Volume I Part 29 (1/2)
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
_10th August 1838._
Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and begs to inform you that the Cabinet have determined to advise your Majesty to disallow Lord Durham's ordinance, and to announce the same to the House of Lords.[25]
This is absolutely necessary, but very disagreeable, and will be very much so to Lord Durham.
[Footnote 25: _See_ Introductory Note for the year, _ante_, p. 102.
(Introductory Note to Ch. VII)]
_The Queen of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._
_25th September 1838._
MY MOST BELOVED VICTORIA,--I can never thank you enough for the dear letter which I found on my table on arriving here, Sunday evening. It was most kind of you to have written so soon after our departure, and such an affectionate, good, kind letter. The tears came to my eyes as I read it, and I felt quite moved. Short as has been our stay, and great, as always, the pain of leaving you, it has been a _great happiness_ for me to see you again, a happiness for which I shall always thank G.o.d, you, and your dear Uncle. I need not add how _very precious_ is your affection to me, and how _very grateful_ I am for every new proof of it. You know my feelings on this point, and you know they are better _felt_ than _expressed_. Your calling me _Louise_, and in such a kind way, gave me great pleasure. Almost all those dear to me call me so, and I think it looks more affectionate; I would fain say now _sister-like_, although I am rather an old sister for you now....
Leopold is half crazy with the steam-engine, and particularly with the _tools_ which you sent him. I enclose here the expression of his grat.i.tude. I wrote exactly what he told me to write, and I did not add a word. He has found again his kie (key), and he wears it suspended to his neck by a blue riband, with the d.u.c.h.ess's little seal. He felt deeply the attention you had to have an _L_ engraved on each tool, and after his letter was closed he charged me to thank you for it, and to tell you that it gave him great pleasure. An _iron spade_ was the greatest object of his ambition, and he worked so hard yesterday with it, that I feared he would hurt himself with the exertion. He will go to-day to the races with us, in the Scotch dress which the d.u.c.h.ess had the kindness to send him. It fits very well, and he is very proud of having a coat shaped _like that of a man_....
[Pageheading: IRELAND AND O'CONNELL]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._
_25th October 1838._
Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty....
Mr Stanley of the Treasury[26] arrived in London yesterday, and acquaints me that Lord Normanby makes no secret of his willingness, and indeed his desire, to undertake the government of Canada. It would have been better if Lord Normanby had acquainted Lord Melbourne quietly of this, and not made it at once public to all the world. It is not necessary to do anything at present. If Lord Durham remains, which Lord Melbourne does not, however, think likely, there will be no successor to be appointed, and if he returns, the authority of Governor of Lower Canada will devolve upon Sir John Colborne,[27] in whose hands it may be very safely left for the present.
If Ireland should be vacant, there is a strong feeling amongst many that it would be nice to name the Duke of Suss.e.x. It is said that it would be popular in Ireland, that the name of one of the Royal Family would do good there, and that it would afford to O'Connell a pretext and opportunity for giving up his new scheme of agitation. It is also added that the Duke would suffer himself to be guided on all essential matters by the advice of his Chief Secretary, and that he would content himself with discharging the ceremonial duties. Here are the reasons for it--your Majesty is so well acquainted with the reasons on the other side, that it is unnecessary for me to detail them.
I am afraid that times of some trouble are approaching, for which your Majesty must hold yourself prepared; but your Majesty is too well acquainted with the nature of human affairs not to be well aware that they cannot very well go on even as quietly as they have gone on during the last sixteen months.
[Footnote 26: ”Ben” Stanley, afterwards Lord Stanley of Alderley, Secretary to the Treasury.]
[Footnote 27: Field-Marshal Sir John Colborne, afterwards Lord Seaton, had been Military Secretary to Sir John Moore, had commanded a brigade with much distinction in the Peninsula, and had contributed greatly to the success of the British arms at Waterloo.]
_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._