Lord George Bentincksaid, that he was desirous of proposing a question to his noble friend, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, whom he saw in his place. A publication had come under his view, which stated, that within the last week, the Ambassadors of Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia, had met in Conference with the French Minister for Foreign Affairs at Paris, and received from that Minister a declaration, that the sole motive for sending French troops into Belgium, was to repel the Dutch invaders, and that as soon as that object should be effected, the French Government would immediately recall the French forces from Belgium; and further, that on no account any other French army should enter the Belgian territories. The question he proposed to his noble friend was this—was the statement, the substance of which he had recited, true? He asked the question, in full confidence that the answer which he should receive from his noble friend, would be such as to show, 934 that throughout the transactions with respect to Belgium, the conduct of the French government had been marked by the most scrupulous honour, honesty, and good faith; and, on the other hand, that the course of the diplomacy of this country, under the guidance of his noble friend, had been such as to give the world a high notion of its wisdom, prudence, and efficacy. Further, he asked the question, because he felt assured that the answer would be such, as would allay the great anxiety and alarm which prevailed on account of the warlike appearances which had existed for the last few days.
§ Viscount Palmerston, in answer to the question which his noble friend had put to him, begged to assure him, that the statement to which he had alluded, and which he (Lord Palmerston) had seen, was substantially correct. Wednesday last, was he thought the day, when orders were issued by the French government, for getting the troops in readiness to march towards Belgium. On that day, the French Minister for Foreign Affairs in Paris, invited to a Conference, the Ambassadors of England, Austria, Russia, and Prussia, and communicated to them the orders which the French government had given, and the reasons on which they were founded—namely, the advance of the Dutch troops into Belgium, and the application for assistance from Belgium, which had been received by the government of France. This communication was accompanied by an assurance that the march of the French troops had no other object than that which was desired in common by all the great Powers—namely, the preservation of the independence and neutrality of Belgium; and that as soon as the Dutch troops should be repelled within their own frontiers, the troops of France would retire into the department of the north. Upon this, a question was put by the English Ambassador, with respect to the possible occupation of the Belgian fortresses by the French troops; and the reply given to this question was, that the French forces would only pass through the fortresses which lay in their route.
§ Sir Richard Vyvyanasked, whether Government had received official information of the march of the French troops?
§ Viscount Palmerstonreplied, that Government had received no official intelligence on this subject. He might add, for the further information of the House, that 935 he had that morning received a despatch from Lord Granville, the British Ambassador at Paris, communicating a written note from the French government, repeating the assurances which had been previously given verbally by the French Minister for Foreign Affairs.