Great Britain and Her Queen | Page 9

to her mind the sense that he
designed to deprive her of all her actual attendants, and against this
imagined proposal she set herself energetically. "She could not consent
to a course which she conceived to be contrary to usage, and which was
repugnant to her feelings." Peel on his part remained firm in his opinion
as to the real necessity for the change which he had advocated. From
the deadlock produced by mere misunderstanding there seemed at the
time only one way of escaping; the defeated Whig Government
returned to office. But Ministers who resumed power only because, "as
gentlemen," they felt bound to do so, had little chance of retaining it. In
September 1841, Lord Melbourne was superseded in the premiership
by Sir Robert Peel, and then gave a final proof how single-minded was
his loyal devotion by advising the new Prime Minister as to the tone
and style likely to commend him to their royal mistress--a tone of clear
straightforwardness. "The Queen," said Melbourne--who knew of what
he was speaking, if any statesman then did--"is not conceited; she is
aware there are many things she cannot understand, and likes them
explained to her elementarily, not at length and in detail, but shortly
and clearly." The counsel was given and was accepted with equal good
feeling, such as was honourable to all concerned; and the Sovereign
learned, as years went on, to repose a singular confidence in the

Minister with whom her first relations had been so unpropitious, but
whose real honesty, ability, and loyalty soon approved themselves to
her clear perceptions, which no prejudice has long been able to obscure.
We are told that in later years Her Majesty referred to the disagreeable
incident we have just related as one that could not have occurred, if she
had had beside her Prince Albert "to talk to and employ in explaining
matters," while she refused the suggestion that her impulsive resistance
had been advised by any one about her. "It was entirely my own
foolishness," [Footnote] she is said to have added--words breathing that
perfect simplicity of candour which has always been one of her most
strongly marked characteristics.
[Footnote: "Greville Memoirs," Third Part, vol. i.]
Though the matter caused a great sensation at the time, and gave rise to
some dismal prophesyings, it was of no permanent importance, and is
chiefly noted here because it throws a strong light on Her Majesty's
need of such an ever-present aid as she had now secured in the husband
wise beyond his years, who well understood his constitutional position,
and was resolute to keep within it, avoiding entanglement with any
party, and fulfilling with equal impartiality and ability the duties of
private secretary to his Sovereign-wife.
The Melbourne Ministry had had to contend with difficulties
sufficiently serious, and of these the grimmest and greatest remained
still unsettled. At the outset of the reign a rebellion in Canada had
required strong repression; and we had taken the first step on a bad road
by entering into those disputes as to our right to force the opium traffic
on China, which soon involved us in a disastrously successful war with
that country. On the other hand, our Indian Government had begun an
un-called-for interference with the affairs of Afghanistan, which,
successful at first, resulted in a series of humiliating reverses to our
arms, culminating in one of the most terrible disasters that have ever
befallen a British force--the wholesale massacre of General
Elphinstone's defeated and retreating army on its passage through the
terrible mountain gorge known as the Pass of Koord Cabul. It was on
January 13th, 1842, that the single survivor of this massacre appeared,

a half-fainting man, drooping over the neck of his wearied pony, before
the fort of Jellalabad, which General Sale still held for the English. He
only was "escaped alone" to tell the hideous tale. The ill-advised and
ill-managed enterprise which thus terminated had extended over more
than three years, had cost us many noble lives, in particular that of the
much-lamented Alexander Burnes, had condemned many English
women and children to a long and cruel captivity among the savage foe,
and had absolutely failed as to the object for which it was
undertaken--the instalment of Shah Soojah, a mere British tool, as ruler
of Afghanistan, in place of the chief desired by the Afghan people,
Dost Mahomed. When the disasters to our arms had been retrieved, as
retrieved they were with exemplary promptness, and when the
surviving prisoners were redeemed from their hard captivity, it was
deemed sound policy for us to attempt no longer to "force a sovereign
on a reluctant people," and to remain content with that limit which
"nature appears to have assigned" to our Indian empire on its
north-western border. Later adventures in the