at she considered herself
"threatened" by the existence of that tiny State, seized it in 1846.

While Prussia, Austria, and Russia, considering that might was right,
had divided Poland among themselves, regardless of the passionate
protests of the inhabitants, England had remained a spectator, but not a
passive one, of the tragedy. She viewed the action of the allies with
strong disapproval, but although she gave frank expression to her
sentiments, she did not actively interfere. After all, no English
interests were involved in the partition. It was not her business to
intervene. Besides, she could not successfully have opposed
single-handed the joint action of the three powerful partner States,
especially as France, under the weak Louis XV., held aloof. However,
English statesmen refused to consider as valid the five partitions which
took place before and during the Napoleonic era.

The Treaty of Chaumont of 1814 created the Concert of Europe. At the
Congress of Vienna of 1815 the frontiers of Europe were fixed by general
consent. As Prussia, Austria, and Russia refused to recreate an
independent Poland, England's opposition would have broken up the
concert, and might have led to further wars. Unable to prevent the
injustice done to Poland by her opposition, and anxious to maintain the
unity of the powers and the peace of the world, England consented at
last to consider the partition of Poland as a fait accompli, and
formally recognized it, especially as the Treaty of Vienna assured the
Poles of just and fair treatment under representative institutions.
Article I. of the Treaty of Vienna stated expressly:

Les Polonais, sujets respectifs de la Russie, de l'Autriche et
de la Prusse, obtiendront une representation et des
institutions nationales reglees d'apres le mode d'existence
politique que chacun des gouvernements auxquels ils
appartiennent jugera utile et convenable de leur accorder.

By signing the Treaty of Vienna, England recognized not explicitly, but
merely implicitly, the partition of Poland, and she did so unwillingly
and under protest. Lord Castlereagh stated in a circular note addressed
to Russia, Prussia, and Austria, that it had always been England's
desire that an independent Poland, possessing a dynasty of its own,
should be established, which, separating Austria, Russia, and Prussia,
should act as a buffer State between them; that, failing its creation,
the Poles should be