270 



PolUicul Affairs in iMarch. 



[April 1, 



Relieved {rem the overwhelmins power of Spain enslaved conld find no other con- 

 tlie French army, if the pe()(>le o( Spiuii nexio:] hiit in the arms of P'rance. He 

 ■were deserving of liberal institutions, they (Sir H.) bad given the Kight Hon. Secre- 

 ■would obtain thent, or at all events it wa« tary fnil credit for the sincerity of his in- 

 most probable that the Kinj; would then tentions towards Spain vrhen the odions 

 leel himself nnder the necessity ofliilfilling aggression of the French Government was 

 his engagements to bis subjects. For be about lo be carried into cflect. He conld 

 could speak with the fullest authority — not, however, extend his approval to the 

 authority that needed only to be mentioned policy that was acted npon by his Ma- 

 in that House, to be received with the jesty's Government at Verona. Ke knew 

 credit that bis dislingiiislied reputation well that tliere eTiisted, both in the Aris- 

 meritcd — he meant General Alava — that tocracy and in the commercial classes, a 

 King Ferdinand, when under no restraint, predominating opinion that no conrse 

 gratuioiisly pledged binwelf to a general ought to be taken which might possibly 

 amnesty, avowing at the same time that be involve this country in war. .Some there 

 disclaimed all political proscription, any were who felt indisposed to the Spanish 

 ■vindictive re-action, and above all, that it Constitution, becanse they conceived it 

 ■was his determination to iiphold all the not calculated for pernianonce from the 

 pccnniary cn:;agements of the Constitii- want of a second chamber. There was 

 tional Govcrmneut. He went further, by another, and he believed the prevailing 

 declaring his readiness to accede to a re- party, who, thongh hostile to the aggres- 

 picsentative system, if such shonid appear sion of the government of France, and 

 to be the wish of the people of .Spain, not disinclined to inHjct the punishment it 

 What then was the natural inference from deserved, yet were still apprehensive, that 

 such a statement? Il was this, that the if Great Briiain intersposcd, France would 

 government of France alone p.revcnted the have been thrown into a revolutionary at- 



Spanish King from fulfilling his solemn and 

 spontaneous pledges. H<t7.'Siv R. Wilson) 

 leltit but justice to the Ki<.'lit Honourable 

 Gentleman, his Majest\'s .Secretary for 



t itude and the safety of tlie Bourbons endan 

 gered. There was another course of policy 

 which, happily for Spain and for our owi> 

 reputation, this country might have pnr- 



Foreign Affairs, to declare that he be- sued at Verona, and which he (Sir Robert)t 



lieved no man more sincere in his hopes was prepared to prove would have been 



that Spain would have been able success- ffl'ectual. We might have protested with- 



Inlly to resist the aggre^sion of France, out any menace against the principles on 



He gave him credit also for a desire to pre- vvliich the Holy Alliance bad proposed to 



Bcrve that strict neutialiiy which be pro- act, reserving to ourselves the right of sub- 



fessed, whatever conduct other parties scquenlly taking that course which our 



might have pursued. But in making those own sense of duty indicated. That course, 



ackncwlcdguients, he (Sir Robert) beard he was prepared to contend, would have 



■vvith regret the Right Honourable Secre- been effectual. And why? Because if 



tary assert, that the evacualion of Spain England had not avowed a determined 



by the armies of France, would be an neutrality — jf she reserved to herself the 



event which, under existing circumstances, power of taking any course her interests 



he shoidd deplore, for the sake of binnani- warranted, after she bad entered her pro- 



ty. No man would go further than be was test against the principle, the Holy Alli- 



inclined to restore peace and tranquility to ance would have faultercd. They knew 



that distracted country ; but he would very well, that if Great Britain was dis- 



never consent to purchase a tcmpotary and 

 partial benefit, at the sacrifice of the 

 great, and permanent, and comprehensive 

 interests, in which the happiness of the ci- 

 ■wilized w orld were involved. As he stated 

 belbrc, it was the presence of the French 

 army that prevented that general amnesty 

 which the Kiugof Spain had promised, and 

 ■which wruld to Spain be the best guarantee 

 of returning peace. In th'^ alternations 

 of human events, humanity was not al- 

 ways a pacific quality — it sometimes as- 

 sumed, ;and necessarily assumtd, a bel- 



posed to prevent the realization of their 

 views, there was scarcely an inhabitant of 

 the many countries from the Niemcn to 

 the Adriatic, that would have rallied un- 

 der its standard. The King of France 

 was persuaded that be owed his throne to 

 the Prince Regent; he was indebted also 

 to his good pleasure for the continuance of 

 it. But when once British neutrality was 

 avowed, from that moment all their fears 

 vanished — from that moment the despots 

 of the continent felt themselves freed from 

 every difficulty. Then it was that Fiance 



ligerent chaiacter. To the people of proceeded to combine in their attack upon 



Spain we owed every measure of relief 

 that their misfortunes needed, and that 

 our power enabled us to afford. We owed 

 it lo the ackiioviledged and antient policy 

 of this coiintiy, to recover that inflnence 

 which had so long existed, .Sp.iin (rce 

 was the ualuial allv of Great. Britain. 



the Spanish people a maritime and mili- 

 tary co-operation — then it was that block- 

 ading squadrons were sent against the 

 ports of Spain — that Cadiz, Barcelona, 

 and Alicant were shut up. he would put 

 it to any Lord of the Admiralty in that 

 house lo S'dv, whether if Great Britain had 

 su.speudt-d 



