ote 13: Mr (afterwards Sir) Andrew Buchanan (1807-1882),
Secretary of Legation at St. Petersburg.]

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN AND PALMERSTON]

_The Prince Albert to Lord John Russell._

_20th June 1849._

MY DEAR LORD JOHN,--Your proposal with respect to the mode of taking
the Queen's pleasure about the drafts is perfectly agreeable to the
Queen. She would only require that she would not be pressed for an
answer within a few minutes, as is now done sometimes.

Lord Palmerston could always manage so that there are twelve or
twenty-four hours left for reference to you, and consideration, and
there are few instances in which business would suffer from so short
a delay. As Lord Palmerston knows when the Mails go, he has only
to write in time for them, and he must recollect that the 28,000
despatches in the year come to you and to the Queen as well as to
himself.

Should the Queen in future have to make any remark, she will make it
to you, if that will suit you. Ever yours truly,

ALBERT.

_Lord John Russell to Viscount Palmerston._

_21st June 1849._

MY DEAR PALMERSTON,--I wrote the substance of what you wrote to me
to the Prince, and proposed that the drafts should, in the first
instance, be sent to me. You will see by the enclosed letter from the
Prince that the Queen approves of this proposal.

It may somewhat abridge the circuit if, when I have no remark to make,
I forward the drafts with the Foreign Office direction to the Queen at
once.

I cannot pretend to say that I paid the same attention to the 28,000
despatches of 1848 that you are obliged to do. Still I agree in the
Prince's remark that directions to Foreign Ministers ought to be very
maturely weighed, for the Queen and the Government speak to foreign
nations in this and no other manner. Yours truly,

J. RUSSELL.

[Pageheading: SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _21st June 1849._

The Queen returns the enclosed drafts, which she will not further
object to, but she feels it necessary to say a few words in answer to
Lord Palmerston's letter. The union of Schleswig and Holstein[14] is
not an ideal one, but _complete_ as to Constitution, Finance, Customs,
Jurisdiction, Church, Universities, Poor Law, Settlement, Debts, etc.,
etc., etc. It is _not established_ by the Kings-Dukes, but has existed
for centuries. To defend Holstein against the attack made by Denmark
upon this