Europe -- Politics and government -- 1815-1848; France -- Foreign relations -- Great Britain
The difficult question of selecting a sovereign for Belgium was
not lost sight of, whilst the delimitation of frontiers had been
proceeding. As early as October 19, Molé informed Lord Stuart
in confidence that M. Gendebien had brought proposals from the
provisional government in Brussels for the enthronement of one of
Louis Philippe's younger sons. But he assured the British ambassador
that, as France was about to confer upon the situation with the other
Powers, the offer would not be entertained for a moment.[56] Again
Talleyrand, on November 7, reported that "a kind of agent of the
provisional government" was in London seeking to ascertain whether the
elevation to the Belgian throne of the Duc de Leuchtenberg, a son of
Eugène de Beauharnais, would be permitted.[57] At first the Powers,
France included, had regarded the enthronement of the Prince of Orange
as the safest solution of the difficulty. But after the bombardment
of the town of Antwerp by the Dutch, at the end of October, he
became very unpopular, and, on November 24, the national congress
at Brussels resolved that all members of the House of Orange-Nassau
should be excluded from the throne.[58] In consequence, possibly,
of this action by the Belgian deputies, Lords Grey and Palmerston
appear to have mentioned the Archduke Charles of Austria to Talleyrand
as a suitable candidate. But he objected, reminding them that his
enthronement would constitute a restoration, which the most famous
of Whigs had once described as "the worst of revolutions." Moreover,
Metternich, who had no desire to extend the influence of Austria in
that direction, soon afterwards declared that the Archduke would
decline the crown, both for himself and for his children, were it to
be offered to him.[59] Talleyrand himself appears to have been the
first to suggest that Leopold of Saxe-Coburg might with advantage be
chosen to rule over the new State.[60] In putting forward this plan
he seems to have been actuated chiefly by a desire to please the
British government, but, for reasons which will be explained later,
his proposal met with very little response. Meanwhile, the language of
Mauguin and Lamarque in the Chamber, and the evident intention of the
military party to object to any settlement which should not admit of
the future union of Belgium with France, were rapidly impelling Louis
Philippe to adopt an attitude of opposition to Great Britain and the
other Powers.[61]
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