The Sun.
London, England, 1855-05-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LOT,VDN., TUESDAY' .EVE?,4.1.N0 MAY '22 1855

petent to fill. (Cheers.) Mr. Muntz concluded by
moving,—
" That the monopoly of the honourable and lucrative of-
fices of the State by one class discourages men of ability from
qualifying themselves for entering the service of the nation ;
and this meeting, while it disclaims any desire to exclude
the aristocracy from that share in the direction and con-
duct of public affairs to which their ability or their special
fitness may entitle them, is of opinian that' the most
prompt and effective remedy for the official mismanagement
from which the country is now suffering is the substitution of
the test of merit and fitness for that of rank and family cou-
nexion in all o.fficial appointments."

Mr. G. DAWSON seconded the resolution, which was
supported by 'Alderman BALDWIN, and carried unani-
mously. •
Mr. T. LLOYD urged the necessity of union, and
argued that as the Reform Bill and the repeal of the
corn laws had been carried by association 'and combina-
tion, there was no fear but that the measure they now
proposed would be accomplished by similar means. He
concluded by moving the following resolution :
" That an association be now formed in Birmingham for the
purpose of promoting administrative reform, and the follow-
ing gentlemen be requested to form a committee (with power
to add to their number), to define the constitution of the
society, prepare laws for its government, and to take mea-
sures for enrolling the names of members."
After some speeches in support of the resolution, a
number of men belonging to the working classes pre-
sented themselves, and proceeded to advocate universal
suffrage and the ballot ; and one of them moved an
amendment to the effect that these measures were the
only remedies for the evils of Government of which the
promoters of the meeting complained.
The amendment was put, and the original motion
carried by a large majority.
A petition founded upon the resolutions was then.
adopted.

NAVAL AND MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

Trafalgar, 120, is taking in ballast at Sheerness, pre-
vious to hauling into the Medway, in ordinary.
Imperieuse, 51, screw, Captain Watson, C.B , and
Tartar, 20, screw, Captain Dunlop, having been injured
by collision with each other in the Baltic, are expected
to return to Sheerness to have the damages repaired.
Horatio, screw, Hon. Captain A. Cochrane, is still in
the basin, Sheerness. Her alterations for Nasmyth's
patent guns are fast drawing to a close. . She bent sails
yesterday morning, but is indifferently manned. She is
just fresh painted, but her definite time for leaving there
for Liverpool still remains unknown.
Scylla, screw corvette, 22 guns (which is building in
Sheerness yard), is partially in frame. Three g.►ngs of
shipwrights (60 in number) are working to finish her
with all despatch.
Win, 18, paddle, Captain Wilcox, will go into Ports-
mouth harbour.. Tire mortar-boats are undergoi ig very
necessary alterations, to make them seaworthy and effi-
cient.

Trusty, 16, screw floating battery, is in the basin,
Sheerness. L{er masts are ail on end. Although the
rizgiog is not set up, she makes, we hear, about three
inches of water in the 24 hours.

Glutton, 16, screw floating battery, is still in No. 1
dry dock, Sheerness. The caulking that had been
found defective has been done over again. She was ex-
pected to haul out to-day.
Enterprise, explorin; ship, Captain CoHinson,
is still in the outer basin, Sheerness. If possible the
crew will be paid off on Wednesday ; they are now
busily employed dismantling her, the lower rigging is
all off the mastheads, but orders have been received fur
the crew to take all the stone ballast out of her, &c.
Aolus, shell vessel, has hauled out of the fitting
ba-in, Portsmouth, to make room for the Royal yacht,
which vessel has been masted, and will haul into the
basin immediately for completion.
The Peruvian frigate Apurimac, Commodore D. J.
M. Salcedo, and the sloop Loa, Captain Rees, sailed
from Plymouth Sound for. Lima on Monday morning.
A full-rigged American transpoit,' with horses from
Havre for the Crimea, was off Plymouth on Sunday at
noon, in tow of a Lark-rigged steamer.
The steamer Stella, from Constantinople for London,
was observed off Plymouth on Sunday evening, by the
screw steamer Ondine,, Captain G. C. Smith.

IPE MA L PARLIAMENT.

ROUSE OF COMMONS-YESTERD AY.
THE VIENNA. CONFERENCES.

Mr. S. HERBERT—Sir, I observe that the hon. mem-
ber for Manchester has placed upon the votes of the h,,ase
a question tending to lead io a precipitate decision, which
may involve the most momentous consequences to the
country and the whole of Europe. I wish, before the
question is entered upon, to make an inquiry of the noble
lord at the head of the Government, inasmuch as upon his
answer must depend my own course, and probably that of
some other gentlemen in the house on the motion about to
be submitted to their decision. I find, upon page 73 of
the papers of the Vienna conferences, a protocol of the 21st
of April, at which my noble friend (Lord J. Russell) was
present, the following paragraph :—" Count Buol does not
consider the different modes of solution as exhausted, and
considers it as especially the task of Austria to look for
means of accommodation. He hopes, therefore, that the
conference will meet again as soon as any of its members
shall have any new proposition to make." (Rear) The ques-
tions ravish to ask are these—Does the noble lord con-
sider or not that the different modes of solution, are ex-
hausted, or doss he consider it, and does Austria still con-
sider it, to be her task to look for means of accommodation,
andst iste the
that any o
conference s
members completely
may
a
make
propo-
sitions to the allied powers?
Lord PALMERSTON—I have no difficultykeauy
wnehwateverinanswering the questions of my right hon. friend. Her Ma-
jesty's Government certainly d ) not consider all the modes
of solution of the question at issue as exhausted. We con-
sider that Austria is still charged, by her own voluntary as-
sumption and the consent of the allies, with the task of en-
deavouring to discover means of bringing about an accom-
modation between the contending parties ; and the confer-
ence, although at present suspended, is not finally closed ;
and if any proposal were inn,de worthy of the country, or
which was considered likely to lead to a satisfactory re-
sult, that conference would be ready to be reassembled.
I can only add, that it would be considered by her Ma-
jesty's Government to be their duty to give their most
favourabl.) consideration to any proposals which might
come to them from or through Austria, with a view to a
safe, honourable, and satisfactory termination of the con-
test. At the same time her Majesty's Government would
equally feel it their duty not to consent to any arrange-
ment which slid not sufficiently satisfy the honour of the
country—(loud cheers)—and which did not substantially
accomplish those motives for which the war was com-
menced.

Mr. GLADSTONE—With reference to the question of
my right hon. friend (Mr. S. Herbert), it appears to me
that the answer of tile noble lord justifies me in making an
appeal to the hon. member for Manchester. (Hear, hear.)
Tho passage which was quoted by my light hon. friend
was from the record of a conference held at Vienna on the

21st of April. Since that conference was held, a further
conference took place on the 26th of April. At that
further conference a second Russian propo,al was ten•
dered, and that second proposal was met by the re-
presentatives of Anstri•i and France by the recital of
various strong objections, but at the same time—if I
rightly understand the record —with a declaration that it
contained materials for further discussion, and the ele-

wants of a pt;;;ii;1; nt. (Hear, hear.) On the
part of the only representative of England present at that
conference; it was met by the declaration that his instruc-

Lions were exhausted. Under those circumstances, sir, it
t.ppears to me that the right hon. member for Manchester
was entirely justified in the supposition. so far as England
was concerned, and in reference to the proposals which
had been laid before the conferences.of Vienna, that those

conferences and negotiations had absolutely terminated.
No doubt, sir, it is a matter of the utmost delicacy and
difficulty for this house to form a judgment, in circum-
stances so critical, at what point it is their duty to respect
and leave intact the functions of the executive Govern-
ment, and Where the functions of the Government termi-
nate and its own function of pronouncing judgment on
the conduct of that Government begins.
Mr. ROEBUCK—Sir, I rise to order.
Mr. GLADSTONE—Then, to be in order, I shall end by
moving the adjournment of the house. (Hear, hear.) was
going to say that it appeared to' me 'that, upon the record
as it stood before the house, the right hon. gentleman was

perfectly warranted in believing that there was, so far, so
much at least of an absolute termination to the negotia-
tion upon the ba,is before us that the time had arrived
when he might justly appeal to the house for its judgment
upon the subject. 1 concurre.l, I confess, in that opinion s
I did feel, I believe along with him, that if the house bad
permitted the papers which have been laid upon the table
of the house to remain there without an expression of
opinion upon its own part, the inference drawn out of doors
would justly be, from the silence of the house, that it con-
curred in what had taken place and made itself.virtually a
party to the declaration of the British plenipotentiary on
the 26th of April, that his instructions were exhausted,
which of course, it' it stood alone, would mean that
the discussions of the conference were at an end, and

that there was no prospect of a settlement 'being
arrived at by what had already passed between the
powers. We have already heard, and it is unnecessary for
me again to repeat, the answers just made by the noble lord
at the head of the Government to my right hon. friend ;
but it is plain that those answers leave the case in a posi-
tion different from that in wh,ch it would have stood had

Cheers.)

it rested on the declaration of the Rtrl of Westmoreland on

the 26th of Aprilvthat his instructions were exhausted. I
will not enter now upon a discussion of the declaration of
the noble lord, that no proposals incompatible with the
honour of the Government or the country will be accepted

or entertained by the Government • but f, for one, feel Very
deeply the responsibility of interfering with the proceed-
ings of her Majesty's Government in matters of negotiation
which are still open, and I do not think that I over-inter-
pret what has fallen from my noble friend when I say
that these negotiations are still open, and that these ne-
gotiations do afford, in the opinion of the powers, or
some of them, the materials of a satisfactory settle-
ment. There is no reason why advantage should
not he taken of those proposals for the purpose of
seeing what could be made of them. Convinced as
I am that the right honourable gentleman has no dther ob-
ject in view but the restoration of peace to this country
upon honourable terms—convinced as I am that ho entirely
disclaims all motives of party, all disposition to disturb the
Government, or to weaken its plans in the proceedings it has
been or may be carrying on, I venture with great respect,
having no title I am sure to assume such a function, t 4 put
it before his consideration whether he would not exercise a
wise discretion in refraining from asking the House of Com-
mons at the present moment for any definitive judgment
on the subject of the negotiations that are virtually still in
progress, and whether it would net be fairer to all parties
and all opinions, as well as more conducive to all the objects
which every patriot must have at heart, if he would forego
the occasion he claimed; and which had been offered
to him under circumstances materially different, and
exercise his own discretion at a future period, when these
circumstances may call for an appeal to the house upon the
question, to make a motion of this description or any
motion at all upon the subject—at all events, whether
it would not be better to leave the matter in the hands of
the Government, in order that they may not be embar-
rassed by our discussion in this place, which would cer-
tainly have an embarrassing and weakening effect on the
Government—to leave them free from any
.difficulty of
that kind to conduct to its legitimate conclusion the task
they have taken in hand. Sir, I beg leave, with reference to
what I have stated, to move that this house do now adjourn.
Mr. S. HERBERT—I take this opportunity of stating,
having no knowledge of what course the right hon. gentle-
man the member for Manchester is about to take in conse-
quence of the appeal that has just been made to him by
my right hon. friend—l wish to state that sh mid he think
it his duty to persist "in bringing .forward his motion, I
shall consider it my duty to move the previous question
as an amendment. (Ironical cheers from the o,,position.)

Lord H. VANE said he found no difficulty, having en-
gaged to second the motion of the right hon. gentleman
the member for Manchester, and having come down to
the house with the intention of doing so, in nrgirg upon
him to acquiesce in the suggestion made to him by the right
hon. gentleman the member for the University of Oxford.
(Laughter from the Opposition benches.) He would put it
to his right hon. friend whether it would be wise, in the
interest• of peace, in the interest of that cause he had so
deeply at heart, to persevere after the declaration which
had just been made by the noble lord at the head of the
discusse l under great difficulties, and as negotiations
Government. It was quite obvious the question would be
might be said to be still going on, that course would be
very embarrassing for the Government.
Mr. DISRAELI—I have seldom witnessed in this house
a scene like that which is apparently performing near me
to-night. (Loud cheers.) At the first blush of the ques-
tion, it appears to me that. if the extraordinary, and as I
believe most impolitic, request of the two right hon. gen-
tlemen who have so suddenly risen this evening is to be
acceded to, the House of Commons and the country
have a right to demand a mu3h more explicit declaration
from the heed of the Government—( Loud cheers from
the Opposition)—as to really what position the country is
now placed iu with respect to recent negotiations, and as
to that which the noble lord and his colleagues apparently
seem to consider amely,sufficient to satisfy the deman(ls of
the two right hon. gentlemen. Now, what is the frtate of
the case? The noble lord tells us that he believes he can
venture to say that he supposes that it is not impossible—
(laughter) —that peace may result—that all the means of
solving a difficult political problem have not been ex-
hausted by those distinguished mon who have devoted their
abilities to the service of the Government and the country.
But has the noble lord stated any circumstances which may
induce us, as representatives of the people, to suppose that
there are any grounds by which we may guide our conduct at
a moment,so critical as the present in order to j ustify a strange
forbearance from expressing ouropinion upon public affairs?
The noble lord has done nothing of the kind. While there
is life there is hope ; that appears to bo the policy of the
Government. I am sure, sir, I am the last man in this
house who would strictly define the limits to which for-
bearance might reach in the conduct of Parliament or of
the Opposition while preparations for war or negotiations
inl baffled colleague
hSecretary of State
f
for peace were taking place. I think it our duty to place
on Althoughsatisfacatsi
of informing Par-
a
'lament that the means of solution of this difficult in the Government a very wide confidence under such cir-
cumstances. Had the noble lord come to us when the un-
successful plenipotentiary, had made his re-appearance in
t,hames
thehre Colonies,
a tu usre n' a tad
l toa ild resumehtaav us,
histhe'
duties
pro-
blem are by no means exhausted, and that I have reason
to believe we will yet succeed in accomplishing a solution ;
and, therefore, I trust to the generous confidence of Par-
liament and to the patriotic spirit of the country not to
press me to lay upon the table the records of the hitherto
unsuccessful negotiation ;" then the noble lord might have
appealed, and not in vain, to the forbearance of Parliament.
But what has been the conduct of the noble lord?
The noble lord has placed upon the table of Parliament
the records of negotiations which have been undertaken-by
his colleague and by other representatives of her Majesty,
under instructions which they had formerly in those papers
acknowledge.' to he exhausted. For what were these papers
placed upon the table? (Hear.) Surely they were placed
there to elicit the opinion of Parliament upon the conduct
of the negotiations, and to ascertain the precise position in
which our country is now placed. (Hear.) I said then,
as I now repeat, that it would have been well if the noble
lord, following the authority of precedents, had been him-
self the leader to elicit the opinion of Parliament under
the circumstances. But the noble lord forbore to fulfil
his duty, and au independent member; a gentleman not
connected with the Government, exercising a legitimate
and, as I think, a very proper duty, gives notice th
he will propose, instead of the Minister, an address to
her Majesty expressing the opinion of Parliament upon
those papers, Did the noble lord, rise then and eah

"I have, tterleips with too
.much readiness, placed
these State papers upon the table, bet
.do not, under any
eonsideretion, press the Opinion of Parhainent upon these
solution are by no means
tiegoticiots, because the ineats.q
of the
utterly exhatisfedt' The noble lot. said not aword
kind. He gave no dis'dottragement to the motion of the
sight bon, gentleman, bet on fliC contrary, the noble lord
dietnrles the natural order of the fit!i,e6,-, of the house, and
facilitates the course which the- hoe. gentleman pro-
poses to take; and vrben the whole cotinf.r.v r expectant—
when this room is filial ad it leas seldom for years,
then the noble lord, having hinfeo/f given a 4.:aY to the
right hon. gentleman—having himself oreated the occa-
sion and framed the opportunity—then the tLoble lord,
by
some mysterious and sinister means, as rapid and unex-
pected as that wire which now communicates front Bala-
klava to Downing-street, and which passes the gangway as
unseen as that wire passes the Black Sea and the Danube—
(laughter)—the desire of the noble lord comes from an un-
expected but influential quarter. And now, when we are
assembled to give an opinion upon these unsuccessful ne-
gotiations, the records of which have been lying for a
considerable period upon our table, and in reference to'
which a privy councillor has given a notice to which the
noble lord has given precedence, then the noble lord rises,
and without the communication of any particulars, and
without any unequivocal statement that there is any
chance of negotiations being carried on, but by a vague
declaration, which he would have been justified in making
if there never were a more favourable prospect of bringing
affairs to a more happy conclusion, it is expected that, in
silence—without a murmur, and without a protest—this
great discussion should not occur. lam not aware what
course the right hon. gentleman the member for Manches- •
ter is going to take ; but, judging from the remarkable
promptitude with which the-noble lord who was' going to
do him the honour to second his motion—(laughter)—re-
sponded to what I have described as the most unreasonable
suggestion of the two right lion. gentleman the members
for Wiltshire and for the University of Oxford—judging
by that extraordinary promptitude, one is almost afraid
that the proposer as well as the seconder of the motion has
fallen into this position, which is much more convenient
than honourable to the individuals (hear) and to the Mi-
nisters. But, sir, is there nothing to consider in the matter
but the convenience of the Ministers? What is the
country to'think of this exhibition ? (Hear hear.) The
country will surely require some information, at least some
rational explanation why, when negotiations have been
carried on until they have arrived at a termination of
failure, when their records have been placed upon the
table of Parliament, when a right hon: gentleman has
given notice to ask the opinion of Parliament upon these
negotiations, when the Minister rises, and only rises to
facilitate that discussion, and yields the highest possible
favour to a private member of Parliament; viz., a Govern-
ment day, in order to take the opinion of Parliament—the
country will at leaSt expect that the Minister should make
a declaration, clear, unequivocal, explicit, to show that we
are not trifled with under those circumstances. But if we
renounce, as a Parliament, one of the higheSt, one of the
most solemn duties a House of Commons can perform,

which is to express its opinion upon negotiations that have
failed in accomplishing their object or cbjeets, let it be
shown that we have done it upon g:cat and sufficient
grounds, and in a manner and spirit which, whatever may
be the condition of the Ministry or of their official or DOL..

official supporters, will at leasi leave tho. House of C.nn-
mons in a clear and honourable light before tho country.

Lord PALMERSTOY—Sir, in reply to what has fallen
from the right hon. gentleman, I am prepared to maintain
that the course which I have taken in regard to the pro-

ceedings of the house upon this matter has been uniform
and consistent. The right hon. gentleman upon a former
occasion called upon me to lay .upon the table of the house

the proceedings of the conference of. Vienna. I told him I
would do so. I think the home and the country were

entitled to have those proceedings in their 'hands. Those
proceedings the right hoe. gentleman is pleased to call the

records of an unsucceAsfol or failing negotiation. Sir, they

are the records of a negotiation conducted with the greatest
ability by my noble friend ; and if they have not resulted

n a termination favourable to the objects of peace, the

fault has not lain with the noble lord, the fault has not lain
with her Majesty's Government, the fault has not Lain
with our ally the Emperor of the French, the fault has not
lain with our ally to a certain degree I may say—
(langhter and cheers) —that is as far as moral an•i
political sentiment goes—(laughter) —I say the fault has
not lain with the Government of Austria. but the fault

has rested with the Government of Russia, to whom we are

opposed. But.the right hon. gentleman then called upon
me to do that which he said had been done on similar oc-

casions, viz., to come down with a message from the Crown
for a vote of Parliament approving of the course that had
been taken. What was the auswer made to the right hon.

gentleman? The house recollects that answer. It refetes
the charges the right hon. gentleman has just brought for-
ward again. I said I will not do any such thing, because it
would be shutting a door against any honourable negotia-
tions, and destroying all hopes of peace. I said I will not
shut that door, and therefore the charge the right hon. gen-
tleman now brings against me of not having held uniform
language is not founded upon the course I have pursued. I
stated then that which I state now, namely, that I do not re-
nounce Lopes of a sati factory result from future negotia-
tions; and that I will not take a step which would close adoor
to negotiations, or render any negotiation for the present i m-
possible. But, then, the right hon. gentleman says that I
did not discourage the right hon. member who is about to
make his motion. The house surely recollects I was asked
a question by the hon. gentleman the collea7ue of the
right hon. gentleman the member for Manchester—(hear)
—who asked me whether the time had arrived when the
house might fairly enter into a discussion on the negotia-
tions. I said that the hon. member mast exercise his own
discretion, but that I thought such a course would be a
most inconvenient one in the present state of affairs. I
said that it would be attenied by public inconvenience,
but that it was not my intention to dictate to the hon.
member or to any other person. I thought the hon. member
would abstain from pressing his question on the considera-
tion of the house in the presentstate of things; but the right
hon. gentleman the other member for Manchester did
nevertheless think it right to put, his notice on the paper.
What was the course then I thought it my duty to pursue?
Should I, on the part of the Government, back out from the
discussion ? (Hear.) Should I endeavour to stave it off
by technical delays, saying that this day would be incon,
venient, or the next day would be incovenient ? No, sir • I
feel it tho duty of the Government boldly to face the right
hon. gentleman; and though I disapproved of his motion,
and though I thought and still think it was a most ill-
judged motion, and one calculated to lead to a discussion
which must be injurious to the interests of the country,
if the right hon. gentleman thought otherwise, I said,
"Here we are ; I will give you an early day for the pur-
pose ." and now:Nm) come down here ready to meet the
righehon, gentleinkn face to face upon the terms of his
motion, if he thinks right to make it, and to give it a
positive and direct negative. (Cheers.) Well, I say the
course I assume is perfectly plain anti simple, and there is
nothing that requires illustration. We laid before Parlia-
ment the documents it was entitled to haves I would
not take the step the right hon. gentleman urged me to
take, because I thought it would be shutting a door upon
future negotiations. I stated to the right hon. gentle-
man the member for Manchester that I thought it would
be extremely inconvenient for the public interest—not for
the inconvenience of members of the GoVOrnment, for I
place the matter on higher grounds—that it would be pre-
judicial to the interest of the country with a view to future
negotiations, that we should be called upon at the present
moment to discuss and come to a decision upon the terms
' which had been offered and refused, and upon the terms
which might have been proposal. I went into those dis-
tinctions in my answer to the right hon, gentleman, and I
said that I thought there would be an inconvenience, and I
think so still. Whether the motion of the right hen. gentle=
man is met, as my right hon. friend the member for Wilt-
shire intends, by moving the previous question, or by a direct
negative, as the Government are prepared to move, I think
in either case the discussion mast be prejudicial to the in-
terests of the public. But the discussion is forced upon
her Majesty's Government, and we aro ready to meet it.
(Hear, hear.) I was asked a question founded upon ins-
sages in one of the protocols. I answered those questions;
but if I am called upon by the right hon. gentleman the
member for Buckinghamshire to enter into au explanation
of what pissed between the Government of her Majesty
and those of France and Austria, I say I will not be led
into explanations and discussions couhdential

cations (hear, bear); the effect of which Inuit be to ren
der such communicatious fur the future imipssible. or, al
_ .

all events, not beneficial for the harp ises for which they
aro carried on. 'I say the hgnso may or may not think fit
to continue to give their trust and confidence to her
Majesty's Government iu the conduct of public affairs;
it is for them to judge; but this I will say, whatever
Government may enjoy the confidence of this house, I
think this house would commit a great mistake, and
would be doing a great injury to the public: service, if
they were to take out of the hands of the Government,
whatever it may be, the conduct of matters which can only
be carried on by Government. (Cheers) If the House
of Commons take upon itself to do that which the motion
indicates, viz., to prescribe to the Executive Government
how it is to carry on negotiations, what conditions it is
to ask for, what conditions it may press, and what eoudi-
tient' give up—if this house takes upon itself the power of
carrying on negotiations, I say they will be doing a greater
injury, and be departing more dangerously from the true
principles of the constitution than I think any great num-
ber of gentlemen in this house will be inclined to submit
to. I say, therefore, that negotiations of this nature can
only be carried on by an executive Government ; but, if
they are to be called upon from day to day to state what is
the last proposal made, and what is proposed to be done,
and what has been done during the last week or ten days,
the functions of Government must cease. I say you must
give a certain amount of confidence to any Government
that may exist for the day. If you think this Government
unworthy and undeserving of your confidence, say so dis-
tinctly and plainly, and we shall know distinctly what it
is our duty to do. (Hear, hear.) But so long as you
do not do so, so long as this house is content to leave the
Executive Government in its place, I say it is the duty
of this house, and that it is neciessary for the interests of
the country that you should not interfere in this manner
in the detail of a negotiation, that you should wait until
the final result is known, and then if you are displeased,
you can censure the Government if you like, or express
your opinion as you please. But you never will arrive at a
successful end of the negotiations if this house is to under-
take, as the motion is calculated to effect, the practical di-
rection of important negotiations. (Cheers.)
Mr. BRIGHT—I wish to say that I think therehas been
a little over-excitement on both sides of the table about
this matter. (Laughter.) The right hon. gentleman the
member for Bucks need not be very much exasperated at
any course that may be taken to-night; for he must know
very well that the object of my righthon. friend is one which
is not suppasad to harmonise entirely with the views com-
monly expressed by the majority of his followers, andtho
there-
fore is at liberty to judge what is best in the interest of
object which we have at heart, and which I take to be
the
establishment of a satisfactory peace. Now, the house
will not suppose that I have any object other than that
after the course I have taken for the last twelve months
on on these questions. Some time ago I put a question
the noble lord at the head of the Governximz
he has referred to-night, and I
ii was an
explicit than he had given us
Government,
to whichhave
from him something
as to whether negotiations were
I meant not that the nego-
tiations
ex'
being carried on or not ;
and when I said carrying on, .
did I want to
were exhausted, for if the negotiations were ex-
hausted we should be at warrofowreresrewre,
know exactly if the Allied. ren‘ovrilling to receive
offers from Russia, if they were sufficiently submissivo ;
that we also know very well;nor did neawayntthtingoksnootwheirf
' were engaged in doing a great many
nthan those which this country and Government have been
asking her to do for along time past. (Laughter.) What'
I wanted to know was this, for I wished to embarrass
the Government as little as possible— (hear, hear)—
and, indeed, I ?would be willing to bargainhot to.