The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 67

Peel said: "It is essential to my position with the Queen that Her Majesty should understand that I have the feelings of a gentleman, and where my duty does not interfere, I cannot act against her wishes.

Her Majesty doubtless knows how pressed I am as the head of a powerful party, but the impression I wish to create in Her Majesty's mind is, that I am bound to defend her against their encroachments."

In regard to Household appointments the holders of which are not in Parliament, he had not considered the question, but in the meantime he would in no way commit himself to anyone, or to any understanding upon the subject, without previous communication. He had no personal objects to serve, and the Queen's wishes would always be consulted.

He again repeated, that if the Queen's personal feelings would suffer less by forming an Administration to his exclusion, he should not be offended. Private life satisfied him, and he had no ambition beyond it.

Lord Melbourne might rest a.s.sured that _he_ fully appreciated his aim, that his only object was to do that which was most for Her Majesty's advantage, and no human being should know that he was privy to this overture. Lord Melbourne might depend upon his honour. If Lord Melbourne was pressed to a dissolution he should still feel the same impression of Lord Melbourne's conduct, that it was honourable and straightforward.

He wished the Prince to send him a list of those Ladies whom it would be agreeable to Her Majesty to have in her Household. Sir Robert must propose it to the Ladies, but will be entirely guided by Her Majesty's wishes. There should be no appearance that Her Majesty has any understanding, as he was bound to his party to make it appear that the appointments emanated from himself.[25]

[Footnote 25: There was a further interview on the following day at which various detailed points were arranged.]

_Memorandum by the Queen._

_11th May 1841._

The Queen considers it her right (and is aware that her predecessors were peculiarly tenacious of this right) to appoint her Household.

She, however, gives up the great officers of State and those of her Lords-in-Waiting, Equerries, and Grooms-in-Waiting, who are _in Parliament_, to the appointment of the Prime Minister, subject to her approval.

The Queen has _always_ appointed her _Ladies of the Bedchamber herself_, but has generally mentioned their names to the Prime Minister before appointing them, in order to leave him room for objection in case he should deem their appointment injurious to his Government, when the Queen would probably not appoint the Lady.

The Maids of Honour and Women of the Bedchamber are of course not included amongst those who are mentioned to the Prime Minister before their appointment, but are at once appointed by the Queen.

[Pageheading: PRESSURE OF BUSINESS]

_Extract from the Queen's Journal._

_Wednesday, 12th May 1841._

"At seven minutes to five Lord Melbourne came to me and stayed till half-past five. He gave me the copies of Anson's conversations with Peel. Lord Melbourne then gave me a letter from the Chancellor to read, strongly advocating a dissolution, and wis.h.i.+ng that there should be a division also on Lord John Russell's amendment.[26]

"Lord Melbourne left the letter with me. The first part of the letter, relative to Lord John's amendment, we think good, but the other part we can't quite agree in. 'There is to be a Cabinet to-morrow to consider what is to be done,' said Lord Melbourne, 'for the Chancellor's opinion must be considered. There is a preferment amongst our people for dissolution,' Lord M. added. The feeling in the country good. I asked Lord M., 'Must they resign directly, the next day, after the division (if they intended resigning)?' 'Why,' he said, 'it was awkward _not_ to do so if Parliament was sitting; if the division were only to take place on Friday, then they needn't announce it till Monday,'

which we hope will be the case, as we agreed it wouldn't do for me to have a ball the day Lord M. had resigned, and before I had sent for anybody else, and therefore I hoped that it could be managed that the division did not take place till Friday. Lord M. said that in case they resigned, he wished Vernon Smith[27] to be made a Privy Councillor; the only addition to the Peers he mentioned the other day he wished to make is Surrey;[28] we agreed that too many Peers was always a bad thing."

[Footnote 26: To Lord Sandon's resolution on the Sugar Duties.]

[Footnote 27: Robert Vernon Smith (1800-1873), Under-Secretary for War and the Colonies, afterwards Lord Lyveden.]

[Footnote 28: The Earl of Surrey (1791-1856) was now M.P. for West Suss.e.x, and Treasurer of the Household, and was afterwards thirteenth Duke of Norfolk.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

_11th May 1841._

... I am sure you will forgive my writing a very short letter to-day, but I am so hara.s.sed and occupied with business that I cannot find time to write letters. You will, I am sure, _feel_ for me; the probability of parting from so kind and excellent a being as Lord Melbourne as a _Minister_ (for a _friend_ he will _always_ remain) is very, _very_ painful, even if one feels it will not probably be for long; to take it philosophically is my great wish, and _quietly_ I certainly shall, but one cannot help _feelings_ of affection and grat.i.tude. Albert is the greatest possible comfort to me in every way, and my position is much more independent than it was before.

I am glad you see the French feeling in the right light. I rejoice that the christening, etc., went off so well. Believe me, ever, your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: QUESTION OF DISSOLUTION]

_Extract from the Queen's Journal._

_Thursday, 13th May 1841._

"Saw Lord Melbourne at a little past four.

"... 'We have had a Cabinet,' Lord Melbourne said, 'and we have been considering the question of dissolution and what is the best course to be pursued; if we were to dissolve, John Russell,' he said, 'would pursue quite a different course; he would then announce the Sugar Duties at once. I (Lord Melbourne) said, that I had been considering well the whole question, and the Chancellor's letter, but that altogether I did not think it advisable to have recourse to a dissolution--and I think the greater part lean towards that opinion; but there _are_ a few who are very much for a dissolution--the Chancellor and Hobhouse very much so, and Palmerston. They have, however, not quite finally decided the matter. I understand the debate will certainly go over to-night,' he said, 'and that they would have time on Sat.u.r.day and Sunday to consider about Lord John's amendment.'"

_Extract from the Queen's Journal._

_Sat.u.r.day, 15th May 1841._

"Lord Melbourne came to me at twenty minutes past one, and we talked about this question of dissolution. 'We shall have a long debate upon it this morning at the Cabinet,' Lord Melbourne said. 'The worst thing is, that if we carry the Sugar Duties, we must dissolve. If we were to dissolve,' he continued, 'and were to have the parties equal as they are now, it would be very bad; if we _were_ to have a _majority_, it would be a great thing; _but_ if we were to have a minority it would be still worse.... We know that Charles I. and Charles II., and even Cromwell, appealed to the country, and had a Parliament returned into their very teeth' (so strong an Opposition), 'and that produced deposition, and convulsion, and bloodshed and death; but since then the Crown has always had a majority returned in favour of it. Even Queen Anne,' he continued, 'who removed Marlborough in the midst of his most glorious victories and dissolved Parliament, had an immense majority, though her measures were miserable; William IV.,' he said, 'even though he had a majority against him which prevented him from keeping his Ministers, had a much stronger feeling for him in that Parliament, than he ever had before. But I am afraid,' he added, 'that for the first time the Crown would have an Opposition returned smack against it; and that would be an affront to which I am very unwilling to expose the Crown.' This is very true."

[Pageheading: KING LEOPOLD'S SYMPATHY]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

TUILERIES, _14th May 1841._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--I am deeply grateful for your kind letter, which reached me this morning. Letters from hence ought not to be longer on their way than, at the longest, forty hours; forty-eight is the maximum. I fear that they are delayed at the Foreign Office; here it cannot be, as for instance these lines go this evening.

I can easily understand that the present crisis must have something very painful for you, and you will do well for your health and comfort to try to take it as philosophically as possible; it is a part of the Const.i.tutional system which is for the Sovereign very hard to get over.

_Nous savons tous des paroles sur cet air_, as the French say. I was convinced that Lord Melbourne's right and good feeling would make him pause before he proposed to you a dissolution. A general election in England, when great pa.s.sions must be roused or created to render it efficacious for one party or another, is a dangerous experiment, always calculated to shake the foundations on which have hitherto reposed the great elements of the political power of the country.