eighteen years he has led.

He has done all this in order that your Majesty and the Country might
not be exposed to the evil of a weak Ministry liable to be overthrown
at any moment, formed whether by Lord Derby, or by himself at the head
of one party only.

But in consenting to this arrangement he was desirous to maintain his
honour intact, and for this purpose he asked before the Ministry was
formed for the honour of an Audience of your Majesty, that he might
explain all the circumstances of his position.

This Audience was not granted, and Lord John Russell has never been
in a situation to explain to your Majesty why he believes that his
leading the House of Commons without office is not liable to any
constitutional objection.

The Speaker and Mr Walpole both concur that no constitutional
objection to this arrangement exists, but should your Majesty wish to
see the arguments briefly stated by which Lord John Russell has been
convinced, he should be happy to be allowed to lay them before your
Majesty.

[Pageheading: THE REFUGEE QUESTION]

_The Earl of Clarendon to Queen Victoria._

_25th February 1853._

Lord Clarendon presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and
humbly begs to state that Count Colloredo[7] called upon him this
afternoon.... Count Colloredo then said that he had another and more
disagreeable subject to discuss with Lord Clarendon. He commenced
by reading a note from Count Buol[8] complaining bitterly of the
refugees, and the manner in which they abused the hospitality
afforded them in this country, and attributing in great measure to the
proclamations of Kossuth and Mazzini the late insurrection at Milan,
and the attempt on the Emperor's life.[9] This note expressed a
hope and belief that some measure would at once be adopted by
your Majesty's Government to remove the just complaints of
Allied Governments, and intimated that should this hope not
be _spontaneously_ realised some measures on the part of those
Governments would become necessary for their own protection as well as
to mark their sense of the wrong done to them by England.

Lord Clarendon said that your Majesty's Government were as indignant
as that of Austria could be at the disgraceful abuse of the protection
afforded to these refugees; but he could hold out no hope of any
legislation for the purpose of sending them out of the country.

Count Colloredo did not disguise his annoyance and disappointment at
this, and s