Memoirs of the Duchesse de Dino (Afterwards Duchesse de Talleyrand et de Sagan), 1836-1840
professes a close attachment for M. Guizot, but is said to show a
tendency to coldness."
_Rochecotte, October 8, 1840._--Yesterday I had a letter from Madame
de Lieven, begun on the 5th and finished on the 6th. The following is
an extract from the part dated the 5th: "In England nothing has been
decided; the Ministers are not agreed; however, the peace party is
predominant, to which Palmerston himself pretends to belong, though he
does not offer any means of finding a solution satisfactory to France;
moreover, his hands are not free, as he must ask for Russia's consent
at every moment. Since the bombardment of Beyrout Thiers seems to
think his position no longer tenable unless he makes some bold stroke;
his colleagues are not all of his opinion, and the King is not in
favour of extreme measures. However, some decision must be made. Lord
Granville is very anxious. Things have gone so far that change is
inevitable. It was even said yesterday that Thiers wished to send two
hundred thousand men to the Rhine and a French fleet to Alexandria to
oppose the English. This would be an act of madness. The situation is
very dangerous, and assuming that Thiers breaks with the Government,
where are people to be found sufficiently resolute to undertake the
heavy burden now before them?"
On the 6th she writes: "The three or four councils held within the
last two days have ended in the resolution to send a protest to the
English Government in which a _casus belli_ will be laid down, and I
think that Alexandria and Saint-Jean d'Acre will be the points at
issue; but if one of these towns were to be attacked at this moment
what would become of the protest? The English Government has on its
side addressed notes to its allies to modify the treaty; negotiations
are going on with tolerable frankness, but meanwhile military
operations are also proceeding. They say that the King is not in
entire agreement with M. Thiers concerning the _casus belli_; he is
also said to be especially satisfied with M. Cousin, who is on good
terms with Admiral Roussin and M. Gouin. I am told on good authority
that the meeting of the Chambers is arranged for the early days of
November, and that the protest of which I told you will be decided
this morning. Saint-Jean d'Acre will not be mentioned in it."
This interesting letter gave much food for our conversation. The Duc
de Noailles, who is here, and who has brought his manuscript, read us
a passage on quietism.[131] It is clearly written, and in a good and
brisk style, with well-chosen quotations which enliven the subject.
[131] This piece is to be found in the _History of Madame de
Maintenon and the Chief Events of the Reign of Louis XIV._, the
first part of which was to appear in 1848.
_Rochecotte, October 11, 1840._--Yesterday we heard of the sudden
death of Arthur de Mortemart,[132] a fine young fellow, who was to
inherit a magnificent fortune, and also, though I did not know the
fact, to marry the daughter of the Duc de Noailles, who set off
immediately upon hearing the sad news. Arthur de Mortemart was
twenty-seven years of age, and an only son. It is a dreadful blow to
his family.
[132] The only son of the Duc de Mortemart, who died in
consequence of a fall from a carriage.
M. Molé writes: "The Chambers are being convoked for the 28th, and my
friends insist that I should return to Paris between the 15th and
20th. I agree, but we shall have nothing but the remarkable and barren
pleasure of exchanging our condolences. We are advancing with fatal
rapidity towards a revolutionary Government, which may lead to even
more bloodshed than before. God alone knows how long it will last and
what will take its place. However, if the newspapers do not mislead
and divide the right-minded party we should emerge successfully, with
courage, but our domestic difficulties make the situation
irremediable; foreign affairs would easily be settled if our home
policy inspired any confidence. In any case, the Chamber will have to
decide the whole matter, but there is little hope that it will rise to
the greatness of its task. I do not know what will happen to my
reception at the Academy in the midst of all this. I am ready, and
notwithstanding the arguments of M. Villemain, who seems to be
intimidated, I shall omit nothing from my eulogy of Mgr. de Quélen,
and I invoke the great day."
_Rochecotte, October 12, 1840._--A letter from M. de Barante at St.
Petersburg tells me: "I am waiting for news from elsewhere, for at St.
Petersburg nothing is decided, nor in reality do people greatly care.
Peace would be perhaps the wiser course, but war is more in conformity
with the sentiments which people have been professing for ten years;
so they will only do what England wishes. You can make your
conjectures in accordance with this view; you know Lord Palmerston and
all his political environment, of which I have no idea."
_Rochecotte, October 14, 1840._--Madame de Montmorency writes to say
that M. Demidoff has written to M. Thiers for authorisation to
announce his wife at Paris as Her Royal Highness Madame the Princesse
de Montfort. Madame Demidoff has written personally to Madame Thiers,
whom she knew in Italy, on this subject, and the King has given his
consent.
_Rochecotte, October 17, 1840._--The Duchesse d'Albuféra writes:
"Peace now seems to be a trifle nearer. Negotiations have been
resumed, and people are agreed in saying that if war is to break out
it will not be for a considerable time, and that many diplomatic notes
will be exchanged before we reach that extremity. General de Cubières,
Minister of War, had resigned because he thought the majority in the
Council too warlike, and his opinion was that we should be unable to
wage a successful war with the Powers and must avoid the possibility.
His resignation, however, has not been accepted, as the negotiations
and prospects of peace have been resumed, at any rate for the moment.
The French memorandum has brought many over to the side of M. Thiers.
The vacant Presidency of the Chamber is a post which occupies many
minds; opinions are divided between M. Odilon Barrot and M. Sauzet.
The Comte de Paris has fallen ill again, and his parents are very
uneasy."
_Rochecotte, October 19, 1840._--Madame de Lieven writes: "The English
Cabinet has welcomed the French note. The peace party is gaining
strength, but the issue does not lie in that direction. St.
Petersburg, which is a long way off, must be consulted, and during
these delays the newspapers are able to interfere. The memorandum of
Thiers has caused much satisfaction at Paris, and some embarrassment
to Lord Palmerston; at St. Petersburg it will be thought that he says
aloud what has hitherto been whispered. As for Austria, Apponyi claims
that the narrative is inaccurate where Austria is concerned. In any
case, the decision is imminent, and will be known on November 15. The
four Powers care nothing about the war or about France; so we may ask
in what direction or for what reason France will take action.
Unfortunately there is a general idea that peace and M. Thiers are
incompatible. This would be quite dangerous, for excitement is high,
and Thiers in the scales can outweigh war."
_Rochecotte, October 20, 1840._--The newspapers contain an account of
a fresh attempt to assassinate the King, made by a certain
Darmès.[133] The constant repetition of these attempts makes one
tremble, and it is impossible to avoid uneasiness.
[133] On October 15, 1840, about six o'clock in the evening,
Louis-Philippe was returning from Paris to Saint-Cloud with the
Queen and Madame Adélaïde. They were driving along the Quai des
Tuileries, and had reached the Poste du Lion, when an explosion
was heard; but the weapon which the assassin Darmès had used
against the King had burst and the charge had exploded backwards.
As soon as the assassin had been arrested and imprisoned it
became necessary to amputate his left hand, which was entirely
shattered.
Yesterday my son-in-law received letters from Paris which say that the
wind seems to blow in the direction of war. Lord Palmerston is stated
to be anxious to insist upon the full enforcement of the treaty. Our
Minister thinks himself certain of a majority, rather because of the
apprehension with which his opponents would view their own accession
to power in the present situation, than of any confidence inspired by
the Cabinet. After the attempted assassination by Darmès the Duc
d'Orléans is said to have declared that he was strongly in favour of
war, and would rather be killed on the banks of the Rhine than
murdered in a Paris slum. All our letters agree that excitement is
running high and that conditions are both complicated and serious.
_Rochecotte, October 21, 1840._--Yesterday the papers announced the
abdication of Queen Christina. This event will not form an agreeable
page in the annals of M. de La Redorte's Spanish embassy.
The Duc de Noailles writes as follows: "Many people are saying that
Thiers will resign, and many say that he is in a difficulty upon the
subject. He does not see how he can appear before the Chambers. He
would like to arrange a retreat which would leave him at the head of a
party, by making people believe that he was unable to persuade the
King to take the energetic resolutions which the national honour
requires. On the other hand, thus to be eclipsed, to leave every one
in difficulty, after raising and provoking all these questions, to
evade discussion and responsibility before the Chambers, would
certainly be disgraceful. However, people who are best informed think
that he will resign. The speech from the throne is now the only point
upon which he can disagree and request permission to retire.
"Prussia definitely refuses to let any horses go out of its territory.
It is hoped that some will be found in Normandy and Holland. The
situation is extremely embarrassing, for we are certainly not ready
for war, and cannot be before spring, and yet loans have already been
effected to the amount of four hundred and fifty millions. The deficit
will be a bottomless pit. If stocks fall to ninety-nine, when by law
sixteen millions a month must be redeemed, and if money is taken from
the savings banks, the Treasury will be in a hopeless difficulty. The
Syrian expedition seems to have no immediate result; Ibrahim allows
the allies to seize the seaboard, which is separated from the rest of
the country by a chain of mountains which runs along the sea, and
which the disembarked troops cannot cross. He holds all this country,
which is overawed by his army and dare not revolt, and is waiting for
the storms to drive away the fleet, which cannot then return before
spring. I have seen a letter from Lady Palmerston, strongly inclined
to peace. Guizot also writes that Downing Street is now calmer.
"The King is very depressed by this further attempt to assassinate
him, and Thiers feels that the credit of the Ministry is not improved
by the event. The Deputies who are already here and those who are
arriving are said to be inclined for peace. I hear that the Chamber of
Peers is tempted, if it has the courage--which I doubt--to adopt a
patronising and embarrassing attitude towards the Ministry."
_Rochecotte, October 23, 1840._--Madame Adélaïde, in a very kind
answer to a letter from myself, writes as follows about the attempted
assassination "The King's first word after the explosion to the Queen
and to myself was, 'Well, it seems that you must always be in this
fatal carriage,' a truly touching remark."
I have the following from Madame de Lieven: "Granville yesterday
handed in Lord Palmerston's answer to the note of the 8th. I believe
that this answer undertakes to revoke the proposal for the Pasha's