The Express.
London, England, 1856-05-28 00:00:00

TROOPS IN THE COLONIES.

The Earl of ELGIN moved for rotaries of direpatehes to
the Goveraor and Lieutenant-Gourmet of the British
North American eslantes on the military estsblishment to
be maintained in them, and a ropy of the report of the
commissioners emitted in 1854 tt inquire into the beet
memos of otpunelog the militia of Canada, and providing
so efficient and soonenties/ means of defence for the al my.
He did not wish to embarrass the government by the
motion ; but he thought the rumour that 10,000 troop
were to be gent to Canada was likely to create an an-
easy ft sling is the trotted States, and induce Congress
to adopt measures of precaution sad deuces that would
still farther complicate the present relations of England
and America. He deplored the or Mime, now gaining too
much ground among us, that there us' a erotic; hostile feel-
ing trainee England on the part of the Americus gene-
rally. That enmity to England w. e felt and expressed more
by foreigners, the refugees and immigrants from Great
Britain, and disgr rood rather the land of their
birth than that of their adoption. All the better
clam of Americans were animated by kindly feel.
Mrs to this country; and there never was a time
when the interests of the two nations were more closely
boend up together. He therefore deeply deplored the con-
tinuance of the enlistment controversy between the two
governments. As to the questions connected with Central
America, it was the interest of this country to maintain
the independence of those states; but the government bad
put the most restrictive interpretation on the Clsyton-Beil-
wee Treaty; it ineicted that the pietists to it might continue
to exercise a right of protection in Central America; and be
feared the arguments for so doing might be turned spinet
thenneehee. Limonites to the proposed Merest. of the mili-
tary force in Canada, he contended that the reducton of
the numb r of troop, there was not caused by the Russian
war; it was the result of • policy deliberately adopted to
relieve the Home Government of expense' and,, to a certain
degree, to excite a military spirit in the colonists them-
selves. This polity had been molt successful. He would
not appse an iterate. in the military fore. in Cicada,
provided there was a distinct understanding that it was for
Imperial pat p net only, and not • colonial Immure, or not
intended to sopped. the colonial militia.

The Earl oICLARENDON—My lords, I am anion to
make a few °lntention non theist:mach of the noble esrl,and
they shall be few ; for I em se sensible of the Inc 'Drennan,
of dim toeing then subjects at the present moment, that I shall
refrain from all comments upon several of the remarks
which fell from my noble friends, and which I heard with
some regret. Still lam very nettles that there shell be no
mistake sate the feelings of ter Majesty's government with
rear ea ti the United Stine, and the policy which we hen
pursued and shall °outlets to panne. (Hear, hear.) It
the first place I must say, that se far ea I am penonally
coneereed, and I speak also in the nun of her Majesty's
governmest, I do not believe that there can be the smallest
detain of our desire to maintain unimpaired the meet cordial
and the meet encore relations with the United States.
(Cheers.) I believe no man can be more convinced that
we are that it is both our interest and our duty to remain is
friendly relations with the United States; and I con con-
scientiously arm that nothing has bees said end nothing
Ina beta done which could create a jest feeling of •rritstion
nines the two countries. (Cherie.) My noble friend
divided his observations into two heads—first, with refer-
ences to the recruiting querns; and secondly, with refer-
ence to Central America. With regard to the former of ih se
genitors, all the proposals were made in the first instance
by pen its wh t were desirous of entering into the Queen's
service. We did not contemplate aceeptiog even thin
offers. without paying dee respect to the rp venoment of
the United S'atee; which I entirely mien it is both the
duty and the teleran of this meetly to uphold. (Hon
bear.) It bour duty sot to violate or infringe upon the:
authority of cry giveniment ; bet we have a British it-
tenet in upholding the character of the United States
of America. (Chem.) To =slaters the laws of the
United States war the chief object of those Laetrile 'ion *hide
her Majesty's government sent out; and when we sew that
this could cent he carried out without danger of offending the
American government—not by anything on the pert of our
own ageing, but on the part of then who assumed to he
oar ageott—when we sow that, we immediately relic-
gabbed the whole scheme. (Hear.) You lordships will
en from the papers which have been laid upon the table
that then is nothing which 'this government could do—
which could be expected from one government to another,
Or from one 4060 M :tea to another—that we have not bees
reedy to do, for the purpose of snaking reparation for any
offence, real or integinery, soh eh the United State. overt-
meet might connive we have given them. (Cheers.) Ihe
last despatch that was written by myself, end that contains
a ressati of the whole matter, can hardly have mashed the
trailed States, gad therefore I am anxious set to say say
more at present with rifeness to the ner.iiting question.
As far, however, as I have bean able to ascertain whet is
the impression which exists on this "object, It is that we
hare offered to comply with all the demands of the United
States, save only that we will not recall Mr. Crompton and
the consuls, because we don't think that they have merited
that ensure and that punishment. (Cheers.) We should
have had no linkmen in so dosing with any agent who
bad so forgotten his duty and disregarded his imarsetiees se
to have violated the laws of the United States; but being
convinced that our agents have mot done so, no government
an expect us to take such a enures. (Cheers.) With
respect to Cent-al America, your lordships know tee terms
of the Clayton-Balwer treaty. I do not thick that language
can be more clear than the language of that treaty was.
It stipulated that there should be no tolooisetion, no se.
quisition of territory, no fortification or strengthening of
fortified plans that already existed. I think there can be
' no other interpretation than that it was prospective, sad
that it was intended for a specific object, which warn the

constructron and maintenages of a cereal without any en-
croachments on the part of the United States. But it wee
never undeigteod that we were to give up or evacuate Hon •
dam and the other plates which were in our porression at
the time that the treaty wee made. It would have been im-
possible for a man of the great ability of Sir Henry Bulwer,
to have takes upon himself to give up any British territory
or rights. So far from having dose so, he made a strict
prettier% ea wee acknowledged by Mr. Claytoa, that it did
sot attach to Honduras. When, however, Mr. Beckman
ease over to this country, I hostel for the first time that as
entirely new inter; retatios had been eloped upon this
treaty, and that it was no longer to be looked Si Si a pro-
spective arraegiosent, but an arrangement for evacuating
British territory. I beard for the first tih • that it was •
ground of complaint spinet Re that we had not fulfilled
the engagements of that treaty. I thick I told Mr.
Bechasan that it was the lira time that I had hoard of that
interpretation ; and he said that is his country there wee
no doubt whatever as to his interpretation of the treety. I
replied that it appeared to me the fairest plan would be, to
nail la some other third power which would impartially
judge and determine the question between us. I raid that
we were paths:oly ready to ester into any engagement that
would be satiefeatory to the United States and to the public
at hone. It wag' therefore, a matter of indifference to us
what power was Galled in to givo any opinion otos the
matter ; but that, hiving placed a certain Interpretation mos
the treaty, we scold not admit thar,beesese we were told that
another usterpretatioa had prevailed, we ought to adopt that
new iaterprotatios. (Hear.) My lords, into this question
I do not now wish to go any farther; bat when the subject
comae to be oessldered is th• United States, and when
piths opted °. is brought to bear upon it, as it is upon every
eat jest In America, I am sure it will strike every ass that
mar efforts have been honest and sincere. (Hoar.) I will
owl gay, in topologies, that I have heard with the greatest
eats from the noble earl, who is a far borer judge
in this matter than I mold be myself, that in ell shoes is
the UMW States there exists a meet friendly feeling
towards this country. I say that beeasse, ensonerst certain
publie son is this Canerem, sad amongst cereals
otoial than boo been language held, and there
bays bo•T sots dose, which if soy in, at.)er of
toa: lordships' home, cr say malaber of her ldo-
sty's government had held or done, wooed have
iiosonnood by oil your logdships sad by the public of