aniards has afforded some colour to the
right assumed by their enemies of interfering with their affairs,
for they have upon several occasions attempted to foment the
troubles which either existed or threatened to appear both in
Naples and Piedmont; and the Emperor of Russia told the Duke that
he had detected the Spanish Minister at St. Petersburg in an
attempt to corrupt his soldiers at the time of the mutiny of the
Guards, and that he had consequently sent him out of the country.
The Duke replied that if the Emperor of Russia had reasonable
grounds of complaint against Spain, he would be fully justified
in declaring war against her, and that he would advise him to do
so if he could march 150,000 men into Spain; but in suffering
three years to elapse without making any complaint he had
virtually renounced his right to complain, and that it was unfair
to rake up a forgotten grievance against Spain at a time when she
was menaced by another Power upon other grounds. The Duke
said that the Emperor of Russia once talked to him of the
practicability of marching an army into Spain, and seemed to
think he might do so. The Duke said that the French Government
would never allow it, when he said he could send them by sea. The
Duke told him it would take 2,000 ships. One of the arguments of
the Emperor of Russia was this: that constituted as their
Governments were (military Governments) it was impossible for
them to tolerate consistently with their own security any
revolution which originated in military insubordination.

[Page Head: DUKE OF WELLINGTON ON FRENCH INTERVENTION.]

After the Congress the Duke returned to Paris, and found that not
only Monsieur de Villele was averse to war, but that the King,
Monsieur, and the Duke and Duchess of Angouleme were equally
disinclined to commence hostilities. His endeavours have been
incessantly directed to confirm their pacific dispositions, and
to induce the Spanish Government to display moderation in their
language and conduct. I asked him if such were the sentiments of
the ruling powers in France upon what the question now turned,
and why all idea of war was not abandoned, since both parties
were pacifically inclined. He said[17] that France had been led
into a dilemma by a series of erroneous measures, that hers was a
false position, that having made the demands she had done to the
Allied Powers, having held such lofty language, and having made
such a show of military preparation,