now contemplates.

The enclosed letter from Lord Palmerston and Mr Fane's[74] despatch
will show the feelings which exist between Austria and Prussia. The
Emperor Napoleon does not appear to have satisfied Prince Metternich.
His object evidently is to gain time.

[Footnote 74: Julian Henry Fane, son of the eleventh Earl of
Westmorland, and Secretary of Embassy at Vienna.]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

BALMORAL, _7th September 1859_.

The Queen has received Lord John Russell's letter. She can ask for
nothing better than "that we should be kept from any engagements," and
she never could have intended to convey the impression that she wished
to "see the Cabinet precluded from taking into consideration any
proposal France might make." What she objects to is binding beforehand
the Government by expressions of opinion of its leading members to the
French Government, and thus _bringing about_ those French proposals
which it will be most embarrassing to the Cabinet either to reject
or adopt. It is absolutely necessary, therefore, that the French
Government should be told that the opinions given were private
opinions not binding the Government. Lord John has not yet sent to the
Queen drafts in conformity with her wishes expressed in her letter of
the day before yesterday.

[Pageheading: LETTERS TO FOREIGN SOVEREIGNS]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

BROADLANDS, _9th September 1859_.

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has
had the honour to receive your Majesty's communication of the 6th of
this month; and although he had the honour of addressing your Majesty
yesterday afternoon, he deems it his duty to submit some observations
upon this communication.

Your Majesty states that Viscount Palmerston in his letter to Count
Persigny endeavoured to persuade the Emperor of the French to break
his word to the Emperor of Austria, but Viscount Palmerston must beg
very respectfully but entirely to deny that accusation....[75]

Your Majesty is pleased to observe upon the danger and inconvenience
of private communications with Foreign Ministers, and to add that
your Majesty must insist upon this being distinctly guarded against.
Viscount [Palmerston] would be very desirous of knowing the precise
meaning of those last words. If your Majesty means that what is to be
guarded against is any attempt to induce a Foreign Sovereign to break
his word, Viscount Pa