Spain should be saved; that she should be saved before the extremity of evil had come upon her, even by the making of those concessions which, in the heat of national pride, she refused.  Under any circumstances, however, I have still another consolation—­the consolation of knowing, that never, from the commencement of these negotiations, has Spain been allowed by the British Government to lie under the delusion that her refusal of all modifications would induce England to join her in the war.

The very earliest communication made to Spain forbade her to entertain any such reliance.  She was told at the beginning, as she was told in the end, that neutrality was our determined policy.  From the first to the last, there was never the slightest variation in this language—­never a pause during which she could be for one moment in doubt as to the settled purpose of England.

France, on the contrary, was never assured of the neutrality of England, till my dispatch of the 31st of March (the last of the first series of printed papers) was communicated to the French Ministry at Paris.  The speech of the King of France, on the opening of the Chambers (I have no difficulty in saying), excited not only strong feelings of disapprobation, by the principles which it avowed, but serious apprehensions for the future, from the designs which it appeared to disclose.  I have no difficulty in saying that the speech delivered from the British throne at the commencement of the present session did, as originally drawn, contain an avowal of our intention to preserve neutrality; but, upon the arrival of the King of France’s speech, the paragraph containing that avowal was withdrawn.  Nay, I have no difficulty in adding that I plainly told the French Charge d’Affaires that such an intimation had been intended, but that it was withdrawn in consequence of the speech of the King, his master.  Was this truckling to France?

It was not, however, on account of Spain that the pledge of neutrality was withdrawn:  it was withdrawn upon principles of general policy on the part of this country.  It was withdrawn, because there was that in the King of France’s speech which appeared to carry the two countries (France and England) back to their position in older times, when France, as regarded the affairs of Spain, had been the successful rival of England.  Under such, circumstances, it behoved the English Ministers to be upon their guard.  We were upon our guard.  Could we prove our caution more than by withholding that assurance, which would at once have set France at ease?  We did withhold that assurance.  But it was one thing to withhold the declaration of neutrality, and another to vary the purpose.