stration of your majesty's full support and
confidence; and that at the same time, as far as possible consistently
with that demonstration, each individual appointment in the household
should be entirely acceptable to your majesty's personal feelings. On
your majesty expressing a desire that the Earl of Liverpool should hold
an office in the household, Sir Robert Peel requested your majesty's
permission at once to offer to Lord Liverpool the office of
lord-steward, or any other which he might prefer. Sir Robert Peel then
observed, that he should have every wish to apply a similar principle to
the chief appointments which are filled by the ladies of your majesty's
household: upon which your majesty was pleased to remark that you must
reserve the whole of these appointments, and that it was your majesty's
pleasure the whole should continue, as at present, without change. The
Duke of Wellington, in the interview to which your majesty subsequently
admitted him, understood that this was your majesty's determination, and
concurred with Sir Robert Peel in opinion, that, considering the great
difficulties of the present crisis, and the expediency of making every
effort in the first instance to conduct the public business of the
country with the aid of the present parliament, it was essential to
the success of the commission with which your majesty had honoured Sir
Robert Peel, that he should have that public proof of your majesty's
entire support and confidence, which would be afforded by the permission
to make some changes in that part of your majesty's household, which
your majesty resolved on maintaining entirely without change. Having
had the opportunity, through your majesty's gracious consideration, of
reflecting upon this point, he humbly submits to your majesty that he is
reluctantly compelled, by a sense of public duty and of the interest of
your majesty's service, to adhere to the opinion which he expressed to
your majesty. He trusts he may be permitted at the same time to express
to your majesty his grateful acknowledgments for the distinction which
your majesty conferred upon him, by requiring his advice and assistance
in the formation of an administration, and his earnest prayers that
whatever arrangements your majesty may be enabled to make for that
purpose, may be most conducive to your majesty's personal comfort and
happiness, and to the promotion of the public welfare."

After reading these letters, Sir Robert