tion of Parliament, but your
Majesty's advisers will hardly be able to recommend to your Majesty
such a step.

The cry against the Poor Law is sure to be taken up by the worst
politicians of the Tory party, and, as at Nottingham, may be
successful against that most useful law.

The friends of Government who represent counties will be taunted with
the proposal to alter the Corn Law.

Bribery is sure to be resorted to beyond anything yet seen.

A defeat of the Ministry on a dissolution would be final and
irreparable.

On the other hand, their successors in the Government would have to
provide for the excess in the expenditure pledged against the best
measures that could be resorted to for the purpose. It would be a
difficulty of their own seeking, and their want of candour and justice
to their opponents would be the cause of their own embarrassments.

The moment is a very important one, and the consequences of the vote
of Friday, or probably Monday, cannot fail to be serious.

[Pageheading: A MINISTERIAL CRISIS]

_Memorandum by Mr Anson._

_"The Ministry in jeopardy." (Heading in the Prince Albert's hand.)_

WINDSOR CASTLE, _4th May 1841._

Lord Melbourne came down from town after the House of Lords. I went
with him to his room for an hour after the Queen had retired. He said
the main struggle would take place on the Sugar Duties on Friday. His
impression was that the Government would be beat, and he must then
decide whether to go out or dissolve. He leaned to the former. I said,
"I trusted he would not dissolve unless he thought there was some
prospect of increasing his strength, and begged him to remember what
was done would not be considered the act of the Government but that of
himself and the Queen, and that he individually would be held as the
responsible person."

He said he had not written to the Queen to prepare H.M. for coming
events and the course that it would be incumbent upon her to take, for
he felt it extremely difficult and delicate, especially as to the use
she should make of the Prince, and of her mode of communication when
she required it with Lord Melbourne. He thought she ought never to ask
his advice direct, but if she required his opinion there would be no
objection to her obtaining it through the Prince.

He said H.M. had relied so implicitly upon him upon all affairs, that
he felt that she required in this emergency advice upon almost every
subject. That he would tell H.M