The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 97

The Queen wishes Lord Derby to communicate this letter to Lord Malmesbury, from whom she has also just heard upon this subject.

[Footnote 31: In this letter the President of the Republic had expressed his admiration at the conduct of the French troops in the Roman expedition under General Oudinot, and his warm approval of the policy that led to the campaign.]

_Mr Disraeli to Queen Victoria._

HOUSE OF COMMONS, _19th April 1852._ (_Monday night, half-past twelve._)

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, with his humble duty to your Majesty, reports to your Majesty that, after a dull debate, significant only by two of the subordinate Members of the late Administration declaring their hostility to the Militia Bill, Lord John Russell rose at eleven o'clock and announced his determination to oppose the second reading of it.[32] His speech was one of his ablest--statesmanlike, argumentative, terse, and playful; and the effect he produced was considerable.

Your Majesty's Government, about to attempt to reply to it, gave way to Lord Palmerston, who changed the feeling of the House, and indeed entirely carried it away in a speech of extraordinary vigour and high-spirited tone.

The Ministers were willing to have taken the division on his Lords.h.i.+p sitting down, but as the late Government wished to reply, the Chancellor of the Exchequer would not oppose the adjournment of the debate.

The elements of calculation as to the division are very complicated, but the Chancellor of the Exchequer is still inclined to believe that the second reading of the Bill will be carried.

[Footnote 32: This tactical blunder, much condemned at the time, estranged many of the Whigs from Lord John.]

[Pageheading: THE BUDGET]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Derby._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _25th April 1852._

The Queen wishes to remind Lord Derby that the time for the presentation of the Budget to the House of Commons being very close at hand, none of the Measures referring to the finances of the country which the Government may have to propose have as yet been laid before her.

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Derby._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _26th April 1852._

The Queen has received Lord Derby's explanation of his views with regard to the Budget,[33] and will be glad to see him on Wednesday at three o'clock. She had been alarmed by vague rumours that it was the intention of the Government to propose great changes in the present financial system, which, with an adverse majority in the House of Commons and at the eve of a Dissolution, must have led to much confusion. She thinks the course suggested by Lord Derby to consider the Budget merely as a provisional one for the current year, by far the wisest, the more so as it will leave us a surplus of 2,000,000, which is of the utmost importance in case of unforeseen difficulties with Foreign Powers.[34]

[Footnote 33: Its chief feature was a renewal of the expiring Income Tax.]

[Footnote 34: Accordingly, no financial changes were proposed until after the General Election. See _post_, p. 406.]

_Mr Disraeli to Queen Victoria._

HOUSE OF COMMONS, _26th April._ (_Monday night, twelve o'clock._)

The Chancellor of the Exchequer, with his humble duty to your Majesty, reports to your Majesty that the Militia Bill has been carried (second reading) by an immense majority.

For 315 Against 165

The concluding portion of the debate was distinguished by the speeches of Mr Sidney Herbert and Mr Walpole, who made their greatest efforts; the first singularly happy in his treatment of a subject of which he was master, and the last addressing the House with a spirit unusual with him.

[Pageheading: FRANCE AND THE BOURBONS]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _27th April 1852._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I thank you much for your kind and affectionate letter of the 23rd. I have somehow or other contrived to lose my day, for which reason I can only write a very short letter. It seems to be generally believed that Louis Napoleon's a.s.sumption of the t.i.tle of Emperor is very near at hand, but they still think war is not likely, as it would be such bad policy.

What you say about the ill-fated Spanish marriages, and the result of the poor King's wis.h.i.+ng to have no one but a Bourbon as Queen Isabel's husband being that the _French won't_ have _any_ Bourbon, is indeed strange. It is a melancholy result.

I shall certainly try and read Thiers' _Revolution, Consulat, et Empire_, but I can hardly read _any_ books, my whole _lecture_ almost being taken up by the immense quant.i.ty of despatches we have to read, and then I have a good deal to write, and must then have a little leisure time to rest, and _de me dela.s.ser_ and to get out. It is a great deprivation, as I delight in reading. Still, I will not forget your recommendation.

I am sorry to say _nothing_ is definitely settled about our dear Crystal Palace. With Albert's love, ever your truly devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

_Queen Victoria to Mr Disraeli._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _1st May 1852._

The Queen has read with great interest the clear and able financial statement which the Chancellor of the Exchequer made in the House of Commons last night, and was glad to hear from him that it was well received.

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Malmesbury._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _13th May 1852._

With respect to this despatch from Lord Howden,[35] the Queen wishes to observe that hitherto we have on all similar occasions declined accepting any Foreign Order for the Prince of Wales, on account of his being too young and not even having any of the English Orders. Might this not therefore be communicated to Lord Howden?

[Footnote 35: British Minister at Madrid.]