Chapter XXXIV: Peace and Parliament

Opening of Parliament--A Cold Speech from the Throne--Moderation of Militant Toryism--Mr. Disraeli’s Cynical Strategy--The Betrayal of Kars--The Life Peerage Controversy--Baron Parke’s Nickname--More Attacks on Prince Albert--Court Favouritism among Men of Science--The Congress of Paris--How France Betrayed England--Walewski’s Intrigues with Orloff--Mr. Greville’s Pictures of French Official Life--Snubbing Bonapartist Statesmen--Peace Proclaimed--Popular Rejoicings--A Memento of the Congress--The Terms of Peace--The Tripartite Treaty--The Queen’s Opinion of the Settlement--Parliamentary Criticism on the Treaty of Paris--Stagnation of Public Life in England--The Queen’s “Happy Family” Dinner Party--A little “Tiff” with America--The Restoration of H.M.S. _Resolute_--The Budget--Palmerston’s Tortuous Italian Policy--The Failure of his Domestic Policy--The Confirmation of the Princess Royal--Robbery of the Royal Nursery Plate--Prince Alfred’s Tutor--Reviews of Crimean Troops--Debates on the Purchase System--Lord Hardinge’s Tragic Death--The Duke of Cambridge as Commander-in-Chief--Miss Nightingale’s Visit to Balmoral--Coronation of the Czar--Russian Chicanery at Paris--A Bad Map and a False Frontier--Quarrel between Prussia and Switzerland--Quarrel between England and the Sicilies--Death of the Queen’s Half-Brother--Settlement of the Dispute with Russia--“The Dodge that Saved us” 679