l now depend upon the Emperor
Napoleon's acceptance of the conditions on which Austria is willing
to agree to a Conference. The Queen would like to have a copy of Lord
Cowley's memorandum.[22]

[Footnote 21: Lord Cowley had returned from his mission to
Vienna, and was now again at Paris. The complexion of affairs
had been changed by a suggestion on the part of Russia (which
may or may not have been ultimately prompted from Paris) for
a Conference between England, France, Austria, Prussia and
Russia, to settle the Italian Question. Cavour pressed for the
admission of Piedmont to the Conference.]

[Footnote 22: Lord Malmesbury's letter to Lord Cowley, written
immediately after the Cabinet, enjoined him to impress upon
the Emperor that England would only address herself to the
four points--evacuation of the Roman States by foreign troops,
reform, security for Sardinia, and a substitute for the
treaties of 1847 between Austria and the Duchies.]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Malmesbury._

OSBORNE, _22nd March 1859_.

The Queen thanks Lord Malmesbury for his communication of yesterday,
which she received this morning. She quite approves the steps taken
by the Government,[23] and concurs in Lord Malmesbury's views. If the
understanding about a Conference first of the five Powers, and then
of the Italian States with them, _could be_ so far come to that France
and Austria agree with us upon the conditions on which it is to take
place, we need not wait for Russia's proposing it. She is evidently
playing, as she always does, a double game, and from Sir John
Crampton's[24] letter it appears that she never meant to propose a
Congress, but merely to _accept_ one, for ulterior objects.

[Footnote 23: An attempt to obtain the disarmament of Austria
and Sardinia, and a proposal to obtain the co-operation of
France, in guaranteeing to defend Sardinia against invasion
by Austria for five years, unless Sardinia left her own
territory. On the 23rd, Lord Malmesbury wrote that all the
great Powers, except Austria, had agreed to a Congress upon
the conditions laid down by the British Government.]

[Footnote 24: English Ambassador at St Petersburg, formerly
Minister at Washington; see _ante_, 12th December, 1856,
note 61. He had succeeded to the baronetcy in 1858.]

_Queen Victoria to the Earl of Malmesbury._

OSBORNE, _27th Mar