace, under the zealous and able guidance of Lord Palmerston. She wishes as a public token of her approval to bestow the Order of the Garter upon him. Should the two vacant Ribbons already have been promised to the Peers whose names Lord Palmerston has on a former occasion submitted to the Queen, there could be no difficulty in his being named an extra Knight, not filling up the next vacancy which may occur; this course was followed when Lord Grey received the Garter from the hands of King William.

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

PICCADILLY, _11th April 1856_.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and is unable to express in words the gratification and thankfulness which he feels upon the receipt of your Majesty's most gracious and unexpected communication of this morning. The utmost of his ambition has been so to perform the duties of the high position in which your Majesty has been pleased to place him, as to prove himself not unworthy of the confidence with which your Majesty has honoured him; and the knowledge that your Majesty has found no reason to be dissatisfied with your choice; and that his endeavour properly to discharge his duties to your Majesty and the country have met with your Majesty's approval would of itself be an ample reward for any labour or anxiety with which the performance of those duties may have been attended, and, therefore, the gracious communication which he has this morning received from your Majesty will be preserved by him as in his eyes still more valuable even than the high honour which it announces your Majesty's intention to confer upon him.

That high and distinguished honour Viscount Palmerston will receive with the greatest pride as a public mark of your Majesty's gracious approbation, but he begs to be allowed to say that the task which he and his colleagues have had to perform has been rendered comparatively easy by the enlightened views which your Majesty has taken of all the great affairs in which your Majesty's Empire has been engaged, and by the firm and steady support which _in_ all these important transactions your Majesty's servants have received from the Crown.

[Pageheading: SERVICE RETRENCHMENTS]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _12th April 1856_.

The Queen returns the draft of Treaty, which she approves, and of which she would wish to have a copy.

The Queen believes that the Cabinet are going to consider to-day the amount of retrenchments which may be necessary in the Army and Navy.

She trusts and _expects_ that this will be done with great _moderation_ and very _gradually_; and that the difficulties we have had, and the sufferings which we have endured, may not be forgotten, for to the miserable reductions of the last thirty years are entirely owing our state of _helplessness_ when the War began; and it would be unpardonable if we were to be found in a similar condition, when another War--and _who_ can tell _how_ soon there may be one?--breaks out.

We must _never_ for a moment forget the very peculiar state of France, and _how entirely all there_ depends upon _one_ man's life.

We _ought_ and _must_ be prepared for every _eventuality_, and we have splendid material in that magnificent little Army in the Crimea.