The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-11 00:00:00

THE SECRET TREATY

Mr. Disraeli rose and addressed the house relative to a
statement he made on the first night of the session, which
was contradicted by Lord Palmerston, to the effect that
France had guaranteed to Austria her Italian provinces
by a secret treaty. He said that he had received informa-
tion which he then mentioned from unimpeachable sources,
and although he objected to hon. members being called
upon to give their authority for any statements they might
make, he would inform the house that he had his informa-
tion from no French authority, and that it had nothing to
do with his recent visit to to Paris, but that he obtained it
from good authority in this country. (Hear, hear.) If it
was an'erroneous statement he was prepared to take the re-
sponsiliilly. It was not to impugn the policy of that treaty
that his observations ou the night alluded to were directed,
because the policy that dictated it on the part of France
was conceived in that wide, temperate, and conservative
spirit that had gained for the government of the Emperor
of the French the respect and confidence of Europe. (Hear,
hear.) What he complained of then, and what be com-
plained of now, was; that if it be a fact that the private
treaty existed, and that the statement he made be a correct
one, that the conduct of her Majesty's government at the
time was conveying to the house, to the country, and to
Europe, an impression that they were pursuing a policy
quite contrary to the course of their general policy, and
entirely adverse to what this alleged treaty was intended
to accomplish. The contradiction of the noble lord involved
two allegations against him (Ur. Disraeli), first that his
statement of a secret treaty, by which France guaranteed to
Austria the security of her Italian provinces, was altogether
a fiction, for that no such treaty existed—that, to use the
noble lord's words, it was a romance. (Hear, hear.)
The second allegation was, that it was a derisive hypo-
thesis, for that, if there be such a treaty, her Majesty's
Government had never heard of it, and that, instead of
advising such a treaty, had her Majesty's Government
known of it they would have given contrary advice. His
statement, therefore, was, that negotiations were entered
into between France and Austria, with the main object
of guaranteeing on the part of France the security of
Austria's Italian dominions ; those negociations were
brought to a successful conclusion ; that they were ex-
pressed in writing, and formed a written instrument that
assumed the form of a treaty and a secret treaty, and that
that treaty was executed on 22d December, 1854 ; and he
had reasonable evidence to prove that her Majesty's Go •
vernment were privy to the negociations, and gave their
consent to the execution of the treaty. The right hon.
gentleman concluded by stating that he could prove his
statement by documents in Diwning-street, and complained
of the tone and manner of the noble lord on the first night
of debate.
Lord. Palmerston said that he had no desire on the
former occasion to say or do anythinc, to impeach the
honour of the right hon. gentleman. The right hon. gentle-
man had omitted an important part of his (Lord Plimer-
ston's) contradiction. The charge brought against the
Government by the right hon. gentleman was, that her
Majesty's Government were professing great interest for
the Italians, and encouraging the Italian nationalities,
yet at the same time they were acting a contrary course
with France and Austria. He (Lord Palmerston) re-
peated that according to his belief, there was no
such treaty as that named by the right honourable
gentleman, and that it now remained as on a
former occasion on hearsay evidence. What he stated on
a ' ornr3r occasion was, that the Government did not know
o such a treaty, nor had ever heard of it, and unless the
right bon. gentleman had seen it, that he must have been
misted respecting it. The only foundation he could assign
for the statement of the right hon. gentleman was, that
about the time alluded to, Austria asked that, if she
took part in the war with England and France, France
should not take advantage of it to disturb Austria's
Italian dominions, to which France consented, and
that if disturbances took place in Italy in con.
sequence, that the French soldiers in Italy should
assist Austria for keeping the territorial limits. These
arrangements were embodied in a temporary convention,
and although it met with the approval of the
Government, it was not signed, because Austria did
not join France and England in active operations against.
Russia, which was its basis. That convention and the treaty
the right hon. gentleman had mentionei were as different
as any two things could he. (Hear, hear.) He repeated his
statement that he knew nothing of such a private treaty
as that mentioned by the right hon. gentleman. (Hear,
hear.)
The subject then dropped.
THE INCOME TAX,

Major Reed withdrew hi. 3 motio.i for the removal of the
war increase to the income tax, in consequence of the
announcement that the budget would be brought forward
on Friday.

VAGRANT EDUCATION.

Sir S. Northcote obtained leave to bring in a bill to
make batter provision for the ea•e and education of vagrant,
destitute, and disorderly children, and for the extension of
industrial schools.