ee Powers, explanatory of the whole of the
proceedings relative to the Spanish marriages, showing the attitude
taken by us from the first, and disclosing the facts which led to this
unfortunate termination. The three Powers ought to be enabled to see
the whole of the transaction if we wish them to sympathise with us.

_Lord John Russell to Queen Victoria._

_1st October 1846._

Lord John Russell saw Count Jarnac to-day, and told him that your
Majesty's displeasure had not been removed. He had in his hands a
memorandum, which is apparently word for word the letter of the King
of the French to the Queen of the Belgians.[26]

Lord John Russell observed that it was admitted that the Duke of
Montpensier was not to marry the Infanta till the Queen of Spain had
children, and that voluntary engagement had been departed from. We
might expect the same departure from the professions now made not to
interfere in the affairs of Spain.

Count Jarnac protested against this inference, and repeated that the
promise with regard to the Infanta was only conditional.

Lord John Russell expects that in consequence of the remonstrances of
England, and the attention of Europe to the question, France will be
cautious in her interference with the internal government of Spain,
and may probably not be able to direct her external policy.

M. Bresson has written a long letter to Lord Minto, defending his own
conduct.

[Footnote 26: See Louis Philippe's long letter of the 14th of
September, printed in the _Life of the Prince Consort_, vol.
i. Appendix B. Queen Victoria's complete and unanswerable
reply will be found there also.]

[Pageheading: THE SPANISH MARRIAGES]

_Queen Victoria to the King of the Belgians._

WINDSOR CASTLE, _6th October 1846._

MY DEAREST UNCLE,--I thank you very much for your last kind letter
from Gais of the 23rd. This unfortunate Spanish affair has gone on,
heedlessly--and our _entente wantonly_ thrown away! I mourn over it,
and feel deeply the ingratitude shown; for--without boasting--I must
say they never had a _truer_ friend than we; and one who _always_
stood by them. When Hadjy wrote that foolish _brochure_, who stood
by him through thick and thin, but we? and our friendship for the
children will ever continue, but how can we _ever_ feel at our ease
with L. P. again? Guizot's conduct is beyond _all_ belief shameful,
and so _shabbily_ dishonest. Mole and Thiers both say he cann