The Sun.
London, England, 1864-03-02 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS--Last Evening,

The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.
AMERICAN RECRUITING IN IRELAND.

The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved for copies of
any reports that may have been received by her Majesty's
Government respecting recruiting in Ireland for the North
American army, and asked whether any remcnstrance
against such proceedings had been addressed to the Federal
Government. The noble marquis said he felt the subject of
such importance as to bring it under the notice of Parlia-
ment, and he did not think a graver offence against enter-

national law could be committed than the endeavour of a

foreign country to enlist so ders for its army in tho terri-
tories of one with which it desired to be at peace. The

offence at one time was considered so great that it was
punishable with death, and ho found in 1749
throe men were actually executed for the com-
mission of the crime, and it was not until 1819 that
the act was abolished. It was a notorious fact that recruit-
ing had been going on in Ireland for the Federal Govern-
ment for the last two years, and as far as ho knew no steps
had been taken to stop the illegal proceeding. Ho held it
to be a disgrace to the country such a state of things
should be permitted. (Hear, hear, from the Oppo-
sition.) There was no doubt the Irish Government
knew what was going on, and it was not to be supposed that
the Irish Government had not reported the fact to the Go-
vernment on this side of the water. The only conclusion
that could be drawn from the statistics published by the
Emigration Committee was that numbers of the able bodied
young men emigrating to America were intended for the
Federal:army. He would give their lordships one instance,
which he thought would illustrate the manner in which
the system was worked. An Irishman arrived in Galway,
and put about that ho wished to secure the services of a
number of young men for a contractor in America. Ho
(the Marquis of Clanricarde) took such steps with regard
to the person that when found, although ho had set out
under the pretence that he wished to secure the services of
2,000 men, he had barely sufficient to pay his own expenses.
He told him hie opinion of the matter, and instead of
referring him to any subject of her Majesty, the person re-
ferred him to the American consul at either Liverpool or
Dublin, who would testify ho was a person of solvent cir-
cumstances, and quite able to carry out all he proposed to
do Why, it was perfectly clear that the object this person
had in view was neither more nor less than to secure
the services of young men for the American army.
The noble lord then referred to the case of the six men who
had been enlisted in Cork Harbour for the Federal
frigate Kersage. These men were in the most paltry man-
ner prosecuted for offences,instead of any steps being taken to
remonstrate against such proceedings on the part of the
American Government. (Hear, hear.) That he consi-
dered was the proper course for her Majesty's Government,
yet, instead of doing that, they preferred to press
heavily upon the six poor men. He considered the neu-
trality of this country had been most partial, and not at all
in consonance with the honour and dignity of the country.
The noble marquis concluded his observations by repeating
his question.

Earl RUSSELL said he did not think it necessary to
refer to, or discuss many of the subjects brought, forward
by the noble lord. Ho admitted that such an offence as the
noble lord had described was undoubtedly a breach of the
Foreign Enlistment Act, and that it was the duty of the
Government to take steps to put a stop to such proceedings.
Ho thought it probable that many who were induced to go
to America with the prospect of getting higher wages after-
wards entered the Federal army ; but, what they might do
on arriving in America could not be a violation of the En •
listment Act. The Government of Ireland, however,
through the police, would not fail to keep watch on any
suspicious proceedings. No representations had been made
to the Government of the United States on the subject.
Lord DONOUGHMORE strongly urged the Govern-
ment to some course of action on this matter.

Lord GRANVILLE cited several cases to prove the
difficulty of acting. Notwithstanding all the rumours of
enlistments only one case had really been brought under the
attention of the authorities, and in that the proof was de
fective. If the enlistments were so notorious in Ireland as
they were represented It would not be so difficult to obtain
any proof of thorn.

In reply to a question by Lord DERBY as to the re-
ported movements of the Fenian Brotherhood,
Lord GRANVILLE stated that its proceedings were
watched, but ho believed, on investigation, they would
prove to be of the most contemptible character.
Lord CLANRICARDE said that he would not press his
motion.
Their lordships then adjourned.

SOUSE OP COMMONS—Last Evening.
RAILWAYS CONSTRUCTION BILL.

Sir J, FE RGUSSON asked the President of the Board
of Trade whether ho would postpone the second reading of
the Railways Construction Bill end Railways Facilities
Bill for ono week ?
Mr. M. GIBSON answered in the affirmative.
CIVIL SERVICE AND MISCELLANEOUS
ESTIMATES.

Mr. MARSH drew the attention of the house to the fact
that the civil and miscellaneous estimates had been for
many years increasing, and contended that they ought, with
a duo regard to economy, to be reduced. lie ridiculed the
idea of paying an increased amount for the support of our
convict population, when the circumstances of the country
were improved. Labour being more abundant and more
adequately remunerated, the temptations to crime were
diminished.

Mr. PEEL said he was not surprised that Mr. Marsh
should desire to see the amount of these estimates reduced,
and no doubt, if his views could be carried out, the Civil
Service Estimates might be very greatly reduced indeed.
But ho could not think the house would adopt those views
without considerable hesitation and without much die
His answer to the motion was that much of the in-
crease in the Civil Service Estimates were more apparent
than real, and that, so far from its being a matter of regret,
it should be viewed with' satisfaction, since it arose from the
carrying out the principle of bringing as much as possible
of the expenditure of the country under the eye of Parlia-
ment. lie then explained in much detail the transfer of
charge which had been made from other branches of the
revenue accounts to the Civil Service Estimates, and other
arrangements in the public accounts, which, while they re-
lieved other heads of the expenditure, or enhanced the ap-
parent produce of the revenue, augmented the Civil Servico
charges, showing, as he proceeded, the actual sum of each
transfer, or that thrown by each new financial arrangement
upon the Civil Service, the aggregate amount leaving only
£600,000 as the debenture increase of these estimates, part
of which arosa from exceptional charges.

Mr. TORRENS adverted to the heavy judicial charges
at the Cape of Good Hope connected with the suppression
of the slave trade,

After some remarks by Mr. NEWDEGATE and Mr. W.
ENTART,

Mr. MARSH withdrew his motion,

Lord C. PAGET obtained leave to bring in a bill to
amend the law relating to naval prize; a bill to provide for
agency and distribution of naval prize ; and a bill to repeal
certain Naval Prize Acts.

The Malt for Cattle Bill and the Conveyancers, &c. (Ire-
land) Bill ware read a third time and passed.
The report of the Committee of Supply was brought up
and agreud to.

The'house adjourned at five minutes to 7 o'clock,

" It is not ray purpose either to point out how
these engagements have been observed or to affirm
that any of them have been violated. It will be for
the ministers of Austria and Prussia to make their
complaints on this head. It is the desire of her
Majesty's Government to see these questions sub-
mitted to a calm examination by the non-German
Powers,

" You will accordingly communicate the views of
her Majesty's Government to the Ministers of
France, Russia, and Sweden, and you will endea.
your to make your joint representations to the
Danish Government conformable in substance, if
not iden tic in terms.

"The result to be arrived at is the fulfilment of
the treaty of May 8, 1852, and of the engagements
entered into by Austria, Prussia, and Denmark in
1851-52. The mode of arriving at that result can-
not be laid down. Patience and impartiality on
the part of the great Powers will conduce greatly
to that end, and will contribute in the same propor-
tion to the maintenance of the peace of Europe."
In a despatch, dated December 1, 1863, Lord
Wodehouse gives an account of an interview he had
with Herr Von Bismarck. After alluding to some
minor points, he narrates the following converse-

LOU

"M. de Bismarck said that the demands of Ger-
many were the same as they had always been—
namely, that Denmark should fulfil her engagement
not to incorporate Schleswig with the kingdom,
and to grant a common constitution in which
Holstein, Schleswig, and Lauenburg should enjoy
equal rights with the kingdom. I replied that her
Majesty's Government were persuaded that it, was
hope:ess to enter into a discussion as to the common
constitution. The last eleven years had been passed
in fruitless attempts to reconcile the German with
the Danish views of what constituted equal rights.
Was it probable that the Danes would ever submit
to give the inhabitants of the Duchies, who were a
minority, the same number of members in a common
parliament as the Danes, who were the majority ?
Would such an arrangement be consistent with
fairness or justice? M. do Bismarck said that the

Danes would not have a fair equality of members
with the Germans, because there were a larger
number of Dines in Schleswig, who would no doubt
return Danish members. His excellency developed
at much length bis views as to the common consti•
tution, but I cannot sny I hoard from him anything
which has not been repeated ever and ovor again in
these interminable discussions. I still pressed him
to state some other alternative, but he said this was

for the Danes, and not the Germans, to propose.
" I then asked him what the German Powers re-
quired as to the constitution recently signed by the
King of Denmark. Upon this point he said there
could be no compromise. The constitution must be
declared before January 1 to be inapplicable to
Schleswig, otherwise the German Powers would
hold themselves released from all their engagements
to Denmark, including the treaty of 1852. They
could not be satisfied with the mere postponement
for the present of the meeting of the new Rigsraad.
" I said that I supposed that he would be satisfied
if the King issued a declaration that the constitution
could not be carried into effect as regards Schleswig.
It might be necessary, if the question was not con-
cluded by the existing Rigsraad, which expired at
the end of the year, to call together the new Rigs-
raad, by which alone the law could then be altered.

" His excellency said, provided Schleswig was
exempted from the oFeration of the law by some act
done by the King before January 1, when the new
constitution came into force, he did not care by what
assembly the law was ultimately abrogated. How-
ever, it would, he was convinced, be necessary for
the King of Danmark to dismiss his present minis•

tern ; a coup detat would be the best solution of the
difficulty. The fact was that Germany would never
be on good terms with Denmark as long as the
present democratic institutions of Denmark were
maintained.

" I said, I regretted to hear this language, which
amounted to a declaration that the German Go-
vernments were really about to interfere to change
the domestic institutions of an independent mo-
narchy, and I pointed out strongly to M. de Bis-

marck the danger which the German governments
ran of exciting revolution at home by lending them-
selves to the designs of the Schleswig-Holstein
party. Nothing, I said, could justify the conduct of
the Prince of Augustenburg.
" I concluded the conversation, which was con
ducted with the utmost courtesy by M. de Bismarck,
by requesting that he would give me a memorandum
of the demands of the German powers. M. de Bis-
marck readily consented to this, and a memorandum
was accordingly drawn up (of which I enclose a
copy), and which it was agreed, if approved by the
King and the Asstrian Minister, should be initialled
by M. do Bismarck, Count Karolyi, and her Ma-

jesty's ambassador.
" The following is the memorandum :
" The Austrian and Prussian governments require
that the Danish government shall carry out the
engagements entered into by Denmark in 1851-52 ;
so that, apart from the Federal ties which concern
only Holstein, Schleswig shall not be more closely
connected with the kingdom of Denmark than Hol-
stein.

"'They therefore consider that the Constitution of
Nov. 18, 1863, is a violation of the engagements of
Denmark, and they require that measures shall bo
taken, before January 1, by the Danish government
to prevent that constitution from being carried into
effect as regards Schles
" When such measures shall have been taken,
they expect to receive from Denmark propositions
as to the manner in which the engagements of
1851-52 arc to ba fulfilled."

The Dano-German Correspondence,
Another portion (Na. III.)of this correspondence
Was published yesterday. It brings down the
despatches to Dec. 16,1863, and includes no less
than 450 documents. The most interesting of the
series to the general public are those relating to the
mission of Lord Wedehouse to Berlin and Copen-
hagen. In a despatch, dated the Bth of March, Earl
Russell sends Lord Wodehouse the following in-
structions:—