The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 22

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _3rd August 1846._

The Queen has just seen Lord Bessborough, who presses very much for her going to Ireland; she thinks it right to put Lord John Russell in possession of her views on this subject.

It is a journey which must one day or other be undertaken, and which the Queen would be glad to have accomplished, because it must be disagreeable to her that people should speculate whether she _dare_ visit one part of her dominions. Much will depend on the proper moment, for, after those speculations, it ought to succeed if undertaken.

The Queen is anxious that when undertaken it should be a National thing, and the good which it is to do must be a permanent and not a transitory advantage to a particular Government, having the appearance of a party move.

As this is not a journey of pleasure like the Queen's former ones, but a State act, it will have to be done with a certain degree of State, and ought to be done handsomely. It cannot be expected that the main expense of it should fall upon the Civil List, nor would this be able to bear it.

[Pageheading: CANADIAN AFFAIRS]

_The Prince Albert to Earl Grey._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _3rd August 1846._

MY DEAR LORD GREY,--The Queen wishes me to return you the enclosed letter. The subject of the Government of Canada is one which the Queen has much at heart. Canada has been for a long time, and may probably _still_ be for the future, a source of great weakness to this Empire, and a number of experiments have been tried. It was in a very bad state before the Union, continually embarra.s.sing the Home Government, and the Union has by no means acted as a remedy, but it may be said almost to have increased the difficulties. The only thing that has. .h.i.therto proved beneficial was the prudent, consistent, and impartial administration of Lord Metcalfe. Upon the continuance and consistent application of the system which he has laid down and acted upon, will depend, in the Queen's estimation, the future welfare of that province, and the maintenance of proper relations with the mother country. The Queen therefore is most anxious that in the appointment of a new Governor-General (for which post she thinks Lord Elgin very well qualified), regard should be had to securing an uninterrupted development of Lord Metcalfe's views. The Queen thought it the more her duty to make you acquainted with her sentiments upon this subject, because she thinks that additional danger arises from the impressions which the different agents of the different political parties in Canada try to produce upon the Home Government and the imperial Parliament, and from their desire to mix up Canadian _party_ politics with general English _party_ politics.[21] Ever yours, etc.

ALBERT.

[Footnote 21: In the event, Lord Elgin was appointed.]

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

CHESHAM PLACE, _4th August 1846._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and is greatly obliged to your Majesty for your Majesty's communication respecting a Royal visit to Ireland. He concurs in your Majesty's observations on that subject. He is of opinion that if the visit partook in any way of a party character, its effects would be mischievous, and not beneficial.

He is also doubtful of the propriety of either incurring very large expense on the part of the public, or of encouraging Irish proprietors to lay out money in show and ceremony at a time when the accounts of the potato crop exhibit the misery and distress of the people in an aggravated shape.

[Pageheading: THE WELLINGTON STATUE]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

_7th August_ [_1846_].

With regard to the Statue[22] on the arch on Const.i.tution Hill, the Queen is of opinion that if she is considered individually she is bound by her word, and must allow the Statue to go up, however bad the appearance of it will be. If the const.i.tutional fiction is applied to the case, the Queen acts by the advice of her _responsible_ advisers.

One Government advised her to give her a.s.sent, another advises the withdrawal of that a.s.sent. This latter position has been taken in Lord Morpeth's former letter to the Committee, and in the debate in the House of Commons; it must therefore now be adhered to, and whatever is decided must be the act of the Government. It would accordingly be better to keep the word "Government" at the conclusion of Lord Morpeth's proposed letter, and that the Prince should not go to Town to give an opinion upon the appearance of the figure, when up.

[Footnote 22: The equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington at Hyde Park Corner was much criticised at the time of its erection: it is now at Aldershot.]

_The Prince Albert to Viscount Palmerston._

[_9th August 1846._]

MY DEAR LORD PALMERSTON,--The Queen is much obliged for Lord Howard de Walden's private letter to you, and begs you will never hesitate to send her such private communications, however unreserved they may be in their language, as our chief wish and aim is, by hearing all parties, to arrive at a just, dispa.s.sionate, and correct opinion upon the various political questions. This, however, entails a strict scrutiny of what is brought before us....

[Pageheading: ENGLAND AND SPAIN]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

OSBORNE, _17th August 1846._

The Queen has received a draft to Mr Bulwer from Lord Palmerston. The perusal of it has raised some apprehensions in the Queen's mind, which she stated to Lord Palmerston she would communicate to Lord John Russell.

The draft lays down a general policy, which the Queen is afraid may ultimately turn out very dangerous. It is this:

England undertakes to interfere in the internal affairs of Spain, and to promote the development of the present const.i.tutional Government of Spain in a more democratic direction, and this for the avowed purpose of counteracting the influence of France. England becomes therefore _responsible_ for a particular direction given to the _internal_ Government of Spain, which to control she has no sufficient means. All England can do, and will have to do, is: to keep up a particular party in Spain to support her views.

France, knowing that this is directed against her, must take up the opposite party and follow the opposite policy in Spanish affairs.

This must bring England and France to quarrels, of which we can hardly foresee the consequences, and it dooms Spain to eternal convulsions and reactions.

This has been the state of things before; theory and experience therefore warn against the renewal of a similar policy.

The natural consequence of this is that Don Enrique would appear as the desirable candidate for the Queen of Spain's hand, and Lord Palmerston accordingly for the first time deviates from the line hitherto followed by us, and _urges_ Don Enrique, which in the eyes of the world must stamp him as "_an English Candidate_." Lord Palmerston, from his wish to see him succeed, does, in the Queen's opinion, not sufficiently acknowledge the obstacles which stand in the way of this combination, and which all those who are on the spot and in the confidence of the Court represent as almost insurmountable.

The Queen desires Lord John Russell to weigh all this most maturely, and to let her know the result.

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

CHESHAM PLACE, _19th August 1846._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has the honour to state that he has maturely considered, together with Lord Palmerston, Lord Lansdowne, and Lord Clarendon, your Majesty's observations on the draft sent by Lord Palmerston for your Majesty's approbation.