The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 69

VICTORIA R.

[Pageheading: ENGLAND AND ROME]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _8th December 1850._

The Queen received Lord John Russell's letter and the draft yesterday.

He must be a better judge of what the effect of Mr Sheil's[51]

presence in Rome may be than she can; but for her own part, she thinks it entirely against her notions of what is _becoming_ to _ask_ the _Pope_ for a _favour_ (for it is tantamount to that) at a moment when his name is being vilified and abused in every possible manner in this country. It strikes the Queen as an _undignified_ course for this Government to pursue.

The Queen is glad to hear of what pa.s.sed between the Archbishop and Lord John.[52] She trusts that something may be done, as the desire for it seems to be so great. On the other hand, the Queen deeply regrets the great abuse of the Roman Catholic religion which takes place at all these meetings, etc. She thinks it unchristian and unwise, and trusts that it will soon cease....

[Footnote 51: Minister at the Court of Tuscany.]

[Footnote 52: The Government were preparing for the introduction of their Ecclesiastical t.i.tles Bill.]

[Pageheading: LADY PEEL]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _10th December 1850._

MY BELOVED UNCLE,--My letter must, I fear, be a somewhat hurried and short one, for my morning has been taken up in receiving in state Addresses from the City and Universities about this _unfortunate_ "Papal Aggression" business, which is still keeping people in a feverish state of wild excitement.[53] _One_ good effect it has had, viz. that of directing people's serious attention to the very alarming tendency of the _Tractarians_, which was doing _immense_ harm....

_Many, many thanks_ for your two dear and kind letters of the 6th and of yesterday. All you _say_ about _Louise_, and about the disappearance _for ever_ of _all_ that _she loved_ and was _proud of_, is so true, so _dreadful_. One fancies (foolishly and wrongly, but still one _does_) that the lost one has been hardly used in no longer enjoying these earthly blessings, and one's grief seems to break out afresh in bitter agony upon _small and comparatively trifling_ occasions. Poor Lady Peel (whom I saw for the first time yesterday at Buckingham Palace, whither I had gone for an hour) expressed _this_ strongly. _Hers_ is indeed a _broken heart_; she is so _truly_ crushed by the _agony_ of _her_ grief; it was _very_ touching to see and to hear her. Poor thing! she _never_ can be happy again!

What you say about _me_ is far too kind. I am very _often_ sadly dissatisfied with myself and with the little self-control I have.

Your long letter interested us much. I fear the German affairs are very bad.... That everlasting "backwards and forwards," as you say, of my poor friend the King of Prussia is _calamitous_; it causes _all_ parties to distrust him, and gives _real_ strength only to the Republicans. Since '48 that has been his conduct, and the _misfortune_ for Germany. A _steady_ course, _whatever_ it may be, is _always_ the best.

What you say about poor Helene[54] and France is true and sad. I really wish you would caution Helene as to her language; she is much attached to you. I _pity_ her very much; her position is very trying, and her religion renders it more difficult even.

I must now end my letter. I grieve to hear of your going _alone_ to Ardenne; it is BAD for you to be alone, and your poor children also ought not to be alone. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 53: These Addresses were presented at Windsor, Prince Albert and the Duke of Wellington representing the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford.]

[Footnote 54: The d.u.c.h.ess of Orleans.]

[Pageheading: THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH]

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

DOWNING STREET, _11th December 1850._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has the honour to state that the Cabinet to-day considered at great length the question of the steps to be taken in respect to the Papal Aggression.

The inclination of the majority was not to prosecute, but to bring a Bill into Parliament to make the a.s.sumption of any t.i.tles of archbishop, etc., of any place in the United Kingdom illegal, and to make any gift of property conveyed under such t.i.tle null and void.

[Pageheading: RITUALISM]

_Queen Victoria to the d.u.c.h.ess of Gloucester._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _12th December 1850._

MY DEAR AUNT,--Many thanks for your kind letter; you are quite right not to distress the d.u.c.h.ess of Cambridge by mentioning to her what I wrote to you about the Bishop of London.[55] I am glad that you are pleased with my answers to the Addresses; I thought them very proper.[56]

I would never have consented to say anything which breathed a spirit of intolerance. Sincerely Protestant as I always have been and always shall be, and indignant as I am at those who _call themselves Protestants_, while they in fact _are_ quite the _contrary_, I much regret the unchristian and intolerant spirit exhibited by many people at the public meetings. I cannot bear to hear the violent abuse of the Catholic religion, which is so painful and cruel towards the many good and innocent Roman Catholics. However, we must hope and trust this excitement will soon cease, and that the wholesome effect of it on our own _Church_ will be the lasting result of it. Ever yours ...

VICTORIA R.

[Footnote 55: The Bishop of London had taken the same view as Lord John Russell of the Papal action, though they had disagreed over the Gorham controversy.]

[Footnote 56: See _ante_, p. 279.]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _14th December 1850._

The Queen has received Lord John Russell's letter of yesterday. She sanctions the introduction into Parliament of a Bill framed on the principles agreed upon at yesterday's Cabinet, presuming that it will extend to the whole United Kingdom. What is to be done, however, with respect to the Colonies where the Roman Catholic bishoprics are recognised by the Government under territorial t.i.tles? and what is to be done with Dr Cullen, who has a.s.sumed the t.i.tle of Archbishop of Armagh, Primate of all Ireland, which is punishable under the Emanc.i.p.ation Act? If this is left unnoticed, the Government will be left with the "_lame_" argument in Parliament of which we conversed here. Could the Government not be helped out of this difficulty by the Primate himself prosecuting the obtruder? The Queen hopes that the meeting of the archdeacons with Dr Lus.h.i.+ngton may do some good; she cannot say that she is pleased with the Archbishop's answer to the laity published in to-day's _Times_, which leaves them without a remedy if the clergymen persist in Puseyite Rituals! The Queen will return Lord Minto's letter with the next messenger.

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._