The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 95

_10th March 1842._

Lord Fitzgerald, with his most humble duty to your Majesty, begs leave most humbly and with deep sorrow to lay before your Majesty reports which he has only within this hour received.

They are to be found in a despatch from the Governor and Council of Bombay, and unhappily confirm, to an appalling degree, the disastrous intelligence from Afghanistan. The commercial expresses, which reached London yesterday, gave to the public some of the details of the fall of Cabul; and Lord Fitzgerald laments that it is his painful duty most humbly to inform your Majesty that the despatches just arrived confirm to their full extent the particulars of Sir William Macnaghten's fate, and of the fate of that remnant of gallant men who, on the faith of a capitulation, had evacuated that cantonment which they had defended with unavailing courage.

In addition to the despatch from the Council of Bombay, Lord Fitzgerald humbly ventures to submit to your Majesty a letter addressed to him by Mr Anderson, the Acting-Governor of that Presidency, with further details of these melancholy events.

The despatches from the Governor-General of India come down to the date of the 22nd of January (three days previous to the tragical death of Sir William Macnaghten). Lord Auckland was then uninformed of the actual state of the force in Cabul, though not unprepared for severe reverses.

[Pageheading: THE GARTER]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _20th March 1842._

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and will take an opportunity to-morrow of ascertaining your Majesty's pleasure with respect to the remaining Garter which still remains undisposed of, as your Majesty may probably think it advisable that the Invest.i.ture of all the Knights selected for the vacant Garters should take place at the same time.

Sir Robert Peel humbly represents to your Majesty that those Peers who may severally be considered from their rank and station candidates for this high distinction, have behaved very well in respect to it, as since Sir Robert Peel has had the honour of serving your Majesty he has never received, excepting in the cases of the Duke of Buckingham and recently of Lord Cardigan, a direct application on the subject of the Garter.

Of those who from their position and rank in the Peerage, and from the Garter having been heretofore conferred on their ancestors or relations, may be regarded as compet.i.tors, the princ.i.p.al appear to Sir Robert Peel to be the following:--

The Duke of Cleveland The Duke of Montrose The Marquis of Hertford The Marquis of Bute The Marquis of Abercorn The Marquis Camden The Marquis of Londonderry.

Sir Robert Peel names all, without meaning to imply that the pretensions of all are very valid ones. He would humbly represent for your Majesty's consideration, whether on account of rank, fortune and general character and station in the country, the claims of the Duke of Cleveland do not upon the whole predominate.[18]

His Grace is very much mortified and disappointed at Sir Robert Peel's having humbly advised your Majesty to apply the general rule against the son's succeeding the father immediately in the Lieutenancy of a county to his case in reference to his county of Durham.

Sir Robert Peel thinks it better to write to your Majesty upon this subject, as your Majesty may wish to have an opportunity of considering it.

[Footnote 18: The Garter was conferred on the Duke of Cleveland.]

[Pageheading: THE EARL OF MUNSTER]

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN AND THE INCOME TAX]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _21st March 1842._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. A letter from Charles Fox to Lady Holland, and which she has sent to me, informs me of the shocking end of Munster,[19] which your Majesty will have heard long before you receive this. Charles Fox attributes it entirely to the vexatious and uneasy life which he led with Lady Munster, but he was always, as your Majesty knows, an unhappy and discontented man, and there is something in that unfortunate condition of illegitimacy which seems to distort the mind and feelings and render them incapable of justice or contentment.

It is not impossible that upon this event application may be made to your Majesty for the continuance of the pension upon the Privy Purse to his son. As Lord Melbourne advised your Majesty to continue these pensions upon the late King's death, perhaps it may not be improper that he should now say that it is his strong opinion that they should not be continued further. There is no reason for it. They are not very rich, but neither are they poor, and they have very opulent connections and relations. It appears to me that the first opportunity should be taken to show that it is not your Majesty's intention to charge the Crown with the maintenance and support of all these families, which will otherwise be the case. Lord Melbourne thinks it not improper to mention this matter thus early, as otherwise the [compa.s.sionate] feelings naturally raised by such an event might lead to a different determination.

There is another matter mentioned in your Majesty's letter, relating to money, which is of considerable importance, and that is the determination taken by your Majesty to subject your own provision to the proposed duty on income. When it was put to your Majesty Lord Melbourne is disposed to think that your Majesty's determination[20]

was right, and it certainly will be very popular, which in the present circ.u.mstances of the country and state of public feelings is a great advantage.

At the same time it is giving up a principle of the Const.i.tution, which has. .h.i.therto exempted the Sovereign from all direct taxation, and there are very great doubts entertained whether the announcement to Parliament of the intention was not in a const.i.tutional point of view objectionable, inasmuch as it p.r.o.nounced the opinion of the Crown upon a tax which was still under discussion. It is also a great pecuniary sacrifice, and, as your Majesty says, together with the loss of the Duchy of Cornwall and other revenues, will make a great change in your Majesty's pecuniary circ.u.mstances. These defalcations can only be repaired by care and economy. Your Majesty has all the most right feelings and the best judgment about money, and Lord Melbourne has no doubt that your Majesty will so act as to avoid pecuniary embarra.s.sment--the only difficulty which Lord Melbourne fears for your Majesty, and the only contingency which could involve your Majesty in serious personal inconvenience.

Lord Melbourne thanks your Majesty much for the kindness of your letter....

Everybody says that the marriage between Miss Stuart and Lord Waterford[21] is likely to take place. It is said that he would do almost anything rather than go to St. Petersburg. Lord Melbourne has not seen Lord Waterford, but he is said to be very good-looking; we know him to be rich and of high rank, and, after all, that sort of character is not disliked by all ladies. Perhaps also she counts upon the effect of her influence to soften, to tranquillise, and to restrain.

Lord Melbourne hears a very bad account of Lord Anglesey's affairs.

His case is a hard one, for these pecuniary difficulties are owing to the extravagance of others, and by no means to his own. Lord Melbourne saw Uxbridge and Ellen at Lady Palmerston's on Sat.u.r.day evening. The latter seemed in good spirits, and said that she did not mean to shut herself up too closely in Hertfords.h.i.+re.

Lord Melbourne thought that your Majesty would be pleased with Lambeth. The view from the great window in the drawing-room over the river, and to the Houses of Parliament and the Abbey, is very fine indeed, but like all London views can rarely be seen in consequence of the foggy atmosphere....

No doubt your Majesty and His Royal Highness must be anxious for a little quiet and repose, which Lord Melbourne hopes that your Majesty will enjoy. Lord Melbourne had feared that your Majesty's health was not quite so good as it appeared.... Lord Melbourne concludes this very long letter with the most fervent expression of his most sincere wishes for your Majesty's health and happiness.

Lord Melbourne in speaking of poor Lord Munster forgot to mention that at the Levee on Wednesday last he followed Lord Melbourne down the long gallery as he was going away, came up to him with great emotion of manner, pressed his hand warmly, and said that he wished to take the earliest opportunity of thanking Lord Melbourne for all the kindness he had shown him whilst he had been in office.

[Footnote 19: The Earl of Munster, son of William IV. and Mrs.

Jordan, shot himself, 20th March. His wife was a daughter of the Earl of Egremont.]

[Footnote 20: The Queen had decided that she would herself pay Income Tax.]

[Footnote 21: Henry, third Marquis, and Louisa, second daughter of Lord Stuart de Rothesay, were married on 8th June.]

[Pageheading: STRAWBERRY HILL]

[Pageheading: THE ROYAL GOVERNESS]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

PANSHANGER, _31st March 1842._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He is much rejoiced to learn that your Majesty has had fine weather and has enjoyed it. It rained here hard yesterday in the morning, but cleared up about half-past twelve and was very fine indeed. Lord Melbourne went over to Brocket Hall and enjoyed it much. He does not intend to return to London until Monday next, when the House of Lords rea.s.sembles. It is to be hoped that we shall then soon have the Corn Bill up from the Commons and pa.s.s it. The Income Tax will give some trouble, but that done, and the Poor Law Bill, the end of the Session may begin to be looked forward to.

The sale of Strawberry Hill[22] naturally excites interest, and things are not unlikely to be sold high. The collection has after all been kept together, and the place has remained in the family of his niece,[23] the d.u.c.h.ess of Gloucester, to whom he bequeathed it, longer than he himself expected. He says in one of his letters that he would send a statue down to Linton, Sir Horace Mann's place in Kent, because there it had a better chance of remaining permanently, "for as to this poor bauble of a place," he adds, "it will be knocked to pieces in a very few years after my decease." It has stood, however, and remained five-and-forty years, a longer period than he had antic.i.p.ated. Some of the works, such as the bell by Benvenuto Cellini, and the antique Eagle, are very fine; others are only curious. Lord Melbourne would not give much money for a mere curiosity, unless there were also some intrinsic merits or beauty.

What is the value of Cardinal Wolsey's cap, for instance? It was not different from that of any other Cardinal, and a Cardinal's cap is no great wonder.

Lord Melbourne returns Lord Munster's letter. It is without date, but was evidently written in contemplation of the dreadful act which he afterwards perpetrated. It is very melancholy. Lord Melbourne was certain that your Majesty would send to Lord Adolphus[24] the a.s.surance which you have done, and that you would be anxious to a.s.sist his children, and promote their interests by every means in your power. But both their brothers and they must be made sensible that they must make some effort for themselves.

Lord Melbourne is very glad to learn that your Majesty intends to offer the Round Tower[25] to the Duke of Suss.e.x. It is in every respect kind. It will be of essential service to him, and it will gratify him most exceedingly.