The Letters of Queen Victoria, Volume 1 (of 3), 1837 to 1843)

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[Footnote 52: The house of Edward Vernon Harcourt, Archbishop
of York.]

[Footnote 53: To receive an address at Commemoration.]

[Footnote 54: Alan Legge, third and last Lord Gardner
(1810-1883) was one of the Queen's first Lords-in-Waiting.]

[Pageheading: THE PRINCE VISITS OXFORD]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _16th June 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He has just
received your Majesty's letter, and will wait upon your Majesty at
half-past five. Lord Melbourne is sorry to hear that your Majesty has
been at all indisposed. It will suit him much better to wait upon
your Majesty at dinner to-morrow than to-day, as his hand shows some
disposition to gather, and it may be well to take care of it.

Lord Melbourne is very glad to learn that everything went off well at
Oxford. Lord Melbourne expected that the Duke of Sutherland[55] would
not entirely escape a little public animadversion. Nothing can be
more violent or outrageous than the conduct of the students of
both Universities upon such occasions; the worst and lowest mobs
of Westminster and London are very superior to them in decency and
forbearance.

The Archbishop[56] is a very agreeable man; but he is not without
cunning, and Lord Melbourne can easily understand his eagerness that
the Queen should not prorogue Parliament in person. He knows that it
will greatly assist the Tories. It is not true that it is universal
for the Sovereign to go down upon such occasions. George III. went
himself in 1784; he did not go in 1807, because he had been prevented
from doing so by his infirmities for three years before. William IV.
went down himself in 1830.[57]

Lord Melbourne sends a note which he has received from Lord Normanby
upon this and another subject.

[Footnote 55: Who was, of course, associated with the Whig
Ministry.]

[Footnote 56: Archbishop Vernon Harcourt, of York, the Queen's
host.]

[Footnote 57: The Queen prorogued Parliament in person on 22nd
June.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _17th June 1841._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--A few lines I must write to you to express to you
my _very great_ delight at the certainty, God willing, of seeing you
all _three_ next week, and to express a hope, and a _great hope_, that
you will try and arrive a little earlier on Wednesday.... I must again
repeat I am so sorry you should come when Society is dispersed and at
sixes and sevens, and in such a state that naturally I cannot at the
moment of the elections invite many Tories, as that _tells_ so at the
elections. But we shall try and do our best to make it as little dull
as we can, and you will kindly take the will for the deed.

We came back from Nuneham yesterday afternoon. Albert came back
at half-past five on Tuesday from Oxford, where he had been
enthusiastically received, but the students ... had the bad taste to
show their party feeling in groans and hisses when the name of a
Whig was mentioned, which they ought not to have done in my husband's
presence.

I must now conclude, begging you ever to believe me, your devoted
Niece,

VICTORIA R.

My Coiffeur will be quite at Louise's disposal, and he can _coiffer_
in any way she likes, if her dresser tells him how she wishes it.

[Pageheading: LORD BROUGHAM]

[Pageheading: LETTER FROM LORD BROUGHAM]

_Lord Brougham to Queen Victoria._[58]

GRAFTON STREET, _19th June 1841._

MOST GRACIOUS SOVEREIGN,--I crave leave humbly to approach your
Majesty and to state in writing what I should have submitted to your
Royal consideration at an Audience, because I conceive that this
course will be attended with less inconvenience to your Majesty.

In the counsel which I ventured with great humility, but with an
entire conviction of its soundness, to tender, I cannot be biassed by
any personal interest, for I am not a candidate for office; nor by any
Parliamentary interest, for I have no concern with elections; nor by
any factious interest, for I am unconnected with party. My only
motive is to discharge the duty which I owe to both the Crown and the
country. Nor am I under the influence of any prejudice against your
Majesty's servants or their measures; for I charge your Majesty's
servants with nothing beyond an error, a great error, in judgment, and
I entirely approve of the measures which they have lately propounded
(with a single exception partially applicable to one of them), while I
lament and disapprove of the time and manner of propounding them, both
on account of the Government and of the measures themselves.

I feel myself, Madam, under the necessity of stating that the
dissolution of the Parliament appears to me wholly without
justification, either from principle or from policy. They who advise
it must needs proceed upon the supposition that a majority will be
returned favourable to the continuance of the present Administration
and favourable to their lately announced policy. On no other ground is
it possible that any such advice should be tendered to your Majesty.
For no one could ever think of such a proceeding as advising the
Crown to dissolve the Parliament in order to increase the force of the
Opposition to its own future Ministers, thus perverting to the mere
purposes of party the exercise of by far the most eminent of the Royal
prerogatives; and I pass over as wholly unworthy of notice the only
other supposition which can with any decency be made, when there is
no conflict between the two Houses, namely, that of a dissolution
in entire ignorance of the national opinion and for the purpose of
ascertaining to which side it inclines. Your Majesty's advisers must,
therefore, have believed, and they must still believe, that a majority
will be returned favourable both to themselves and their late policy.
I, on the other hand, have the most entire conviction that there will
be a considerable majority against them, and against their policy a
majority larger still, many of their supporters having already joined
to swell that majority. Whoever examines the details of the case
must be satisfied that the very best result which the Government can
possibly hope for is a narrow majority against them--an event which
must occasion a second dissolution by whatever Ministry may succeed
to the confidence of your Majesty. But those best acquainted with
the subject have no doubt at all that the majority will be much more
considerable.

I beg leave, Madam, humbly to represent to your Majesty, in my own
vindication for not having laid my opinion before your Majesty as
soon as I returned from the Continent, that when I first heard of
the course taken by the Government early in May, I formed the opinion
which I now entertain, but conceived that I must have mistaken the
facts upon which they were acting; and when I arrived twelve days ago
I was confirmed in the belief (seeing the fixed resolution taken to
dissolve) that I must have been under an erroneous impression as to
the probable results of the elections. But I have since found ample
reason for believing that my original conviction was perfectly well
founded, and that no grounds whatever exist sufficient to make any
one who considers the subject calmly, and without the bias of either
interest or prejudice, really believe that this ill-fated proceeding
can have any other result than lasting injury to your Majesty's
service, to the progress of sound and just views of policy, and to
the influence of those in whom the Crown and the country alike should
repose confidence.

That a number of short-sighted persons whose judgments are warped by
exclusive attention to a single subject, or by personal feelings, or
by party views (and these narrow and erroneous), may have been loudly
clamorous for the course apparently about to be pursued, is extremely
possible, and affords no kind of excuse for it. Many of these will be
the slowest to defend what they have so unfortunately called for; some
will be among the first to condemn it when a manifest failure shall
have taken place, and general discomfiture shall throw a few local
successes into the shade.

My advice is humbly offered to your Majesty, as removed far above such
confined and factious views; as the parent of all your people; as both
bound and willing to watch over their true interests; and as charged
by virtue of your exalted office with the preservation of the public
peace, the furtherance of the prosperity, and the maintenance of the
liberties of your subjects.

I am, with profound respect, Madam, your Majesty's faithful and
dutiful Subject,

BROUGHAM.[59]

[Footnote 58: Mention has been made earlier of the resentment
which Brougham cherished against his late colleagues, after
his exclusion from the Whig Cabinet, and this letter, on the
proposal to dissolve Parliament, was, no doubt, prompted by
that feeling.]

[Footnote 59: Parliament, however, notwithstanding this
rescript of Lord Brougham, was dissolved, and the Ministry
went to the country with the cry of a fixed duty on corn, as
against a sliding scale, and they attacked, as monopolists, at
once the landowner, who enjoyed protection for his wheat,
and the West Indian proprietor, who profited by the duty on
foreign sugar. The Conservatives impugned the general
policy of the Whig Administration. The result, a majority of
seventy-six, was an even greater Conservative triumph than the
most sanguine of the party anticipated.--_See_ Introductory
Note, _ante_, p. 253. (Intro Note to Ch. X)]

[Pageheading: VISIT TO WOBURN]

_Memorandum by Mr Anson._

WOBURN ABBEY, _27th July 1841._

Arrived here last night with the Prince and the Queen; this is now
the second expedition (Nuneham being the first) which Her Majesty has
taken, and on neither occasion has the Baroness accompanied us.

The Prince went yesterday through a review of the many steps he had
made to his present position--all within eighteen months from the
marriage. Those who intended to keep him from being useful to
the Queen, from the fear that he might ambitiously touch upon her
prerogatives, have been completely foiled; they thought they had
prevented Her Majesty from yielding anything of importance to him by
creating distrust through imaginary alarm. The Queen's good sense,
however, has seen that the Prince has no other object in all he seeks
but a means to Her Majesty's good. The Court from highest to lowest is
brought to a proper sense of the position of the Queen's husband.
The country has marked its confidence in his character by passing the
Regency Bill _nem. con._ The Queen finds the value of an active right
hand and able head to support her and to resort to for advice in time
of need. Cabinet Ministers treat him with deference and respect. Arts
and science look up to him as their especial patron, and they find
this encouragement supported by a full knowledge of the details of
every subject. The good and the wise look up to him with pride and
gratitude as giving an example, so rarely shown in such a station, of
leading a virtuous and religious life.

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _3rd August 1841._

... Our little tour was most successful, and we enjoyed it of all
things; nothing could be more enthusiastic or affectionate than our
reception _everywhere_, and I am happy to hear that our presence has
left a favourable impression, which I think will be of great use.
The loyalty in this country is certainly _very striking_. We enjoyed
Panshanger[60] still more than Woburn; the country is quite beautiful,
and the house so pretty and _wohnlich_; the picture-gallery and
pictures very splendid. The Cowpers are such good people too. The
visit to Brocket naturally interested us very much for our excellent
Lord Melbourne's sake. The park and grounds are beautiful.

I can't admit the Duke of Bedford[61] ever was radical; God knows! I
wish everybody now was a little so! What _is_ to come hangs over me
like a baneful dream, as you will easily understand, and when I am
often happy and merry, comes and damps it all![62]

But God's will be done! and it is for our best, we _must_ feel, though
we can't feel it. I can't say _how_ much we think of our little visit
to you, God willing, next year. You will kindly let our good old
Grandmother[63] come there to see her dear Albert _once again_ before
she dies, wouldn't you? And you would get the Nemours to come? And
you would persuade the dear Queen[64] to come for a little while with
Clementine?

Now farewell! Believe me, always, your most devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 60: The house of Earl Cowper.]

[Footnote 61: The Duke, who had formerly been M.P. for
Bedfordshire, was inclined to go further in the direction of
Reform than Lord John, yet he applauded the latter's attitude
on the occasion of the speech which earned him the nickname of
"Finality Jack."]

[Footnote 62: Alluding to the Ministerial defeat at the
polls.]

[Footnote 63: The Dowager Duchess of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg.]

[Footnote 64: Marie Amelie, Queen of the French.]

[Pageheading: LORD MELBOURNE AND THE GARTER]

_Memorandum by Mr Anson._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _7th August 1841._

I went to Lord Melbourne this morning in his room as he had desired
me. He said: "The Prince has been urging me to accept the Blue Riband
before I quit office, and I wished to tell you that I am very anxious
that this should not be pressed upon me by the Queen; it may be a
foolish weakness on my part, but I wish to quit office without having
any honour conferred upon me; the Queen's confidence towards me is
sufficiently known without any public mark of this nature. I have
always disregarded these honours, and there would be an inconsistency
in my accepting this. I feel it to be much better for my reputation
that I should not have it forced upon me. Mr Pitt never accepted
an order, and only the Cinque Ports on being pressed to do so. Lord
Grenville accepted a peerage, but never any other honour or advantage,
and I wish to be permitted to retire in like manner. If I was a poor
man, I should have no hesitation in receiving money in the shape of
place or pension; I _only don't wish_ for place, because I do not
_want_ it."

In the course of conversation Lord Melbourne said that he considered
it very improbable that he should ever again form a part of any
Administration.

He did not think that a violent course was at all to be apprehended
from Lord John Russell; he said Lord John had been far more of a
"finality" man than he had, and in the Cabinet had always been averse
to violent change. He added, "I think you are in error in forming the
opinion which you have of him."

Lord Melbourne thought the Queen very much disliked being talked _at_
upon religion; she particularly disliked what Her Majesty termed a
_Sunday face_, but yet that it was a subject far more thought of and
reflected upon than was [thought to be?] the case.

[Pageheading: A DREADED MOMENT]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _15th August 1841._

... Lord Melbourne well knows the feeling which your Majesty
describes. The expectation of an event which is dreaded and
deprecated, and yet felt to be certain and imminent, presents itself
continually to the mind and recurs at every moment, and particularly
in moments of satisfaction and enjoyment. It is perhaps no consolation
to be told that events of this nature are necessary and incidental to
your Majesty's high situation, but Lord Melbourne anxiously hopes that
the change, when it does take place, will not be found so grievous
as your Majesty anticipates, and your Majesty may rely that Lord
Melbourne will do everything in his power to reconcile it to your
Majesty's feelings.

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _17th August 1841._

Lord Melbourne is very glad to hear of the Princess's tooth.

Lord Melbourne is much obliged to your Majesty for informing him about
the mourning.

He is quite well and will be ready when your Majesty sends.

_Memorandum by Mr Anson._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _23rd August 1841._

Lord John Russell was staying at the Castle, and asked to-day for an
audience of Her Majesty, and was closeted for a long time. The Prince
asked Her Majesty what Lord John came for. The Queen said he came
about several things, but particularly he wished to impress upon the
Queen that Her Majesty should not allow Sir Robert Peel to propose any
new Grants in Parliament, as they (the Whigs) could not well oppose
it, and this being felt, the whole unpopularity would fall upon the
Queen's person. An idea existed that the Tories were always jobbing
with money, and the grant for the building the new stables at Windsor
had shown how suspicious people were.

Lord John did not speak clearly out, but on consultation with Lord
Melbourne the Queen thought Lord John must have alluded to Peel having
spoken equivocally at the end of his speech relative to the Prince's
annuity, and would now probably propose a further grant, and would say
the time was now come in order to stand well with the Queen. The Queen
replied that she would never allow such a thing to be proposed and
that it would be a disgrace to owe any favour to that Party.

The only answer the Prince gave was that these views were _very
agreeable_ for him.

[Pageheading: A CARRIAGE ACCIDENT]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _24th August 1841._

... Our accident[65] was not so very bad, and considering that it is
the _very first_ that had happened in the course of _five summers_,
with _so many_ carriages and horses, one cannot be surprised. I
beg leave also to say that I _can_ get out _very_ quick. I am very
thankful that you agree to the couriers. I am a little sorry that you
have put poor Mamma off _so_ late, as she is _very_ much hurt at it, I
fear, by what I hear, and accuses me of it. But that will, I trust,
be forgiven. You don't say that _you_ sympathise with me in my present
heavy trial,[66] the heaviest I have ever had to endure, and which
will be a sad heartbreaking to me--but I know you do feel for me. I am
quiet and prepared, but still I fell very _sad_, and God knows! very
wretched at times, for myself and my country, that _such_ a change
must take place. But God in His mercy will support and guide me
through all. Yet I feel that my constant headaches are caused by
annoyance and vexation!

Adieu, dearest Uncle! God bless you! Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 65: The Queen had driven to Virginia Water to see
Prince Albert's beagles hunting, when owing to the hounds
running between the horses' legs and frightening them, a pony
phaeton and four containing Lord Erroll, Lady Ida Hay, and
Miss Cavendish was upset. One of the postillions was (not
dangerously) hurt.]

[Footnote 66: _I.e._, Lord Melbourne being succeeded by Sir
Robert Peel as Prime Minister.]

[Pageheading: DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _24th August 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. We have
just delivered the Speech in the House of Lords, and the debate will
commence at five o'clock. We understand that the amendment is to be a
repetition of the motion of want of confidence, which Sir Robert Peel
made in the House of Commons before the dissolution, and nearly in the
same terms. It is to be moved by Lord Ripon[67] in the House of
Lords, and by Mr. Stuart Wortley[68] in the House of Commons. It is
understood to be their intention to avoid, as much as possible, debate
upon the Corn Laws, and upon the other topics in the Speech, and to
place the question entirely upon the result of the General Election
and the proof which that affords that the Ministry does not possess
the confidence of the country. Lord Melbourne thinks that it will not
be found easy to repress debate in the House of Commons, but would not
be surprised if the course which it is intended to pursue should much
shorten it in the House of Lords. Lord Melbourne will write again to
your Majesty after the debate, and will certainly come down to-morrow,
unless anything unexpected should occur to prevent him.

It will be necessary to receive the address of the Convocation in some
manner or another. Lord Melbourne will write confidentially to the
Archbishop[69] to learn how it may be received in the quietest manner
and with the least trouble. Lord Melbourne has little doubt that the
Lords and Commons will send their addresses by the officers of the
Household.

Lord Melbourne entreats your Majesty to pick up your spirits.

[Footnote 67: The first Earl (1782-1859) who had, as Lord
Goderich, been Premier in 1827-1828.]

[Footnote 68: J. Stuart Wortley (1801-1855), M.P. for the West
Riding, afterwards the second Lord Wharncliffe.]

[Footnote 69: Dr Howley.]

[Pageheading: COBDEN'S SPEECH]

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

WILTON CRESCENT, _26th August 1841._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has
the honour to report that nothing remarkable occurred in the debate
of yesterday, except a powerful speech from Mr Cobden, a
manufacturer.[70]

The debate will probably close this evening. No one of the Tory
leaders, except Sir Robert Peel, appears disposed to speak.

Should the Address be voted to-night, and reported to-morrow, it may be
presented to your Majesty by Lord Marcus Hill[71] on Saturday.

But should the debate be continued over this night, the report of the
Address can hardly take place till Monday. This, however, is not very
likely.

[Footnote 70: Cobden had just been elected for the first time
for Stockport.]

[Footnote 71: Son of Lord Downshire, and M.P. for Evesham;
afterwards (under a special remainder) the third Lord Sandys.]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _27th August 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. Upon his
arrival he found that there was no precedent of the House meeting
again after an Address, without receiving an answer from the Crown.
Lord Erroll therefore delivered the answer in the terms which had been
submitted by Lord Melbourne to your Majesty, and it appeared to give
satisfaction. The debate will probably terminate in the House of
Commons to-night; at the same time it may not. If it does we must
place our resignation in your Majesty's hands on Saturday, and it must
be announced to the Houses of Parliament on Monday. Your Majesty
will then do well not to delay sending for some other person beyond
Tuesday. Lord Melbourne will write to your Majesty more fully upon all
these subjects to-morrow, when he will know the result of the night's
debate, and be able more surely to point out the course of events.

Lord Melbourne received the Eau-de-Cologne, and returns your Majesty
many thanks for it.

Lord Melbourne understands that the Duke of Wellington is, in fact,
very desirous of having the Foreign Seals,[72] and that if your
Majesty feels any preference for him in that department the slightest
intimation of your Majesty's wish in that respect will fix him in his
desire to have it.

[Footnote 72: The Duke had been Foreign Secretary in 1835.]

[Pageheading: AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY]

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

WILTON CRESCENT, _28th August 1841._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has
the honour to report that the Amendment to the Address was carried by
91, the numbers being--

For the Address 269
For the Amendment 360
---
91
---

The Tory party proposed that the House should meet this day, and the
Speaker signified that he should take the Chair at twelve o'clock. The
Address will be carried to Windsor by Lord Marcus Hill this evening if
then ready.

Lord John Russell takes this opportunity of closing his Reports again,
to express to your Majesty his deep sense of your Majesty's goodness
towards him. It is his fervent prayer that your Majesty may enjoy a
long and happy reign.

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _28th August 1841._

... Your Majesty must, of course, consider us as having tendered
our resignations immediately after the vote of last night, and your
Majesty will probably think it right to request us to continue to hold
our offices and transact the current business until our successors are
appointed.

Lord Melbourne will have the honour of writing again to your Majesty
in the course of the day.

[Pageheading: THE RESIGNATION]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _28th August 1841._

... Albert will not stay for the dinner, and I expect him back at
about eleven to-night. He went at half-past eleven this morning. It is
the first time that we have ever been separated for so long since our
marriage, and I am quite melancholy about it.