Chapter 92
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: A Bombshell Declaration
-----------------------------------------------------------------
[If the potato blight spreads, regions that rely on potatoes as a staple food will suffer catastrophic damage.
Therefore, we will form an investigative committee to assess the state of the potato blight and establish countermeasures.]
The House of Lords raised no objections to the decision from the House of Commons, and the related bills were passed in an instant.
In truth, based on the announcement alone, everyone knew which region relied on potatoes as a staple.
After all, nowhere in England, Wales, or Scotland was there a place where the vast majority of people depended solely on potatoes to survive.
Those who secretly believed there was no need to provide such extensive support for Ireland were flustered by this unexpected outcome, unsure of what to do.
They had expected the House of Lords to send the bill back at least once or twice and never imagined it would pass without a hitch.
The committee was divided into two main groups.
One group would analyze Ireland's agricultural situation and demographic structure to formulate countermeasures on-site, while the other would travel to the New World to investigate the potato blight firsthand.
Of course, the members of both groups would be individuals over whom I held absolute influence.
But no matter how proper the procedure, there were always those who would harbor discontent.
‘Why should our precious taxes go to those Irish beggars? Just let them starve.’
Surprisingly, the number of people who thought this way was not just significant; it was large enough to form a faction.
So, I also passed a piece of bait to divert their attention elsewhere.
The operation to crack down on the opium merchants.
-The Horrors of Opium: A Dreadful Drug That Paralyzes Reason
-Ten Reasons Why Opium is More Harmful to the Body Than Whiskey
-Shocking! Opium Merchants Caught Scheming to Monopolize War Reparations
As if on cue, newspapers across the board, regardless of their Tory or Whig leanings, began publishing articles attacking the opium merchants, and most people showed more interest in such sensational topics than in the Irish problem.
When life is hard and weary, people need an unequivocal villain they can curse at without reservation.
The part about them trying to use the reparations from the war with the Qing Dynasty to cover their own losses particularly incited the citizens' fury.
"Why should the reparations earned through the blood and sweat of our soldiers fall into the hands of those drug peddlers! This is absolutely unacceptable!"
"Do you think my son enlisted in the army to help bastards like you?"
"I read in The Times that those scoundrels are now trying to bring opium into the country."
"What? Are they mad? The government must protect its citizens from opium!!!"
In the original history, this happened a bit later, but when they were prevented from selling opium to the Qing Dynasty, some of it flowed into Britain.
It was necessary to clamp down on this now to prevent such an occurrence, and being able to use it as bait to shift public opinion was killing two birds with one stone.
But not everything going according to plan was necessarily a good thing.
-Is the Whig Party Alright as It Is?
That was the title of today's editorial in the Morning Chronicle, a pro-Whig newspaper.
The title was so captivating, as if written by a master wordsmith, that I was compelled to pick up a copy. The content itself was also quite noteworthy.
-To check the Conservative Party's dominance, the Whig Party must secure a formidable number of seats. However, the current Whig Party is only proving day by day that it lacks both the will and the ability to reclaim power. Its ability to set the agenda in the House of Commons also lags behind the Conservatives. While this columnist supports neither the Conservative nor the Whig Party, I have always felt that the values the Whigs have pursued hold clear significance.
However, the current Whig Party is far too lacking compared to the Conservatives. Even in the war with the Qing Dynasty, the Conservative cabinet achieved a successful military victory while completely excluding opium, which could have been considered the British Empire's moral weakness. On top of that, their remarkable diplomatic skills brought immense profit to the nation.
To think that the Morning Chronicle, which usually publishes only pro-Whig articles, would feature a piece with such a critical tone toward the party.
This probably meant that even the Whig Party's current supporters were urging the party to wake up and get its act together.
-The political landscape hereafter is no different. While seeking ways to reform Ireland's agricultural structure, the Conservative Party sensitively recognized the potential impact of the potato blight on Ireland based on mere rumors. The Whig Party, however, failed to unify its opinion and was merely dragged along.
Even the opium issue, which is currently causing anxiety among the citizens, is being led by the Conservatives. Some might say, "What can be done with so few seats?" But the number of seats has no correlation with the ability to gain insight into social problems.
The next election is already a lost cause, and they must aim for the one after or the one after that, but will they even be able to put up a fight then? It's not just the current leadership's lack of vision; the gap in the presence of the youth who will be responsible for the future is too vast. The Conservative Party has Charles Wellesley, Disraeli, and Killian Gore. But does the Whig Party have any young politicians comparable to them? This is something they must deeply consider, starting now.
However, all this columnist saw in today's paper was an article about Lord Palmerston and MP John Russell of the Whig Party squabbling internally over sanctions on opium merchants. I shall let that fact speak for itself.
Wow, this guy really knows how to lay into a party.
Still, it seemed like an editorial that couldn't have been written without a certain degree of affection, and it was easy to imagine how infuriated the writer must have been while penning it.
But such a trivial sentiment was cleanly washed from my mind the moment I saw the name of the person who wrote this piece.
“‘Hoping that both parties will engage in good-faith competition to make this country even the slightest bit more beautiful. Charles Dickens...’”
To think I would stumble upon an article written by the most popular author of the Victorian era, a man consistently ranked among the greatest in all of British literary history.
Dickens had already become a sensation a few years ago with the smash hit *Oliver Twist*, earning praise as a genius of geniuses who had captured both literary merit and entertainment.
Seeing my name printed in an editorial written by such a person made me feel strangely pleased and, at the same time, a bit sheepish.
If I ever meet him in person, I'll have to get him to sign a hardcover copy for me.
Anyway, for a great author with a keen interest in social issues, he certainly has sharp insight, despite his youth.
Just as Dickens's editorial stated, the Whig Party was currently far too uncompetitive compared to the Conservatives.
In the next election, they would probably lose half of the seats they were barely holding onto now.
Considering the Conservatives also held a strong position in the House of Lords, it meant that even if the party was somewhat divided, they would have no trouble passing the laws they wanted.
This was not a very favorable situation for me.
"A scenario where they can secure a majority even without Ireland shouldn't be emerging this early..."
The ideal situation was one where no party held a majority, with the Whigs having a slightly larger number of seats than the Conservatives.
But as things stood, such a dream was out of reach; I had to worry about the Conservatives sweeping up almost all the seats.
Doing a good job was fine, but I had done *too* good a job.
Above all, the fact that my rivals were so powerless was a major factor.
I had been holding onto Melbourne's and Russell's weaknesses to use at a crucial moment, but now I was at a point where I was secretly cheering for them to try a little harder, rather than exposing them.
In ten years at the latest, I could establish firm control over Ireland and Canada, and Wellesley could dominate the House of Commons.
Until then, the Whig Party needed to play the role of a threatening opposition, but they were so lackluster it was giving me a headache.
"I suppose I'll have to adjust the balance a bit. What would be a good way?"
Should I implicate a few prominent members of our party when I wipe out the opium cartel?
No, if I did that, it would just lead to a chorus of praise for Robert Peel's leadership in coolly cutting ties with his own party members.
Was there a masterstroke that would not harm me, weaken the prestige of the Conservative Party, and give a boost to the Whig Party?
As I was lost in thought, the person I was scheduled to meet today opened the door and entered.
"Killian. Are you in?"
"Yes. Please, come in. It's been a while since we've had a chance to speak like this, Gladstone."
"Hahaha, are you still calling me your senior?"
"Once an alumnus, always an alumnus, wouldn't you agree?"
Unbeknownst to him, Gladstone, the kind senior who had provided me with valuable information back at Eton College, sat down heavily in front of me with a weary smile.
Noticing the Charles Dickens editorial on my desk, he pointed at the newspaper and asked.
"I see you've read it as well."
"How could I not? The most famous author in the British Empire is fiercely criticizing the Whig Party."
"Indeed. And you were mentioned in it as a promising young politician of the Conservative Party."
Come to think of it, Gladstone's name hadn't appeared.
In a way, his pride might have been a little hurt.
No, it was definitely hurt.
"It was probably a matter of page space; he likely just wrote down a few names that came to mind. My name has been in the papers a lot lately, so I would have been easy to recall."
"Whatever the case, the conclusion is that I currently lack the presence of you, Wellesley, or even Disraeli within the Conservative Party. And the party elders don't seem to be particularly fond of me either."
"Pardon? Why would they not be fond of you?"
"Because I speak my mind and frequently oppose their actions, I suppose."
"Then just dismiss it as the ramblings of old fools."
"You can say that, as a core member of Wellesley's faction. But for me, my worries just keep piling up, and I'm at a loss for what to do."
Well, as Gladstone grew older and his beliefs began to diverge from the values of the Conservative Party, it was inevitable that he wouldn't get along with the party's old guard.
On top of that, Disraeli, whose political leanings were opposite to his, was too close to Wellesley and me, making it difficult for him to fully join our faction. How troubled he must be.
Gladstone's weary eyes turned to me.
"What do you think? If I were to leave the Conservative Party... you would consider me a traitor, wouldn't you?"
Gladstone leaving the party?
Considering the flow of the original history, it wasn't that shocking, but I still had to weigh the pros and cons... no, wait.
The fact that he was telling me this directly meant that no matter what I did, his disillusionment with the Conservative Party was unchangeable.
Besides, hadn't I just been pondering this very problem?
A way to tarnish the prestige of the Conservative old guard while giving the Whig Party a lifeline.
And just in time, the perfect solution had walked right through my door. I had to make use of this.
***
Around the time Killian was deep in conversation with Gladstone.
The audience chamber of Kensington Palace.
"Society has been quite tumultuous lately, Your Majesty."
Victoria listened with a blank expression to the daily advice from her councilors.
"In such times of social turmoil, it is all the more important for the Royal Family to stand firm. Marriage proposals have come from many quarters, yet you have refused them all. May I ask if there is a reason?"
"At this point in time, I see no reason to marry."
"Your Majesty. However..."
Seeing the worried faces of her councilors and officials, she felt a surge of irritation but managed to suppress her emotions.
Their argument—that the Royal Family would find stability only when the Queen produced a legitimate heir—was not wrong.
"A great many candidates have been mentioned so far. Was there perhaps not one among them who captured Your Majesty's heart?"
"If there had been, I would not have refused, would I?"
In truth, if you looked at them one by one, most of them were not lacking in qualifications.
As candidates to be the Queen's consort, their statuses were, of course, formidable.
The ones she remembered were all from impressive backgrounds.
First, there was Prince Alexander of the Netherlands.
As the second son of the Dutch king, it could have even led to a personal union, but she felt no romantic attraction to him whatsoever.
Then, Duke William of Brunswick was proposed as a suitable husband, but he was immediately disqualified based on his appearance.
It was the same for Prince Ernest of Leiningen, Prince George of Cambridge, and the French royals.
Aside from their noble birth, not a single man met any of her criteria. What was the point of marriage?
If a man more handsome, more capable, and more devoted to her than Killian were to appear, she might consider it, but until such a person existed, her answer would always be the same.
However, continuously rejecting marriage proposals didn't look good, and her councilors would only nag her more. It seemed necessary to block any mention of marriage at the source.
It seemed those urging her to marry, citing the state of the nation, were overlooking something: justifying one's actions with the country's situation was not their exclusive prerogative.
Besides, after all she had learned by watching a certain someone, how dare they challenge her with mere words?
"I understand your concerns. But since I do not already have a prospective partner, the search for a husband would have to begin now, and would that not require considerable effort?"
"That may be so, but any man who is to be Your Majesty's consort must naturally undergo a rigorous investigation..."
"The nation has suffered greatly from the economic depression that began in the New World several years ago, and many citizens are still in pain. In the midst of that, the home country sent troops to Asia to fight a war, and now society is in an uproar over news that a great famine might strike Ireland and that large quantities of drugs might enter the country."
"Yes, yes, which is why the Royal Family must stand firm..."
"No, it is the opposite. With the nation in such turmoil, how can the Queen live a life completely detached from her suffering subjects, idly pursuing romance?"
This was it.
Now was the time to play her trump card—one that would shackle the mouths of these tiresome marriage-mongers and boost the popularity of the Royal Family all at once.
Victoria looked at their bewildered faces and continued in a firm voice that left no room for compromise.
"I shall make a declaration. I, Victoria, will not turn my eyes away from the suffering of my subjects until all of the nation's current problems are stabilized!"
"...Pardon? B-by that, you mean..."
"That is correct. Until the moment all these issues are resolved, at the very least. I will share in the suffering of my subjects, with the conviction that I am married to this British Empire."
In other words, anyone tactless enough to bring up marriage now was a shameless person who cared nothing for the well-being of the people.
Having silenced them with such a perfect justification, she knew that as time went on, they would all come to eagerly await the superhuman prince on a white horse who could finally change the Queen's mind.
Looking down at the dumbfounded faces of her councilors, Victoria's eyes sparkled with a sense of victory.