to securing an uninterrupted
development of Lord Metcalfe's views. The Queen thought it the more
her duty to make you acquainted with her sentiments upon this subject,
because she thinks that additional danger arises from the impressions
which the different agents of the different political parties in
Canada try to produce upon the Home Government and the imperial
Parliament, and from their desire to mix up Canadian _party_ politics
with general English _party_ politics.[21] Ever yours, etc.

ALBERT.

[Footnote 21: In the event, Lord Elgin was appointed.]

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

CHESHAM PLACE, _4th August 1846._

Lord John Russell presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and is
greatly obliged to your Majesty for your Majesty's communication
respecting a Royal visit to Ireland. He concurs in your Majesty's
observations on that subject. He is of opinion that if the visit
partook in any way of a party character, its effects would be
mischievous, and not beneficial.

He is also doubtful of the propriety of either incurring very large
expense on the part of the public, or of encouraging Irish proprietors
to lay out money in show and ceremony at a time when the accounts of
the potato crop exhibit the misery and distress of the people in an
aggravated shape.

[Pageheading: THE WELLINGTON STATUE]

_Queen Victoria to Lord John Russell._

_7th August_ [_1846_].

With regard to the Statue[22] on the arch on Constitution Hill, the
Queen is of opinion that if she is considered individually she is
bound by her word, and must allow the Statue to go up, however bad the
appearance of it will be. If the constitutional fiction is applied to
the case, the Queen acts by the advice of her _responsible_ advisers.
One Government advised her to give her assent, another advises the
withdrawal of that assent. This latter position has been taken in Lord
Morpeth's former letter to the Committee, and in the debate in the
House of Commons; it must therefore now be adhered to, and whatever
is decided must be the act of the Government. It would accordingly
be better to keep the word "Government" at the conclusion of Lord
Morpeth's proposed letter, and that the Prince should not go to Town
to give an opinion upon the appearance of the figure, when up.

[Footnote 22: The equestrian statue of the Duke of Wellington
at Hyde Park Corner was much criticised at the time of its
erection: it is no