The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-16 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS.IIOIIDAY, FED. 15.
Th. LORD ORANCIILLOR took ids oat on the woolsack at
5 Allot&

DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE
UNITED STA:MI.-ALLEGED THREATS OF WAR.

Lord RUSSELL, adverting to some observations made by
Lord Derby in • femme discumion, read extracts from the
correepcodence wit► Mr. Adams, sod, by a comparison of
dates, proved that the decision of the government u to de.
tabling the iron-clad rains could not bare been influenced
by any representatiess of Mr. Adams. He thought Lord
Derby ought to have quoted the oorrespondence more
completely.
Lord DERBY denied that be had suppressed anything.
He had seen the volume of oorrespoodeeoe l►id before coo-
greas, and therefore knew it was in this country, but he
hag not read it. The passages he quoted were taken from
• newspaper. He thought that some explanation was due
from the American government of the extraordin►ry oir•
cumataace that • despatch purporting to be addressed to the
noble lord bad bees laid before Congress, notwithstaaduag
that it had never bees delivered.

Earl RUSSELL Having heard the noble earl say
that the corresporideaos laid before Confess
contained in • large volume, I concluded that
the noble earl bad read that volume, but as he
says be has not done so, my observant:es fall to the
armed. With regard to the last question, it affects merely
the conduct of the United States government towards their
owe people. It ia the habit of Mr. Adams, and I think it •
wise habit, to consider the despatches be receives, and to
consider what it is his duty to do, and at the mane time to
perform that duty with as mach rennderation as possible.
I ran oel/eirsj that Mr. Adams has parried that eoune
from the •ta nieg. So far as Mr. Adams is concerned, oar
intercourse a oalculated to maintain friendly relations be-
tween the two governments. I cannot at present see that
it is at all secelearf to desire Lord Lyons to call Mr.
Seward'a attention to the despatch which be has published.
The noble earl says the despatch has produced a certain
effect in that couatry, but that effect will be removed when
it ss discovered that this dispatch has not been cornmeal-
_ . _

The Earl of DICILBY—I tog to say that I
single iostant threw set this slightest imputation against
Adams. On the contrary, I thought he exercised a
wise discretion, and that from the first be- showed himself a
friend to both countries in the course he pursued, and,
therefore, it is quite unneceseary for the noble earl to enter
into any defence of Mr. Adams on the present mask°.
The noble earl quite surprised me by saying. with regard to
the despatch of the I Ith, that Yr. Adams had communicated
to him the substance of it

—Furl EITSIE.L LfNo.---Wliat I said was, that if there
was any substantial grow he communicated it to me.
The Earl of DERBY—Then how did it happen that
Laving oome to the daisies on the 3rd to stop the iron-
clad rams, the noble earl wrote on the 4th to my that the
=UK was ander the oonaideratinn of her Ifsjaity's go-
vernment I

Earl RUSSELL (who spoke very Indistinctly) was under-
stood to reply that Mr. Layard had written to tt.e Trea-
sury, sad of course the matter was alder the coosideration
of the Treasury, and be (Earl Russell) being in Scotland at
the time, some time elapsed before Mr. Adams was informed.
The Sfarquis of CLANRICARDE said he hoped govern-
ment would me the necessity of producing the COI rrespoo-
deace.

Afters fey words from Earl GRANVILLI, the solneet
dropped.

DENMARK AND BLESWIG.

Lord CAMPBELL that roes pursuant to notice, to cell
the atteetioe of the house to the treaties sad conventions
in which the porar• of Sleowig hu been guaranteed to
Denmark by Groat Britain.

Lord RUSSELL did sot wish to continue a discussion on
this subject when there was so quietism immediately before
the house. The most recent declarations of Prussia and
Austria proved that those powers did not contemplate a
domembermeet of Denmark. Austria and Prussia were
conscious, as indeed all the principal powers must be, that
the Duchies could not be transferred to any other power
than the King of Denmark without the geared consent and
&meat of all the great powers. He admitted that the go-
vernment must make up their mind, with the best advice
they could obtain, as to the binding nature of the treaty
guarantee of 1720 ; but for the sake of the peace of Europe
everything that could be done by conference and negotia-
tion ought to be done before any step was taken which
might produce as attitude of hostility between any of the
great powers of Europe.
The subject then dropped.
Their lordships adjourned at half-past six o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY, Fa& 15.
The Ser.uma took the chair at 1 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
About 200 private tale ware read a mooed time.
HARBOURS OF REFUGE.

Mr. LINDSAY gave notice that oa Thursday the 3rd of
Kareh, be should bring forward a motion on the subject of
harbours of refuge.