The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-22 00:00:00

THE CROWN OF SPAIN.

Mr. HORSMAN put a question to the First Lord of the
Treasury, as to the expectations by which the King of
Prussia was induced to advise the withdrawal of the Prince
of Hohenzollern's candidature for the Crown of Spain,
and as to the communications which had been addressed
to France by the Governments of Russia and Austria
since the intended declaration of war was made known.
The right hon. gentleman said he should not have
given notice cf these questions to the Government
unless he had first shewn them to the right hon. gentle-
man at the head of the Government. His first question
was with reference to the negotiation as to the candida-
ture for the Crown of Spain by the Prince of Hohen-
zollern. It was understood that the King of
Prussia made the concession he did to France
very reluctantly under the advice of other Powers. (Cries
of " No, no.) And one of these Powers was England, and
that advice was given with the sanction and concurrence
of France, avowedly in the interests of peace, and
for the preservation of peace. Cries of '• Order.'
He wanted to know whether the withdrawal of the candi-
dature of the prince was advised by England, and whether
it was conceded by Prussia in the full expectation that by
that concession France would be satisfied and war averted
His next question required no explanatory remarks.
During the last few days intelligence had been received
that the Prussian Government had communicated with
France expressing its disapproval of the declaration of
war, and that in France its sympathies would be on
the side of Prussia. He wanted to know whether any
such communication had been sent expressing such senti-
ments by the Government of Russia to France, and if it
had been made whether it had been accompanied by an
expression of opinion that the determination to proceed
to war, after France had accepted the good offices of other
powers; and after Prussia had made the concession, was a
departure from that general understanding, by which the
Emperor of France, in honour and good faith, ought to
have considered himself bound.

Mr. GLADSTONE : My right hon. friend, the member
for Liskeard, was kind enough to chew me in
manuscript, the questions he has put on the notice paper.
I stated to him that, if he thought fit, in the exercise of
his discretion, to put them on the paper, I would give them
my consideration, and give him the best answer in my
power. But I am bound to say that my
right honourable friend did not state that it was
his intention to preface them by an explanation. (Cheers.)
Mr. HORSMAN I explained that.

Mr. GLADSTONE : What I state is that the Right
Honourable gentleman did not mention to me that he
should preface them by any explanation in the House. I
do not think it part of my duty to refer to the explana-
tion, but I do so because it would not have been
quite respectful to my Right Honourable friend to
to have passed it over in silence. With respect to the ques-
tions they are two. The first is an inquiry as to the expec-
tations by which the King of Prussia was induced to ad-
vise the withdrawal of the Prince Hohenzollern's
candidature for the Crown of Spain. - Having considered
that question, I come to this conclusion—We have no
knowledge ourselves of the degree in which my right hon.
friend's precise words would be borne out, namely,
that the King of Prussia was induced to advise the with
drawal of tde candidature, nor have we any knowledge of
the expectations by which the King of Prussia. was