at Peel's discretion. This was
sent yesterday morning; when Peel wrote an answer resigning his
commission into Her Majesty's hands; but recapitulating
everything that had passed. When the difficulty first arose, Peel
asked her to see the Duke; she acquiesced; he fetched him, and
the Duke was with her alone. The Duke it was who argued _the
principle_ with her--Peel had touched upon its application.

[17] Melbourne, it appears, from his own statement in the
House of Lords, was sent for at six o'clock on
Thursday.

[Page Head: THE WHIGS STAND BY THE QUEEN.]

It was speedily known all over the town that the whole thing was
at an end, and nothing could surpass the excitement and amazement
that prevailed. The indignant Tories exclaimed against intrigue
and preconcerted plans, and asserted that she refused to part
with _any_ of her Ladies, and that it was only a pretext to break
off the Tory Government; while the Whigs cried out against
harshness and dictatorial demands, and complained that it was
intended to make a thorough clearance, to strip her of all her
friends, and destroy her social comfort. The Radicals, who had
for the most part been terribly alarmed at the results of their
own defection, instantly made overtures to the Whigs; and I heard
at Brooks's that Ward had come over from the Reform Club, and
proposed a reconciliation without any concession, except that
Ballot should be made an open question. There appeared no
disposition to concede anything to the Radicals, who, they were
convinced, would join them without any conditions.

In the meantime Lord Melbourne and Lord John Russell went to the
Queen, who told them her whole story. I met the latter coming
from her; he said, 'I have just been for an hour with the Queen;
she told me her story, and ended by saying, 'I have stood by you,
you must now stand by me.' They thought her case a good one,
and resolved to stand by her. Such was the state of things and
such the case as reported to me by several members of the Whig
party yesterday morning, and my impression was that Peel had been
unreasonable in his demands and impolitic in breaking off the
negotiation on such grounds. Nevertheless I had some misgivings,
because I thought the Duke of Wellington unlikely to concur in
any proceeding harsh towards the Queen, or ill-considered in a
political sense; but the assertion was at the same time so
positive, that Peel had required the dismissal