felt it wrong
within yourself to receive them, and to return your political advice
and opinions on such matters; that painful as such a step must be to
your feelings, which to the last moment of your life will remain those
of the most loyal attachment and devotion to the Queen's person, it
is dictated to you by a deep sense of what you owe to the country, to
your Sovereign, and to yourself."

[Footnote 145: For some time after the accession of George
III., Bute, though neither in the Cabinet nor in Parliament,
was virtually Prime Minister, but he became Secretary of State
on 25th March 1761. George II. had disliked him, but he was
generally believed to have exercised an undue influence over
the consort of Prince Frederic of Wales, mother of George
III.]

_Queen Victoria to Sir Robert Peel._

_26th October 1841._

With respect to Serjeant Jackson, the Queen will not oppose his
appointment, in consequence of the high character Sir Robert Peel
gives him; but she cannot refrain from saying that she very much fears
that the favourable effect which has hitherto been produced by the
formation of so mild and conciliatory a Government in Ireland, may
be endangered by this appointment, which the Queen would sincerely
regret.

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _26th October 1841._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and returns
your Majesty the letters of the King of the Belgians, with many
thanks. It certainly is a very unfortunate thing that the Queen
Christina was encouraged to fix her residence at Paris, and the
suspicion arising, therefore, cannot but be very injurious both to the
King of the French and to the French nation.

Lord Melbourne returns his warmest thanks for your Majesty's kind
expressions. He felt the greatest pleasure at seeing your Majesty
again and looking so well, and he hopes that his high spirits did
not betray him into talking too much or too heedlessly, which he is
conscious that they sometimes do.

The King Leopold, Lord Melbourne perceives, still hankers after
Greece; but Crowns will not bear to be chopped and changed about in
this manner. These new Kingdoms are not too firmly fixed as it is, and
it will not do to add to the uncertainty by alteration....

[Pageheading: DISPUTE WITH UNITED STATES]

_Sir Robert Peel to Queen Victoria._

WHITEHALL, _28th October 1841._

... Sir Robert Peel humbly