§ Captain Bolderosaid that having complied with the usual rule of courtesy by giving the noble Lord notice, he rose in the exercise of his privilege to put a question to him. He wished to be informed whether Government had received any official intelligence announcing that the National Guard of Madrid had been disembodied, and that the municipality had refused to take up arms, having been ordered to do so? If such were the fact, the noble Lord would, perhaps, add what passing events had led to this proceeding. The present posture of affairs in Spain seemed to require all the noble Lord's judgment. Having put this single question, he should make no further observation, being sure that the answer to it would receive all attention.
§ Viscount Palmerstonstated, that official information had been received, that an attempt had been made at Madrid to proclaim the Constitution of 1812, by a portion of the National Guard. That attempt was successfully resisted by the Queen's Government; but an order had in consequence been issued for remodelling the National Guard: that force was disembodied for a short time, in order that it might be remodelled and reformed.
§ Sir George Sinclairinquired whether the British Legion was to be employed in supporting the Constitution of 1812?
§ Lord Palmerstonreplied, that that force was in the pay, and under the orders, of the Spanish Government. It was not for him to Say on what service it would be employed.
§ Viscount Stormontsaid, some painful events had occurred at Saragossa, and he begged to know whether the force on board the British squadron was to be employed in support of the Constitution of 1812, then proclaimed?
§ Viscount Palmerstonremarked, that a 1230 great poet had represented Bohemia as a maritime country, and the noble Lord had converted Saragossa into a sea-port. He did not think it likely that the British naval force was likely to undertake any operations at Saragossa.
§ Viscount Stormontdid not put the question with reference to the squadron, but to the supernumerary marines on board it. He had said nothing about vessels, but marines, who had been acting on shore, and who had nothing to do with the vessels.
§ Viscount Palmerstonadded, that the noble Lord was quite mistaken in supposing that the marines had nothing to do with the squadron. They were attached to the squadron, and were under the command of Lord John Hay. Their service was of a character very different to that of marching to Saragossa, and taking part in political affairs there.
Mr. Grove Pricewas by no means satisfied with the answer of the noble Lord. He was about to refer to Corunna, and to the coast of Spain adjacent to where the British squadron was stationed, without wandering to Bohemia. He wished to know whether the British force under Lord John Hay, paid and victualled by this country, was to remain neutral, or to take part for or against the friends of the Constitution of 1812.
§ Viscount Palmerstonanswered, that the British force would decidedly remain neutral. It was at present acting in pursuance of the engagements of a treaty: that treaty had reference to a civil war between the Queen of Spain and her party, and Don Carlos and his party, but no reference whatever to any internal divisions between the Constitutionalists of 1812 and their opponents.
§ Sir John Elleyhoped he should not be considered irregular in offering a few words. The situation of General Evans seemed very critical and difficult. It appeared that an order had been sent for three battalions of Spanish troops to quit the British Legion, and to return to Vittoria; and this had been done by order of Cordova. The noble Lord had said that the British Legion was at the disposal of the Spanish Government, which Spanish Government had named Cordova as Commander-in-chief. Having attached the three battalions on a former occasion, Cordova had issued orders to detach them again and on the receipt of the orders, the troops became a deliberative body.
§ Subject dropped.