The Express.
London, England, 1848-06-06 00:00:00

THE E X PRESS, TUESDAY

thivalrone, and gallant nation. He coal not but feel,
'ineettever, that If finale had 'derived ►4ventngea
r. we hid else derived advasrts:tom oge tonnesien
SPI"e tram her *Sal gallaatfoti Holt
*mot to peat the warriors of N and thchigh Spaln
Would aster forget her obligations, jet the constant ?chees-
e/I of theta by at might arouse something bordering on a
vindictive feeling tb supply the place of international Mend•
ship. He regretted these unhappy despatches, therefore, on
other grounds than the mere dimmed of our minister. lie
regretted them, among other things, because he Mend they
might be drawn into a precedent. It was far that cellos
that he had been moat snaious to press forward this debate
so early. He wished to guard against these papers
being filmed in the liiirary of that house without thins
Ming annexed to them an immediate protest. That was
what he desired to guard against. And now let him
come to the consideration of tho documents that were
phased before them. In the outset he must complain that
the paper. presented to parliament as" papers relative to the
affairs of Spain" were mere extracts, and very partial ones.
What did the house think, far instance, of such a correspond-

once as this:
Mr. Itutwer to vlseount Palmerston. -I havetuat hail en interview
with the Duke of botouniyor, who, liming requested to see me,
Muted • • • • •
(Loud laughter.) Absolutely that was ell. (Renewed
laughter). That was a complete paragraph in a despatch of
our Simonds Ambassador to hie minister, coin
inuaicated for the information of the British Heuer
of Commons! (Cheers.) Almost en the same page
with this remarkable auto document was another
despatch, in which Lord Palmerston expressed himself
highly displeased at the decree of the Cortes giving the go-
vernment of Spain extraordinary powers. Why, what right
had the noble lord to be highly displeased or offended with
such matters ? These powers were voted by the Spaniel%
Cortes by a majority of 1-111 to 45 in one house, and of 113 to
13 in the other assembly. lie must remark, too, that a great
portion of these " papers" was composed of extracts from
newspapers. lie (Mr. llankes) did not undervalue news-
papers lie had no doubt that in Spain, as in England, there
were papers conducted by men of the highest talent end of
the purest character; but as newspapers both in
Spain and England were anenymous publications, he must
always feel regret when lie found them brought torwanl as
authorities uvon matters of state. (Hear, hear.) Only two
hours had elapsed since the last series of papers upon this
subject had been delivered to members of the legiblature,
and in this series there were, lie must remark, extracts from
newspapers, which he thought the government had scarcely
exercised a wise discretion in introducing. One of them was
from the Herald° of Hey 111, which, alter setting forth that
fears ware entertained in Spain of the anger id England 111
consequence of these events, proceeded thus:
A singular reflection however anion, vie., the ionnowilillity of Eng.
Ltd taking offence at present, in commmence of the hostile attitude of
Ireland, whoh ie wwurig her ricatiareua -by the increasing Mika to
her treasury-by the suspieiona enter Willed t. 4 her tlirouglo
Europe in consequence ot her friendly relations math the court of
Vienna-and finally, by the proceedings of the chartist party, which
calculates on the salmon of the new parliamentary IoT s. headed
by Meows. home owl laughter) -who will no eloolit
take advantage of the itaticulhe-d into which the county In thew. n,
In order to kindle the torch of civil discord throughout the lona.
(Much laughter and some opposition cheering ) These were
the documents the noble lord gave to them as part of a great
parliamen'ary record. (Hear, hear.) Thus it was that elate
papers were made up-(cheers) -and he must say that it did
seem to him that these sort of things had been put tee:ether
with considerable haste in order 10 OCCMIIIiOII a dality-that
they hail hi en collected with much toilsome indeetry an osiler
to gain time. (Cheering.) Ile now came to the next in
pnrtant document-the nob], lord's memorable eantidem
dial" despatch to Mr. Bulwer of March 15. It would Le re•
collected that it ran thus ;
1 have to instruct you to recommend veniality to the Spanish
vernment and to the QueemMother, if you have an opportunity of
doing so, the adoption of a legal and eonstitutiugal worse of go, eonslowan inpain.
(" Hear, hear," from the liberal aide.) This was pretty well
The Cortes it would be remembered was sitting at the time,
carrying what they thought " legal and constitutional mea-
sures" by large majorities.
The recent fall of the King of the French and of his whole family,
and the expulsion of his ministers, ought to teach the Spiudsh court
and goverionent how great is the linger of as utterniat to govern a
country in a manner at visaa.01:V1.11111141 realities and 00111010 of the
nation; sod the catastrophe which ha, happened in France mud
serve to snow that even a large and well disciplined army becomes an
ineffectual defence fee the crown when the course panels,' by the
crown is at variance with the general eentimente of the country. It
would then be woe for the toren of Spain in the present critical date
of ittlairs to strengthen the executive government by anlsraing the
bunts upon which the administration Is toweled, 00 by calling w luo
councils some of those men who paves. the confidence of B.c liberal
party
t Mach cheering from the liberal side.) Now it might have
been good fur Spain and this country if the policy recoil'.
mended by the noble lord had been adapted, but certainly if
the noble lord wished to defeat such a measure be could not
have adopted a course more calculated to carry that object
(Hear, hear.) lie ( Mr. liankes) was ready to admit
that the feeling of Spain towards us had not been very
favourable, and that the acts of the Spanish government
had not been very kindly. We hail probably *uttered s,me
disappointment by the course Spain had churn to pursue
with reference to our free trade policy. There was not,
as he conceived, any better employment of time fur
ministers than watching our commercial relations with le-
reign countries ; but he did doubt the expedieucy of inter-
fering with the political &Weirs of nations, and especially of
endeavouring to force upon them certain individuals and
parties to act as ministers and governors of the country.
(Cheers.l Why. what should we coy, if the Spanish alias
ter for koreian Affairs, seeing the chartists in England and
the repeaters in inland in a state of discontent, were
to write to us, insisting that it would be better
far Great Britain, if the government were placed upon a
wider basis, and if hirers. Cobden and Hume were at once
railed to the councils of the sovereign 1 (Hear, hear.) What
should we say if, having told us that, they were to conclude
by stating that whether we adopted such measures or not,
they would at least have the satisfaction of having
given timely warning (Cheers.) Tte noble lord
might say that Spain was in peculiar relations to.
wards England-he might insist on the sort of obli-
gatory link which existed-and which he seemed to think
bound the Spanish nation to a state of suh,erviency to
us because of benefit' received ; but this was not enough.
Cases had happened before where diplomatists as able as the
noble lord hail been concerned, and where a very different
tone had been creamed on subjects by no means dunimilar to
that under diseu bioll. The noble lord, he was sure, would
not be offended with a comparison which he would institute.
Holland, at one period of her history, was a state divided by
opposite factions. She was under the greatest obligations to
us for the preservation of her liberty, and for affardieg her
the means of carrying on her commerce. At such a time,
and at a period of great clangir to her, we had a vigilant and
able ambassador at the Hogue, whine des;.atchee were ex-
tant. He alluded to the noble lord's ancestor, Sir \V.
temple. Writing from the Hague in 11)70, that gentleman,
after adverting to the state of internal ethers in Holland,
said :

-- •
I have thought fit ta pay thin meth that so yin may make up your
reports of thew affair., and to it is our part to went the least con-
cerned we can in them, the best we can do is to watch die Interests of
the country, doing as little akwe can to interfere with their internal
interests.
lie (Mr. Bankea) wished the noble lord had followed the
example of his great ancestor, and been satiatied with watch-
ing vigiantly and anxioasly the domestic interests of Spain
—ready to affor aid when required. but knowing that to
offer it unasked was only likely to excite ill will. (Cheers.)
But he had another can -to cite. Nearly at the same period,
in 1678, we had an amitassador at Al drid, Sir Wil-
liam Godolphin, who had occasion to make remon-
! strums of a serious rature on tne part of
his government. lie addressed a letter to Don John of
Auntie, informing him that " the king, his master, hail
commanded him frequently to complain of the ill conduct of
the Spanish ministers at his court, which he was directed to
say had nut been amended by the minister now pres. nt."
What wan the result of this remonstrance ? It met with im- '
mediate attention. The Spanish mioisu rat the court of St.
James's was removed, showing that Spain, at the period of
her molt palmy greatness, was not above receiving with
courtesy an appeal ter the removal of her ambassador. What
reason was there to suppose that her heart was so broken by
subsequi ut misfortune that she should not ri-e up now in
resentment when an experiment was triedupon her patience ?
(Cheers.) But he proceeded with the despatches. The fol-
lowing was from Viscount Palmerston to Mr. Bulwer
Foreign-office, April 20, Ists.—ser, —I have reeeivevl your &s-
-patch of the 11th inst., with its enclosures, and I have to hotrod you
to state to the Duke of notomayor that her Majesty's government en-
tirely approve the step you took in making your communication of the 1
lilt inst., and, likewise, of your note of the 12th. That her Majesty's ;
governnunt, however, are not at all offended, either by the venting
back of your commumenliun of the 7th of April, or by the angry
tone and language of the Duke of Sotomayor's note of the loth, loiw-
ever they may regret the existence of those (yelled/tin the minds of
the !Spanish government, of which the language of Mrs exisdleocy's
note and the return of yours were profs. tier Majesty% govern-
ment, in making to the government of Spain the representations, and
in giving the advice which yaw communication conveyed, were in-
. spired by no sentiment but that of elneere friendship tar Spain, and
of deep Interest In the welfare of Queen Isabella. They felt that in
making that communication they were performing a duty, and wit
taking any undue liberty; and, therefore, at all events, It is a media-
faction to her Majesty's government to reflect that although their
counsel has been rejected and their communication has been
returned, the note has, nevertheless, been read and the counsel
has been tendered, and that whatever calamity may happen
In Spain her Mitjeety'a government stand acquitted of nut
having done what they could to prevent it. With regard .!
to the contents of the Duke of rotemayor's note, her Majeety:a
government have only to observe, that if the right of her Britannic
Majesty to the throne of the United Kingdom had been disputed by a
pretender; if civil war had arisen out of such a conflict of
claims; if the Britieb government had only a few years ago pent a ;
special envoy to Madrid to oohed the asets.terioemanocef Shpto,bc.in ordoesrento,
- place her Majesty on her throne; U that
both morally by treaty engagements, and physically by military and
naval forms • tribe aid thus afforded by Spain had oontributed ino
essential a degree to secure the crown to her Majesty, that ig might
with truth be said, that without such aid her Majesty would not now
have been Queen of England ; if, moreover, there still remained a
I pretender, who hie right and whose pretensions were backed
, by a large party in the Felted Kingdom ; and if upon every symptom
of danger from that pretender, and that parte, the British govern-
, ment was in the habit of reminding Spain of the treaty engagements
which she had entered into; wa alto in the habit of asserting that
, thane engagements were atilt in force, and woo continually
claiming the benefit of the alleged existence of these en-
gagements ; If all those things existed, and if the govern.
mend of Spain had, in a moment of general disturbance
In Europe, warned the Britieh government of dangers by which, In
their opinion, the security of her Majesty'e throne was menated—l
think I may confidently affirm that, under such circumstances, any
stateemen who might be ministers of the British crown, instead of
sending buck the note In which sorb reprrnentations were conveyed,
I and Instead of replying to it in dtsoourteoue terras, would have ac.
cepted the communication in the same eplrit of friendship in which it
, was made; and whether they adopted or not the advice which it con.
tained, would at least have considered it a proof of the continued ex-
istence of that friendship on the part of Spain, to which In such case
! would have been owing the circumstance that those British ministers
L had the honour of beirg adviser* of the crown instead of being pro-
, scribed exiles In a foreign land. You will transmit to the Duke of
Sotomayor a copy of this despatch.—(Signed) Peusgasrox.
to tell the government of
r Now, certainly it was rather strong
' Spain that we had been the instrument of putting the crown
• of Spain on the beset of the Queen, when al: we had pur-
ported to dr, was to lend our aid in confirmation of the