With the support of that power, said Murphy, Aberdeen would have been willing to fight.[35.27] Her military assistance did not particularly matter, but he was afraid that popular unfriendliness toward the government--already shown by a violent opposition in the press and the parliament--and the scarcely slumbering hatred of England might drive the country into active support of the United States, and bring on a general conflagration.[35.28] Such was the situation when Peel, whom Louis Philippe leaned heavily upon, stood at the head of the British government; and after he resigned at the end of June, 1846, it became far more difficult. For the new administration Louis entertained no such regard. The marriage of the Duc de Montpensier, his son, to a Spanish princess destroyed the _entente cordiale_. Harsh language was exchanged. Guizot and Palmerston endeavored to overthrow each other, and the British ambassador at Paris had a personal difficulty with Guizot.[35.29] As for France herself, the premier's loud advocacy of an American balance of power compelled him logically to prevent the United States, if he could, from acquiring new territory. Influential writers--Gabriel Ferry, for example--insisted that French interests, principles and prestige in Mexico demanded protection. _L'Epoque_, which many regarded as Guizot's personal organ, took that ground firmly in a long and studied article, and called for joint intervention. _Le Journal des Débats_, our persistent enemy, suggested the same view. But the diplomatic journal, _La Portefeuille_, was resolute for neutrality, and the other leading papers reiterated the familiar objections against playing the British game; and hence, while it appeared reasonable to expect that Guizot would aid England more or less in a diplomatic way to limit the extension of our boundaries, no other sort of French intervention seemed at all probable.[35.30] [EFFECTS OF AMERICAN SUCCESS]