Lord Stanley, with his humble duty, awaits your Majesty's commands at what hour he may be honoured with an audience, to explain the grounds on which, with the deepest regret, he feels himself under the necessity of resigning the important trust with which your Majesty has honoured him.
Queen Victoria to Sir James Graham.
Buckingham Palace, 27th February 1851.
The Queen sanctions Sir James Graham's making any statement to the House of Commons which he thinks necessary, to explain the part which he and Lord Aberdeen took in the late Ministerial negotiations, and indeed hopes that these explanations will be as full as possible on all parts, in order that the country may fully appreciate the difficulties of the crisis.
Memorandum by the Prince Albert.
LORD STANLEY'S REASONS
Buckingham Palace, 27th February 1851.
Lord Stanley arrived at half-past five o'clock. We were struck by the change of his countenance, which had lost all the expression of care and anxiety which had marked it at the previous interviews.
He assured the Queen that he had been labouring incessantly since he had seen her last, but that he was sorry to say without any success.
THE PAPAL BILL