LETTERS FROM PARIS, BY 0. P Q. No. X. - THERE
IS AN END OF THE ALLIANCE BETWEEN THE GOVERN- MENTS OF FRANCE AND GREAT- BRITAIN, " France and Britain have by their past conduct acted as if they were intended for the destruction of each other ; hut I hope the time is now come when they shall justify the order of the erse, and stow themselves better calculated for the more amiable .pioposes of frieudly intercourse and mutual buttes olence."—WmulAu PITT.
TO THE EDITOR OF THU SPECTATOR.
Paris, 25114 March 1834. • SIR—We have been grievously GULLED. I use that word orasun advisedly, and not from accident, or vulgarity. Guiller, which in our old French meant to cheat, has formed your word "gulled ;" and that is just the word I wanted to begin this letter ! "To out.r.,' says your great lexicographer, is " to trick • 'to cheat—to defraud—to deceive : and Darns N said—" The Roman peupht were grossly gulled twice or thrice over, and as often enslaved in one century, and under the same pretence of reformation." Yes—WE, i. e. the people—and not only the people of France, but of Great Britain too, have been grievously gulled ; and the sooner we know, awl admit, and feel, and deplore, and protest against this, the better. I was grievously gulled from the 7th August to the unenent when La favurrut gave up his cons. mand of the French National Guards ; perreiviug, as he did, that Fr ince was to lie grilled with a dynasty instead of liberty, and with a MO11.11Thy instead uf civilization and human happiness, anti the triumph of Constitutional freedom. But, without vanity, I mat' say—and my letters to the Chronicle are there to prove it—that I was gulled for a ntuch shorter period than my neighbours; and that in 18:31 and 1832 I predicted all that wind., take place, WiHril lets lloW taken place in this country ; and suprised the Optimists with roy denunciations of projects which I knew were theu under consideration, but which no one would believe the Government would attempt to realize. Still I admit it, that for several months I was gulled ; and once, iu the enthusiasm and delight of the moment, I know I wrote sonic such phrase as this, " We have WWI the Lod of the French Revolution." For this I shall make no apology. It was an error of the heart, but one :Odell sprung from a better opinion of human nature than I was justified in fiuming. Although, however, I :oink that I was one of those who was gulled by the 7th August for a few months, yet I did IlOt thine a dupe. This cannot be said by other public writers on this Frefich question. Even up to this very hour, there are some honourable and high- minffill friends of freedom in Erigland who have never ceased to hope, and Who, though they have been compelled to admit that the draught they hail to think was most hitter anti trying, yet have pteserved some anticipations of speedy and future libations of wholesome drink, if not of strong wine or delicious nectar. But these Opti iii ists are now in their turn compelled to exclaim, " WE HAVE BEEN GRIEVOUSLY GULLED."
We have been gulled in our hopes and expectations for France—for Belgium —for Poland—for Germany—for Lithuania—for Portugal— for Italy—fur Spain—for Greece—for Switzerland—and even for Turkey. Those hopes were excited, 1st, by the triumph, at least for the time being, of popular pi iii. eiples in France ; tad, by engagements expressly made and entered into with Polish, German, Belgian, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and even Swiss patriots, by the French Government ; 3d, by assistance actually afforded in the first instance to Polish, German, Belgian, Portuguese, Italian, and Spanish refugees, by the French Government, to enable them to carry oil their glorious work of national regeneration; 4th, by the reception first given to the Polish and Belgian Revolutions by the French Ministry ; 5th, by pro s made at the national French Tribune, that " Polish nationality should not perish ;" " that the entry of an Austrian army into the Roman States would be the signal of a general war ;" and " that the French army would not leave Belgium, when once it entered, till the whole Belgian anti Dutch question should be terminated." These were the declarations of coufillential ministers of Louts Pilule, sac!' as Sins sal,. xi, CASIMIR PERIER, and Alaishal SouLT"—made publicly in the face of France and the world ; and such declarations very naturally tended to gull a great many. 6th, we were gulled by the reception iti the first instance given to Polish, German, and other political patriotic refugees, and by the un- bounded assurances they received of never-dying interest and affect• on the ;tart of the French Government : and finally, we were "gulled " by the appa- rent sincerity with which the Charter of 1830, though defective and inirrfect, yet aim admirable amendment on that of 1814, appeared to be received by those who surrounded the new royalty, as well as by that new toyalty l'he reviews on the Champ de Slurs gulled us. The enthusiasm of all classes gulled us. The promises of even EIZOT the Doctrinaire, who attacked the Penal Code of NAPOLEON which limitedhlie right of association to twenty per- sons, and who declared that only had governments cou:d fear political meetings and political societies, gulled us; and we really did believe, for the hour, that something was intended. We were gulled by the law of the mess—by thus cold- ness which appeared to exist between the Court of the Tuileries and those of St. Petersburg, Vienna, and Berlin ; and it would be absurd of any one, even of LA rAvETTE himself, not to admit that he was gulled. Ile does admit SI ; he weeps and sighs as he admits it, but the fact must be conceded. It reads a sorrow- ful lesson to the generous and the noble, and it presents us with but a sorry pieture of our poor humanity. But in nothing have we been gulled an much as respecting a sham alliance between the Governments of France and Great Britain. I say, a sham alli- ance ; and I do so advisedly. The alliance, from March 1831 downwards, has not been real—has not been bond fide—has not been (at any rate on the part of the Doctrinaires) a frank and sincere alliance—and has not been intended to be permanent and national. And now there is an end oldie alliance between the Governments of France and Great Britain. Take this as a fact—riot as a matter of hearsay, of negotiation, of report, of suspicion, and of fear, but as a fact. Even the Whigs of Great Britain are too liberal—much too li■wral for the Juste Milieu and Doctrinaires. Even the Reform Bill of Lord Gas v, and his non-disfranchising opinions as to Warwick, Liverpool, Ste., are not sufficiently aristocratical for M. D'A RGOUT and the Duke DE BROGLIE. Evm the Gag- ging Acts of Lord CASTLEREAGH did not go far enough to pleztse M. 13x wens: and Al. THIERS—sinee they were but temporary. Oh no! these" Appositive Legitimists," these "Journeymen Absolutists," require to go much further than even the German Diet : for in Germany the principle of associvtion is re- cognized, whilst in France even the principle is to be denied by act of Parlia- ment ! These striplings in political science, or the art of oppressim very fitr outstrip their masters, and Prince MLTTERNICH is experted in Lit' to take lessons in the Rue Cirenelle St. Germain ! Young cotiverts are aiways most zealous, butt sometimes they become mail. There is an end of the alliance between the Governments of Great Britain and France. I have said this is a fact, and I ani pi erne.' to prewe it. I call as my witnesses Lord PALMERSTON and the despatches he has received fir the last two months from Lord GRA NVIT.I.V. I call as my wititeases, Lon! PAL- MERSTON and the communications he has received during the same period front Dr. Bowni NG. I call on Prince TA L LES' RA N and the Duke de Jlirui;u.ar as witnesses, and the despatches which have passed between the two diplomatists. I call on Pozzo nt BORGO as a witness,and the Duke of On LEA Ns as his "con- fidential young friend" of the Tuileries. (I cite his wools.) I call on the Austrian and Prussian Ministers at Paris, who desire even as much as l'ozzo rut Boaco can do, that this alliance may be put an end to,and that the Throne of July may be surrounded, not by " Republican institutions," but by despotic laws, and more despotic Ministers. " M hat care I, or what cams the Emperor my master," said the Russian diplomatist, not a week ago, " whether the King of the French be called PHILIP or CHARLES, so that the menarciiie.0 prineiple in Europe shall triumph in France ? " When he said this, he laughed. shrugged his shoulders, rubbed his hands, and added" All is going on very well." Oil yes, I call l'ozzo DI Bo:Ico as my witness, and he will not deny my stateunent. The very fact of the termination of this British aatl French Governments alliance was lint autiounced to the world by orders of the French Govet tanent ; just the same as the desire of :he -French Gov, rument to " do oellething for the ,1,1-iiiy;a in enter to secure the zeal aral 61 the Arno-, lots limn aloofness! in a Powilwial Journal called the Mmorial Borditils. The statemehts of the alloy deur, the Quotidienne, the Constitnthancl, .ronrigal du Chaoo,rcs, the Standard, the Trne SUYI, the Spectator, anti the nail, 011 are. all disre- garded. The articles in question are caret...II: tran.mito 11 1.1 The Ambassadors of the Northern Courts at Paris, by order of the Duke Ds Moulds; who
claaecles with delight at perceiving that the truth is out, and that, in spite of the late sintech of Lord PALMERSTON in the House of Commons, no one believes a single word of the continued existence of the French and English Government
alCiance. Besides these witnesses, I can call also the editors of the Debuts, the Mmiitenr, the Journal de Paris, and the Bulletin du Soir, all of whom have received orders not to deny the fact that the English and French Governments are no longer attached to each other by ties of friendship and close alliance. In !ilia manner. I can call the editora of other papers, who have been invited by the Government organs and agents, not directly. but indirectly ta attack the British Commercial Commission, and to support French Tariffs and French Custom- duties against the just demands of THOMSON, Bowitusc, and Lord G KAN- viLLE. 'the Doctrinaires assert, that an English alliance is no longer of great importance ; that to " legitimize " the Government of July, and the Throne founded in IS:10, must be now the first and dearest object of attention to those who really desire the establishment of a French monarchy ; and that concessions must now be made, not to England, but to Russia, to Prussia, to Austria, and to the German Confederation, III order to procure the recognition sought for, and the admission of the new dynasty into the family of European Sove- reigns. I could go on with my list of witnesses for a great while longer ; but penitence and delicacy as well as honour require that some names should not be mentioned. Though some of those names be therefore withheld, you may place the most perfect confidence in my assertion " that there is an end to the alliance between the Governments of Great Britain and France." And let not any one deceive you with the assurance, that this apparent friendship between the Courts of the Tuileries, Vienna, St. Petersburg, and Berlin, is merely apparent ; that the coldness appearing to exist between the Goveinments of France and Great Britain is not real, hut affected ; that a great point has to be gained, viz. the recognition by Europe of the new French dynasty, and the disarming a Europe in order to show its confidence in that dynasty ; and that when that point shall be gained, the alliance between the two Governments will be openly as arnica], and warm as it is at this moment, though now only secretly, and not openly sincere. This is not true. The system of submission to foreign dictation is not the system of the Whigs, notwithstanding all their faults and grie- vous errors; but it is the system of the Doctrinaires. The system of a MILITARY Government for France is not the system of the Whigs, though they have done great injury by their lukewartnness and timidity ; but it is that of the Doctrinaires ! The system of destroying the press, the right of association, and the popular and political instruction of the people, is out the system of the NVIliga, though the 'Whigs would cheerfully receive into their bosom many a Sir Roaxtur Plist. if lie would enter therein and consent to their embraces ; but it is the system of the Dectrinaires! To maintain their ground with the majority in the French Chambers, the Doctrinaires must support all monopolies—oppose all concessions on commercial questions—maintain both stupid, r uinous, and prohibitive custom- laws—protect some scores of families to the ruin of tens, nay hundreds of thousands of individuals—and refuse to listen to Bordeaux, Nantes, Havre, Calais, Dunkirk, Boulogne, and multitudes of other ports, whose interests and happiness are so seriously compromised by the existing French Custom-laws. This system will not suit the Whigs. Though sadly in arrear of the times in which they live, and sadly averse to the onward movement, still the Whigsi have mime shame, and some portion of philosophy, experience, and common sense left them ; and the prohibitive system of commerce they cannot and will not uphold. This is not the case with the Doctrinaires. Concessions made to England on commercial questions, will not only offend the majorities of the Chambers, hut likewise the Northern Ambassadors at Paris; and the Doctrinaires are therefore prepared to refuse (and in fact do refuse) all concessions to the British Board of Trade, and to the British Commercial Commission. There is, therefore, in truth and in fact, an end of the alliance between the Governments of France and Great Britain!
Nor is the Tr RKISII QUESTION wholly foreign to this separation. It is true that it has partially led to this result, though more incith•ntally than directly. It is true that, up to the moment when the Czar perceived that a sort of between the Whigs and Doctrinaires existed against him relative to the Turkish question, be bad ever rem:third inaccessible to even the excuses, homage, and profound assurance of respect and reverence of the Duke ne Biwa Lis. and Marshal Ma IsoN. But a French and English alliance in favour of Turkey —which could not be objectionable, at any rate as fir as that question was concerned, either to Austria or Prussia—was the alarum-bell rung in the ears of the Emperor Nicnor.As. Pozzo nr BORCO first sounded it. For two years he had been labouring in vain to convince the Russian Monarch that something was to be done in France ; that Lours Prime was not so indisposed towards Me HO LA a Hs the latter imagined ; that the insults offered in lettal and MI to the Revolution of IMO by the Court of St. Petersburg, hail all been forgotten at the Tuileries; and that the Anglo French Alliance would be merely nominal, if Nit• NOLA s would condescend to utter only one word of civility to the new French dynasty. For two years, Pozzo had failed ; but, like the unfortunate widow, he was at length heard at St. Petersburg, for his much talking; and the Emperor received with gratitude the communication float his old and wily Ambassador, dud notwithstanding this alliance of England and France against the treaty of July It=.:3:1 between the Ottoman Porte arid the Czar, it would be possible to interrupt, disconcert, destroy that alliance, and leave Russia the mistress of Constantinople, the Bosphorus, and the Dardanelles. From that moment, all has changed. Eogland and tire English are no longer the subjects of praise and the themes of admiration at the Chateau. Pozzo DI BORGO has taken the place of Lord GRANVILLE. The Juste Milieu and Doctrinaires are over head and ears in love with all that is Russian ; and the crafty diplomatist leaves not a stone unturned to convince even the most mere • duluus that the Empoor NICHOLAS desires above anti before all things, the sincere friendship of his " dear friend, brother, and cousin, the King of the French." These are my facts. I could supply names, dates, and figures, if I thought it desirable. But I purposely abstain from that which might compro- mise any of my sources of infiwmation. But though there is an end of the alliance between the TWO GOVERNMENTS, there must NOT be an end to the alliance between the TWO Psorriss ! Yes, yes ; France and Britain are calculated fiir the purposes of "friendly intercourse and mutual benevolence." , This was even admitted by PITT. But we must go much thither than this. France and Great Britain are at the head of civiliza- tion. The light which is in them must not be darkness. It cannot be. And thus, whilst for a time those who have " gulled " us may laugh at our past cre- dulity, told mock our present disappointment, those will laugh the loudest who laugh the last ; and through the Gover 'intents may " grill " or be " gulled " by each other, the PEOPLE of both countries will not be permanently tricked ; but from scenting evil awls good will be educed, arid the net set for others by these trie.king, cheating, deceiving Doctrinaires, will eventually be the instrument of thew own ruin. 44 Xs/flier/11am In:trims I. utasti lubricas alie8." Let us then labour Is ':titivate a good understanding and a frank alliance, not betn een the French and British Governments, but between the British and FRENCH
PxorLE ! I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 0. P. Q.
P. S. I b ave not completed my letters to the Spectator on the Asserm- would have been strange indeed if Sir FRANCIS FREELI NO and 'PIONS Si• PPR EsSION BILL. because the debates arc not yet completed, and be- . cause I WWI ink my next letter to ter rm irate this most seteresting and momen- tously important subject, when the discussions will have bocci closed, ! highly. It would be a piece of great folly to suppose that they
Previous page
