Volume Iii Part 63 (1/2)
To-day arrive (on a visit _here_) _her_ Court--which is a very good thing, so that she will get acquainted with them....
The affection for her, and the loyalty shown by the country at large on this occasion is _most_ truly gratifying--and for so young a child really _very, very_ pleasing to our feelings. The Nation look upon her, as Cobden said, as ”_England's_ daughter,” and as if they married a child of their own, which is _very_ satisfactory, and shows, in spite of a few newspaper follies and absurdities, how really _sound_ and _monarchical_ everything is in this country. Now, with Albert's love, ever your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Pageheading: MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCESS ROYAL]
_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._
BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _9th February 1858_.
MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Accept my warmest thanks for your very kind and affectionate letter of the 4th, with such kind accounts of our dear child, who was so thankful for your kindness and affection, and of whose immense and universal success and admirable behaviour--natural yet dignified--we have the most charming accounts. I send you a letter from Augusta[1] (Mecklenburg), which will give you an idea of the impression produced, begging you to let me have it back soon. She is quite well and _not_ tired. But the separation was _awful_, and the poor child was _quite_ broken-hearted, particularly at parting from her dearest beloved papa, whom she _idolises_. _How_ we miss her, I can't say, and never having been separated from her since thirteen years above a fortnight, I am in a constant fidget and impatience to know everything about _every_thing. It is a _great, great_ trial for a _Mother_ who has watched over her child with such anxiety day after day, to see her far away--dependent on herself! But I have great confidence in her good sense, clever head, kind and good heart, in Fritz's excellent character and devotion to her, and in faithful E.
Stockmar, who possesses her _entire_ confidence.
The blank she has left behind is _very great_ indeed....
To-morrow is the eighteenth anniversary of my blessed marriage, which has brought such universal blessings on this country and Europe! For _what_ has not my beloved and perfect Albert done? Raised monarchy to the _highest_ pinnacle of _respect_, and rendered it _popular_ beyond what it _ever_ was in this country!
The Bill proposed by the Government to improve the law respecting conspiracy and a.s.sa.s.sination will pa.s.s, and Lord Derby has been most useful about it.[2] But people are very indignant here at the conduct of the French officers, and at the offensive insinuations against this country.[3]....
Hoping to hear that you are quite well, and begging to thank Leopold very much for his very kind letter, believe me, your devoted Niece,
VICTORIA R.
[Footnote 1: Elder daughter of Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, and now Grand d.u.c.h.ess-Dowager of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.]
[Footnote 2: Lord Derby and his party, however, changed their att.i.tude in the next few days, and succeeded in putting the Government in a minority.]
[Footnote 3: On the 14th of January, the a.s.sa.s.sination of the French Emperor, which had been planned in England by Felice Orsini and other refugees, was attempted. On the arrival of the Imperial carriage at the Opera House in the Rue Lepelletier, explosive hand-grenades were thrown at it, and though the Emperor and Empress were unhurt, ten people were either killed outright or died of their wounds, and over one hundred and fifty were injured. Notwithstanding the scene of carnage, their Majesties maintained their composure and sat through the performance of the Opera. In the addresses of congratulation to the Emperor on his escape (published, some of them inadvertently, in the official _Moniteur_), officers commanding French regiments used language of the most insulting character to England, and Count Walewski, the French Foreign Minister, in a despatch, recommended the British Government to take steps to prevent the right of asylum being abused.]
[Pageheading: DEFEAT OF THE GOVERNMENT]
_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._
PICCADILLY, _19th February 1858_.
Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and is sorry to have to inform your Majesty that the Government were beat this evening on Mr Milner Gibson's[4] Amendment by a majority of 19,[5] the numbers being for his Amendment, 234, and against it 215.
Mr Milner Gibson began the Debate by moving his Amendment in a speech of considerable ability, but abounding in misrepresentation, which nevertheless produced a marked effect upon the House. Mr Baines followed, but only argued the Bill without replying to Mr Gibson's speech. This was remarked upon by Mr Walpole, who followed him, and who said that though he approved of the Bill he could not vote for reading it a second time until Count Walewski's despatch had been answered. Mr MacMahon supported the Amendment, as did Mr Byng. Sir George Grey, who followed Mr Walpole, defended the Bill and the course pursued by the Government in not having answered Count Walewski's despatch until after the House of Commons should have affirmed the Bill by a Second Reading. Mr Spooner remained steady to his purpose, and would vote against the Amendment, though in doing so he should differ from his friends. Lord Harry Vane opposed the Amendment, as interfering with the pa.s.sing of the Bill, and Mr Bentinck took the same line, and replied to some of the arguments of Mr Milner Gibson.
Mr Henley said he should vote for the Amendment. The Lord Advocate made a good speech against it. Mr Gladstone spoke with his usual talent in favour of the Amendment, and was answered by the Attorney-General in a speech which would have convinced men who had not taken a previous determination. He was followed by Mr Disraeli, who seemed confident of success, and he was replied to by Viscount Palmerston, and the House then divided.
It seems that Lord Derby had caught at an opportunity of putting the Government in a minority. He saw that there were ninety-nine Members who were chiefly of the Liberal Party, who had voted against the Bill when it was first proposed, and who were determined to oppose it in all its stages. He calculated that if his own followers were to join those ninety-nine, the Government might be run hard, or perhaps be beaten, and he desired all his friends[6] to support Mr Milner Gibson; on the other hand, many of the supporters of the Government, relying upon the majority of 200, by which the leave to bring the Bill in had been carried, and upon the majority of 145 of last night, had gone out of town for a few days, not antic.i.p.ating any danger to the Government from Mr Gibson's Motion, and thus an adverse division was obtained.