THE QUEEN AND PALMERSTON
20th June 1849.
My dear Lord John,—Your proposal with respect to the mode of taking the Queen's pleasure about the drafts is perfectly agreeable to the Queen. She would only require that she would not be pressed for an answer within a few minutes, as is now done sometimes.
Lord Palmerston could always manage so that there are twelve or twenty-four hours left for reference to you, and consideration, and there are few instances in which business would suffer from so short a delay. As Lord Palmerston knows when the Mails go, he has only to write in time for them, and he must recollect that the 28,000 despatches in the year come to you and to the Queen as well as to himself.
Should the Queen in future have to make any remark, she will make it to you, if that will suit you. Ever yours truly,
Albert.
Lord John Russell to Viscount Palmerston.
21st June 1849.
My dear Palmerston,—I wrote the substance of what you wrote to me to the Prince, and proposed that the drafts should, in the first instance, be sent to me. You will see by the enclosed letter from the Prince that the Queen approves of this proposal.
It may somewhat abridge the circuit if, when I have no remark to make, I forward the drafts with the Foreign Office direction to the Queen at once.