The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1860-01-31 00:00:00

intperial parliament.

HOUSE OF LORDS.-TUESDAY.

On the re-assembly of the House of Lords at 5 o'clock,
the Lord Chancellor having read Her Majesty's
Speech to the House,
Lord FITZWILLIAM and Lord TRURO respectively
moved and seconded the Address in rerly to the Speech
from the Throne.
Lord GREY rejoiced that Her Majesty was able to
lay so satisfactory an account of the foreign and domes-
tic relations of the country before Parliament, and
viewed with great satisfaction the paragraph on Italian
affairs, and the policy which was therein enunciated.
That policy assured the nation that the British Govern-
ment would be no party to cutting up and parcelling out
Italy in order to forward the interests or desires of
other countries, but would maintain the right of the
Italians to choose their own Government, by which
means a powerful and free State would be established
in Italy, calculated to promote the general welfare of
Europe and of this country. He could not, however, ex-
press the same satisfaction at that part of the Royal
Speech which related to the recent commercial treaty
between this country and France. No one could wish
more strongly than himself to see the commercial inter-
course of the two countries increased, but he feared the
present experiment would prove a retrogression in our
financial policy. At the present time, when our finan-
cial condition was likely to be one of some difficulty, he
condemned the reduction of duties on French products
for the purpose of obtaining • commercial treaty from
France. In regard to China he also could not concur
in the words of the Speech, as lie thought that the
while question ought to have been brought before Par-
liament previously to the fitting-out of any expedition,
in order that improper expenditure might have been
avoided, and an impolitic and unjust war prevented.
He therefore should inove to add to the paragraph re-
lating to Chinese affairs an amendment embodying
these opinions.
The Duke of NEWCARTLI thought that when the
circumstances of the commercial treaty with France
were known the House would be prepared to support
Her Majesty's Government. He repudiated the idea
that the honour of the country was to he in ade subser-
vient to the interests of the tea trade, and concluded
by re-asserting that the practice of Parliament as laid
down by Lord Grey was not an established rule,—but
that, even if it were, it bad not been violated, as peace
had not been concluded by China.
Lord NORMANBY thought it would be better to post-
pone the discussion on Chinese affairs until the papers
on the subject were laid before the House. After a few
remarks upon the prevent state of feeling among the
French manufacturers on the contemplated abolition of
Protection, he entered at great length into the Italian
question, and while expressing • wish that the Princes
of Central Italy might not be reiniposed on their sub-
jects by force, lie considered that if force were not to be
permitted on one side it ought not to be countenanced
on the other.
Lord BROUGHAM reviewed the events in Italy during
the last year, and expressed his opinion that the
Italians should be allowed to work out their own free-
do,,, without the interference of foreigners, whether
French, Sardinian, or Austrian, Adverting to the com-
mercial treaty between France and this country, he
conibatted the erroneous impressions of the Parisian cir-
cles, that the treaty was prejudicial to France and pro-
fitable to England alone, and asserted that the contrary
would, without doubt, be the case. With this doubtful
state of feeling in France, and in the present unsettled
state of affairs all over the world, when it was impossi-
ble to calculate what might happen in the next
month or week, be considered we ought to be eo well
armed as to render invasion impossible to succeed said
impossible to be attempted
Lord DERBY elpTrwed his surprise that among so
great a variety of topics as the Royal Speech contained
there were so many on which nothing had been said.
They had heard nothing on Reform but a casual remark
of Lord Brougham as to the apathy of the people of
Yorkshire and Lancashire on the subject, and he con-
sidered that if Parliament treated the subject in the
mine dispassionate manner, there would be no great
dread of any very revolutionary measure being carried.
With the exception of some little ebullition of Irish
feeling here and there, lie congratulated the House on
the happy domestic condition of the country. Lord
Derby, in speaking of India, dwelt with satidaction
upon the suppression of the mutiny and the restoration
of our dominion, and highly eulogized the policy of Lord
Canning in his restoration of the feudal sytein in Dude,
and his treatment of the talookdars, a system which
would consolidate British power inure firmly than ever.
He repudiated the notion of • separate treaty with
France, and strongly insisted on the dangers which
would ensue from such • course. While In admitted
the right of every country to arrange its own affairs
without foreign interference, he considered that those
internal changes in • country should be made by itself,
and not influenced by external assistance. He would
not enter into • discussion upon the temporal
and spiritual power of the Pope, which was not • ques-
tion fors Protestant country. If ever it should be found
necessary to enter a Congress, he should protest
against any Congress which should bind this
country to active interference or acquiescence in the
policy laid down by the majority of the Powers assem-
bled, and insisted that Government should clearly under-
surid for what objects they entered into Congress, and
how far they were to be made parties to its decisions.
Lord GRANVILLE, having replied to the preliminary
remarks in Lord Derby's speech, pointed out, in reply to
Lord Derby's compliment to Lord Canning on Isis pre-
sent policy in Guile, that it was identical with the policy
of the despstch which had been condemned on a previous
occasion by Lord Derby. He could not agree with the
opinions of Lord Derby on the commercial treaty be-
tween this country and France. and considered that they
were only the old opinions of Lord Derby on Protection
put forward in a new form. He contended that the re-
moval of all artificial obstructions to commerce would
be for the benefit of both countries, and was calculated,
by promoting mutual interests, to strengthen the desire
for continued peace between them. As to the Congress
and the relations of this country with France, he was
aware of no such negotiation or proposition made in
August, or since that time, as that to which Lord Derby
had alluded, and Her Majesty's Government WM per-
fectly unfettered, and free from any engagement, pledge,
or guarantee of any nature whatever. An eloquent
panegyric on the late Lord Macaulay, as one of the mem-
bers of their Lordship" House, was introduced by Lord
Granville in conclusion.
The annudinent was negatived and the Address agreed
to.
Their Lordships then adjourned at a few minutes be-
fore 11 o'clock.