§ Lord John Mannersbegged to put a question to the right hon. Baronet at the head of the Government, with respect to the unjust detention of Don Carlos at Bourges. It had been stated, that the refusal of the French government to allow Don Carlos to quit France, was owing to the interference of the Government of this country. He, therefore, wished to ask the right hon. Baronet whether it were true that the English Government had expressed itself unfavourably to the release of that unfortunate, persecuted, and illustrious prince.
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, the House would probably recollect that some four or five years since, Don Carlos sought an asylum within the French territory, and that that asylum was granted to him, there being no formal agreement upon the subject, but a friendly understanding between the French government, and the government of this country, which were then united by what was called the Quadruple alliance with reference to Spain. In June, 1841, there was a report that it was intended by the French government to liberate Don Carlos. He did not recollect, that there had been any formal application to the French government upon the subject; but when the report to which he had just referred reached England, the noble Lord, the Member for Tiverton (Viscount Palmerston), at that time Secretary of State for 22 Foreign Affairs, intimated to the French government that he thought that an absolute, unqualified, unrestricted discharge of Don Carlos, with permission to go where he pleased, might be dangerous to the tranquility of Spain. Her Majesty's present government had every reason to think that the apprehensions that were entertained by the noble Lord were well founded. He (Sir R. Peel) was not aware that there had been any formal communication between the government of this country and the government of France of the nature to which the noble Lord (Lord Manners) referred. But, after all that had taken place in Spain, he was of opinion with the noble Lord the late Foreign Secretary (Lord Palmerston), that an unqualified, unrestricted permission to Don Carlos to reside wherever he pleased, might endanger the tranquility and peace of Spain. He purposely used the words "unqualified and unrestricted permission." If it were a question of whether Don Carlos should reside at Vienna or in any part of Germany, he apprehended that no one would entertain an objection to it. But that he should be permitted to reside in any part of Europe that he might choose to select, would, in the opinion of the Government, very seriously endanger the well-being of Spain.