en wishes Lord Derby to read this Memorandum to the Cabinet,
and to take the subject of which it treats into their anxious
consideration.

The two appendices, stating facts, the one with regard to the manning
of the Navy by volunteers with the aid of bounties, the other with
regard to impressment, have become unfortunately more lengthy than the
Queen had wished, but the facts appeared to her so important that she
did not like to have any left out.

_Mr Disraeli to Queen Victoria._

HOUSE OF COMMONS, _22nd March 1858_.
(_Monday, half-past eight o'clock._)

The Chancellor of the Exchequer with his humble duty to your Majesty.

This evening was a great contrast to Friday. House very full on both
sides....

Mr B. Osborne commenced the general attack, of which he had given
notice; but, after five years' silence, his weapons were not as bright
as of yore. He was answered by the Government, and the House, which
was very full, became much excited. The Ministerial benches were in
high spirit.

The Debate that ensued, most interesting and sustained.

Mr Horsman, with considerable effect, expressed the opinions of that
portion of the Liberal Party, which does not wish to disturb the
Government.

Lord John Russell vindicated the Reform Bill of 1832 from the attacks
of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and with great dignity and
earnestness.

He was followed by Mr Drummond on the same subject in a telling
epigram. Then Lord Palmerston, in reply to the charges of Mr Horsman,
mild and graceful, with a sarcastic touch. The general impression of
the House was very favourable to the Ministry; all seemed changed; the
Debate had cleared the political atmosphere, and, compared with our
previous state, we felt as if the eclipse was over.

[Pageheading: RESIGNATION OF PERSIGNY]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _23rd March 1858_.

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--You will, I trust, forgive my letter being short,
but we have only just returned from Aldershot, where we went this
morning, and really have been quite baked by a sun which was hardly
hotter in August, and without a breath of wind....

Good Marie[17] has not answered me, will you remind her? I _did_ tell
her I hoped for her child's[18] sake she would give up the nursing, as
we Princesses had other duties to perform. I hope she was not shocked,
but I felt I only did what was right in telling her so.

I grieve to say we lose poor Pe