Chapter 16 The Diplomatic Dilemma of the New Republic
Palmerston's analysis based on the cold diplomatic level was indeed a moderate blow to Albert, but it did not mean that he had to give up the plan he had hatched in his heart.
As Palmerston said, no matter how bad an empire is, it is still better than a republic.
Who knows whether the rulers of the Republic on the other side of the ocean will once again abrogate his previous promise to European countries not to launch revolutions. The less-than-glorious meeting in 1815 will always be painful in their hearts.
The core interest of the United Kingdom lies in the stability of Europe while maintaining a certain degree of confrontation. Only in this way can the United Kingdom better maintain its presence in the European continent.
Prince Albert picked up the aluminized steel fork to take the French snail out of the shell, and said casually: "Has the Ambassador to France been looking for you?"
Albert's casual inquiry really made Palmerston's relaxed spirit tense up again, and his forehead could not help but feel a slight chill.
The ambassador of the new French Republic to France did come to see him, but the meeting between the two people was private. Logically speaking, Mr. Wang should not know about it.
The politician's keen sense of smell told Palmerston that Prince Albert's inquiry was just an accident, but if he guessed wrong...
After thinking for a moment, Palmerston immediately admitted: "The Ambassador to France and I have indeed met in private!"
Then, he added: "But he not only met me, I heard that he also met the Iron Duke (Wellington) before I met him!" [Note 1]
There was no surprise on Albert's face. He nodded calmly and said, "I have also heard about France sending a special envoy to meet the Iron Duke. But..."
Prince Albert paused, turned to Palmerston and said with a meaningful smile: "The ambassador to France met privately with the foreign minister, which seems to have overstepped the scope of diplomacy itself! Of course, the royal family has no right to interfere in cabinet matters.
"
After hearing Albert's voice, Queen Victoria, who was sitting on the other side of Albert, also put down her knife and fork and looked at Viscount Palmerston.
Even Palmerston, who was the Foreign Secretary, could not help but feel a little panicked under the royal husband's warning and the queen's gaze.
The royal family has no right to interfere with the cabinet, but it has the right to influence the cabinet.
Every sentence that follows is a major event that affects Palmerston's career, and he must respond more cautiously.
"Your Highness, the Ambassador to France hopes that the United Kingdom will recognize the French Republic!" Palmerston decisively informed Albert of what happened that day.
"So, Viscount, what's your opinion?" Prince Albert looked levelly at Palmerston and said in an unhurried tone.
"I think the United Kingdom should be more cautious. We should neither recognize nor oppose it (referring to the French Republic)!" Palmerston replied carefully.
After listening to Palmerston's response, Albert neither agreed nor objected. He picked up a steel fork and gently tapped the snail shell, as if talking to himself: "The shell that looks strong actually only needs
It can be broken with some external force! Our neighbors also need some external force to change. The Republic, which has been under a vigorous revolution, is not liked by Europeans!"
Palmerston immediately understood what Albert meant, and in his heart he expressed sympathy for Lamartine, the head of the Republic on the other side.
"By the way!" Prince Albert said: "Mr. Viscount, do you know Jérôme Bonaparte?"
Palmerston was stunned for a moment and responded: "Your Highness, are you talking about Napoleon's brother Jérôme Bonaparte?"
"No!" Prince Albert shook his head and said, "I'm talking about Jerome Bonaparte's son!"
"Sorry! I don't know much about the descendants of the Bonaparte family." Palmerston kept Jerome Bonaparte in mind.
"If nothing else happens, this guy will be active in politics as the leader of the new generation of the Bonaparte family!" Prince Albert muttered softly: "The bloodline of the Bonaparte family is really inseparable from politics!"
"Your Highness, has the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Kingdom..." Palmerston immediately understood Prince Albert's intention.
Prince Albert shook his head slightly and responded: "If the situation in France is really as you said, then no matter how hard we push, it will not help! This will instead arouse the resentment of the neighbors, and a casual move may sometimes yield unexpected results. No.
It requires undue attention.”
"Yes!" Palmerston responded.
"Let's talk about the situation in Russia! Are our European military police jumping up and down again to protect his exquisite "toy"?" Albert said in a mocking tone.
After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, it has been more than 30 years since the Holy Alliance, headed by the Russian Empire, began to protect the European monarchy order. The United Kingdom also changed from its original support to its antipathy.
The greedy Slavs, under the guise of safeguarding the Holy Alliance, have eroded countless lands. The self-proclaimed gendarmes of Europe are indeed doing the things of Eastern European invaders.
The Holy Alliance really needs to change!
"Since the revolutions in Austria and Prussia, the Russian ambassador to Britain has conveyed Nicholas's order..." Palmerston will mobilize the Russian Empire's troops after the February Revolution, and intends to control Warsaw while intervening in the revolution.
News from the Principality of Lakia was communicated to Prince Albert.
"It seems that Tsar Nicholas is still immersed in his fantasy!" Prince Albert said calmly: "It seems that the gatekeepers of Europe can no longer stop him!"
"Yes!" Palmerston couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
The Ottoman Empire was already old, and no country in the Near East seemed to be able to stop it.
But Britain was not ready for war with the Russian Empire.
"We need a friend who can contain a certain country! Even if this friend has done something before..." Prince Albert said implicitly.
Palmerston immediately understood, and the two looked at each other and smiled without speaking for a long time.
…
ps: 1. After the revolution in February 1848, Lamartine, who served as the interim head of the Second Republic, first issued a "Message to Europe" to European countries, promising that France would recognize the established facts of the Vienna Conference of 1815. In April, he sent a special envoy to the United Kingdom to inform the United Kingdom.
The Duke of Warrington conveyed goodwill and hoped that the United Kingdom would recognize the new republic.