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

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

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51

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.]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

_9th September 1841._

... Sir Robert Peel will have the honour of writing to your Majesty
to-morrow on the subjects adverted to in the note which he has just
received from your Majesty.

He begs for the present to assure your Majesty that he shall consider
every communication which your Majesty may be pleased to address
to him in reference to the personal merits or disqualifications of
individuals as of a most confidential character.

[Pageheading: PEEL APOLOGISES]

_Sir Robert Peel to Mr Anson._

WHITEHALL, _10th September 1841._

MY DEAR SIR,--I am sorry if I have failed to make any communication to
Her Majesty respecting public matters, which Her Majesty has been in
the habit of receiving, or which she would have wished to receive.

Having been occupied in the execution of the important trust committed
to me not less than sixteen or eighteen hours of the twenty-four for
several days past, it may be that I have made some omissions in this
respect, which under other circumstances I might have avoided. I did
not think Her Majesty would wish to be informed of the issue of writs,
necessarily following the appointments to certain offices, of all
which Her Majesty had approved. I certainly ought to have written
to Her Majesty previously to the adjournment of the House of Commons
until Thursday the _16th of September_. It was an inadvertent omission
on my part, amid the mass of business which I have had to transact,
and I have little doubt that if I had been in Parliament I should have
avoided it.

The circumstances of my having vacated my seat, and of having
thus been compelled to leave to others the duty of proposing the
adjournment of the House, was one cause of my inadvertence.

Both the Duke of Wellington and I fully intended to make a report to
Her Majesty after the close of the Parliamentary business of each day,
and will do so without fail on the reassembling of Parliament.

I am, my dear Sir, very faithfully yours,

ROBERT PEEL.

[Pageheading: DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _10th September 1841._

... Lord Melbourne has no doubt that Sir Robert Peel has the most
anxious wish to do everything that can be agreeable to your Majesty.

Your Majesty should not omit to speak fully and seriously to him upon
the disposal of great appointments. Their Diplomatic Corps, from which
Ambassadors and Governors are generally taken, is the weakest part of
their establishment. They have amongst them men of moderate abilities
and of doubtful integrity, who yet have held high offices and
have strong claims upon them. The public service may suffer most
essentially by the employment of such men. Lord Melbourne would say
to Peel that "affairs depend more upon the hands to which they are
entrusted than upon any other cause, and that you hope he will well
consider those whose appointment to high and important situations
he sanctions, and that he will not suffer claims of connection or of
support to overbalance a due regard for your Majesty's service and the
welfare of the country." Such an expression of your Majesty's opinion
may possibly be a support to Sir Robert Peel against pretensions which
he would be otherwise unable to resist; but this is entirely submitted
to your Majesty's judgment, seeing that your Majesty, from an exact
knowledge of all that is passing, must be able to form a much more
correct opinion of the propriety and discretion of any step than Lord
Melbourne can do....

Lord Melbourne has a letter from Lord John Russell, rather eager for
active opposition; but Lord Melbourne will write to your Majesty more
fully upon these subjects from Woburn.

[Pageheading: CANADA]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

WOBURN ABBEY, _12th September 1841._

Lord Melbourne has this morning received your Majesty's letter of
yesterday. Lord Melbourne entirely agrees with your Majesty about
appointments. He knows, as your Majesty does from experience,
that with all the claims which there are to satisfy, with all the
prejudices which are to be encountered, and with all the interests
which require to be reconciled, it is impossible to select the best
men, or even always those properly qualified. He is the last man who
would wish that a Minister who has the whole machine of the Government
before him should be necessarily thwarted or interfered with in the
selection of those whom he may be desirous to employ. Lord Melbourne
would therefore by no means advise your Majesty to throw difficulty in
the way of the diplomatic arrangements which may be proposed, unless
there should be in them anything manifestly and glaringly bad. The
nomination of Lord ---- would have been so, but otherwise it cannot
very greatly signify who is the Ambassador at Vienna, or even at
Petersburg or Paris. Stuart de Rothesay[94] and Strangford[95] are not
good men, either of them, but it will be difficult for Lord Aberdeen
to neglect their claims altogether. Heytesbury[96] is an able man, the
best they have. Sir Robert Gordon[97] is an honest man, slow but not
illiberal. It would be well if your Majesty showed Lord Aberdeen that
you know these men, and have an opinion upon the subject of them.

Canada is another matter. It is a most difficult and most hazardous
task. There has been recent rebellion in the country. A new
Constitution has lately been imposed upon it by Parliament. The two
Provinces have been united, and the united Province is bordered by a
most hostile and uncontrollable community, the United States of North
America. To govern such a country at such a moment requires a man of
great abilities, a man experienced and practical in the management
of popular assemblies.... It is possible that matters may go smoothly
there, and that if difficulties do arise Sir C. Bagot may prove more
equal to them than from his general knowledge of his character Lord
Melbourne would judge him to be....

Upon the subject of diplomatic appointments Lord Melbourne has
forgotten to make one general observation which he thinks of
importance. Upon a change of Government a very great and sudden change
of all or many of the Ministers at Foreign Courts is an evil and to be
avoided, inasmuch as it induces an idea of a general change of policy,
and disturbs everything that has been settled. George III. always set
his face against and discouraged such numerous removals as tending to
shake confidence abroad in the Government of England generally and to
give it a character of uncertainty and instability. It would be well
if your Majesty could make this remark to Lord Aberdeen.

[Footnote 94: The new Ambassador to St Petersburg.]

[Footnote 95: Percy, sixth Viscount Strangford (1780-1855),
formerly Ambassador to Constantinople, whom Byron described as

"Hibernian Strangford, with thine eyes of blue,
And boasted locks of red or auburn hue."]

[Footnote 96: See _post_, p. 329. (Ch. X, 19th September, 1841)]

[Footnote 97: The new Ambassador to Vienna.]

[Pageheading: INDIA AND AFGHANISTAN]

[Pageheading: LORD ELLENBOROUGH'S REPORT]

[Pageheading: INDIAN FINANCES]

_Lord Ellenborough[98] to Queen Victoria._

Lord Ellenborough presents his most humble duty to your Majesty, and
humbly acquaints your Majesty that having, on the morning after the
Council held at Claremont on the third of this month, requested the
clerks of the India Board to put him in possession of the latest
information with respect to the Political, Military, and Financial
affairs of India, he ascertained that on the 4th of June instructions
had been addressed to the Governor-General of India in Council in the
following terms:--"We direct that unless circumstances now unknown to
us should induce you to adopt a different course, an adequate force
be advanced upon Herat, and that that city and its dependencies may be
occupied by our troops, and dispositions made for annexing them to the
kingdom of Cabul."[99]

The last letters from Calcutta, dated the 9th of July, did not
intimate any intention on the part of the Governor-General in
Council of directing any hostile movement against Herat, and the
Governor-General himself having always evinced much reluctance to
extend the operations of the army to that city, it seemed almost
probable that the execution of the orders of the 4th of June would
have been suspended until further communication could be had with the
Home Authorities.

Nevertheless, in a matter of so much moment it did not appear to be
prudent to leave anything to probability, and at Lord Ellenborough's
instance your Majesty's confidential servants came to the conclusion
that no time should be lost in addressing to the Governor-General in
Council a letter in the following terms--such letter being sent, as
your Majesty must be aware, not directly by the Commissioners for the
Affairs of India, but, as the Act of Parliament prescribes in affairs
requiring secrecy, by their direction through and in the name of the
Secret Committee of the Court of Directors:--

"From the Secret Committee of the Court of Directors of the East India
Company to the Governor-General of India in Council.

"Her Majesty having been pleased to form a new Administration, we
think it expedient that no step should be taken with respect to
Herat which would have the effect of compelling the prosecution of a
specific line of Policy in the countries beyond the Indus, until
the new Ministers shall have had time to take the subject into their
deliberate consideration, and to communicate to us their opinions
thereupon.

"We therefore direct that, unless you should have already taken
measures in pursuance of our Instructions of the 4th of June
1841--which commit the honour of your Government to the prosecution
of the line of Policy which we thereby ordered you to adopt, or which
could not be arrested without prejudice to the Public interests, or
danger to the troops employed--you will consider those Instructions to
be suspended.

"We shall not fail to communicate to you at an early period our fixed
decision upon this subject."

It was not possible to bring this subject before your Majesty's
confidential servants before the afternoon of Saturday the 4th. The
mail for India, which should have been despatched on the 1st, had been
detained till Monday the 6th by the direction of your Majesty's late
Ministers, in order to enable your Majesty's present servants to
transmit to India and China any orders which it might seem to them
to be expedient to issue forthwith. Further delay would have been
productive of much mercantile inconvenience, and in India probably of
much alarm. In this emergency your Majesty's Ministers thought
that your Majesty would be graciously pleased to approve of their
exercising at once the power of directing the immediate transmission
to India of these Instructions.

Your Majesty must have had frequently before you strong proofs of
the deep interest taken by Russia in the affairs of Herat, and your
Majesty cannot but be sensible of the difficulty of maintaining in
Europe that good understanding with Russia which has such an important
bearing upon the general peace, if serious differences should exist
between your Majesty and that Power with respect to the States of
Central Asia.

But even if the annexation of Herat to the kingdom of Cabul were
not to have the effect of endangering the continuance of the good
understanding between your Majesty and Russia, still your Majesty will
not have failed to observe that the further advance of your Majesty's
forces 360 miles into the interior of Central Asia for the purpose
of effecting that annexation, could not but render more difficult
of accomplishment the original intention of your Majesty, publicly
announced to the world, of withdrawing your Majesty's troops from
Afghanistan as soon as Shah Sooja should be firmly established upon
the throne he owes to your Majesty's aid.

These considerations alone would have led Lord Ellenborough to desire
that the execution of the orders given on the 4th of June should at
least be delayed until your Majesty's confidential servants had had
time to consider maturely the Policy which it might be their duty to
advise your Majesty to sanction with respect to the countries on the
right bank of the Indus; but financial considerations strengthened
this desire, and seemed to render it an imperative duty to endeavour
to obtain time for mature reflection before any step should be taken
which might seriously affect the tranquillity of Europe, and must
necessarily have disastrous effects upon the Administration of India.

It appeared that the political and military charges now incurred
beyond the Indus amounted to L1,250,000 a year--that the estimate of
the expense of the additions made to the Army in India, since April
1838, was L1,138,750 a year, and that the deficit of Indian Revenue
in 1839-40 having been L2,425,625, a further deficit of L1,987,000 was
expected in 1840-41.

Your Majesty must be too well informed of the many evils consequent
upon financial embarrassment, and entertains too deep a natural
affection for all your Majesty's subjects, not to desire that in
whatever advice your Majesty's confidential servants may tender to
your Majesty with respect to the Policy to be observed in Afghanistan,
they should have especial regard to the effect which the protracted
continuance of military operations in that country, still more any
extension of them to a new and distant field, would have upon the
Finances of India, and thereby upon the welfare of eighty millions of
people who there acknowledge your Majesty's rule.

[Footnote 98: President of the Board of Control.]

[Footnote 99: For the progress of affairs in Afghanistan,
_see_ Introductory Notes for 1839-1842.
(to Ch. VIII; Ch. IX; Ch. X; Ch. XI)]

_Queen Victoria to Lord Ellenborough._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _19th September 1841._

The Queen thanks Lord Ellenborough for this clear and interesting
Memorandum he has sent. It seems to the Queen that the course intended
to be pursued--namely to take time to consider the affairs of India
without making any precipitate change in the Policy hitherto pursued,
and without involving the country hastily in expenses, is far the best
and safest.

[Pageheading: DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _19th September 1841._

In the conversation that the Queen had with Lord Aberdeen last week,
she omitted mentioning two persons to him. The one is Lord Heytesbury;
the Queen believes him to be a very able man, and would it not
therefore be a good thing to employ him in some important mission? The
other person is Mr Aston, who is at Madrid; the Queen hopes it may be
possible to leave him there, for she thinks that he acted with great
discretion, prudence, and moderation since he has been there, and the
post is one of considerable importance. He was, the Queen believes,
long Secretary to the Legation at Paris.

_The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria._

FOREIGN OFFICE, _21st September 1841._

Lord Aberdeen presents his most humble duty to your Majesty....

Lord Aberdeen has seen the favourable opinion which your Majesty has
been graciously pleased to express of Lord Heytesbury, and he humbly
presumes to think that this honour is not unmerited. The situation
of Governor-General of India has recently been proposed by Sir Robert
Peel for Lord Heytesbury's acceptance, which has been declined by him,
and it is understood that Lord Heytesbury is not at present desirous
of public employment.[100]

Your Majesty's servants have not yet fully considered the propriety
of submitting to your Majesty any proposal of a change in the Spanish
Mission; but the opinion which your Majesty has been pleased to
signify respecting the conduct of Mr Aston at Madrid appears, in
the humble judgment of Lord Aberdeen, to be fully confirmed by the
correspondence in this Office.

Lord Aberdeen would, however, venture humbly to mention that the
person filling this Mission has usually been replaced on a change of
the Administration at home. Should this be the case in the present
instance, Lord Aberdeen begs to assure your Majesty that the greatest
care will be taken to select an individual for your Majesty's
approbation who may be qualified to carry into effect the wise, just,
and moderate policy which your Majesty has been graciously pleased to
recognise in the conduct of Mr Aston.

[Footnote 100: He was made Governor and Captain of the Isle of
Wight, and Governor of Carisbrooke Castle.]

[Pageheading: MELBOURNE AND PEEL]

_Memorandum by Mr Anson._

ROYAL LODGE, _21st September 1841._

Saw Baron Stockmar this morning at the Castle, and had a good deal of
conversation with him on various matters. He is very apprehensive that
evil will spring out of the correspondence now carried on between the
Queen and Lord Melbourne. He thinks it is productive of the greatest
possible danger, and especially to Lord Melbourne; he thought no
Government could stand such undermining influence. I might tell this
to Lord Melbourne, and say that if he was totally disconnected from
his Party, instead of being the acknowledged head, there would not
be the same objection. He said, Remind Lord Melbourne of the time
immediately after the Queen's accession, when he had promised the King
of the Belgians to write to him from time to time an account of all
that was going on in this country; and upon Lord Melbourne telling
him of this promise, he replied, This will not do. It cannot be kept a
secret that you keep up this correspondence, and jealousy and distrust
will be the fruit of a knowledge of it. "Leave it to me," he said, "to
arrange with the King; you cease to write, and I will put it straight
with the King."

The Baron seemed to expect Lord Melbourne to draw the inference from
this that a correspondence between Lord Melbourne and the Queen was
fraught with the same danger, and would, when known, be followed
by distrust and jealousy on the part of Sir Robert Peel. I said I
reconciled it to myself because I felt that it had been productive of
much good and no harm--and that, feeling that it was conducted on
such honourable terms, I should not, if it were necessary, scruple to
acquaint Sir Robert Peel of its existence. The Baron said, "Ask Lord
Melbourne whether he would object to it." He said Peel, when he heard
it, would not, on the first impression, at all approve of it; but
prudence and caution would be immediately summoned to his aid, and he
would see that it was his policy to play the generous part--and would
say he felt all was honourably intended, and he had no objection to
offer--"but," said the Baron, "look to the result. Distrust, being
implanted from the first, whenever the first misunderstanding arose,
or things took a wrong turn, all would, in Peel's mind, be immediately
attributed to this cause."

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _24th September 1841._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I have already thanked you for your two kind
letters, but I did not wish to answer them but by a Messenger. I feel
thankful for your praise of my conduct; all is going on well, but it
would be needless to attempt to deny that I _feel_ the _change_, and
I own I am much happier when I need _not_ see the Ministers; luckily
they do not want to see me often. I feel much the King's kindness
about Ste Aulaire;[101] I shall see him here on Tuesday next.

I return you our excellent friend Melbourne's letter, which I had
already seen, as he sent it me to read, and then seal and send. I miss
him much, but I often hear from him, which is a great pleasure to me.
It is a great satisfaction to us to have Stockmar here; he is a great
resource, and is now in excellent spirits.

Mamma is, I suppose, with you now, and we may expect her here either
next Thursday or Friday. How much she will have to tell us! I am very
grateful for what you say of Claremont, which could so easily be
made perfect; and I must say we enjoy ourselves there always
_particulierement_.... Albert begs me to make you his excuses for not
writing, but I can bear testimony that he really has not time to-day.
And now _addio!_ dearest Uncle, and pray believe me, always, your
devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 101: See _post_, p. 334. (Ch. X, 1st October, 1841)]

[Pageheading: FINE ARTS COMMISSION]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

_26th September 1841._

Sir Robert Peel presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs to
be permitted to submit for your Majesty's consideration a suggestion
which has occurred to Sir Robert Peel, and which has reference to
the communication which he recently addressed to your Majesty on
the subject of the promotion of the Fine Arts in connection with the
building of the new Houses of Parliament.

Sir Robert Peel would humbly enquire from your Majesty whether (in
the event of your Majesty's being graciously pleased to approve of the
appointment of a Royal Commission for the further investigation and
consideration of a subject of such deep importance and interest to
the encouragement of art in this country) your Majesty would deem
it desirable that the Prince should be invited in the name of your
Majesty to place himself at the head of this Commission, and to give
to it the authority and influence of his high name, and the advantage
of his taste and knowledge.

Sir Robert Peel will not of course mention this subject to any
one, until he has had the honour of receiving from your Majesty an
intimation of your Majesty's opinions and wishes on this subject.

[Pageheading: DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _28th September 1841._

... The diplomatic appointments are as well as they could be made.
At least Lord Melbourne thinks so--at least as much in consequence
of those whom they exclude, as of those whom they admit. The Duke of
Beaufort will do better for Petersburg than for Vienna. He is hardly
equal to the place, which requires a clever man, it being more
difficult to get information there, and to find out what is going on,
than in any other country in Europe.... But Lord Melbourne does not
much regard this, and the Duke of Beaufort possesses one advantage,
which is of the greatest importance in that country. He is a soldier,
was the Duke of Wellington's Aide-de-Camp, and served during much of
the Peninsular War. He will therefore be able to accompany the Emperor
to reviews, and to talk with him about troops and man[oe]uvres. Sir
Robert Gordon and Sir S. Canning will do very well.[102]