3759. HOLY ALLIANCE, Policy of.—
During the ascendency of Bonaparte, the word
among the herd of kings, was sauve qui peut.
Each shifted for himself, and left his brethren
to squander and do the same as they could.
After the battle of Waterloo and the military
possession of France, they rallied and combined
in common cause, to maintain each
other against any similar and future danger.
And in this alliance, Louis, now avowedly,
and George, secretly but solidly, were of the
contracting parties; and there can be no
doubt that the allies are bound by treaty to
aid England with their armies, should insurrection
take place among her people. The
coquetry she is now playing off between her
people and her allies is perfectly understood
by the latter, and accordingly gives no apprehensions
to France, to whom it is all explained.
The diplomatic correspondence she
is now displaying, these double papers fabricated
merely for exhibition, in which she
makes herself talk of morals and principle, as
if her qualms of conscience would not permit
her to go all lengths with her Holy Allies,
are all to gull her own people. It is a
theatrical farce, in which the five powers are
the actors, England the Tartuffe, and her people
the dupes.—
To President Monroe. Washington ed. vii, 289.
Ford ed., x, 258.
(M.
June. 1823)
See Alliances and Monroe Doctrine.
