The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-13 00:00:00

LMERICA.

Lord R. CECIL asked the Coder Secretary of State for
Foreign _twain whether he intended to adhere to his state.
meat, that no verbal communicants was made by Mr.
Adams to Earl Russell of the substance of the despatch ad-
dressed by Mr. Seward to Mr. Adams on the 11th day of
July, or whether he desired to withdraw In order that
the hon.lgestleman might perfe:tly understand the meaning
of the question he would add, it bad been whispered that a
noble lord, to whose authority the hon. gentlemen must psy
attention, bad given an account of the proceedings diametri.
may opposite to the boa gentleman's (Hem, hear, sad
laughter.)
Mr. LAY.UtD—I think I might appeal to the house
whether, in their opinion, this quietism is not entirely op-
to parliamentary usage. (Cheers.) i might at once
=lts to answer it, but my respect for the house leads me
to give a reply. I state most distinctly that that despatch
has not been communicated to Lord Russel'. and that Do
written correspondence or verbal communicati,A in the sense
of that despatch has been made to my nob:e friend. I
trust the noble lord will be satisfied with the statement.
(Cheers.
Lord R. CECIL—The answer of the boo. gentleman is
still sari:reedy indefinite to make me desirous of asking
him a further question—namely, whether any verbal am-
municatioo, hatunating the nature of the despatch, bas bass
made to Earl Russell

Mr. LAYAKD—Sir. I believe that • member of tins
Lowe answers the questions put to him as a gentleman and
a man of honour, and not as a special pleader. teheers.)

DENM.iRK.

Mr. PEACOCKE asked the First Loral of the Treasury
whether, after the answer of the Under Secretary of &Ma
for Foreign Affairs to • question put to him be the boo.
baronet the member for Buckingham, he was prepared to
abide by nr to withdraw • statement to the following
effect :—" We proposed that a protocol, which is equivalent
to • treaty, should be signed by repreeentatives of England,
France, Luria, Sweden, and Denmark, and that by that
protocol Daernark should promise to take the earliest step
to revoke tint constitution, asking that time should be
given to her, that England, France, Russia, and Sweden
should Rive, so it were, • pledge to Austria and Prussia for
the fultilinent of that condition, and that Austria and
Prussia should accept that treaty guarantee instead of a
territorial ;pare:lto* ;" and, is the event of his wishing to
abide by it, to ask him what was the nature of the guarantee !
Viscount PALMERSTON—I think we seem to begetting
very mach into special pleading. (" Hear, hear," and
laughter. I I adhere entirely to the statement which the
bon. gentleman has read, and I adhere to the plain gram.
rustled words of that statement. (Hear, hear.) What we
proposed that there should be a protocol
Denmark sitad in
London. JD which protocol should give a dip odic
engagement which would be more satisfactory to Austria and
Prussia than a direct promise to then. We proposed that
Denmark should give • diplomatic engagement to Austria
and Primal*, taken in the presence of the other powers, to
revoke the constitutiou as soon as the It ipraad could be
assembled and the proposal could be made to them. We
that England, France, Russia, sod Sweden should
proposed to that engagement, and that Austria sad
Prussia should accept it as • diplomatic security in lieu of a
territorial security. We gave no guarantee. (Chem)
A ML*II:Ell —You said you did.
Lord PALMERSTON Eogland gave no guarantee,
other than offering to be a witness to as engagement which
would have been more binding on Denmark than • simple
assertion made on her part to Austria and Prussia. We
thought that a very reasonable proposal ; and we considered
it • very sufficient security. Austria and Prussia were bent,
however, on obtaining great renown and great military
glory ; awl thinking that that was to be got by attacking a
small state like Deinsark—igreat laughter)—they declined
our proposal, and said it was too late, for their troops had
marched. 1 never said that England would give limy other