(Ch. VIII, Footnote 8)]

[Pageheading: THE CORN LAWS]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _23rd July 1842._

Sir Robert Peel, with his humble duty to your Majesty, begs leave to
acquaint your Majesty that last night was occupied in the House of
Commons with another debate on the Corn Laws, again impeding any
progress with the Government business. The debate was entirely
confined to those members who act in concert with the Anti-Corn Law
League.[55] It continued until twelve, when Mr Cobden, the Member for
Stockport, moved an adjournment of the House, on the ground that none
of your Majesty's servants had taken a part in the debate....

Several members of the Opposition voted with the Government, and
declared that they would not be parties to such vexatious proceedings.

A division on the main question--a Committee to enquire into the state
of the country with a view to the Repeal of the Corn Laws--then took
place.

The motion was negatived by a majority of 156 to 64--92. The House did
not adjourn until three this morning.

[Footnote 55: The Anti-Corn Law League was rapidly gaining
importance, and fiscal policy occupied a great part of the
session of 1842. Peel was already reducing import duties
on articles other than corn. Cobden had been elected at
Stockport, for the first time, in 1841.]

[Pageheading: FURTHER PARTICULARS OF ACCIDENT]

_The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria._

NEUILLY, _22nd July 1842._

MY DEAREST VICTORIA,--I was anxious to write to you on the 18th, but
I was so overpowered with all that surrounded me that I could really
not. Yesterday I received your dear letter of the 19th, and I will
answer it, so as to give you a clear view of the sad case. On the
12th, Tuesday, Chartres had taken leave, as he meant to go to St Omer,
the 13th; however, in the family the Queen and others said he ought to
come once more to see them. The King had ordered his carriage to go to
town on the 13th, to a Council; Chartres meant to have called shortly
after ten.

It is necessary to tell you all this, as it shows how strangely
circumstances turned fatally. Chartres did not want to return once
more to Neuilly, and the King, if exact, might see him once more
in town. Chartres, however, instead of coming early, set off after
eleven; his Off. d'Ordonnance, M. Bertin de Veaux, his _valet de
chambre_, a German, Holder, begged him not to go quite alone in th