The Express.
London, England, 1864-04-12 00:00:00

AFFAUtS.

Mr. HOILSMAN asked the First Lord of the Tresewry,
whether, if it were s result of the conference that England
was shoat to undertake new engagements with reference to
Denmark and the Duchies, her Majesty's ministers would
be prepared to submit those engagements to the eansidx-
Woo of parliament before they advised their ratiiketkis by
the crown.

Lord PALMERSTON—My right hon. friend is no
doubt well aware that in a mixed constitution like
ours each branch of that constitution has its own
separate fascism ; but those functions are so inter-
woven with each other in their exercise that it is
exceedingly difficult to draw a definite line between them,
and that nothing but great forbearance on the part of each
branch enables the aggregate whole to work harmoniously
together. Bat there are matters with regard to
which trio him is distinctly and precisely understood
and acknowledged, and that is the case with regard
to the practice cod function of negotiating and
making treaties with foreign powers. That function is
known to be distinctly with the crown, acting under the
advice of her responsible ministers. If the case should arise
contemplated by my right hon. friend—of which 1 am not at'
all aware—we should deem it our duty to adhere strictly to
lithe spirit and emetic.* of the constitution.
Mr. HORoMAN—I hope the) noble lord will excuse me,
but Ido not think I made my question quite intelligible.
Of coarse we know that the government will adhere to the
principle and practice of the constitution ; but my quashes
has reference to the practice of the constitution so far as
this, that the crown exercises its prerogative under the ad-
vice of its responsible ministen, and that those ministers set
under the control and advice of parliament. I therefore
wish to know whether her Majesty a ministers, before ten-
dering their advice to the crown, will give parliament an
opportunity of considering? (Hear, hear.)
ed PALIIEEBTON—My answer went precisely to that
point. It is not the practice or principle of the constitution
that the crown should ask the concurrence of parliament
with regard to the advice which it may think per to
adopt. I ought perhaps to have added that if the plenipo-
tentiaries of the crown at the conference should agree to
certain engagement., which engagements should afterwards
be ratified by the sovereign, my right hon. friend must be
aware that by international usage the only ground upon
which a sovereign can refuse to ratify an engagement made
by a duly authorised plenipotentiary, acting of course upon
instructions, a either that he has entered into engagements
without instructions, or splint instructions. Now, as the
conference is to assemble in London, it cannot be supposed
that my noble friend who represents this country in that
conferee*, will act without instructions.
Mr. HORSMAN - Is there any case of exceeding instrac-
Cone ?

..1;t1 PALMERSTON—Of course if • plenipotentiary
go beyond his instructions, he does that which he is not
authorised by his instructions to do. (Laughter.) He
therefore ante without or against instructions.

GOVERNMENT dNNUITIE3 BILL.

OD the order of the day for resuming the adjourned de-
bate on the motion for going into committee on the Govern•
meat Annuities Bill. . .

said, the question they had to consider
was not whether they should legislate for the evils that
had long existed in regard to the conduct of assuraace
societies, but whether they should at owe peas the bill of
the Chancellor of the Exchequer without any inquiry, and
without satisfying themselves by any astlientie
mean, of evidence of the reasonable character
and necessity for passing that bill. He wee
in favour of the proposition of the hon. gentleman opposite