ffective check; the question of the
Corn Laws seems _indeed settled_. This is of great importance, as it
puts a stop to the excitement and expectations of the farmers, which
have been falsely kept up by the aristocracy....

I must now conclude. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

_Viscount Palmerston to Lord John Russell._

CARLTON GARDENS, _15th February 1850._

MY DEAR JOHN RUSSELL,--I have altered this draft so as I think to meet
the views of the Queen and of yourself in regard to the continuance
of the suspension.[1] I should not like to put into a despatch an
instruction to accept less than we have demanded, because that would
imply what I don't think to be the fact, viz. that we have demanded
more than is due. If the demands were for the British Government, we
might forego what portions we might like to give up, but we have no
right to be easy and generous with the rights and claims of other
people. Besides, if we get anything, we shall get all. The whole
amount is quite within the power of the Greek Government to pay. Yours
sincerely,

PALMERSTON.

[Footnote 1: _I.e._ of hostilities against the Greek
Government, designed to extract compensation for the injuries
inflicted on British subjects. See _ante_, p. 231.]

[Pageheading: THE DRAFT TO GREECE]

_Queen Victoria to Viscount Palmerston._

BUCKINGHAM PALACE, _17th February 1850._

The Queen sent the day before yesterday the proposed draft to Mr
Wyse back to Lord Palmerston, enclosing a Memorandum from Lord John
Russell, and telling Lord Palmerston "that she entirely concurred with
Lord John, and wished the draft to be altered accordingly." She has
not yet received an answer from Lord Palmerston, but just hears from
Lord John, in answer to her enquiry about it, that Lord Palmerston has
_sent_ the draft off _unaltered_.[2] The Queen must remark upon this
sort of proceeding, of which this is not the first instance, and
plainly tell Lord Palmerston that this must not happen again. Lord
Palmerston has a perfect right to state to the Queen his reasons for
disagreeing with her views, and will always have found her ready to
listen to his reasons; but she cannot allow a servant of the Crown
and her Minister to act contrary to her orders, and this without her
knowledge.

[Footnote 2: _See_ Ashley's _Palmerston_, vol. i. chap. v.]

[Pageheading: PALMERSTON'S EXPLANATION]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._