The Express.
London, England, 1847-02-06 00:00:00

Coburg, feeling the aispleasere of France, refused one of its
gel:cand that England and France were favouring Don
rYs. It was on the night of Aug. 28 that the marriage
of the queen was derided upon. This decision was pub-
lished in the Gazette de Madrid on the 29th, and the Cortes
were convoked for Dee. It. The manage of the Infanta
with the Duke of Montpensier was not decided upon until
later; and every one knows that if the wishes of the
Spanish people bad bees consulted, the queen and her
aster would have married the two brothers, Don Francis
and Don Henry. The first marriage was irrevocably eon-
! chided on Aug. 29. On Sept. 1, If. Guizot sent for the
English ambassador, and said to him :—" The two marri-
ages are decided upon; one with Don Francis, and the other
with the Duke of Montpenaier." The English ambassador
objects, and salts,—" Will both marriages take place at the
same time ? "—M. Guizot answers, " No ; not at the same
time." To explain this answer the Minister of Foreign
Affairs added :—" The order for solemnising both marriages
at the same time was only given on Sept. 4." N. Guist*
-hould (which he did not), have informed the English
Ambassador on September 5 of what was taking place.
It Is thought that Louis XI V., by placing his grandam on the
throne of Spain, would have stifled the bate of that country
fir France : this is an error In Louis XIV there existed
both the father and the king ; and both characters I respect;
but if the king attained his object, I think that the father
was deceived. Let us see the truth. Why had Spain
sterns joined the Germans against us? Because she possessed
the Netherlands. The war of succession having deprived her of
the Netherlands Spain turned to our side. But the co.tsequences
apse war of suc!8•16011 had not that effeet alone, it had alas
given Gibraltar to England; had establiabed the English on
the Spanish territory. What was the result? That Spain
began to unite herself to us on the Continent aa well as on the
sea. Louis XIV. in placing hiagrandson on the Spanish throne
had thought to unite the two countries for ever. Now, four
years after the death of the great King, Philip V. declared
war against France, not for national interests, but for the
interests of his family ; and thus the union of the families was
the cause ortlutt war. It was thought that the marriage
of Mdlle. Montpensier, daughter of the Regent, to •
descendant of Philip V. would have been productive of
concord. We know what enmities, what embarrass-
ments, the alliance with Spain caused Louis X V.--As
to Napoleon, you all know the embarasements to which
family alliances exposed him. Ater the revolution of July,
instructed by such lessons, ell that we had to do was to form
an alliance between the two revolutions of France and Spain.
Inttead of doing this, we have taken a part in Spanish dif-
feicnces of opinion. Popular sympathy was ours an Spain
on the greund of our common revolution, and, when
we were menaced with war in 1540, the worst
foes of France in Spain were ready to aid our revolution.
I repeat, all we should have done in Spain was tolgave main-
taintained the alliance of the two revolutions. The mar•
rages of princes cannot supply a substitute fur this alliance ;
rather, they oaly irritate national feelings. Go through
Spain, from Bayonne to Cadiz, everywhere you will hear
Queen Christina charged with a partiality for France, and a
sacrifice of the interests of Spain to that partiality. In these
circumstances, what is the position in which you have
placed the Duke de Montpenaier, in case of a political
misunderstanding arising between the new king and the
queen-mother? Will be take part with hia step-mother
ag anst his brother-in-law, or rice versa t These are the
drt urnstances—l say, then, that what you have done is po-
litically null. But, if it be so, why should Eng-
gland be jealous of it ? bee:use you have also
done a dangerous thing. Suppose Queen Isabella should
have no heir. You pray that she may have one; and I pray
with you. (Interruption.) I repudiate the treaty of
Utrecht. I repudiate it for France ; but suppose that Queen
Isabella should have no heir ? You would thou find your-
Belt es in an extremely dangerous situation. That authorises
me to my, that you have performed an act which is
either void or dangerous. And what is the price
which you have paid ? You have paid it at the price of • fear-
ful respoaubility. When they stop the deputies at the gates of
Madrid, and when they are imprisoned to be prevented from
sitting, you will not be culpable, but you will be embarrassed.
What is our situation with regard to England? I have always
beta a partisan for English alliance. During 15 years my
enemies have frequently made it a subject of reproach. It is,
then, a well-known fact. Every one, however, also knows my
devotedness to my country and to royalty. ICI could render a
service to either country, it would Le the greatest satisfaction
I could enjoy; but I would on no account purchase their
favours by giving them bad advice. We shall be told, I
know, "You speak much at your ease, gentlemen of the
Opposition, after having, during twenty•five years, accused
the government of too much confidence an England, to accuse
us of having sacrificed her independence to her." The real
alliance for France is that of England. It is said, there are
rivalries between France and England. I know this; but
tall me of a country which boa sympathise without rivalries ?
Do rivalries render an alliance between England and
France impossible s No! and I am certain that if England
was shown • great aim to be attained, she is too enlight-
ened to ask sacrifices unworthy of us. I cannot help saying
that I am deeply afflicted by the policy which has been pro-
posed in this tribune. You are, it is said, at variance with
the Northern courts and England, and you are thus reduced
to isolation. I have been told that this alliance is good at
certain times, and bad at others; and that there is the
'reshot confidence to be placed in the good will of the
Tories. I know this. Sir Robert Peel and Lord Aberdeen
are the great spirits and the noble hearts on whom implicit
faith can be placed—who agitate questions which affect
the happiness of humanity ; but I avow that my sympathies
are much more with the Whigs, and the repugnance which
tome seem to feel to them is, I think, confounded with that
for the Radicals. They object that in 1840 the Whigs were
opposed to France. That accusation is ill-founded ; and the
proof is that, at the end of 1840, our cabinet signed with
those same Whitts a treaty which testified, on the contrary,
a great degree of confidence on the port of France. What •
moment you have chosen to disturb the alliance with
England ! The moment when Cracow was the
theatre of an attempt which you did not foresee
although all the world announced it. This is the moment
which you have chosen to effect the Spanish marriages, and
to render England discontented. M. Thiers concluded b
saying—l repeat lam for the English alliance ;I do not seek
for popularity, hut I art far from despising it. I respect the
French nation and royalty, and that is the reason I have
told to-day to the nation and to royalty the whole truth.
M. °vizor then rose and said, that as N. Thiers had en-
tered into a lengthened disquisition, he wished, in his answer
to touch upon all the points raised by his adversary, and de-
manded for that purpose that the debate be !adjourned.
The debate was accordingly adjourned.