The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 104

[Pageheading: THE DUKE ACCEPTS]

_The Duke of Wellington to Queen Victoria._

LONDON, _12th August 1842._

Field-Marshal the Duke of Wellington presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He has been informed by Sir Robert Peel that your Majesty had been graciously pleased to approve of the recommendation submitted by your Majesty's servants that he should be appointed the Commander-in-Chief of your Majesty's Forces.

He is sensible of and grateful for this fresh proof of your Majesty's confidence in him and gracious favour towards him.

He hopes that your Majesty will believe that your Majesty may rely upon his making every effort in his power to promote your Majesty's views for the honour and interest of the country in any situation in which he may be placed.

Which is humbly submitted to your Majesty by your Majesty's most dutiful and devoted Subject and Servant,

WELLINGTON.

_Queen Victoria to Lord Hill._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _12th August 1842._

The Queen has received Lord Hill's letter of the 9th inst., and is much concerned to learn that Lord Hill's health is so indifferent that he thinks it is his duty to resign the important office which he has so long and so honourably held. The Queen can only reluctantly give her consent to this determination, as she regrets to lose Lord Hill's services at the head of her Army. She cannot, however, miss this opportunity of expressing to Lord Hill her entire approbation of his conduct throughout the time he served her. The Prince begs to have his kind regards sent to Lord Hill.

[Pageheading: RIOTS IN MANCHESTER]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

CABINET ROOM, DOWNING STREET, _13th August 1842._

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and is sorry to be under the necessity of troubling your Majesty so suddenly, but he is sure your Majesty will excuse him for making any proposal to your Majesty which the public service may render requisite.[68]

The accounts received this morning from Manchester with regard to the state of the country in that neighbourhood are very unsatisfactory, and they are confirmed by the personal testimony of magistrates who have arrived in London for the purpose of making representations to your Majesty's servants on the subject.

A Cabinet has just been held, and it is proposed to send a battalion of Guards by the railway this evening. The 16th of August (Tuesday next) is the anniversary of a conflict which took place in Manchester in the year 1819[69] between the Yeomanry Cavalry and the populace, and it is feared that there may be a great a.s.semblage of persons riotously disposed on that day.

Under these circ.u.mstances it appears desirable to your Majesty's confidential advisers that a proclamation should be immediately issued, warning all persons against attendance on tumultuous meetings, and against all acts calculated to disturb the public peace. It is necessary that a Council should be held for the issue of this proclamation, and important that it should arrive in Manchester on Monday.

These considerations have prevented Sir Robert Peel from giving previous notice to your Majesty, and having your Majesty's sanction for the holding of a Council. On account of the urgency of the case, he has requested a sufficient number of Privy Councillors to repair to Windsor this evening, in order that should your Majesty be graciously pleased to hold a Council, the proclamation may be forthwith issued.

The members of the Privy Council will be in attendance about half-past six o'clock, as Sir Robert Peel has considered that from that time to half-past seven will probably be the least inconvenient to your Majesty.

He writes this immediately after the breaking up of the Cabinet.

[Footnote 68: The disturbances of this month, which originated in a strike for wages in Lancashire, were inflamed by agitators, and rapidly spread through Cheshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Yorkshire, eventually extending to the populous parts of Scotland and Wales. Several conflicts took place between the populace and the military, and there was much loss of life and property, as well as aggravated distress.]

[Footnote 69: On 16th August 1819, a great popular demonstration in favour of Parliamentary Reform, presided over by Henry Hunt, the Radical, had taken place in St Peter's Fields, Manchester. A riot ensued, and the Yeomanry charged the populace, with some loss of life. The affair was afterwards known as the Peterloo ma.s.sacre.]

[Pageheading: CHARTIST DISTURBANCES]

_Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _15th August 1842._

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, begs to lay before your Majesty the enclosed letter from Major-General Sir William Warre[70] in command of the Northern District.

From this report it is evident that a strong and salutary moral impression had been produced by the arrival of a reinforcement of 1,400 men in the disturbed district in the short time of six-and-thirty hours after the first requisition for a.s.sistance had been sent from Manchester; and the General has now at his disposal a force quite adequate to cope with the vast a.s.semblage of people who are expected to meet to-morrow at Manchester.

Some symptoms of this disposition forcibly to suspend labour have appeared in the West Riding of Yorkshire; but on the whole the accounts, both from Scotland and the disturbed district, which have been received this morning, may be considered favourable. The railroad communications as yet are uninterrupted; no collision has taken place between the troops and the mult.i.tude, except at Preston;[71] and Sir James Graham is willing to hope that this insurrectionary movement may be suppressed without recourse to extreme measures. Every precaution, however, has been taken, and arrangements are made for augmenting the force under the command of Sir William Warre, if it should become necessary.

The character of these riots has a.s.sumed more decidedly a political aspect. It is no longer a strike for higher wages, but the Delegates, who direct the movement, avow that labour shall not be resumed until the people's Charter be granted.[72]

Sir James Graham will hasten to-morrow to inform your Majesty of the accounts which he may receive.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's dutiful Subject and Servant,

J. R. G. GRAHAM.

[Footnote 70: Lieutenant-General Sir William Warre (1784-1853), a distinguished Peninsular officer.]

[Footnote 71: The mob attacked the military, who fired and killed three or four persons.]

[Footnote 72: A colossal pet.i.tion in favour of the Charter had been presented during the Session by Mr T. Duncombe.]

[Pageheading: SATISFACTORY RESULTS]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _18th August 1842._ (_Thursday morning._)

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs leave to acquaint your Majesty that he returned to London last night.

He has this morning gone through all the letters received from the country, with Sir James Graham, by whom the details of the information will be forwarded to your Majesty.

It appears to Sir Robert Peel that the general tenor of the reports is _satisfactory_. From Manchester, from Wigan, from Preston, the reports are very good.