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 interests of your Majesty's service, to adhere to his
opinion which he ventured to express 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 attempt to form 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.

[Footnote 40: Charles Cecil Cope Jenkinson, third Earl,
1784-1851, became Lord Steward in 1841.]

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN'S JOURNAL]

_Extract from the Queen's Journal._

_Friday, 10th May 1839._

Lord Melbourne came to me at two and stayed with me till ten minutes
to three. I placed in his hands Sir Robert Peel's answer, which he
read. He started at one part where he (Sir Robert) says, "_some_
changes"--but some or all, I said, was the same; and Lord Melbourne
said, "I must submit this to the Cabinet." Lord Melbourne showed me
a letter from Lord Grey about it--a good deal alarmed, thinking I
was right, and yet half doubtful; one from Spring Rice, dreadfully
frightened, and wishing the Whig ladies should resign; and one from
Lord Lansdowne wishing to state that the ladies would have resigned.
Lord Melbourne had also seen the Duke of Richmond, and Lord Melbourne
said we might be beat; I said I never would yield, and would never
apply to Peel again. Lord Melbourne said, "You are for standing
out, then?" I said, "Certainly." I asked how the Cabinet felt. "John
Russell, strongly for standing out," he said; "Duncannon, very
much so; Holland, Lord Minto, Hobhouse, and the Chancellor, all for
standing out; Poulett Thomson too, and Normanby also; S. Rice and
Howick alarmed."

[Pageheading: CABINET MINUTE]

CABINET MINUTE.

_Present._

The LORD CHANCELLOR.
The LORD PRESIDENT.
The LORD PRIVY SEAL.
VISCOUNT MELBOURNE.
The MARQUIS OF NORMANBY.
The EARL OF MINTO.
The CHANCELLOR OF THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER.
The LORD JOHN RUSSELL.
The VISCOUNT PALMERS