The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 106

FOREIGN OFFICE, _23rd December 1852._

Lord Malmesbury presents his humble duty to the Queen, and considers it right to inform your Majesty that Count Walewski again asked him yesterday where the Prince of Hohenlohe was now residing, adding that it was the intention of the Emperor to send a person to see him, and ascertain his feelings with respect to a marriage between him and the Princess Adelaide. Lord Malmesbury confined himself to replying that he did not know. Lord Malmesbury might perhaps in his private capacity endeavour to discourage these advances, but as long as he has the honour of being one of your Majesty's Ministers, it appears to him that your Majesty will be _personally_ the least committed by his interfering as little as possible in the matter.

The Emperor is becoming extremely irritable at the delay of the three great Powers in recognising the Empire, and he has said to M. Hubner that, as they had plenty of time to agree among themselves what course they should pursue when it was proclaimed, he cannot understand how Austria and Prussia can in the face of Europe humiliate themselves by waiting for the orders of Russia--"_les ordres de la Russie_."

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Malmesbury._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _23rd December 1852._

The Queen has received Lord Malmesbury's letter. She thinks he is acting very judiciously in giving Count Walewski no advice whatever as long as he holds the Seals of Office.

[Pageheading: NEW APPOINTMENTS]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _23rd December 1852._

The Queen has received Lord Aberdeen's communication of this morning, and was pleased to hear that Lord John has finally accepted the Foreign Office. She has also received the second communication, with the List of the distribution of Offices. The Queen thinks it of such importance that the Cabinet should be now announced to the world as complete, that she is unwilling to throw any difficulties in the way.

At the same time, she must observe that in some instances the changes are, in her opinion, not for the better. Sir J. Graham will be very unpopular in the Navy; his achievements at the Admiralty in former times[65] were all _retrenchments_, and have since proved in many instances injurious to the Service. The Secretary-at-War ought properly to be left out of the Cabinet for the well working of the Army;[66] the President of the Board of Trade has always been in the Cabinet, and in Lord Granville's case, even the Vice-President.

Lord Granville will have a difficulty as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, being one of the chief lessees of the Duchy, and, the Queen believes, even engaged in a law-suit against it. The Queen has no objection to Sir William Molesworth[67] at the Office of Works. She hopes that the Presidency of the Council will be filled at once, for which Lord Clarendon would be best.

Amongst the Under-Secretaries of State, the Queen wishes merely to express her objection at seeing Mr B. Osborne[68] at the _Foreign_ Office. The Queen sees Lord Chandos's[69] name as Secretary to the Treasury; she would be very much pleased to see his services secured.

All the other proposals she approves.

The Queen must repeat in conclusion that she considers the rapid completion of the Government of the first importance, even if none of the points the Queen has alluded to should be amended.

[Footnote 65: From 1830 to 1834.]

[Footnote 66: The Secretary-at-War was not a Secretary of State.]

[Footnote 67: M.P. for Southwark; well known as a philosophical writer, the first member of the Radical Party included in any Ministry.]

[Footnote 68: Mr Bernal Osborne, a well-known speaker at the time, became Secretary of the Admiralty.]

[Footnote 69: Afterwards, as Duke of Buckingham, Secretary for the Colonies and Governor of Madras.]

[Pageheading: THE NEW CABINET]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _24th December 1852._

The Queen has this moment received Lord Aberdeen's letter, reporting that new difficulties have arisen in the completion of the Government by new proposals made by Lord John Russell, since the Queen's sanction had been given to the arrangements submitted to her by Lord Aberdeen, which had then been agreed to by Lord John Russell. The Queen begins to fear serious mischief from the long duration of the crisis. It must weaken the prestige of the new Government, and, instead of smoothing difficulties, is, from the nature of things, rather calculated to invite new ones. The Queen has, in her letter of yesterday, stated some objections _she_ felt, but added that she would waive them all for the satisfaction of the immediate want of the country (a strong Government), and she must express her hope that political parties will not fall short in patriotic spirit of the example she has thus herself set.

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen._ [_Draft--from recollection._]

WINDSOR CASTLE, _24th December 1852._

The Queen has received Lord Aberdeen's letter of this afternoon, and is very glad to hear that he has overcome the difficulties which he mentioned this morning, and that he has secured the services of Lord Lansdowne in the Cabinet. She hopes, however, that Lord Aberdeen will remain firm on the other points, as difficulties are never overcome by yielding to more than can be fairly demanded.

_Memorandum by Queen Victoria._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _25th December 1852._

Lord Aberdeen came this afternoon to announce the completion of his Cabinet.

From many of them answers have not yet been received.

The day before it looked very bad. Lord John Russell had sent in such a list of persons whom he required in the Cabinet (Sir Francis Baring, Sir George Grey, etc., etc.), that, having been very yielding hitherto, Lord Aberdeen was obliged to be peremptory in his refusal.

Now that the Cabinet was formed on a due proportion, he was inclined to let Lord John have his own way pretty much with regard to the minor Offices, considering that he brought 250 followers, and he (Lord Aberdeen) only 50.

It was to Lord Clarendon that the persuasion of Lady John was finally due, but Lord Aberdeen had to add his own promise to that of Lord Clarendon, that the latter would take the Foreign Office whenever she thought Lord John ought to be relieved from it.

Lady Palmerston had been most anxious to bring her husband into office again; Lord Aberdeen had seen the first symptom of their joint wish in the earnestness with which Lord Palmerston's friends declared in all places that, had he been well enough, he would certainly have voted against the Government.

Lord Lansdowne's exertions and Lord Clarendon's disinterestedness were beyond all praise.

Of the Derbyites, he heard that most of them would be very quiet, and many would be very friendly.

Lord Breadalbane is to be Lord Chamberlain. We recommend a trial to get Lord Jersey to remain as Master of the Horse.

VICTORIA R.

_The Prince Albert to the Earl of Aberdeen._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _26th December 1852._

MY DEAR LORD ABERDEEN,--I have heard rumours of some appointments in the Household, for which the writs are to be moved to-morrow. As you have not yet placed before the Queen your recommendations, I merely write this to you, fearing that the "Whig Party" may deal out places before you have had an opportunity of taking the Queen's pleasure.