| Collection | Victorian Papers, Main Series |
| Description | As Queen Victoria has been waiting for a reply from Lord John to her last letter, she has delayed forwarding one from Lord Palmerston; but sends it now, in case further delay causes inconvenience. She is sure Lord John will feel that neither Lord Palmerston nor Lord Normanby have shown any regard for her known opinion and wishes. Lord Normanby's despatch shows that the step to be taken regarding an Ambassador to be sent to England is avowedly to control the future action of the Queen's Government, and to oblige the Queen to keep a permanent Ambassador in Paris in the person of Lord Normanby. It was not delicate of Lord Normanby to convey such a message, nor of Lord Palmerston to urge it so eagerly. The departure of M. Gustave de Beaumont [French Plenipotentiary Minister to London] from England without taking leave of the Queen was not very becoming. The Queen has already received two public affronts on Lord Palmerston's account: one from her Minister in Spain having been sent out of that country; the other now, by the new Emperor of Austria [Francis Joseph I] not announcing his Accession to her by a special mission, as he did to all the other Sovereigns, seemingly to mark Austria's indignation at the inimical proceedings of the Foreign Secretary. In the face of such slurs, the Queen does not think the dignity of England will be vindicated by a race between its representative and that of Spain as to who first presents Credentials to the new President of the French Republic, which Lord Palmerston considers of such importance as to render an immediate answer indispensable. If Lord John thinks that he cannot do less now with regard to Louis Napoleon than has been done for General Cavaignac, the Queen will renew Lord Normanby's credentials as Ambassador Extraordinary on a special mission. |