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

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I feel deeply our new loss, which recalls all the previous sad losses
which we have had so forcibly, and I pray that it may not affect you
too much, dearest Victoria, and that you will not suffer from the
shock it must have been to you. I was not in the least aware of the
danger and near approach of the fatal end, and only yesterday began to
feel alarmed by the accounts which I had received.

I have been with the poor Duchess of Inverness on my way to town, and
found her as composed as possible under the sad circumstances, and
full of gratitude to you and all the family for all the kindness which
she had received. I pity her very much. It must be her comfort to have
made the last years of the Duke's life happy, and to have been his
comfort to the last moment.

I wish you good-night, dearest Niece, and beg you to give my best
love to dear Albert, and to believe me most devotedly your most
affectionate Aunt,

ADELAIDE.

[Pageheading: BIRTH OF PRINCESS ALICE]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _16th May 1843._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Your kind and dear letter of the 12th has given
me great pleasure. I am happy to give you still better accounts of
myself.[37] I have been out every day since Saturday, and have resumed
all my usual habits almost (of course resting often on the sofa, and
not having appeared in Society yet), and feel so strong and well; much
better (independent of the nerves) than I have been either time. We
are most thankful for it. The King of Hanover has never said _when_ he
will come, even _now_, but always threatens that he will....

Our little baby, who I really am proud of, for she is so very forward
for her age, is to be called _Alice_, an old English name, and the
other names are to be _Maud_ (another old English name and the same
as Matilda) and _Mary_, as she was born on Aunt Gloucester's birthday.
The Sponsors are to be: The King of Hanover,--Ernestus the Pious; poor
Princess Sophia Matilda,[38] and Feodore, and the christening to be on
the 2nd of June. It will be delightful to see you and dearest Louise
on the 19th of June, God willing.

Are there any news of Joinville's proceedings at Rio?[39] Ever your
devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 37: Princess Alice was born on 25th April.]

[Footnote 38: Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester.]

[Footnote 39: He married Princess Francesca, sister of the
Emperor of the Brazils and of Queen Donna Maria.]

[Pageheading: CHRISTENING OF PRINCESS ALICE]

_The Earl of Ripon to Queen Victoria._

INDIA BOARD, _5th June 1843._

Lord Ripon, with his humble duty to your Majesty, begs to inform your
Majesty that despatches have been this day received at the India House
from the Governor-General of India and from the Governor of Bombay,
announcing the successful issue of a battle, on the 24th of March,
between Sir Charles Napier and Meer Shere Mahommed.[40] The forces of
the latter were completely routed, with the loss of all the guns and
several standards.

RIPON.

[Footnote 40: Sir Charles Napier, who was in command in
Scinde, defeated the army of the Ameers of Upper and Lower
Scinde at Meeanee on 17th February, and on the 20th took
Hyderabad. On the 24th March he attacked the enemy, who were
posted in a strong position on the banks of a tributary of the
Indus, and obtained a decisive victory.]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

CLAREMONT, _6th June 1843._

DEAREST UNCLE,--I received your kind letter on Sunday, and thank
you much for it. I am sorry that you could not take the children to
Ardenne, as nothing is so good for children as _very_ frequent change
of air, and think you do not let the children do so often enough.
Ours do so continually, and are so movable that it gives us no trouble
whatever.

Our christening went off very brilliantly, and I wish you could have
witnessed it; nothing could be more _anstaendig_, and little _Alice_
behaved extremely well. The _dejeuner_ was served in the Gallery, as
at dear Pussy's christening, and there being a profusion of flowers on
the table, etc., had a beautiful effect.

The King of Hanover arrived _just in time_ to be _too late_. He is
grown very old and excessively thin, and bends a good deal. He is very
gracious, for _him_. Pussy and _Bertie_ (as we call the boy) were
not at all afraid of him, _fortunately_; they appeared after the
_dejeuner_ on Friday, and I wish you could have seen them; they
behaved so beautifully before that great number of people, and I must
say looked _very dear_, all in white, and _very distingues_; they were
much admired.

We came here on Saturday. The news from Ireland continue to be very
alarming. Hoping to hear soon, for _certain_, when you come, believe
me, ever, your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

I hope you will _kindly answer_ my letter of _last Tuesday_.

[Pageheading: IRISH AFFAIRS]

_Sir Thomas Fremantle_[41] _to Sir Robert Peel._[42]

HOUSE OF COMMONS, _9th June (1843)._

MY DEAR SIR ROBERT,--The King of Hanover took his seat at twenty
minutes past four. He is now on the Woolsack with the Lord Chancellor,
the Duke of Wellington, and Lord Strangford; no other Peers are in the
House, the time of meeting being five o'clock.

It was not necessary that any other Peers should introduce His
Majesty. He merely produced his writ of summons, and went to the table
to be sworn. I remain, yours sincerely,

THOMAS FREMANTLE.

[Footnote 41: One of the Secretaries of the Treasury:
afterwards Lord Cottesloe.]

[Footnote 42: Forwarded to the Queen by Sir Robert Peel.]

_Sir Robert Peel to the Prince Albert._

WHITEHALL, _11th June 1843._

(_Sunday._)

SIR,--In consequence of the conversation which I had with your Royal
Highness on Thursday last on the subject of Ireland, I beg to mention
to your Royal Highness that the Cabinet met again to-day at Lord
Aberdeen's house.

We had a very long discussion.

The prevailing opinion was that if legislation were proposed,[43] that
legislation should be as effectual as possible; that there would be
no advantage in seeking for new powers unless these powers were
commensurate with the full extent of the mischief to be apprehended.

Foreseeing, however, all the difficulties of procuring such powers,
and the increased excitement which must follow the demand for them,
we were unwilling to come to an immediate decision in favour of
recommending new legislation, and resolved therefore to watch the
course of events for some time longer, continuing precautionary
measures against disturbances of the public peace.

I have not received any material information from Ireland by the post
of this day, nor has Sir James Graham.

I have the honour to be, Sir, with sincere respect, your Royal
Highness's most faithful and humble Servant,

ROBERT PEEL.

[Footnote 43: In consequence of the Repeal agitation, the
Ministers had already introduced an Irish Arms Bill, which was
carried.]

[Pageheading: THE REBECCA RIOTS]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _22nd June 1843._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He was
infinitely obliged to your Majesty for coming into the room the other
evening when he was with the Prince, and very much delighted to have
an opportunity of seeing your Majesty, especially in such good health
and spirits.

Lord Melbourne is very glad that your Majesty has seen _As you Like
It_. It is indeed a most gay, lively, and beautiful play. To see or to
read it is quite like passing an hour or two in a forest of fairyland.
It is so lively, and at the same time so romantic. All depends upon
Rosalind, which was an excellent part of Mrs. Jordan. Jaques is also a
very particular character and difficult to play.

Lord Melbourne feels himself better, but still weak. He does not like
to say much about politics, but he cannot refrain from observing that
they seem to him to have permitted these lawless riotings in South
Wales[44] to go on with success and impunity a great deal too long.
When such things begin nobody can say how far they will go or how
much they will spread. There are many who expect and predict a general
rising against property, and this is invariably the way in which such
things begin.

[Footnote 44: The agitation against the turnpike system which
had broken out in South Wales. _See_ Introductory Note, p.
450. (to Ch. XII)]

_Queen Victoria to Sir James Graham._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _23rd June 1843._

The Queen returns these communications to Sir James Graham, which are
of a very unpleasant nature. The Queen trusts that measures of the
greatest severity will be taken, as well to suppress the revolutionary
spirit as to bring the culprits[45] to immediate trial and punishment.
The Queen thinks this of the greatest importance with respect to the
effect it may have in Ireland, likewise as proving that the Government
is willing to show great forbearance, and to trust to the good sense
of the people; but that if outrages are committed and it is called
upon to act, it is not to be trifled with, but will visit wrong-doers
with the utmost severity.

[Footnote 45: _I.e._, the Rebecca rioters.]

[Pageheading: MILITARY MEDALS]

_Queen Victoria to Lord Stanley._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _24th June 1843._

The Queen follows Lord Stanley's recommendation to confer the G.C.B.
on Sir Charles Napier with great pleasure, from her high opinion of
his late achievements, and she thinks it might be advisable that some
of the officers who most contributed to the victories of Meeanee and
Hyderabad[46] should receive lower grades of the Bath. The Queen is
much _impressed with the propriety_ of a medal being given to the
troops who fought under Sir Charles Napier, as the armies under Nott,
Pollock, and Sale received such distinctions for actions hardly equal
to those in Scinde.

[Footnote 46: See _ante_, p. 481. (Ch. XII, 5th June, 1843)]

_Sir James Graham to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _24th June 1843._

Sir James Graham, with humble duty, begs to lay before your Majesty
the report received from Carmarthen this morning. The Earl of Cawdor
went to Carmarthen this morning.[47]

Every effort will be made to trace this lawless outbreak to its
source, and to bring the principal offenders to justice.

Sir James Graham encloses two Police Reports, which have been received
this morning from Dublin. They would seem to indicate some foreign
interference, and some hope of foreign assistance mingled with this
domestic strife. Several Frenchmen have lately made their appearance
in different parts of Ireland.

The above is humbly submitted by your Majesty's dutiful Subject and
Servant,

J. R. G. GRAHAM.

[Footnote 47: Lord Cawdor was Lord-Lieutenant of
Carmarthenshire.]

_Queen Victoria to the Duchess of Norfolk._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _24th June 1843._

MY DEAR DUCHESS,--The same right which you feel, and which you had
to overcome before you took the final step of tendering your
resignation,[48] has kept me from sooner acknowledging the receipt
of your letter. Under the circumstances which you allude to, it is
incumbent upon me to accept of your resignation, but as you throw out
yourself a hint that it would be agreeable to you sometimes to perform
the duties (which you have hitherto fulfilled), it would give me the
greatest gratification if you would let me continue your name on the
list of my Ladies of the Bedchamber, and sometimes at your convenience
have the pleasure of your society.

I agree with you that for the present your step should not be known,
till I shall have had time to find a successor, and I am pleased to
think that you will take your waitings, which are at present settled.

With the Prince's kind regards to yourself, and mine to the Duke,
believe me, always, yours very affectionately,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 48: Of her position as Bedchamber Woman.]

[Pageheading: DUELLING IN THE ARMY]

_Queen Victoria to the Duke of Wellington_.

(_July 1843._)

The Queen having attentively perused the proposed General Order for
the more efficient repression of the practice of duelling in the
Army, approves of the same, but recommends that the Duke of Wellington
should submit to the Cabinet the propriety of considering of a
general measure applicable to _all branches_ of the Naval and Military
Service.[49]

[Footnote 49: An influential anti-duelling association had
been formed this year, and subsequently public attention was
drawn to the question by a duel on 1st July, at Camden Town,
in which Colonel Fawcett was shot by his brother-in-law,
Lieutenant Munro, who had reluctantly gone out, after enduring
much provocation. Mainly owing to Prince Albert's efforts,
the Articles of War were so amended as to put a stop to the
practice.]

[Pageheading: THE SPANISH MARRIAGE]

_The Prince Albert to Lord Aberdeen._

_20th July 1843._

MY DEAR LORD ABERDEEN,--The Queen and myself have been taken much
by surprise by Lord Howard de Walden's despatch marked "most
confidential." The opinions of the Portuguese Court must have entirely
changed. Although we have not heard anything on the subject, we are
fully convinced of the correctness of Lord Howard's statements and of
his conjectures. We are both pleased to see the view which he takes,
and the good opinion he has of our little cousin. The Queen thinks
it right that you should inform Lord Howard that the possibility of a
marriage between Prince Leopold[50] and the Queen of Spain has been
for some time a favourite thought of hers and mine, and that you
thought that this combination had some advantages which hardly any
other could offer. But that the matter had been and was treated here
as one purely and solely Spanish, in which we carefully abstained from
interfering with, and that we leave it to work itself out or not by its
own merit.

That you wished him to take the same view, but not to lose sight
of it, and to report to you whatever he might hear bearing upon the
subject. Believe me, etc.,

ALBERT.

[Footnote 50: Son of Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg, and
brother of the King of Portugal. See _ante_, p. 378, and
_post_, p. 486. (Ch. XI, Footnote 11; Ch. XII, 'The Spanish Marriage')]

_Queen Victoria to the Duchess of Norfolk._

DEAR DUCHESS,--I write to inform you that I have named your
successor,[51] who is to be Lady Douro.[52] The great regret
I experience at your leaving me is certainly diminished by the
arrangement which we have agreed upon together, and which will still
afford me the pleasure of having you occasionally about me. I trust
that the Duke's health will admit of your taking your waiting in
September, but think it right to tell you that we shall probably at
that time be making some aquatic excursions in our new yacht, and
consequently be from home the greater part of your waiting.

With the Prince's best regards to yourself, and mine to the Duke,
believe me, always, yours very affectionately,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 51: As Bedchamber Woman.]

[Footnote 52: Elizabeth, daughter of the eighth Marquis of
Tweeddale, afterwards Duchess of Wellington. She died in
1904.]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _3rd August 1843._

The Queen returns the enclosed papers, and gives her sanction to the
bringing in of the Bill for Enrolling and Arming the Out-Pensioners
of Chelsea Hospital with great pleasure, as she thinks it a very good
measure at the present crisis, calculated to relieve the troops which
are rather overworked, and to secure a valuable force to the service
of the Government. The Queen hopes that in bringing in the Bill Sir
Robert Peel will make as little of it as possible, in order not to
make it appear a larger measure than it is.

The Regulations strike the Queen as very judicious, and she has little
doubt that they will raise the military spirit in the Pensioners, and
will make the measure popular with them, which cannot fail to attach
them more to the Crown.

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _13th August 1843._

The Queen is desirous that whatever is right should be done, but is
strongly of opinion that the King of Hanover's threat (for as such
it must be regarded) not to leave this country till the affair[53] is
decided upon, should in _no way_ influence the transaction, as it is
quite immaterial whether the King stays longer here or not.

[Footnote 53: Of the Crown jewels; _ante_, p. 439.
(Ch. XI, 'Crown Jewels')]

[Pageheading: THE SPANISH MARRIAGE]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _13th August 1843._

The Queen sees with great regret, in Sir Robert Gordon's despatch of
4th August, that Prince Metternich has resumed his favourite scheme
of a marriage between the Queen of Spain and a son of Don Carlos, and
that King Louis Philippe has almost come to a secret understanding
with him upon that point.[54] The Queen is as much as ever convinced
that instead of tending to pacify Spain _this_ combination cannot fail
to call _new_ principles of discord into action, to excite the hopes
of a lost and vanquished party for revenge and reacquisition of power,
and to carry the civil war into the very interior of the family. The
Queen is anxious (should Lord Aberdeen coincide in this view of
the subject, as she believes he does) that it should be _clearly_
understood by Sir Robert Gordon, and Prince Metternich.

[Footnote 54: Since the Quadruple Alliance (of England,
France, Spain, and Portugal) in 1834 to expel Don Carlos and
Dom Miguel from the Peninsula, the question of the marriage
of Queen Isabella (then aged four) had been a subject
of incessant consideration by England and France. The
Queen-Mother had suggested to Louis Philippe the marriages of
the Queen to the Duc d'Aumale and of the Infanta (her sister)
to the Duc de Montpensier: such a proposal, however gratifying
to the French King's ambition, would naturally not have been
favourably viewed in England; but Guizot promoted warmly the
alternative project of a marriage of the Queen to her cousin
Don Francisco de Asis, Duke of Cadiz, son of Don Francisco de
Paula, the Infanta being still to marry Montpensier. It was
believed that, if this marriage of the Queen took place, there
would be no issue of it, and Louis Philippe's ambition would
be ultimately gratified. To Palmerston's protest against this
scheme (before the Melbourne Ministry fell), Guizot replied,
"_La Reine aura des enfants et ne mourra pas._" The other
possible candidates for the Queen's hand from the French point
of view were Count Montemolin, the son of Don Carlos, the
Count de Trapani, son of Francis I., King of the Two Sicilies,
and thus brother of Queen Christina, and the Duke of Seville,
a brother of the Duke of Cadiz. Other candidates also favoured
by the Queen-Mother were (while he was unmarried) Prince
Albert's brother, and his cousin Leopold, brother of the King
of Portugal; but the French King was bent upon a marriage
of the Queen with some descendant of Philip V., and equally
determined to prevent the Infanta's marriage either with
Leopold or any other Prince not a descendant of Philip V. The
view of Prince Albert and of Lord Aberdeen was that it was a
matter for the young Queen herself and the Spanish people. See
_ante_, p. 485. (Ch. XII, 20th July, 1843)]

_The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria._

FOREIGN OFFICE, _13th August 1843._

Lord Aberdeen, with his most humble duty, begs to assure your Majesty
that he will not fail to give his best attention to your Majesty's
communication respecting the marriage of the Queen of Spain.

In a recent despatch to Sir Robert Gordon, Lord Aberdeen has repeated
the opinion entertained by your Majesty's Government, that the
marriage of the Queen with the son of Don Carlos, instead of leading
to the conciliation and unison of parties, would be more likely to
produce collision and strife, and to increase the existing animosity
between the different political factions by which Spain is distracted.

This marriage, however, has always been a favourite project with
Austria and the Northern Courts; and it has also been apparently
supported by the French Government. It cannot be denied that at
first sight there are many considerations by which it may seem to be
recommended; but the weight of these can only be duly estimated by the
authorities and people of Spain.

The same may be said respecting the marriage of the Queen with any
other Spanish Prince, a descendant of Philip V. which, in the opinion
of many, would be most agreeable to the feelings and prejudices of
the nation. To this project also it appears that the French Government
have recently assented.

Lord Aberdeen humbly thinks that the interests of this country and of
all Europe are deeply concerned in the exclusion of a French Prince
from the possibility of receiving the hand of the Queen; and that it
would not be a wise policy to oppose any marriage by which this should
be effected, consistently with the free choice of the Queen, and
the sanction of the Spanish Government and people. The avowed
predilections of Queen Christina, and her increased means of influence
recently acquired, render this a matter of considerable anxiety and
importance at the present moment.

[Pageheading: PARLIAMENTARY OBSTRUCTION]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _16th August 1843._

The Queen cannot refrain from writing a line to express her
indignation at the very unjustifiable manner in which the minority
of thirteen members obstructs the progress of business.[55] She
hopes that every attempt will be made to put an end to what is really
indecent conduct. Indeed, how is business to go on at all if such
vexatious opposition prevails? At all events, the Queen hopes that
Sir Robert will make _no kind_ of concession to these gentlemen, which
[could] encourage them to go on in the same way.

The Queen forgot to say this morning that she thinks it would be
better that the Investiture of the Thistle should be put off for the
present.

[Footnote 55: By opposition to the Bill removing doubts as to
the admission of Ministers in Scotland.]

_Queen Victoria to Sir James Graham._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _22nd August 1843._

The Queen returns these papers to Sir J. Graham, and thinks that this
important Memorial[56] should _not_ be decided on without the opinion
of the House of Lords; the Queen trusts that everything will be done
to secure inviolate the maintenance of the Marriage Act.

[Footnote 56: The memorial was that of Sir Augustus d'Este
(1794-1848), the son of the union of the Duke of Sussex and
Lady Augusta Murray. On 4th April 1793 they were married at
Rome by an English clergyman, the ceremony being repeated in
the same year at St George's, Hanover Square. The Court of
Arches annulled the marriage in 1794, but Sir Augustus now
preferred a claim to the peerage. Ultimately the Lords, after
consulting the judges, disallowed it.]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _23rd August 1843._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and thanks
your Majesty much for the last note which he had the honour of
receiving. Lord Melbourne is much pleased that your Majesty is glad
of Wilhelmina Stanhope's marriage,[57] and was very glad to hear that
your Majesty had congratulated her and Lady Stanhope upon it,
which was very kind, and gave much satisfaction. Lord Dalmeny is an
excellent young man, and altogether it is an event much to be rejoiced
at, especially as it has been so long delayed, and fears began to
be entertained that it would never happen. The Duke and Duchess of
Sutherland seem also much pleased with Evelyn's[58] marriage. She is a
beautiful girl, and a very nice person in every respect, and everybody
must wish her happy. Lord Melbourne has been at Panshanger for two
or three days with Uxbridge and Lady Uxbridge, Ella, and Constance.
Uxbridge is having continual cricket matches as he used to have, which
is a very good thing, making the country gay, and pleasing the people.

Matrimonial affairs, Lord Melbourne is afraid, remain _in statu quo_.

Lord Melbourne was very glad to hear from Anson yesterday and to learn
that he thinks himself getting better. Lord Liverpool had given Lord
Melbourne a very poor account of him. Lord Melbourne hopes that your
Majesty may have a pleasant tour, but he cannot refrain from earnestly
recommending your Majesty to take care about landing and embarking,
and not to do it in dangerous places and on awkward coasts. Lord
Melbourne is going the day after to-morrow with Lord and Lady Beauvale
to Brocket Hall, and from thence on the 29th to Melbourne, to stay
about three weeks or a month.

Lord Melbourne congratulates your Majesty upon the near approaching
termination of the Session of Parliament, which is always a relief
to all parties. Some great measures have been passed. Lord Melbourne
wishes your Majesty health and happiness, and begs to be respectfully
remembered to the Prince.