The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 79

[Footnote 89: See _ante_, p 156.(Ch. VIII, 7th May, 1839)]

[Pageheading: DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

_8th September 1841._

There is a subject which the Queen wishes to mention to Sir Robert Peel, as she is at present so little acquainted with Lord Aberdeen; the Queen is very desirous that, if it were possible, Sir Hamilton Seymour should not be removed from Brussels. The Queen believes that his political views are not violent either way, and she knows that he is peculiarly agreeable to her Uncle, which has, therefore, prompted her to write this to Sir Robert Peel. The Queen seizes the same opportunity to say that she is also very anxious that a moderate and conciliatory person should be sent to Lisbon, as it is of great importance there.

[Pageheading: THE FRENCH AMBa.s.sADOR]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

CLAREMONT, _8th September 1841._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I begin my letter to-day, for fear I should have no time to write to-morrow. Your kind letter gave me great pleasure, and I must own your silence on all that was going on distressed me very much! It has been indeed a sad time for me, and I am still bewildered, and can't believe that my excellent Lord Melbourne is no longer my Minister, but he will be, as you say, and has _already_ proved himself, _very_ useful and _valuable_ as my friend out of office.

He writes to me often, and I write to him, and he gives really the fairest and most impartial advice possible. But after seeing him for four years, with very few exceptions--_daily_--you may imagine that I _must_ feel the change; and the longer the time gets since we parted, the _more_ I feel it. _Eleven days_ was the _longest_ I ever was without seeing him, and this time will be elapsed on Sat.u.r.day, so you may imagine what the change must be. I cannot say what a comfort and support my beloved Angel is to me, and how well and how kindly and properly he behaves. I cannot resist copying for you what Lord Melbourne wrote to me about Albert, the evening after we parted; he has already praised him greatly to me, before he took leave of me. It is as follows:

"Lord Melbourne cannot satisfy himself without again stating to your Majesty in writing what he had the honour of saying to your Majesty respecting H.R.H. the Prince. Lord Melbourne has formed the highest opinion of H.R.H.'s judgment, temper, and discretion, and he cannot but feel a great consolation and security in the reflection that he leaves your Majesty in a situation in which your Majesty has the inestimable advantage of such advice and a.s.sistance. Lord Melbourne feels certain that your Majesty cannot do better than have recourse to it, whenever it is needed, and rely upon it with confidence."

This naturally gave me great pleasure, and made me very proud, as it comes from a person who is no flatterer, and would not have said it if he did not think so, or feel so. The new Cabinet you have by this time seen in the papers.

The Household (of which I send you a list) is well const.i.tuted--_for Tories_.

Lord Aberdeen has written to me to say Bourqueney has announced Ste Aulaire[90] as Amba.s.sador. This is very well, but let me beg you, for decency's sake, to stop his coming immediately; if _even not meant_ to, it would have the effect of their sending an amba.s.sador the moment the Government changed, which would be too marked, and most _offensive personally_ to _me_. Indeed Guizot behaved very badly about refusing to sign the Slave Trade Treaty[91] which they had so long ago settled to do; it is unwise and foolish to irritate the late Government who may so easily come in again; for Palmerston will _not_ forgive nor _forget_ offences, and then France would be worse off than before, with England. I therefore _beg_ you to stop Ste Aulaire for a little while, else _I_ shall feel it a great personal offence.

_9th._--I have had a letter from Lord Melbourne to-day, who is much gratified by yours to him.... Now adieu! Believe me, always, your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 90: See _post_, p. 334. (Ch. X, 1st October, 1841)]

[Footnote 91: A treaty on the subject was signed in London, on 20th December, between Great Britain, France, Austria, Prussia, and Russia.]

[Pageheading: QUEEN ADELAIDE]

_Queen Adelaide to Queen Victoria._

SUDBURY HALL, _8th September 1841._

MY DEAREST NIECE,--I have not ventured to disturb you with a letter since we parted, knowing how fully your time was employed with business of importance. I cannot any longer now refrain to enquire after you, after all you have gone through lately, and I must congratulate you with all my heart on having so well completed your difficult task.

There is but one voice of praise, I hear, of your perfect composure and beautiful conduct during the trying scenes of last week. It has gratified me more than I can express, for I had fully expected it of you, and it has made me very happy to find that it has been generally remarked and has given so much satisfaction. Everybody feels deeply for you, and the devotion and zeal in your service is redoubled by the interest your trying position has evoked. May our Heavenly Father support and guide you always as. .h.i.therto, is my constant prayer!

I hope that the selection of your Government is to your own satisfaction, and though the change must have been trying to you, I trust that you will have perfect confidence in the able men who form your Council. Our beloved late King's anxious wishes to see Wellington and Peel again at the head of the Administration is now fulfilled. His blessing rests upon you.

Excuse my having touched upon this subject, but I could not keep silent whilst the heart is so full of earnest good wishes for your and the country's prosperity.

I hope that an article of the newspapers, of the indisposition of your darling child, is not true, and that she is quite well. G.o.d bless and protect her!...

I am much amused with reading your Life by Miss Strickland,[92] which, though full of errors, is earnest on the whole, and very interesting to _me_. However, I wish she would correct the gross errors which otherwise will go down to posterity. She ought to have taken first better information before she published her work....

With my affectionate love to dear Prince Albert, believe me ever, my dearest Niece, your most devoted and affectionate Aunt,

ADELAIDE.

[Footnote 92: Miss Agnes Strickland (1808-1874), who also edited _Letters of Mary Queen of Scots_, etc.]

_Memorandum by Mr Anson._

CLAREMONT, _9th September 1841._

The Ministerial arrangements are now nearly completed. Writs for new elections moved last night.

Wrote to Sir Robert, telling him the Queen ought to have heard from him respecting the adjournment of the House of Commons, instead of seeing it first in the public papers. Told him also of its being the Queen's wish that a short report of the debates in each House should always be sent to Her Majesty, from him in the Commons and from the Duke of Wellington in the Lords.

The Queen had a letter to-day from the Queen Dowager, which was kindly meant, but which made Her Majesty rather angry, complimenting Her Majesty on the good grace with which she had changed her Government, and saying that the late King's blessing rested upon her for calling the Duke of Wellington and Peel to her Councils, etc....

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN CRITICISES APPOINTMENTS]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

_9th September 1841._

The Queen takes this opportunity of writing to Sir Robert Peel _confidentially_ about another person: this is about Lord ----. The Queen is strongly of opinion that Lord ---- should _not_ be employed in any post of importance, as his being so would, in her opinion, be detrimental to the interests of the country. The Queen wishes Sir Robert to state this to Lord Aberdeen as her opinion. The Queen is certain that Sir Robert will take care that it should not be known generally that this is her opinion, for she is always most anxious to avoid anything that might appear personal towards anybody. The Queen cannot refrain from saying that she cannot quite approve of Sir Charles Bagot's appointment,[93] as from what she has heard of his qualities she does not think that they are of a character quite to suit in the arduous and difficult position in which he will be placed.

At the same time the Queen does not mean to object to his appointment (for she has already formally approved of it), but she feels it her duty to state frankly and at all times her opinion, as she begs Sir Robert also to do unreservedly to her. For the future, it appears to the Queen that it would be best in all appointments of such importance that before a direct communication was entered into with the individual intended to be proposed, that the Queen should be informed of it, so that she might talk to her Ministers fully about it; not because it is likely that she would object to the appointment, but merely that she might have time to be acquainted with the qualities and abilities of the person. The Queen has stated this thus freely to Sir Robert as she feels certain that he will understand and appreciate the motives which prompt her to do so. The Queen would wish the Council to be at two on Tuesday, and she begs Sir Robert would inform her which of the Ministers besides him will attend.

[Footnote 93: As Governor-General of Canada.]