The Press. — London, England, 1853-08-13 00:00:00

Vritubings in V atliamtnt. THE EASTERN QUESTION. The Marquis of CLANRWARDE, resuming on Mon day his interpellations on this subject, regretted to he forced to repeat, almost in the same words, the very questions he had addressed to the Foreign Se cretary last week. What intelligence had the Go vernment received respecting the conduct of ltussia in the Danubian principalities, and what had Ministers done or determined to do in the matter? The noble marquis then recapitulated the intelli gence received through the usual, hut non-official, ehluinell of information from the countries he al luded to : It appears that the 4 ;overnment of Moldavia has been entirely superseded, and a new Government has been es tablished by the authority of the Russian Emperor. It appears that the Hospodar is allowed to form part of the new Government, but three assistants are named with him, and this new council has the entire legislative and administrative government of those provinces. 1 believe the same eonrse has been pursued in Wallachia as in Mot davia, and those provinces are now under a new adminis trative and legislative Government, appointed by the Em peror of Russia. It appears that oontribntions for the support of the Russian forces are levied directly in those provinces, and that certain Berard% have been forcibly compelled to enlist in the service of the Russian Emperor. We have then these provinces, if these accounts be correct, in every respect under the rule and government of the Czar; the administrative and legislative functions are car ried on under Russian authority; the taxation and re sources of the country are managed under Russian autho rity ; and, more than that, the Russian armies are recruited from the inhabitants of the country." Expressing a hope that the liritish representatives abroad had at once arid already ordered our fleet to pass the Dardanelles, and placed it at the disposal of the Sultan, and that the Ministry at home had trans mitted to St. Petersburg, not a mere request for ex planation, but a categorical demand that the pro vinces should be evacuated, Lord Clanricarde pro ceeded to denounce in indignant terms the acts which, if the statements were accurate, the Emperor of Russia had committed towards the dominions of a friendly power : - - " If it be true that Russia has assumed the government of those principalities, has taken possession of the terri tory, and committed this aggression upon Turkey, it is an entire contradiction to the circular voluntarily issued to the Courts of Europe, as well as the manifesto issued by the Russian general upon entering the principalities. When the Russian forces moved into those provinces the Crldeclared that it was not war with Turkey. What I described is of the character of war, and, if you do not say it is war, then I say it is piracy. (Hear, hear, hoar.) It is war or piracy; and I want to know whether we are in a condition to duffer war upon such a pretext as is put forward, or to stand by and see an act of piracy committed upon Turkey ? (Hear, hear.) I say, if we are told it hi a question of treaties whether the fleet shall go inside or outside the Dardanelles, a state of war has abo lished all treaties between Russia and Turkey as far as Russia is concerned. (Hoar, hear.) There does not ex ist one treaty binding Turkey to Russia after such an ag gression as I have described." flood news had, it was said, been received from St. Petersburg that very morning. Trusting that there was some foundation to that report, he was anxious to know its tenor, especially as a computation of dates showed that the intelligence 4 . 0u1d not corn_ prise any acceptance of the formal proposals which were despatched from Vienna only on the Ist inst. He was sure also that after what had passed nothing would be deemed good news by the British Parlia ment and public that did not include the immediate reed of the Russian troops from the Turkish territo ries. Intelligence of a different complexion had also been received from Ismail, stating that a Rus sian fleet had taken possession of the inner bank of the Danube, so that Bulgaria was now added to the invaded provinces, and the whole river, so vist in its importance to European commerce, was left in the hands of Russia. The Earl of CLARENDON urged that the Govern ment had received no authentic information re garding many of the reports referred to by Lord Clanricarde, and doubted the truth of some of them. The dates of despatches which had arrived, and which the noble earl recited, afforded in particular negative evidence in disproof of the alleged invasion of Bulgaria. Stating, as a general proposition, that it would be the height of rashness for a Ministry to act upon reports as they arose, he again appealed to the forbearance of the house not to insist on discus sing so delicate a question while the negotiations were still unfinished : " My noble friend cannot exceed me in his abhorrence of war and in his anxiety and desire for peace, provided that peace is an honourable peace. lam sure DO other pew would ever be for the interests of this country, or re eldVe the support of this great nation. (Hear,hear.) But I mut say that, at the point at which we are aimed in these negotiations, when 1 do see reason to hope they are tending to a satisfactory and peaceful solution, exciting de bates in either house of rudiment are nut likely to pro- THE PRESS. duce that peace, and that peculiar character of peac which would alone be beneficial to this country. (Hear. hear.) I must inform my noble friend that the negotia tions appear to have assumed exactly that character which we all have most desired. This question has not been left as one simply between Russia and the Porte. It has not been left as one between England and France, united closely fur supporting Turkey against Russia. It has as• sinned a European character. ( Hear, hear.) It is not only the Porte, it is Austria, it is Prussia, it is France, it is Enghuid, acting together in order to cheek designs which they consider inconsistent with the balance of power, or those territorial limits established by previous agreement. This, I say, is a state of things which must be satisfactory to your lordships and to the country, be. cause it. is likely to lead to a more satisfactory and more pertnallent conclusion. I think my noble friend will not press me to enter more into details as to the state of the negotiations now pending between Vienna and St. Peters burg, when I assure him that nothing has been done at Violins without the consent of the French and English tiovernments, and that the French and English Govern. tuents will consent to nothing which does nut protect and secure the independence of Turkey. k Hear, hear.)" The Earl of MALMESBURY suggested as a matter of propriety that ministers should afford the house some fuller information than they had yet vouch safed before the recess ; and as a matter of expe diency that an expression of legislative opinion on the whole question should be placed on record, for the benefit of this and foreign countries. Such an opinion could, he believed, he obtained without ha zarding any debate which would interfere with the negotiations : " He trusted, at all events, that the noble earl would not refuse to give the country some idea of what he expected from the Russian Government—to tell them a little more plainly whether it was made a eine qud nun that Russia should evacuate the Turkish provinces ; because, when he talked of objections to a permanent occupation, it was a phrase difficult to explain ; and it might be ' permanent occupation' meant the appropriation of those provinces by Russia. He did not think this country would be satis fied with less than the speedy and complete evacuation of those provinces. (Hear, hear.)" The Earl of CLARENDON felt no hesitation in stating that the Government looked on the immediate and complete evacuation of the Danubian provinces as a sine qud non of any agreement whatever. With re gard to further information and a parliamentary de bate, they were most anxious to afford one and take the other, but could still give only a qualified pro mise on t he subject : - - " I hope it will be remembered that the Government do not shrink from any discussion ; and any disposition I ever had in favour of that discussion is greatly increased by the prospeet—l fear not quite so immediate a prospect —of the close of the session. Ido think it desirable the country should have every information we can give it ; and I can assure my noble friend nothing will prevent her Majesty's Government from doing so, except those reasons which have hitherto influenced them—regard for the public service—and which have been recognised and approved by this house. (Hear, hear. )" In the Lower 11011140 Sir J. WALMESLEY urged some parallel queries, and demanded whether before the prorogation the Ministry intended to make any state• ments to the house, and also whether they would fix a day for discussing the subject? Lord J. RUSSELL promised before the recess to give such explanations with regard to the relations between Russia and Turkey as might be consistent with his public duty. The public interest, however, rendered, in his belief, any discussion just now un advisable. Lord D. STUART inquired whether the rumours that had that morning been circulating, affirming the acceptance by the Emperor of Russia of the pro positions drawn up by other European powers, had any foundation Lord .1. Ressm.r.: In answer to the question of my noble friend, I have to state that there is a foundation for the rumours to which he has alluded. (('heers.) The telegraphic despatch which has been received from her Majesty's Minister at Vienna is of a satisfactory character. (('hem.) I may say flirt her that the messenger who was to leave Vienna for Constantinople on the 31st of July did not leave until the 2nd of August, and, therefore. the reply to the despatch which he conveyed cannot be expected so soon as was expected. Sir DE L. EVANS : Are we to understand that the infor mation promised by the noble lord on this most important subject will be communicated at such a time as Will not permit any members of the house to offer theiropinions upon the subject ? (Hear, )rear.) Is it to be simply communicated without any opportunity being afforded for discussion? Lord .1. llyssm.l.: I beg merely to explain that what I said was, that I would communicate such information as WIN in my power, consistently with my public duty, and 1 think it would be nom , satisfaetory that I should give that information at the latest moment before the prorogation. (Hear. hear.) Mr. I..tyAnn: As I have a notice on the paper in refer. once to this subject. perhaps I may be excused for asking the noble lord whether or not there will be a discussion upon the subject before Parliament is prorogued ? Lord J. Russzu : IL is the opinion of her Majesty's Government that it would not be advisable to have such a discussion. (Cheero.) Mr. Disa.m.t, at a later hour, revived the subject, and, under the proviso that no fficial objection fore- SATURDAY, stalled the information, inquired the nature of the proposals transmitted to, and accepted by, the Em. peror of Russia. Lord J. RI:SsELL : I cannot at present state what the proposals are which have been made to the Em peror of Russia. I have already stated that, before the house is prorogued, I will give all the informa tion which it is consistent with my duty to afford. What that information may be, of course I will not now anticipate. I can only say that I will give the house all the information I can, consistently with the interests of the public service. (Hear, hear.) INDIA BILL. This bill was passed through committee in the House of Lords on Monday, after a prolonged discussion and the suggestion of some important amendments. The first clause was agreed to as it stood, Lord ALBEMARLE, with some remarks upon the enormous expense attending the double system of government, having thrown out an economical proposition for dis pensing with the costly machinery of a governor and council at, Bombay and Madras, and placing those presidencies in the keeping of a lieutenant governor. Upon the second clause Lord ELLE:OO2OMR proposed an amendment, providing that, if the Court of Directors should neglect to sign any document within a given time, the signature of an official of the Board of Control should suffice to make such document valid. After some discussion it was agreed that the power of affixing such signature should be conferred on commissioners. On the sixth clause the same noble earl proposed that all retired officers of twenty years' service in India should have votes in the election of directors. This would add about 1,250 votes, and make the whole constituency 3,000, a number which he defied any one to canvass. The Duke of ARGYLL contended that this amend ment would entirely alter the character of the con stituency, which the house had already decided upon preserving in its present condition. The amendment was negatived. The tenth clause, which related to the oaths re quired to be taken by directors on assuming their functions, was objected to by the Earl of ELLEN BOROUGH, as being very carelessly framed. Though a director swore that he would not take any emolu ment, he did not pledge himself not to take any promise of emolument. The last clause, "to be in different and equal to all manner of persons," must be perpetually violated, and was intended to be. He had prepared an oath of his own which would bring the parties taking it to a sense of their real position, which was Lthat of trustees for the Crown, and not for a defunct company, and which also provided against corruption. Lord HARROWBY thought that both oaths were insulting to the directors, who were called upon to give an obligation demanded of no other function aries. Lord GRANVILLE consented to reconsider the wording of the clause, which was accordingly post poned. From clause 22 Lord ELLENBOROUGH moved the omission of the word which limited to a selection from the " civil " servants of the company, the Go vernor-General's appointment of two members of the Legislative Council. Lord BROUGHTON agreed that the Governor ought not to be fettered; that he had doubts about the working of the council, which would become a little Parliament, and which would, he thought, diminish the authority of the Governor-General in the eyes of the natives. Another danger arose from the impossibility of keeping anything secret in India, even the most important despatch, the con tents of which almost invariably oozed out as it was. If we were beginning to govern India in a new way, the experiment could not stop where it was now pro posed that it should. Lord WHARNCLIFFE also thought it objectionable to limit the Governor-General in his choice of a council. Lord GRANVILLE assented to the removal of the word "civil," which was done, and the clause was agreed to. An amendment to clause 30, proposing that the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in India should he an ex-officio member of the council, was moved by Lord ELLENBOROUGIL but negatived, with some brief discussion. On clause 30 (referring to Haileybury College), Lord MONTEAGLE expressed his belief that a me: examination would prove an unsatisfactory test of merit, and that incompetent candidates would suc ceed by the process of cramming. Lord GRANVILLE said that it would be disgraceful to the college if youths who had had a special edu cation there could not, nine times out of ten, beat any one who had been merely crammed. The clause was agreed to. Lord MoxrrAotz afterwards moved the insertion Of a clause providing that there should be no