The Letters of Queen Victoria/Volume 2/Chapter 13/To King of Belgians 18 June 1844
Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians.
My dearest Uncle,—I had the happiness of receiving your dear and kind letter of the 13th on Sunday; your parties at Ardenne must have been truly delightful; perhaps some day we may enjoy them too: that would be delightful! I can write to you with a light heart, thank goodness, to-day, for the Government obtained a majority, which up to the last moment last night we feared they would not have, and we have been in sad trouble for the last four or five days about it.[1] It is the more marvellous, as, if the Government asked for a Vote of Confidence, they would have a Majority of 100; but this very strength makes the supporters of the Government act in a most unjustifiable manner by continually acting and voting against them, not listening to the debates, but coming down and voting against the Government. So that we were really in the greatest possible danger of having a resignation of the Government without knowing to whom to turn, and this from the recklessness of a handful of foolish half "Puseyite" half "Young England"[2] people! I am sure you will agree with me that Peel's resignation would not only be for us (for we cannot have a better and a safer Minister), but for the whole country, and for the peace of Europe — a great calamity. Our present people are all safe, and not led away by impulses and reckless passions. We must, however, take care and not get into another crisis; for I assure you we have been quite miserable and quite alarmed ever since Saturday.
Since I last wrote to you, I spoke to Aberdeen(whom I should be equally sorry to lose, as he is so very fair, and has served us personally, so kindly and truly), and he told me that the Emperor has positively pledged himself to send a Minister to Brussels the moment those Poles are no longer employed;[3] that he is quite aware of the importance of the measure, and would be disposed to make the arrangement easy, and that he spoke very kindly of you personally. Aberdeen says it is not necessary to disgrace them in any way, but only for the present de les éloigner. The Emperor has evidently some time ago made some strong declaration on the subject which he feels he cannot get over, and, as I said before, he will not give up what he has once pledged his word to. Then, no one on earth can move him. Au fond, it is a fine trait, but he carries it too far. He wrote me a very kind and affectionate letter from the Hague. The Emperor has given Bertie the Grand Cross of St Andrew, which the boy was quite proud of.
Our kind and good King of Saxony leaves us to-morrow, after having seen more than anybody has done almost, and having enjoyed it of all things. He is quite at home with us and the children whom he plays with much. Alice walks quite alone, and looks too funny, as she is so very fat. Now, ever your devoted Niece, Victoria R.
- ↑ The Ministry had been defeated on Mr P. Miles's motion in favour of giving an Increased preference to colonial sugar, but on the 17th this vote was rescinded by a majority of twenty-two, Mr Disraeli taunting the Premier with expecting that "upon every division and at every crisis, his gang should appear, and the whip should sound."
- ↑ The name given to the group comprising Disraeli, George Smythe, Lord John Manners, etc. See Coningsby, which was published about this time.
- ↑ See ante, p. 15.