ed to give the assistance of
a naval force to the arms of the queen of Spain; and he supported the
address on the understanding that the aid we had given had been strictly
of that character. The distinction was important. The grant of a
military force might have supposed an interference with the civil
dissensions and party conflicts of Spain. Might not the precedent be
equally adopted by despotic governments claiming a right to support
absolute principles among their neighbours? where then would be the
peace of Europe? The next paragraph in the address illustrated the
danger of interfering in the civil affairs of other countries. We
express our regret that "events in Portugal have occurred which, for
a time, threaten to disturb the internal peace of the country." These
events are but the corollary of the revolution in that country in
1834, and which was then called in the speech from the throne "a happy
result." A consequence of this "happy result" is that we have now six
sail of the line in the Tagus. For what purpose? To defend the queen
of that country from an attack on the part of her own subjects; and to
protect the lives and property of the English residing there from
the danger with which they are threatened. In reply, Lord Palmerston
remarked, that, "when we stated that the effect of the treaty in 1834
was to put an end to the civil war in Portugal, we did not take upon
ourselves the responsibility of the government of that kingdom in all
future times, or undertake that it should be henceforth free from the
civil disturbances to which every country was liable." This might be
true; but if the last revolution in Portugal was the result of the one
which we had been instrumental in bringing about, then we were in no
slight degree responsible for its occurrence.

CONSIDERATION OF THE STATE OF IRELAND.

Ireland was still the cardinal point of our domestic politics. At this
time, in fact, Irish politics had acquired more importance than ever.
The state of that country was brought before parliament this session, in
a petition from the Protestants, setting forth the dangers by which
they were surrounded from the effects of the agitation which everywhere
prevailed. This petition was presented to the lords by the Marquis
of Downshire on the 28th of April, and it was the occasion of an
interesting debate on the state of Ireland. The topics insisted on,
however, were for the most part identical with those which had fo