The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 110

This Audience was not granted, and Lord John Russell has never been in a situation to explain to your Majesty why he believes that his leading the House of Commons without office is not liable to any const.i.tutional objection.

The Speaker and Mr Walpole both concur that no const.i.tutional objection to this arrangement exists, but should your Majesty wish to see the arguments briefly stated by which Lord John Russell has been convinced, he should be happy to be allowed to lay them before your Majesty.

[Pageheading: THE REFUGEE QUESTION]

_The Earl of Clarendon to Queen Victoria._

_25th February 1853._

Lord Clarendon presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and humbly begs to state that Count Colloredo[7] called upon him this afternoon.... Count Colloredo then said that he had another and more disagreeable subject to discuss with Lord Clarendon. He commenced by reading a note from Count Buol[8] complaining bitterly of the refugees, and the manner in which they abused the hospitality afforded them in this country, and attributing in great measure to the proclamations of Kossuth and Mazzini the late insurrection at Milan, and the attempt on the Emperor's life.[9] This note expressed a hope and belief that some measure would at once be adopted by your Majesty's Government to remove the just complaints of Allied Governments, and intimated that should this hope not be _spontaneously_ realised some measures on the part of those Governments would become necessary for their own protection as well as to mark their sense of the wrong done to them by England.

Lord Clarendon said that your Majesty's Government were as indignant as that of Austria could be at the disgraceful abuse of the protection afforded to these refugees; but he could hold out no hope of any legislation for the purpose of sending them out of the country.

Count Colloredo did not disguise his annoyance and disappointment at this, and seemed to attribute it to want of goodwill on the part of your Majesty's Government, which he felt sure would have the support of public opinion in proposing such a measure as his Government desired.

The discussion became rather warm, and Lord Clarendon thought it right to remark that too much importance might be given to these proclamations and too little to the causes which at home might lead the subjects of Austria to manifest their discontent by revolutionary outbreaks, nor could we conceal from ourselves that the complaints about the refugees were occasionally directed against the free inst.i.tutions which gave them protection, and that we were not always viewed with favour as presenting the single but prosperous exception to that system of government which otherwise would now almost be uniform in Europe.[10]

[Footnote 7: Austrian Amba.s.sador.]

[Footnote 8: Austrian Prime Minister.]

[Footnote 9: Kossuth and Mazzini were in England, prosecuting their schemes against Austria; the Austrian Government attributed to them the Milanese rising, and the recent attempt to a.s.sa.s.sinate the Emperor Francis Joseph at Vienna.]

[Footnote 10: The Refugee Question was debated in the House of Lords on the 4th of March.]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _9th March 1853._

The Queen has received Lord Palmerston's letter, and the reports on the Militia which she returns, having marked several parts in them which show an absence of the most important requisites. Already in October the Queen observed upon the want of arms for the Militia, and was invariably answered that they would be immediately provided. But by these reports this seems still not to be the case.

[Pageheading: PRINCE MENSCHIKOFF]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

LAEKEN, _18th March 1853._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--Receive my best thanks for your gracious letter of the 15th. I trust that the bitter cold weather we have now again will not displease you. I fear Albert's heavy cold will not be the better by the east wind which makes one s.h.i.+ver. I am thunderstruck by a telegraph despatch from Ma.r.s.eilles of the 17th, which declares that Prince Menschikoff has not succeeded, and has therefore given orders for the Russian fleet to come to Constantinople.[11] Heaven grant that these news may not be true, though bad news generally turn out correct. I am so sorry to see the Emperor Nicholas, who had been so wise and dignified since 1848, become so very unreasonable. In Austria they are still a good deal excited. One can hardly feel astonished considering circ.u.mstances; I trust that reflection may induce them to modify their measures. The Italian n.o.bles have shown themselves great fools by acting as they have done, and thereby giving an opening to social revolution. By some accident we have been within these few days well informed of some of the movements of the good people that enjoy an asylum in England. Kossuth is now the great director and favourite, and Republics are everywhere to spring up, till he (Kossuth) is to be again Dictator or Emperor somewhere.... Europe will never recover that shock of 1848.

My dearest Victoria, your truly devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 11: _See_ Introductory Note, _ante_, pp. 431.]

[Pageheading: THE "HOLY PLACES"]

_The Earl of Aberdeen to Queen Victoria._

LONDON, _22nd March 1853._

Lord Aberdeen presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He encloses a letter from Lord Cowley, which shows a considerable degree of irritation on the part of the French Government, and of embarra.s.sment in consequence of the rash step they have taken in ordering the departure of their fleet from Toulon to the Greek Waters.[12] If no catastrophe should take place at Constantinople, as Lord Aberdeen hopes and believes, this irritation will probably subside, and they may find us useful in a.s.sisting them to escape from their difficulty with respect to the "Holy Places."

Lord Aberdeen has seen the Instructions of Prince Menschikoff, which relate exclusively to the claims of the Greek Church at Jerusalem; and although these conditions may humiliate Turkey, and wound the vanity of France, there is nothing whatever to justify the reproach of territorial aggression, or hostile ambition. If the Turkish Government, relying upon the a.s.sistance of England and France, should remain obstinate, the affair might become serious; but even then, Lord Aberdeen is convinced that no final step will be taken by the Emperor, without previous communication to England.

Much depends upon the personal character of Prince Menschikoff. If he can command himself sufficiently to wait for the arrival of Lord Stratford, Lord Aberdeen does not doubt that the matter will be settled, without coming to extremities....

[Footnote 12: Even before the Conference met, Menschikoff's overbearing conduct and demeanour had induced Napoleon to despatch the French Fleet from Toulon to Salamis, to watch events.]

[Pageheading: THE CZAR CONCILIATORY]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Aberdeen._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _23rd March 1853._

The Queen has received Lord Aberdeen's letter of yesterday, and returns Lord Cowley's. Everything appears to her to depend upon the real nature of the demands made by Russia, and the Queen was therefore glad to hear from Lord Aberdeen that he found nothing in Prince Menschikoff's instructions to justify the reproach of territorial aggression or hostile ambition. Still the mode of proceeding at Constantinople is not such as would be resorted to towards a "sick friend for whose life there exists much solicitude." This ought clearly to be stated to Baron Brunnow, in the Queen's opinion.

The two Drafts to Sir H. Seymour and Lord Cowley struck the Queen as very temperate, conciliatory, and dignified.

_The Earl of Clarendon to Queen Victoria._

_29th March 1853._

Lord Clarendon presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and humbly begs to state that he had this afternoon a satisfactory interview with the French Amba.s.sador, who told him that the Emperor had to a certain extent been deceived upon the Eastern Question, and that he had given his decision without fully considering the matter in all its bearings.

But that he had since viewed it in a different light, and had so far recognised the propriety of the course adopted by your Majesty's Government, that if the sailing order had not been improperly published in the _Moniteur_ the French Fleet should not have quitted Toulon.

Count Walewski further stated that _the Persons_ who had thus advised the Emperor, finding that their views were not supported by facts as they hoped, had endeavoured to throw the blame upon England and to show that France had been abandoned and Russia preferred by your Majesty's Government, and that hence had arisen the want of cordiality and good feeling with respect to which Lord Clarendon some days ago spoke to Count Walewski. He, however, a.s.sured Lord Clarendon that all this had now pa.s.sed away, and that the Emperor was as anxious as ever for a good understanding with England, and particularly upon all matters connected with the East. Lord Clarendon expressed great satisfaction that this momentary difference between the two Governments should be at an end.