The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-09 00:00:00

Non-contents.

Present
Prozies
-168

Majority for the resolution 9
The resolution was therefore culled.
The result was received with considerable applause.
Their lordships adjourned at 20 minutes past two o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—Last Evening.
The SPEAKER took the chair shortly after 4 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed :
Helston and Penrhyn• Junction Riilway Bill (Prince of
Wales's Consent, on behalf of the Duchy of Cornwall, to
be signified)—Wandsworth Bridge Bill.
ATTENDANTS. AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
Mr IL LE WIS asked the member for the University of
Cambridge whether an order had been issued (to take effect
from Sept, Ist next), prohibiting the attendants at the Bri-
tish Museum from leaving the Museum during the ordinary
dinner hour, or at any time between the hours of nine
o'clock in the morning and six o'clock in the evening; and,
if so, why has such order been issued; and whether any
and what provision has been made to enable the attendants
to procure their dinner on the premises at a moderate
charge.
Mr WALPOLE expressed a hope that any alterations
which might be required would he made.
THE ALTERATION IN THE UNIFORM OF THE
POLICE.

Mr A. SMITH asked the Secretary of State for the
Home Department why the dress of the police had been
altered, and whether it was intended that the whole metro
politan police should assume a military costume and•ap-
pearance. He thought constables should have as little
of a military appearance as possible.
BRITISH OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS KILLED
IN NEW ZEALAND.

Sir F. SMITH asked the Under Secretary of State for
War whether he had any objection to lay upon the table of
the house a statement showing the number of officers and
soldiers of the regular forces, as well as of the militia and
volunteers, who have been killed or wounded, up to the last
returns, in the New Zealand War
The Marquis cf HARTINGTO :ti replied in the negative.
MAJOR GORDON.

Mr LIDDELL asked whether any official information
had been received of Major Gordon's retirement from the
command of the Anglo-Chinese disciplined force, in com-
pliance with the Order in Council in March last, or whe-
ther any secret orders, or reservations, or discretionary
pa Were were conveyed to Major Gordon or any other English
officer in China along with such order in council—and, if
so, whether there be any objection to state the nature of
Bush secret orders or reservations, and under what circum-
stances such discretionary powers were to be exercised.
Mr. LAYARD said that there would be no objection to
employ Major Gordon by the Government, but it would be
on the condition that he gave up his connection with the
Chinese.

TEE ADJOURNED DEBATE ON THE FOREIGN

POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Mr B. OSBORNE resumed the adjourned debate, He
said that the question had net been rendered more clear
and interesting by the speech of the Attorney-General last
night. He considered that there had been some very
curious unions of different members of the house in regard
to this subject. For instance, the hon member for Hunt-
ingdon and Mr Bright, with their different opinions,
appeared to kiss each other. He deprecated the con-
duct of the honourable member for Sheffield in the
attack he had made on Lord John Russell, and when
he made the observation that the noble lord would have
been a schoolmaster if he had not been a statesman. But
the hon. member forgot the services which the noble lord,
the Secretary for
_Foreign Affairs, had rendered to the
country, or the lessons he had taught in regard to civil
and religious liberty which were not easily forgotten.
(Hear, hear.) With regard to the sneers of the hon. mem-
ber for Sheffield at schoolmasters, it must be remembered
that there were very distinguished schoolmasters, and one,
Dr Arnold, might rank with the hon, member for Sheffield.
(Great laughter.) He by no means endorsed the foreign
policy of the Government in its different details,
but he did not like the injustice that had been done to the
noble lord (Earl Russell), for which the whole Cabinet was
responsible, including the noble lord the First Minister.
(Laughter.) Having referred to the proceedings at the
Conference, in the course of which ho described the pro-
ceedings
,as a: combination of blarney and bluster, and
ridiculed the statement that had been made as an inter-
change of ideas between the plenipotentiaries at the Con-
ference, but what these ideas were which rendered an inter.
change he did not pretend to understand. (Laughter.) He
said that this country was most fortunate in being relieved
from the responsibility of the guarantee proposed by the
obstinacy of Denmark. (Laughter.) In referring to
the Conference, ha said that the only unanimity
in the members of the Conference wes a vote
of thanks to Lord John Russell—(great laughter)—and a
statement that they left England with great pleasure. (Re-
newed laughter.) He denied that the treaty of 1852, on
which so much was said to depend in the solution of the
questions of the Germans and Danes, was anything more
than an emanation from the subtle policy of Russia. He
drew the attention of the house to toe discrepancy which
prevailed between the sentiments expressed in 1343 by
the First Lord of the Treasury in reference to the question
of the succession to the Duchies of Schleswig and Holstein,
and the sentiments that he had expressed on the subject.
The noble lerd had said in 1848 that the son of the
Duke of Oldenburg should be named in the succession,
(Hear, hear.) He denied altogether that the treaty of July,
1852, so important in this matter, had the sanction of Aus-
tria and Prussia, and he asserted that the latter power had
entered an actual protest against it. (Hear, hear.) He
repeated that this protocol was a mere dictation of Russia,
acceded to by a doubtful policy which invested it with its
political value. The fact was that Russia, in the protocol
of 1851, promoted the views of King Christian IX. in re-
gard to the Duchies. He contended that the King of
Denmark had as much right to the Duchies as he had to
the throne of England—(hear, hear)—and they must
remember that the rights of those duchies had been
guaranteed. He said that the claims of the Duke of
Augustenburg could not be voided, merely by the fact of
his having been in pecuniary difficulties, and accepting
some pecuniary compensation for his claims. He repudiated
the idea cf going to war on this question, and merely
for the purpose of forcing on the ~Duchies a
disagreeable dynasty—(hear, hear)—as the ratepayers of
this country had not the slightest interest in the matter.
He said that the policy of the Government tended to drift
this coantry into war, With regard to the late Conference
on the Deno-German question, the only thing he had been
able to make out of its proceedings was the diplomatic defi-
nition of the difference between a suspension of arms and an
armistice; and that was all it was possible the most assi-
duous reader could collect. Credit hid been taken by the
Government for having preserved the peace of Europe, but
it could not be denied that they had been in league to go
to war to put an unwelcome sovereign on the throne o.
Schleswig-Holstein : and he believed that the re al credit of
maintaining peace was due to the Emperor of the French.
If it had not been for him, if the designs of ministers had
been followed our, we should have been at this moment in
the midst of an awful war with Germany. As to Den-
mark, in his opinion she would have made a better
fight of it had she been better served by her
own ministers ; but they had lectured and blustered
in true Palmerstonian style; whilst they omitted
to arm their people to repel the invader. He had no doubt,
however, that) the Danes would now come to terms directly
with Prussia; and he should not be surprised if he heard
the Prime Minister stating in the course of the evening that
England was about to agree to some convention to prevent
a Scandinavian confederation. It has been a question,
how far the just influence of this country has been lost, and
it cannot be denied that England does not occupy the
position she should do with reference to other nations
owing to the bungling policy which has been pursued.
But I think it would be easy to redress that, and to place
the country in a proper position. What should we do? It
the noble lord and gentlemen on that bench are not skilful
—I think they have great capacity, but they are a little past
their time, and they bungle—(laughter)—if it be wished to
place England in a proper condition, and to restore its in-
fluence, I think it might be done by imitating that custom
which is obligatory on officials in Japan—(gereat laughter)
if they would, only exercise in a modified form that "happy
despatch"—l think they would place the country in a proper
position, (Hear, hear.) Ido not suspect, however, that
they will take that advice. There sits the nolele lord, sedet,
I might almost say de ceternuntque sedebit, and I was
about to add—but that would not be true—infetix. (Loud
laughter.) But what is the position fit what is jokingly
called the Libral party—that is the nom de guerre
There is no such thing, though that is between our-
selves—(lour Opposition cheers, and counter cries of
Ohoo There aro people out of the house who imagine,
when we go to the hustings with all our fine professions,
that we mean it, and that we shall stand by our colours in
this house. As an election is very near, let us consider
what is the position of the Liberal party. The old Liberal
watchwords were " peace, retrenchment, and reform."
(Rear, hear.) It is delightful to see that as to one question
we are all agreed—e ven the noble lord the member for Stam-
ford (Lord R. Cecil)
is enthusiastic upon it, that is, the
question of peace, And cccasionally we all nibble at retrench-
ment, but only occasionally. Ido nct go so far as the hon.
member for Lambeth (Mr. Williams), but I thilnk he will
agree with me that both sides do not want reform—(hear)—
that is the end of " peace, retrenchment, and reform." And
what is the position of the Liberal party ? The hon. m ttm-
ber for Sheffield (Mr. Roebuck) has no pr eferences ; he ov-IY
dislikes one side rather less than the other, and curiousty
enough he dislikes the people among whom he sits more•
than anybody else. (Renewed laughter.) He has instituted
a comparison between the, two benches—l almost think
there are as good flea in the sea as ever were taught—and