_attainment_ of their
_Constitutional_ development, _consistency_ would require that we
should _now_, when that great struggle is at its end and _despotism_
is to be _re-imposed_ by Austrian arms upon Germany, throw _our
weight_ into the scale of _Constitutional_ Prussia and Germany.... The
Queen is afraid, however, that all our Ministers abroad,--at Berlin,
Dresden, Munich, Stuttgart, Hanover, etc. (with the exception of Lord
Cowley at Frankfort)--are warm partisans of the _despotic_ league
against Prussia and a German Constitution and _for_ the maintenance
of the old Diet under Austrian and Russian influence. Ought not Lord
Palmerston to make his agents understand that their sentiments are at
variance with those of the English Government? and that they are doing
_serious mischief_ if they express them at Courts which have _already_
every inclination to follow their desperate course?

Lord Palmerston is of course aware that the old Diet once
reconstituted and recognised, one of the main laws of it is that "_no
organic change can be made_ without _unanimity_ of voices," which was
the cause of the nullity of that body from 1820 to 1848, and will
now enable Austria, should Prussia and her confederates recognise
the Diet, to condemn Germany to a further life of stagnation or new
revolution.

[Footnote 47: Minister at Berlin.]

[Footnote 48: Lord Palmerston may have had this letter of the
Queen's in mind when he wrote on the 22nd of November to Lord
Cowley: "Her (_i.e._ Prussia's) partisans try to make out
that the contest between her and Austria is a struggle between
constitutional and arbitrary Government, but it is no such
thing." Ashley's _Life of Lord Palmerston_, vol. 1. chap. vi.]

[Pageheading: CONSTITUTIONALISM IN GERMANY]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

FOREIGN OFFICE, _18th November 1850._

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty. With
respect to the maintenance of Constitutional Government in Germany,
Viscount Palmerston entirely subscribes to your Majesty's opinion,
that a regard for consistency, as well as a sense of right and
justice, ought to lead your Majesty's Government to give to the
Constitutional principle in Germany the same moral support which they
endeavoured to afford it in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and elsewhere; but
though he is conscious that he may be deceived and may think better
of the Austrian Government in this resp