d Servant,

DALHOUSIE.

[Footnote 16: It has been, however, freely alleged that the
failure to repress acts of insubordination in the administration
of Lord Dalhousie was a contributory, if not the direct, cause
of the events of 1857. See _post_, Introductory Note to Chapter
XXVI, and Walpole's _History of England from the Conclusion of
the Great War in 1815_, ch. xxvii., and authorities there
referred to.]

[Pageheading: LORD CLARENDON'S INSTRUCTIONS]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, [_? March_] _1856_.

The Queen returns these letters to Lord Palmerston. She entirely
concurs in Lord Palmerston's general views of the question, but at the
same time she thinks--as circumstances, which are beyond our control,
may so vary from day to day or even from hour to hour--that Lord
Clarendon should receive full powers to act according to what may
appear to him to be best and wisest at the time, even if it should not
be in strict accordance with what we originally contemplated and must
naturally wish. Such a power would certainly not be misplaced in Lord
Clarendon's hands; his firmness, and his sense of what this country
expects, are too well known to lead us to doubt of his permitting
anything but what would _really_ be for the best of this country, and
for the maintenance of the Alliance.

[Pageheading: THE PEACE NEGOTIATIONS]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _6th March 1856_.

With reference to Lord Clarendon's letter, the Queen must say that
she, though _very reluctantly_, shares his opinion, that we have no
choice _now_ but to accept the peace, even if it is not all we could
desire, and if another campaign might have got us better terms. She
feels certain that the bad accounts of the French Army in the Crimea,
which appears to suffer _now_ all the misery which ours suffered last
year at the worst time of the siege, will more than ever indispose the
Emperor from risking a renewal of hostilities. It is affirmed that the
French have beyond 20,000 men in hospital!

If we are to have this peace, however, the Queen must again agree with
Lord Clarendon that we ought not _ourselves_ to depreciate it, as our
Press has done the deeds of our Army.

With regard to the principalities, it is the Queen's opinion that
nothing will oppose a barrier to Russia and her intrigues but
the arrangement which will satisfy the people th