§ MR. H. BAILLIEsaid, he wished to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether any application has been made to admit Spain to the rank of a First Rate Power; and, if so, whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to withhold its consent, so long as the Government of Spain continues to tolerate the Slave Trade, and systematically to disregard its Treaties and engagements with this country?
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELLsaid, it did not yet appear that Spain herself had made application or expressed any desire officially to be admitted to the rank of a first-rate Power in association with the Five Powers of Europe who were usually so denominated. The Government of France, however, had expressed an opinion that it was desirable that Spain should be added to the five Powers, and in reference to that proposition, or suggestion, the Government of Austria had answered that the Emperor of Austria would have no objection to see Spain placed in the same rank with the five Powers, but he thought the case ought not to be turned into a precedent for the admission of any other Power. The Government of Prussia, on the other hand, had expressed an opinion that it would be injurious to the Protestant States of Europe if the number of the great Powers were altered by admitting another Roman Catholic Power, and that if that were done it would be desirable that Sweden likewise should be admitted. It was also to be considered that Portugal, as well as Spain and Sweden, signed the General Treaty of Vienna, and it would not be desirable that Spain and Sweden should be admitted, and Portugal, which always entertained jealousy with regard to Spain, should be excluded. If all these States were admitted there would then be eight great Powers instead of five. But it must also be considered that Sardinia, a very thriving country, might put in her claim too, and in 957 that case there might he nine great Powers instead of five. Now, considering that since 1815 the concert of the five Powers had on the whole very well preserved the peace of Europe—and the preservation of that peace was the object of the Congress of Aix-la-Chapelle—it appeared to him very undesirable to change the present state of things in this respect. At all events he assured the hon. Gentleman that before the next meeting of Parliament the Government would not consent to any change for the admission of Spain among the great Powers.