tz, 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, principally
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 associate 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 wishing 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 assumed
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 Enriqu