My dear B——,
Your apprehensions relative to the issue of what is passing at Verona certainly would derive more support from our last accounts than from the previous ones, and the way which had been made with France by exciting her political apprehensions, and with Russia by a representation of the military difficulties, seems now to be very much en retrograde.
Still, the language and assurances of Villele and the King of France are perfectly pacific; and Montmorenci, who has adopted the other line at Verona, still states the necessity of his returning himself to Paris before any communication even of the nature of a threat is held out to Spain. Meantime he wishes France should be allowed to manage the interference entirely herself, and protests against Russia having any share in it, or marching a single regiment through her territory.
The only real object of Alexander is to ward off the present and pressing danger from his army, for whom he wants employment, and has proposed this Spanish campaign merely as a substitute for the Turkish.
Wellesley's despatch has, as I told you, arrived, but is not yet circulated.
We are about to recognise the S. American Republics and Brazil, and at the same time to adopt measures of reprisal against Porto Rico and Porto Cabildo, unless the Royalist Governors of those places will give up the Lord Collingwood, and cancel their orders for impeding our trade.
I have just been at Council, and thought that the K—— looked worse than at Brighton, but still his colour was tolerably good.
Ever affectionately yours,
C. W. W.
The proceedings of the French Government with relation to Spain, now began to excite a good deal of attention in this country; appearances being in favour of the supposition generally entertained, that the labours of Wellington in the Peninsula were about to be rendered nugatory by the presence there of a powerful French army, and the consequent return of Spain to the position she held as a French dependency before the war.