Queen Victoria to Mr Walpole.
DISTURBANCES AT STOCKPORT
Buckingham Palace, 1st July 1852.
The Queen is much distressed at the account she has read in the papers of the dreadful riot at Stockport,36 alas! caused by that most baneful of all Party feelings, religious hatred,37 and she is very anxious to know what Mr Walpole has heard.
Footnote 36: The Church question was brought into the political arena in the General Election, which was now in progress; much violence was manifested during the contest.
Footnote 37: "It is additional proof, if more were wanting," wrote Mr Walpole in reply, "that all Parties should forbear as much as possible from the ostentatious parade of anything that can provoke either the one or the other."
The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.
Laeken, 23rd July 1852.
My dearest Victoria,—... We are very much plagued by our Treaty with France. Victor Hugo has written a book against Louis Napoleon, which will exasperate him much, and which he publishes here; we can hardly keep Victor Hugo here after that.38 The great plague of all these affairs is their constant return without the least advantage to any one from the difficulties they created.... Your devoted Uncle,
Leopold R.