whole of
the Press seem to be unanimous on this subject, and she can hardly
understand how there can be two opinions upon it....

[Footnote 37: The success of the Piedmontese in Northern Italy
had not continued through the summer, and the States whose
assistance they had hitherto received began to fall away from
them. The King of Naples, successful within his own dominions,
had withdrawn his troops; the Pope hesitated to attack
Austria; even undivided support from Venetia could no longer
be counted upon. After several reverses, Charles Albert, now
left virtually alone in the contest, was decisively defeated
by Radetzky, at Custozza, and retreated across the Mincio.
With what was left of his troops he entered Milan, which he
was eventually forced to surrender, being unable to maintain
himself there. Italy now turned to France for assistance, but
Cavaignac, virtually Dictator in Paris, would not go further
than combining with England to effect a peaceful mediation.
Austria was not in a frame of mind to relinquish any part of
the provinces she had had so severe a struggle to retain.]

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN AND PALMERSTON]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

OSBORNE, _20th August 1848._

The Queen has received an _autograph_ letter from the Archduke John
(in answer to the private letter she had written to him through Lord
Cowley), which has been cut open at the Foreign Office. The Queen
wishes Lord Palmerston to take care that this does not happen again.
The opening of official letters even, addressed to the Queen, which
she has _of late_ observed, is really not becoming, and ought to be
discontinued, as it used never to be the case formerly.

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

OSBORNE, _21st August 1848._

The Queen has received Lord John Russell's letter of yesterday, but
cannot say that she has been satisfied by the reasons given by Lord
Palmerston. The union of Lombardy and Piedmont cannot be considered as
a concession to France for the maintenance of peace, because we know
that it is the very thing the French object to. The Queen quite agrees
that the principal consideration always to be kept in sight is the
preservation of the peace of Europe; but it is precisely on that
account that she regrets that the terms proposed by Lord Palmerston
(whilst they are not in accordance with the views of France) are
almost the only