to the Queen at five o'clock.
On one point we were agreed, viz. that the Government to be formed
must not be for the moment, but with a view to strength and stability.

ALBERT.

[Footnote 6: _Sic._]

[Pageheading: COMPLICATIONS]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

_23d February 1851._

The Queen has seen Lord Aberdeen and Sir J. Graham, but is sorry to
say that her doing so was premature, as they had no opportunity of
seeing each other after they left Lord John Russell, and therefore had
not considered the Memorandum[7] which Lord John had handed to them.
Lord Aberdeen has in the interval seen Lord Stanley, and declared
to him that he must undeceive him as to the possibility of his ever
joining a Protection Government. What further resulted from the
conversation the Queen would prefer to state to Lord John verbally
to-morrow. Perhaps Lord John would come in the forenoon to-morrow, or
before he goes to the House; he will be so good as to let her know.

[Footnote 7: With a view of uniting with the Peelites, Lord
John drew up a Memorandum, printed in Walpole's _Lord John
Russell_, vol. ii. chap, xxii., with the following points:

A Cabinet of not more than eleven Members.

The present commercial policy to be maintained.

The financial measures of the year to be open to revision.

The Ecclesiastical Titles Bill to be persevered in so far as
the Preamble and the first clause, but the remaining clauses
to be abandoned.

A Reform Bill for the extension of the Franchise.

A Commission of Enquiry into corrupt practices at elections in
cities and boroughs.]

_Memorandum by the Prince Albert._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _23rd February 1851._
(_Sunday._)

Lord John Russell came at half-past five, much fatigued and depressed.
On the Queen's asking whether he could report any progress, he said
he thought he could; he had met Lord Aberdeen and Sir James Graham,
together with Sir George Grey (Lord Lansdowne being ill). That he
had informed them that he had received the Queen's commands to form a
Government (?) and handed to them a Memorandum which follows here and
which they had promised to take into consideration.

We asked him whether he had chalked out a Government. He said he
had not thought of it yet; he added, however, that _he_ could not
undertake the Foreign Affairs with the lead in the House of Commons
and Government (which the Queen had pre