The Express.
London, England, 1847-06-12 00:00:00

when I say that such a determination on the pert of the go
cerement of this country would have been hazardous to the
peace of Europe. It is impossible not to consider, with re-
to all questions of political constitutions, if changes will
be welcome to constitutional states. Wean now in a state
not very different to that in which Europe was placed during
the.wara alter the Refeemation. Then it was not nation
went nation ; bet French protestant. sympathising with
the English government, and the English catholic symn-
ang with the catholic, of Spain. AU over Europe differ-
ences of religion bound men together ; and states contended
in arms for the promotion of that religion which constituted
the male force of the state, and the majority of the people
bakes* to it : Elizabeth interfering its the Netherlands
egoista the catholic power, and Philip of Spain stirring up
rebellion Ia England--auch was the state of things after
the Relbsiesstes. In these time', on the question
of political onatintions, it is evident to any one who has
watched the tonne of events that governments are not, sad
will not be indifferent to the name of the dynasty—(imer,
hear)--and the force of the constitution which is to be esta-
blished in neighbouring nations. There have been numer-
ous cases of interference in the last 20 years. In 1827, there
was interference between Turkey and Greece, and the sultan
was not allowed to use his forces against his own subjects.
What was the case of Belgium in 1831 ; The hon. gentle-
man, the member for Montrose, said that we did not inter-
fere. The &Arian people resolted against a sovereign who,
by the treaty of Vienna, bad a right t their allegiance. The
Prtnee of Orange marched an army to subdue the insurrection.
What happened then? The Duke of Wellington, being prime
minister, sad Lord Aberdeen foreign secretary, protocols
were exchanged between France and England, in order to
the establishment of an armistice there. When the Prince
of Orange marched against the Belgians, expecting a vie-
!lcy, his troops being less recently levied than theirs, a
Deitish ambassador, Sir Robert Adair, was sent to stop
sod told him he most proceed no further. Was not
this interference ? But it was one for the welfare and the
security of Belgium, and for the establishment of a free con-
stitution and the peace of Europe. But still it was an in-
terfereEce in the internal affairs of another nation. There
were subsequent eases in Portugal. An hen. gentlemen has
complained to-night that we interfered with the bene-
volent government of Don Miguel, who had usurped
the throne. Was not this an interference; and
were not Don Pedro and his daughter placed on the
throne by England, France, and Spain? And when Don
Carlos was driven out of Portugal and Spain, it was not done
entirely by Spanish troops, but by British marines; and
especially at the Cane of blilboa, where the muse of Isabella
was maintained. There is nothing now in our interference,
not as was done by the Holy Alliance, for tho purpose of
despotism, but for the cause of limited monarchy, with •
representative assembly securing the freedom of the people.
In this rose our interference must produce • similar result.
The hon. gentleman who brought forwent this motion said
the government of this country was founded upon the prin-
ciple of non-interference, and he instanced the events of the
year 1648 as e proof that the people of England had asserted
the right to do as they pleased, without the interference of
foreign powers. True it is that we have had excellent laws,
and great freedom, since the revolution of 1688, and no one
respects the settlement then made more than I do. No eine
more respects than myself the settlement which afterwards
placed the House of Hanover on the throne of these realms ;
but in all these respects I cannot vindicate this coun-
try against the feet of its having rolled, accepted, and
succeeded by means of foreign interference. (Hear, hear.)
I hold in my hand rather a long extract, with a part of which
only I will trouble the house on the present occasion. It is
an extract from the famous invitation addressed to the Prince
of Orange by the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earl of Devon.
shire. Lord Lumley, the Bishop of London, Lord Russell,
and Mr. Sydney. What did these patriots say to the Prince
of Orange? They declared that the people of England at
that time would not rise unless a foreign force came to
countenance them in their rising, and they asked the prince
to bring over some Dutch triops to give the people courage
in that way. Their constitutional exhortation to him was
not confined to his assistance for procuring personal
liberty, or a representative constitution, or for the
maintenance of the rights of the subject, but they
add, "We need not say anything about ammu-
nition, artillery, mortars, or soars arms ; you will pro-
vide these, and bring some good engineers with you."
(Hear, and laughter.) This was the invitation of the excel-
lent patriots I have named addressed to the Prince of
Orange ; and yet the hon. member for Montrose quotes this
as if this country had established its liberties without the in-
tervention of foreign powers, and contended that, in 1688,
no foreigner was seen in arms in this country countenancing
the rising of the people. (Hear, hear.) I think, therefore,
that the hon. gentleman has not considered these prece-
dents of interference, (Hear, hear.) Again, when we
indeed to establish the house of Hanover on the throne of
these realms, we were not satisfied with inviting a prince
of that illustrious house to come over, but we
made another treaty with Holland with a view to
obtain 6,000 Dutch soldiers to be sent over to maintain
that prince in the position be had been invited to assume. In
1723, our government endeavoured to form such a treaty;
but the Dutch complained that on the former occasion we
had kept their troops so long, that they must. hesitate be-
fore they afforded us similar aid; so that in both these in-
stances foreign aid and interference had been invited by this
country. (Hear, hear.) I admit that these cases of inter-
ference should not be formed into a rule, but should be an
exception in the general policy of the country ; and non it
was that in this particular instance we have been slow to
listen to the representations made to us by the authorities in
Portugal and the miniXers of Spain, that we should
interfere. We, however, wished that civil war should
be brought to a cessation, by the offer of fair
terms on the part of the sovereign of Portugal, and by
the acceptance of those terms on the part of the junta ; but
as neither party were willing to listen to • compromise, and
seeing the dreadful state to which Portugal wee reduced,
and seeing, also, that if we did not interfere the perils would
be increased, the misery of the people would be prolonged
--geeing that if we allowed Spain to interfere, either alone
or with the assistance of France, we should put another
kind of misery upon Portugal, and injure our own alliance
with that country, we did at last agree to this interference.
(Hear, hear.) It is asked what guarantee we can give
that the terms we have proposed will be maintained.
I think we have given to the junta the faith of the
Queen of Portugal as a pedge—(oh, oh !)—.ad
the Portuguese government pledges itself to France,
England, and Spain, that the terms proposed shall be
carried into effect. lam bound to say that the Portuguese
government, in good faith and with u view to their own
interests, will are those terms carried out. They have the
means to do so ; and by it their cause will be strengthened,
the nation will be pacified, and the cessation of the wretched
disputations which have destroyed that country will he
secured. (Hear, hear.) My belief is that byacts the we
have signed, sad by the instructions we have given, we have
acted in a manner conducive to this end ; and, at all events,
I shall ever feel satisfaction that I have belonged to • go-
vernment which has not abandoned an alliance whack
England has kept with good faith through centuries, and
which I trust will be maintained for centuries to come.
(Loud cheers.)
Ou the motion of Mr. BWITHWICK, the debate was then
adjourned.