The Letters of Queen Victoria Volume Ii Part 23

Lord John Russell entirely concurs in your Majesty's wish that England and France should not appear at Madrid as countenancing conflicting parties. Lord John Russell did not attach this meaning to Lord Palmerston's proposed despatch, but he has now re-written the draft in such a manner as he trusts will obtain your Majesty's approval.

Lord John Russell will pay the utmost attention to this difficult and delicate subject.

[Pageheading: THE SPANISH MARRIAGES]

[Pageheading: DON ENRIQUE]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

FOREIGN OFFICE, _19th August 1846._

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty, and has endeavoured to modify and rearrange his proposed instruction to Mr Bulwer in deference to your Majesty's wishes and feelings as expressed to Lord John Russell; and with this view also Viscount Palmerston has divided the instruction into two separate despatches--the one treating of the proposed marriage of the Queen, the other of the possible marriage of the Infanta. But with regard to these new drafts, as well as with regard to the former one, Viscount Palmerston would beg to submit that they are not notes to be presented to any Foreign Government, nor despatches to be in any way made public; but that they are confidential instructions given to one of your Majesty's Ministers abroad, upon matters upon which your Majesty's Government have been urgently pressed, to enable that Minister to give advice; and Viscount Palmerston would beg also to submit that in a case of this kind it would not be enough to communicate drily the opinion of the British Government, without stating and explaining some of the reasons upon which those opinions are founded.

It is quite evident from Mr Bulwer's communication, and especially from the postscript to his despatch of the 4th of this month, that Queen Christina, the Duke of Rianzares, and Senor Isturitz, are earnestly and intently bent upon marrying the Queen Isabella to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, and it is very difficult to find conclusive grounds for saying that such a match would not perhaps, on the whole, be the best for Queen Isabella and the Spanish nation. But still, all things considered, your Majesty's Government incline to the opinion that a Spanish Prince would be a preferable choice, and they are prepared to give that opinion to the Spanish Court.

There is however but one Spanish Prince whom it would be creditable to the British Government to recommend as husband to the Queen, and to that Prince Queen Christina is known to feel objections, princ.i.p.ally founded upon apprehensions bearing upon her own personal interests.

Viscount Palmerston has endeavoured to furnish Mr Bulwer with such arguments in favour of Don Enrique as appeared likely to meet Queen Christina's fears, and he has occasion to believe, from a conversation which he had a few days ago with Count Jarnac, that the French Government, impelled by the apprehension that your Majesty's Government intend to support Prince Leopold of Coburg, would be willing, in order to draw the British Government off from such a course, to give at least an ostensible though perhaps not a very earnest support to Don Henry. But your Majesty will no doubt at once perceive that although the British Government may come to an understanding with that of France as to which of the candidates shall be the one in whose favour an opinion is to be expressed, it would be impossible for the British Government to a.s.sociate itself with that of France in any joint step to be taken upon this matter, and that each Government must act separately through its own agent at Madrid. For the two Governments have not only different objects in view in these matters, England wis.h.i.+ng Spain to be independent, and France desiring to establish a predominant influence in Spain; but moreover, in regard to this marriage question, Great Britain has disclaimed any right to interfere except by opinion and advice, while France has a.s.sumed an authority of dictation, and it is essential that your Majesty's Government should so shape the mode of co-operating with France as not to appear to sanction pretensions which are founded in no right and are inconsistent with justice.

Viscount Palmerston is by no means confident that the joint advice of the British and French Governments in favour of Don Enrique will be successful, and especially because he fears that M. Bresson has taken so active a part in favour of other arrangements, that he will not be very eager in support of Don Enrique, and will perhaps think that if this arrangement can be rendered impossible the chances may become greater in favour of some other arrangement which he and his Government may prefer. But such future embarra.s.sments must be dealt with when they arise, and Viscount Palmerston submits that for the moment, unless the British Government had been prepared to close with the offers of the Duke of Rianzares, and to follow at once the course recommended by Mr Bulwer, the steps suggested in the accompanying drafts are the safest and the best.

Viscount Palmerston has great pleasure in submitting the accompanying private letter from Mr Bulwer announcing the withdrawal of the Spanish troops from the frontier of Portugal.

[Pageheading: THE DOUBLE BETROTHAL]

_Mr Bulwer to Viscount Palmerston._

MADRID, _29th August 1846._

MY LORD,--I have troubled your Lords.h.i.+p of late with many communications....

I have now to announce to your Lords.h.i.+p that the Queen declared last night at twelve o'clock that she had made up her mind in favour of His Royal Highness Don Francisco de Asis.... Your Lords.h.i.+p is aware under what circ.u.mstances Don Francisco was summoned here, the Court having been, when I wrote on the 4th, most anxious to conclude a marriage with Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg, and only induced to abandon this idea from the repeated intimations it received that it could not be carried out....

The same night a Council was held of the Queen Mother's friends, who determined to bring matters forthwith to a conclusion. Queen Christina, I understand, spoke to her daughter and told her she must choose one of two things, either marrying now, or deferring the marriage for three or four years. That the Prince of Saxe-Coburg was evidently impossible; that Count Trapani would be dangerous; that Don Henry had placed himself in a position which rendered the alliance with him out of the question, and that Her Majesty must either make up her mind to marry her cousin Don Francisco de Asis, or to abandon for some time the idea of marrying.

The Queen, I am told, took some little time to consider, and then decided in favour of her cousin. The Ministers were called in, and the drama was concluded....

H. L. BULWER.

_P.S._--I learn that directly the Queen had signified her intention of marrying her cousin, Count Bresson formally asked the hand of the Infanta for the Duke of Montpensier, stating that he had powers to enter upon and conclude that affair, and the terms of the marriage were then definitively settled between M. Isturitz and him.

H.L.B.

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN'S INDIGNATION]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

On Board the _Victoria and Albert_, FALMOUTH HARBOUR, _7th September 1846._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--Though I have not heard from you for ages, you will perhaps be glad to hear from us, and to hear that our trip has been most successful. We left Osborne on the 2nd, at eight in the morning, and reached Jersey at seven that evening. We landed at St Heliers the next morning, and met with a most brilliant and enthusiastic reception from the good people. The island is beautiful, and like an orchard.

The settlement of the Queen of Spain's marriage, _coupled with Montpensier's_, is _infamous_, and we _must_ remonstrate. Guizot has had the barefacedness to say to Lord Normanby that though _originally_ they said that Montpensier should _only_ marry the Infanta _when_ the Queen _was married_ and _had children_, that Leopold's being named one of the candidates had changed all, and that they must settle it now!

This is _too_ bad, for _we_ were so honest as _almost to prevent_ Leo's marriage (which _might_ have been, and which Lord Palmerston, as matters now stand, regrets much did not take place), and the return is this unfair _coupling_ of the _two_ marriages which have nothing, and ought to have nothing, to do with one another. The King should know that _we_ are extremely indignant, and that this conduct is _not_ the way to keep up the _entente_ which _he_ wishes. It is done, moreover, in such a _dishonest_ way. I must do Palmerston the credit to say that he takes it very quietly, and will act very temperately about it.

I must now conclude. Ever your devoted Niece,

VICTORIA R.

Vicky and Bertie enjoy their tour very much, and the people here are delighted to see "the Duke of Cornwall."

[Pageheading: THE QUEEN OF THE FRENCH]

_The Queen of the French to Queen Victoria._

NEUILLY, _8 Septembre 1846._

MADAME,--Confiante dans cette precieuse amitie dont votre Majeste nous a donne tant de preuves et dans l'aimable interet que vous avez toujours temoigne a tous nos Enfants, je m'empresse de vous annoncer la conclusion du mariage de notre fils Montpensier avec l'Infante Louise Fernanda. Cet evenement de famille nous comble de joie, parce que nous esperons qu'il a.s.surera le bonheur de notre fils cheri, et que nous retrouverons dans l'Infante une fille de plus, aussi bonne et aussi aimable que ses Ainees, et qui ajoutera a notre bonheur interieur, le seul vrai dans ce monde, et que vous, Madame, savez si bien apprecier. Je vous demande d'avance votre amitie pour notre nouvel Enfant, sure qu'elle partagera tous les sentiments de devouement et d'affection de nous tous pour vous, pour le Prince Albert, et pour toute votre chere Famille. Madame, de votre Majeste, la toute devouee S[oe]ur et Amie,

MARIE AMeLIE.

_Queen Victoria to the Queen of the French._

OSBORNE, _10 Septembre 1846._

MADAME,--Je viens de recevoir la lettre de votre Majeste du 8 de ce mois, et je m'empresse de vous en remercier. Vous vous souviendrez peut-etre de ce qui s'est pa.s.se a Eu entre le Roi et moi, vous connaissez, Madame, l'importance que j'ai toujours attachee au maintien de Notre Entente Cordiale et le zele avec lequel j'y ai travaille, vous avez appris sans doute que nous nous sommes refuses d'arranger le mariage entre la Reine d'Espagne et notre Cousin Leopold (que les deux Reines avaient vivement desire) dans le seul but de ne pas nous eloigner d'une marche qui serait plus agreable a votre Roi, quoique nous ne pouvions considerer cette marche comme la meilleure.

Vous pourrez donc ais.e.m.e.nt comprendre que l'annonce soudaine de ce _double mariage_ ne pouvait nous causer que de la surprise et un bien vif regret.

Je vous demande bien pardon de vous parler de politique dans ce moment, mais j'aime pouvoir me dire que j'ai toujours ete _sincere_ envers vous.

En vous priant de presenter mes hommages au Roi, je suis, Madame, de votre Majeste, la toute devouee S[oe]ur et Amie,