Mr. Shellbegged to ask the right hon. Baronet a question, which, he trusted, the right hon. Baronet would have the courtesy to answer, although he had not given any notice. He observed that very properly in the Spanish senate reference had been made to the supposed intention of the King of the French to interfere in a matter on which the Spanish nation and the Sovereign had, as it appeared to him, an exclusive right to decide. It was generally stated, that the King of the French insisted upon the Queen of Spain not marrying any person who was not of the house of Bourbon. The question he wished to put was, whether her Majesty's Government, through the British ambassador at Paris, or otherwise, had received any communication relative to the marriage of the Queen of Spain?
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, in reference to the question of the right hon. Gentleman, he had to state that no formal or official communication had passed between the government of France and that of this country respecting the marriage of the Queen of Spain; at the same time, he did not think it was necessary to conceal the opinion of her Majesty's Government upon a subject of so much importance. He knew no reason whatever why he should avoid stating publicly what that opinion was. They considered that Spain was entitled to every right and privilege which belonged to an independent state. They considered, that it was one of the rights and privileges of an independent country to determine for itself what alli- 1276 ances should be made with reference to the interests of the country by the Sovereign. It followed, therefore, as a matter of course, that they were of opinion, that the Spanish government, speaking through its regularly constituted authorities and the Sovereign, were the exclusive judges of what alliance should be formed by the Sovereign.