The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume I Part 57

[Pageheading: PALMERSTON AND FRANCE]

[Pageheading: VIEWS OF LOUIS PHILIPPE]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

WIESBADEN, _2nd October 1840._

... There is an idea that Mehemet Ali suffers from what one calls _un charbon_, a sort of dangerous ulcer which, with old people, is never without some danger. If this is true, it only shows how little one can say that the Pashalik of Aleppo is to decide who is to be the master of the Ottoman Empire in Europe and Asia, the Sultan or Mehemet? It is highly probable that if the old gentleman dies, his concern will go to pieces; a division will be attempted by the children, but that in the East hardly ever succeeds. There everything is personal, except the sort of Caliphate which the Sultan possesses, and when the man is gone, his empire _also goes_. Runjeet Singh[41] is a proof of this; his formidable power will certainly go to the dogs, though the Sikhs have a social link which does not exist in the Egyptian concern. If we now were to set everything in Europe on a blaze, have a war which may change totally all that now exists, and in the midst of it we should hear that Mehemet is no more, and his whole _boutique_ broken up, would it not be _really laughable_, if it was not _melancholy_? And still the war _once raging_, it would no longer put a stop to it, but go on for _other reasons_.

I cannot understand what has rendered Palmerston so _extremely hostile to the King_ and Government of France. A _little civility_ would have gone a great way with the French; if in your Speech on the 11th of August some regret had been expressed, it would have greatly modified the feelings of the French. But Palmerston _likes to put his foot on their necks_! _Now, no statesman must triumph over an enemy that is not quite dead_, because people forget a real loss, a real misfortune, but they won't forget _an insult_. Napoleon made great mistakes that way; he hated Prussia, insulted it on all occasions, but still _left it alive_. The consequence was that in 1813 they rose to a man in Prussia, even children and women took arms, not only because they had been injured, but because they had been treated with _contempt_ and _insulted_. I will here copy what the King wrote to me lately from Paris:

"Vous ne vous faites pas d'idee a quel point l'approbation publique soutient les armements, c'est universel. Je regrette que cela aille bien au-dela, car la fureur contre l'Angleterre s'accroit et un des points que je regrette le plus, c'est que tout notre peuple est persuade que l'Angleterre veut reduire la France _au rang de Puissance secondaire_, et vous savez ce que c'est que l'orgueil national et la vanite de tous les peuples. Je crois donc bien urgent que la crise actuelle se termine bientot pacifiquement. Plus je crois que l'union de l'Angleterre et de la France est la base du repos du monde, plue je regrette de voir susciter tant d'irritation entre nos deux Nations.

La question est de savoir ce que veut veritablement le Gouvernement Anglais. J'avoue que je ne suis pas sans crainte et sans inquietude a cet egard quand je recapitule dans ma tete tout ce que Lord Ponsonby a fait pour l'allumer et tout ce qu'il fait encore. Je n'aurais aucune inquietude si je croyais que le Gouvernement suivrait la voix de sa Nation, et les veritables interets de son pays qui repoussent l'alliance Russe et indiquent celle de la France, ce qui est tout-a-fait conforme a mes v[oe]ux personnels. Mais ma vieille experience me rappelle ce que font les pa.s.sions personnelles, qui predominent bien plus de nos jours que les veritables interets, et ce que peut le Gouvernement Anglais pour entrainer son pays, et je crains beaucoup l'art de la Russie ou plutot de l'Empereur Nicolas de captiver, par les plus immenses flatteries, les Ministres Anglais, preuve Lord Durham. Or si ces deux Gouvernements veulent ou osent entreprendre _l'abaiss.e.m.e.nt_ de la France, la guerre s'allumera, et pour _mon compte alors je m'y_ jetterai _a outrance_, mais si comme je l'espere encore, malgre mes soupcons, ils ne veulent pas la guerre, alors l'affaire de l'Orient, s'arrangera a l'amiable, et le cri de toutes les Nations fera de nouveau justice de ces humeurs belliqueuses et consolidera la paix generale, comme cela est arrive dans les premieres annees de mon regne."

I think it right to give you this extract, as it is written from the very bottom of the King's heart, and shows the way in which he considers the present position of affairs. Perhaps you will be so kind to read it or to let it be read by Lord Melbourne. It is this _abaiss.e.m.e.nt de la France_ which now sticks in their throats.

Chartres[42] has quite the same feeling, and then the refrain is, _plutot perir que de souffrir cette ignominie!_

Really my paper is abominable, but it is a great shame that in the residence of such a rich Prince nothing can be had. My letter being long, I conclude it with my best blessings. Ever, my dearest Victoria, your devoted Uncle,

LEOPOLD R.

[Footnote 41: Runjeet Singh, known as the Lion of the Punjab, had died in 1839, having consolidated the Sikh power. As an outcome of the Sikh wars in 1846 and 1848, the Punjab was annexed by Great Britain in 1849.]

[Footnote 42: Ferdinand, Duke of Orleans, who died 13th July 1842, was generally called Chartres in the family circle; this t.i.tle, which he had previously borne, was conferred on his younger son, born 9th November 1840.]

[Pageheading: NEGOTIATIONS WITH FRANCE]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

CLAREMONT, _6th October 1840._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. The King's letter to Lord Melbourne is in many respects just and true.[43] The practical measure which it recommends, namely, that Lord Granville should make to Thiers a general proposition for settling the whole matter, is very much the same as that which we agreed upon at the Cabinet should be adopted. Lord Melbourne expects that this has been carried into effect, and if it has not, Lord Melbourne has urged that it should be done without delay.

These affairs are very troublesome and vexatious, but they are, unfortunately, more than troublesome, they are pregnant with danger.

[Footnote 43: The King of the Belgians had written a letter to Lord Melbourne on 1st October, which he had sent to Queen Victoria, asking her to read it and forward it to Lord Melbourne.]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

WIESBADEN, _6th October 1840._

... It is to-day the poor King of the French's birthday; he is sixty-seven years old, and these last ten years he has had a pleasant time of it. And now he has this serious and difficult complication to deal with, and still I find him always fair and amiable in his way of looking at all these things, and bearing the almost unbearable annoyance and plagues of his arduous position with a degree of firmness and courage worthy of kinder treatment from the European Powers than he has received....

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _9th October 1840._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. Lord John Russell has directed a Cabinet to be summoned for to-morrow at three o'clock, at which he intends to propose that "Instructions should be sent to Lord Granville to ascertain from the French Government what terms France would consider satisfactory for the immediate arrangement of the affairs of the East."

That if such terms shall appear satisfactory, Mr Henry Bulwer[44] or some person of similar rank should be sent to Constantinople to urge their acceptance on the Sultan, and that our Allies should be invited to co-operate in that negotiation.

That the French Government should be informed that the only mode in which the pacification can be carried into effect is by Mehemet Ali's accepting the terms of the treaty and then receiving from the Sultan the terms which shall have been previously agreed upon by his Allies.

Lord Melbourne feels certain that Lord Palmerston will not accede to these proposals, and indeed Lord Melbourne himself much doubts whether, after all that has pa.s.sed, it would be right to submit the whole matter, as it were, to the decision and arbitration of France.

Lord John Russell seems very much determined to press this question to a decision to-morrow, and Lord Melbourne much fears that such a decision may lead to serious consequences.

Lord Melbourne is much grieved to have to send your Majesty intelligence which he knows will greatly disquiet your Majesty, but there is no remedy for it.

Lord Melbourne's lumbago is somewhat better to-day but not much. His being compelled to attend at the House of Lords yesterday prevented him from recovering. He has remained in bed to-day, and hopes to be better to-morrow.

[Footnote 44: Henry Bulwer (1801-1872), afterwards Lord Dalling, then First Secretary of the Emba.s.sy in Paris, became Minister to Spain, 1843-1848; to the United States, 1849-1852; to Tuscany, 1852-1855; and Amba.s.sador to Turkey, 1858-1865.]

[Pageheading: PACIFIC INSTRUCTIONS]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _9th October 1840._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He has just received your Majesty's box. He will do all he can to put everything together, and it does not appear to him that there is any necessity on any side for a decisive step at present. A letter is arrived to-day from Bulwer, which states that the instructions given to Guizot are, through the interposition of the King, of a very pacific character. It would surely be well to see what they are, and whether they will not afford the means of arranging the whole affair.

Lord Melbourne thought with your Majesty that the letter to Lord Granville upon Prince Metternich's proposition was a great deal too short and dry and slight, but the importance of this step is now a good deal superseded by what has taken place, and the position of affairs has already become different from that in which it was resolved upon.

Lord Melbourne very much thanks the Prince for his letter, which may do much service and have an effect upon the antagonists.

Lord Melbourne has just seen Dr Holland.[45] Lord Melbourne is very much crippled and disabled. Lord Melbourne does not think that the shooting has had anything to do with it. His stomach has lately been out of order, which is always the cause of these sort of attacks. Lord Melbourne will come down on Sunday if he possibly can, and unless he should be still disabled from moving.

[Footnote 45: Dr (afterwards Sir) Henry Holland, Physician-in-Ordinary to the Queen, 1850-1873, father of Lord Knutsford.]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._