The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 102

He has fixed next Friday for the Budget.

[Footnote 50: Lord Palmerston's Amendment (see _ante_, p.

399) was carried instead, and Protection was thenceforward abandoned by Mr Disraeli and his followers.]

[Pageheading: MR DISRAELI AND MR GLADSTONE]

_Memorandum by the Prince Albert._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _28th November 1852._

Before the Council held yesterday we saw Lord Derby, who seemed much pleased with the result of the Division, though a good deal galled by the tone of the Debate.

Lord Derby had heard it said that Mr Sidney Herbert, although very bitter in his language, had not meant to be hostile to the Government, but felt that he owed the duty to speak out to the memory of Sir Robert Peel; that he was glad to have thrown the load off his mind.

Lord Derby then read us a letter from Lord Claud Hamilton, who had seen Mr Corry (one of the Peelites), who had given him to understand that they would _not_ serve under the leadership of Mr Disraeli; that they were ready, on the other hand, to serve under Lord Palmerston.

This put all further negotiation out of the question, for, independently of the Queen objecting to such an arrangement, he himself could not admit of it. On my question why Mr Gladstone could not lead, he replied that Mr Gladstone was, in his opinion, quite unfit for it; he had none of that decision, boldness, readiness, and clearness which was necessary to lead a Party, to inspire it with confidence, and, still [more], to take at times a decision on the spur of the moment, which a leader had often to do. Then he said that he could not in honour sacrifice Mr Disraeli, who had acted very straightforwardly to him as long as they had had anything to do with each other, and who possessed the confidence of his followers. Mr Disraeli had no idea of giving up the lead.

We could quite understand, on the other hand, that the colleagues of Sir Robert Peel could not feel inclined to serve under Mr Disraeli.

Under these circ.u.mstances we agreed that nothing should be done at present, and that it must be left to time to operate changes, that much must depend upon the success which Mr Disraeli may have with his Budget, and that the knowledge that Lord Palmerston could not obtain the lead would oblige those who wished to join to think of a different combination.

Lord Derby owned (upon my blunt question) that he did not think Mr Disraeli had ever had a strong feeling, one way or the other, about Protection or Free Trade, and that he would make a very good Free Trade Minister.

The Queen was anxious to know what Lord Derby thought Lord George Bentinck (if now alive) would do in this conjunction. Lord Derby's expression was "he would have made confusion worse confounded" from his excessive violence.

ALBERT.

[Pageheading: RECOGNITION OF THE EMPIRE]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Malmesbury._

OSBORNE, _2nd December 1852._

The Queen has received Lord Malmesbury's letter, and returns the enclosure from Lord Cowley. Under these circ.u.mstances the course recommended to be pursued by Lord Malmesbury[51] appears also to the Queen as the best. It is evident that we have no means of making Louis Napoleon say what he will not, nor would any diplomatic form of obtaining an a.s.surance from him give us any guarantee of his not doing after all exactly what he pleases. Our honour appears therefore to be best in our own keeping. Whatever he may say, it is in our _note of recognition_ that we must state _what_ we recognise and what we do _not_ recognise.

[Footnote 51: Lord Malmesbury advised that a formal repet.i.tion of the interpretation and a.s.surances as to the use of the numeral "III" in the Imperial t.i.tle, already verbally made by the President and the French Amba.s.sador, should be demanded.

This was duly obtained. On the 2nd of December, the anniversary of the _coup d'etat_, the Imperial t.i.tle was a.s.sumed; on the 4th, the Empire was officially recognised.]

_The Earl of Derby to Queen Victoria._

ST JAMES'S SQUARE, _3rd December 1852._ (_Friday night, twelve o'clock_ P.M.)

Lord Derby, with his humble duty, ventures to hope that your Majesty may feel some interest in hearing, so far as he is able to give it, his impression of the effect of Mr Disraeli's announcement of the Budget[52] this evening. Lord Derby was not able to hear quite the commencement of the Speech, having been obliged to attend the House of Lords, which, however, was up at a quarter past five, Mr Disraeli having then been speaking about half an hour. From that time till ten, when he sat down, Lord Derby was in the House of Commons, and anxiously watching the effect produced, which he ventures to a.s.sure your Majesty was most favourable, according to his own judgment after some considerable experience in Parliament, and also from what he heard from others. Mr Disraeli spoke for about five hours, with no apparent effort, with perfect self-possession, and with hardly an exception to the fixed attention with which the House listened to the exposition of the views of your Majesty's servants. It was altogether a most masterly performance, and he kept alive the attention of the House with the greatest ability, introducing the most important statements, and the broadest principles of legislature, just at the moments when he had excited the greatest anxiety to learn the precise measures which the Government intended to introduce. The Irish part of the question was dealt with with remarkable dexterity, though probably a great part of the point will be lost in the newspaper reports. It is difficult to foresee the ultimate result, but Lord Derby has no hesitation in saying that the general first impression was very favourable, and that, as a whole, the Budget seemed to meet with the approval of the House.

[Footnote 52: Increase of the House Tax, reduction of the Malt and Tea duties, and relaxation of Income Tax in the case of farmers, were the salient features of the Budget.]

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN TO THE EMPEROR]

_Queen Victoria to the Emperor of the French._

OSBORNE HOUSE, _4th December 1852._

SIR, MY BROTHER,--Being desirous to maintain uninterrupted the union and good understanding which happily subsist between Great Britain and France, I have made choice of Lord Cowley, a peer of my United Kingdom, a member of my Privy Council, and Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, to reside at your Imperial Majesty's Court in the character of my Amba.s.sador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. The long experience which I have had of his talents and zeal for my service a.s.sures me that the choice which I have made of Lord Cowley will be perfectly agreeable to your Imperial Majesty, and that he will prove himself worthy of this new mark of my confidence. I request that your Imperial Majesty will give entire credence to all that Lord Cowley shall communicate to you on my part, more especially when he shall a.s.sure your Imperial Majesty of my invariable attachment and esteem, and shall express to you those sentiments of sincere friendship and regard with which I am, Sir, my Brother, your Imperial Majesty's good Sister,

VICTORIA R.

To my good Brother,[53] the Emperor of the French.

[Footnote 53: The Czar persisted in addressing him as _Mon cher Ami_.]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Malmesbury._

OSBORNE, _6th December 1852._

The Queen has this morning received Lord Malmesbury's letter of yesterday, relative to Count Walewski's audience. The manner in which Lord Malmesbury proposes this should be done the Queen approves, and only wishes Lord Malmesbury to communicate with the proper authorities in order that the _Fairy_ may be at Southampton at the right hour, and the Frigate, as suggested, in attendance off Osborne or Cowes, according to what the weather may be. The landing at Osborne Pier, in wet or stormy weather, is very bad, particularly for a lady.

The Queen wishes that the Count and Countess Walewski should come down here with Lord Malmesbury on _Thursday next_, and we should receive them at half-past one. We wish then that they should _all three dine and sleep here that day_.

[Pageheading: A SECRET PROTOCOL]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Malmesbury._

OSBORNE, _8th December 1852._

The Queen was very much surprised to receive this morning in a box from Lord Malmesbury, without any further explanation, a secret Protocol[54] signed by the representatives of the four great Powers at the Foreign Office on the 3rd instant.

A step of such importance should not have been taken without even the intention of it having been previously mentioned to the Queen, and her leave having been obtained. She must therefore ask for an explanation from Lord Malmesbury. Though the purport of the Protocol appears to the Queen quite right, she ought not to allow the honour of England to be pledged by her Minister without her sanction.