The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 62

The cheering was frequent and enthusiastic. The debate was adjourned till Thursday, when it will probably close.

The expectation is that Ministers will have a majority, but on the amount of that majority must depend their future course.

[Footnote 22: It lasted from dusk till dawn, and the Minister asked for a verdict on the question whether, "as the Roman in days of old held himself free from indignity when he could say, _Civis Roma.n.u.s sum_, so also a British subject, in whatever land he may be, shall feel confident that the watchful eye and the strong arm of England will protect him against injustice and wrong." Peel, who made his last appearance in the House, voted against Palmerston.]

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

_Chesham Place_, _27th June 1850._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has the honour to state that the prospects of the division are rather more favourable for Ministers than they were.

Ministers ought to have a majority of forty to justify their remaining in office.[23]

Mr Gladstone makes no secret of his wish to join Lord Stanley in forming an Administration.

Lord John Russell would desire to have the honour of an audience of your Majesty on Sat.u.r.day at twelve or one o'clock.

The division will not take place till to-morrow night.

[Footnote 23: In the result, Ministers succeeded by 310 to 264, although opposed to them in the debate were Mr Gladstone, Mr Cobden, Sir Robert Peel, Mr Disraeli, Sir James Graham, and Sir William Molesworth. Next to the speeches of Lord Palmerston and Lord John Russell, the most effective speech on the Government side was that of Mr Alexander c.o.c.kburn, afterwards Lord Chief Justice of England.]

[Pageheading: PEEL'S ACCIDENT]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _2nd July 1850._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--For two most kind and affectionate letters I offer my warmest and best thanks. The good report of my beloved Louise's improvement is a great happiness. By my letter to Louise you will have learnt all the details of this certainly very disgraceful and very inconceivable attack.[24] I have not suffered except from my head, which is still very tender, the blow having been extremely violent, and the bra.s.s _end_ of the stick fell on my head so as to make a considerable noise. I own it makes me nervous out driving, and I start at any person coming near the carriage, which I am afraid is natural.

We have, alas! now another cause of much greater anxiety in the person of our excellent Sir Robert Peel,[25] who, as you will see, has had a most serious fall, and though going on well at first, was very ill last night; thank G.o.d! he is better again this morning, but I fear still in great danger. I cannot bear even to think of losing him; it would be the greatest loss for the whole country, and irreparable for us, for he is so trustworthy, and so entirely to be depended on. _All_ parties are in great anxiety about him. I will leave my letter open to give you the latest news.

Our good and amiable guest[26] likes being with us, and will remain with us till Sat.u.r.day. We had a concert last night, and go to the opera very regularly. The _Prophete_ is quite beautiful, and I am sure would delight you. The music in the _Scene du Couronnement_ is, I think, finer than anything in either _Robert_ or the _Huguenots_; it is highly dramatic, and really very touching. Mario sings and acts in it quite in perfection. His _Raoul_ in the Huguenots is also most beautiful. He improves every year, and I really think his voice is the finest tenor I ever heard, and he sings and acts with such _intense_ feeling.

What do you say to the conclusion of our debate? It leaves things just as they were. The House of Commons is becoming very unmanageable and troublesome....

I must now conclude. With Albert's love, ever your most affectionate Niece,

VICTORIA R.

I am happy to say that Sir Robert, though still very ill, is freer from pain, his pulse is less high, and he feels himself better; the Doctors think there is _no_ vital injury, and nothing from which he cannot recover, but that he must be for some days in a precarious state.

[Footnote 24: The Queen, as she was leaving Cambridge House, where she had called to inquire after the Duke of Cambridge's health, was struck with a cane by one Robert Pate, an ex-officer, and a severe bruise was inflicted on her forehead.

The outrage was apparently committed without motive, but an attempt to prove Pate insane failed, and he was sentenced to seven years' transportation.]

[Footnote 25: On the day following the Don Pacifico debate, Sir Robert Peel, after attending a meeting of the Exhibition Commissioners, had gone out riding. On his return, while pa.s.sing up Const.i.tution Hill, he was thrown from his horse, and, after lingering three days in intense pain, died on the 5th of July.]

[Footnote 26: The Prince of Prussia.]

[Pageheading: THE KING OF DENMARK]

_The King of Denmark to Queen Victoria._

COPENHAGUE, _4 Juillet 1850._

MADAME MA S[OE]UR,--Je remplis un devoir des plus agreables, en m'empressant d'annoncer a votre Majeste que la paix vient d'etre signee le 2 de ce mois a Berlin entre moi et Sa Majeste le Roi de Prusse, en Son nom et en celui de la Confederation Germanique.[27]

Je sais et je reconnais de grand c[oe]ur combien je suis redevable a votre Majeste et a Son Gouvernement de ce resultat important, qui justifie mon esperance de pouvoir bientot rendre a tous mes sujets les bienfaits d'une sincere reconciliation et d'une veritable concorde.

Votre Majeste a par la sollicitude avec laquelle Elle a constamment accompli le mandat de la mediation dans l'interet du Danemark et de l'Europe, ajoute aux temoignages inappreciables de sincere amitie qu'elle n'a cesse de m'accorder durant la longue et penible epreuve que le Danemark vient de nouveau de traverser, mais qui parait, a l'aide du Tout-Puissant, devoir maintenant faire place a un meilleur avenir, offrant, sous les auspices de votre Majeste, de nouvelles garanties pour l'independance de mon antique Couronne et pour le maintien de l'integrite de ma Monarchie, a la defense desquelles je me suis voue entierement.

Je suis persuade que votre Majeste me fera la justice de croire que je suis on ne peut plus reconnaissant, et que mon peuple fidele et loyal s'a.s.socie a moi et aux miens, penetre de ces memes sentiments de grat.i.tude envers votre Majeste.

Je m'estimerais infiniment heureux si Elle daignait ajouter a toutes Ses bontes, celle que de me fournir l'occasion de Lui donner des preuves de mon devouement inalterable et de la haute consideration avec lesquels je prie Dieu qu'il vous ait, Madame ma S[oe]ur, vous, votre auguste epoux et tous les votres, dans sa sainte et digne garde, et avec lesquels je suis, Madame ma S[oe]ur, de votre Majeste, le bon Frere,

FREDERICK.

[Footnote 27: Denmark and the Schleswig-Holstein Duchies were still at war. Germany was bent on absorbing the Duchies, but Prussia now concluded a peace with Denmark: the enlistment of individual Germans in the insurgent army continued.]

[Pageheading: DEATH OF PEEL]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _5th July 1850._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--It gave me the greatest pain to learn of the death of our true and kind friend, Sir Robert Peel. That he should have met with his end--he so valuable to the whole earth--from an accident so easily to be avoided with some care, is the more to be lamented. You and Albert lose in him a friend whose moderation, correct judgment, great knowledge of everything connected with the country, can never be found again. Europe had in him a benevolent and a truly wise statesman....

Give my best thanks to Albert for his kind letter. I mean to send a messenger probably on Sunday or Monday to write to him. I pity him about the great Exhibition. I fear he will be much plagued, and I was glad to see that the matter is to be treated in Parliament. Alas! in all human affairs one is sure to meet with violent pa.s.sions, and Peel knew that so well; great care even for the most useful objects is necessary.

I will write to you a word to-morrow. G.o.d grant that it may be satisfactory.[28] Ever, my beloved, dear Victoria, your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 28: The Princess Charlotte of Belgium was seriously ill.]