The Sun.
London, England, 1852-02-13 00:00:00

FEBRU'ARY l3, 1852

the ground, anti that disappointment %yea the more in-
tense becau,e the subject 6f that reform had been men-
tioned as prepared in her Majesty's Speech from the
thrtine,--
Earl GREY stated that the Noble and Learned Lord
was not using the words of her Majesty's Speech, but
was making his own version of them, Her Majesty had
not said that the Government had such measures pre-
pared, but only that the Government had directed them
to be prepared.
Lord BROUGHAM said that the Spi ech spoke of
measures prepared to be brought into Parliament—of
measures founded on the report, and therefore in accord-
ance with it. Taking her Majesty's Speech and the notice
of motion given by a member of the Government to-
gether, we had a right to expect that the substance of
the measure, however he might differ as to its details,
had obtained the approbation of his Noble and Learned
Friend on the Woinsaels.
OUTRAGE ON AN ENGLISH SUBJECT AT
FLORENCE-
Evil FITZ CVILLIA.jj should have expected that, as
the two Noble and Learned Lords, who had been mskieg
so many and such lorg speeches on the same subject
almost every night this session, had both sat fir sense
yeses on the woolsack, and had therefore been masters
of order, they would have exhibited a greater mastery
of its practice than that, which they ha i exhibi.ed this
session; for they had been speaking every night on a
quea:ion which, to point of fact, was no question at all.
As he now saw in his place his Neble Relative, who
had recently succeedsd to the c ace of Secretery of
Stan) for Foreign Affairs, he was desirous to put a
question to him on a subjoin which heel awakened the
attention of every man in England who had east his
eyes on the preceedings of foreign nations, and who
felt, an interest in the prosperity and welfare of his
own felloeecountrymen. The question on which he
was desir us of obtaining information divided itself
into two points; the first relating to the nature
and extent of the outrage, and the second re-
lating to the conduct of her Majesty's representa-
tive at Florence, on hearing of the occurrence at the
close of the year which had just elapsed. It appeared
that a British subject was walking along the streets of
Florence, without giving offence to any one, when he
was first struck by an officer, whom he (Earl Fitawilliatn)
must consider as an officer of the Tuscan Government,
for he could not suppose that an independent Govern-
ment like that of Tuscany would suffer in its streets
fereign soldiers. Assuming, then, that it was a Tuscan
officer, he would say that the Tuscan officer first struck
a British subject with the flat of his sword, who imme-
diately remonstrated. Oa his then inquiring of the
officer the cause for which be had struck him, he was
again struck by him, and on making another remon-
strance, he was struck by another officer, not with the
flat, but with the cutting part of the sword, and was
cut severely on the head, the effusion of blood being
so great that it was some time befiire he recovered
his senses. He (Earl Fiizerilliatn) did not exaggerate
when he said that our countryman was regularly
cut down. What followed ? The injury was so
severe that the victim of it was taken to a neighbouring
hospital, and the consequences of his wound were there
held to be so dangerous that three days elapsed before it
was deemed safe to remove him to his private lodgings.
He considered, he repeated, this act to be the act of
a Tuscan officer. Ile wished t., know whether, accord-
ing to the information received by her Majesty's Go-
vernment, the statements of this outrage which had been
published in all the newspapers were corrob 'rated by
the official statement, and what course her Majesty's
Government had thought fit to adopt regarding ? He
knew that- there were some who th ought that we ought
rather to sue for compensation than demand apology,
but, if her Majesty's subjects were not to be efficiently
protected when performing Their avocations peacefully
in a foreign country, a heavy responsibility would hang
over the heads of her Majesty's Government. Their
Lordships knew, from circumstances which had re-
cently occurred in Parliament, how sensitive the
people of this country were to any insult or
injury inflicted on any parson who, though not
iif English race, was fete° circumstances enti-
tled to the protection of the English Government.
He hoped that the Riglish Government would never
sbrink from demanding reparation and apol gy for any
such insult or injury. But it would look very ill, if an
iefleential Government like our own, after the demands
of reparation which it had exacted from an intent state
like Greece, should he slow in exacting it fromia coun-
try Ike Tuscany. merely b cps' it was believed that,
under its feeble banner a stronger power was sheltering
itself, with which we eaieht possibly be brought into col-
lision. He had the fullest coufid-nce in her Majesty's
Government, and more particularly in the desire or his
Noble Relative to prevent any inconvenient comparison
free. being drawn between himself and his noble prede- Mr. _
cessor in office as to their respective alacrity in demand- Sir RI /
ing from foreign posers, whether weak or powerful, re- jecnone to the Be.
partition for injury of insult committed on the life or The House then dive._
property of liri4iah subjects. For the second reading
Earl GRANVILLE spoke nearly to the following ef- Against it •••
feet :—The Noble Earl, in putting these questions to me,
has alluded to my recent accession to an office ofgreat im-
portance; and in answering questions which to a certain
degree involve one of the most important duties of a
British Minister for Foreign Affairs—numely, the pro-
tection of the interests and persons of British subjects
who are innocently pursuing their coarse in foreign
countries—l cannot help feeling that during the last
few years, while I was frequently called upon to trespass
on the attention of your Lordships in the discharge of
the duties which I then held, I always met with indul-
gence from my Noble Friends on this side, and with for-
bearance from my noble opponents on the other, and I
trust that I shall not now be met in a different spirit.—
(Hear, hear.) With regard to the facts of this case, it
appears that Mr. Mather and his brother were walking
quietly with other persons in the streets of Flore• ce, be-
tween the band of an Austrian regiment and the regi-
ment itself, and that in consequence of the vaesstre of a
carriage some confusion occurred, in which Mr. Mather,
on turning round, accidentally touched an A nstritineffieer.
The Austrian officer the ,truck Mr. Mather with the flat
ot his sword, and on Mr. Mather turning round to know
the cause of such an attack be toes again struck
by another offieer, and on lifting up his hand to pro-
tect himself was again struck by the first officer in the
manner which my Noble Friend has described. There
is a difference iu the account of the transaction as given
by the Austrian officer and Mr. Mather. The differ-
ence is this, and it is so small that it is not difficult to
reconcile the two accounts. The Austrian officer
says, that he told Mr. Mather that he must get
out of tho way, and, as the Austrian officer spoke
Italian very badly, and, Mr. Mather did not speak
it at all, there may have been some mistake
or misapprehension between them. Mr. Mather
says that he put himself in no aggressive attitude, while
the Austrian officer says that he put himself in the atti-
tude of a boxer. I put it, my L irds, to you whether a
man raising his two hands to protect himself trim two
drawn swords might not be considered as putting hisst if
into the attitude of a boxer? For myself, I first re-
ceived information of this transaction free) private cor-
respondence, and afterwa-ds from the public ne.wsparera.
I immediately sent, in the name of her Mej.eery's Go-
vernment, to Mr. Settrlett, her Majesty's represen-
tative at the Court of Florence, to ask if the
representations which I had seen of the irensao-
Lion were true, and, if they were, I directed hOin to
demand ample reparation for what I considered to
be a wantoe and cruel injury on an unoffendiug
British subject. In the meantime an account ot the
transaction reached mo from Mr. Scarlett. He informed
me that the Austrian general, on hearing of it, had re-
primanded very severely the Austrian officer, and bad
said that if Mr. Mather would make explanations to
him the officer would make an apology to him for the
injury which he had received. Mr Mather, as he then
thought that be was lying on his deathbed, refused to
enter into any explanations, and subsequently brought
the matter before the civil tribunals ot Tuscany. I ap-
proved of this, and desired Mr. Scarlett, as the re pre-
sentetive of her Majesty's Government, to request ot the
Tuscan Government that tee trial should bee c ineucted
openly and with all possible fairoess. I also instructed
Mr. Scarlett, as I was unacquainted with the pecuniary
circumstances of Mr. Mather. to take care that that
gentleman was providi d with the best leg it advice,—
( Hear, hear.) The oily information which I have since
received is a communication from Mr. Mather. the
father, complaining of the difficulties which were
thrown in the way of his obtaining redress. As the
matter is still before the Tuscan tribunals, I em not
authorised to enter into fuller details until I shall
have received further accounts from Mr. Scerlett ;
but I will confess, that from the tone of the de-
mands made by Mr. Mather and his brother—one
a youth of 19 and the other of 16 years of age—l was
struck with the conviction that they must be well condi-
tioned young men, not likely to commit any offence
against the laws of a foreign coantry.—(Hear, hear.) Mr.
Mather, the father, also spoke to me, with great good
sense and moderation on the subject, which naturally
touched his feelings considerably. My own wish has
been to conduct this matter with calmness. but also withe
firmness. I was not to omit from my consideration the
differences of usages in the Austrian army and in our
own. In the Austrian army an officer is likely to be
broken if, when he is insulted in the
tpreesieeneceelt. ofhlisremeeeni_,
he does not use his weapon to repel
t occurred some few
p
het a story—an occurrence watch el n
years ago at Vienna. and whiwchcarleaotredrdesom4
ieve discussionn t
to
the
at the time. There was a
garrison of that
place that ngAoeoner
one
French gentleman passed should pass a sentinel
with a cigar in his mouth.
a sentinel
without taking
his cigar from his mk the cigarouth. The
sentinel immediately pursued him and took
from him. The Frenchman eimtheeerdeigd
enfotthuenteleenrstitnaenl,
d
or would not theunderstand
quarre meaning
which ensued, and. in the course of the
y struck a searsgeant who accompanied the
guard. At last bese was obliged to fly, and he took
refuge in the house of the French Ambassador. He
indignantly demanded reparation. The sergeant was
brought in consequence to a court. martial. A verdict
was given, which was ordered to be read at the head ot
every regiment in the Austrian service. It was to this
and faithful service of
the, sugar duties.
affect, that. considering the long
this sergeant, be was not to be drummed out of the
regiment for not having run the gave notice ihat he would
the body.—(A laugh.) I mention this to you. m L o t One fer a tortr'ilji
Frenehm-n through Sir J. FAKING IgOGhNtAntilitisi
CRIVINAL OFFENDERS.
_,DemUoiTonlEoSn,
not, to excite y p
hug"' but to show you hew many uir- 1 3PJ UVENILE
eumstancea are to be taken into consideration view- I The lioN. MEMBER also gave notice that on Wednes-
, thee tills case. and how tar the plot of honour is carried 1 day next be would inure the appointment of a Committs
in the Austrian service. But, giving the fullest extent to inquire into the tretithaent of juvenile crimiusl
to this argument on the part of the Austrian offieer, d ' ff-eeders, with a Flew to their reformation,
taking the , OF THE EAST
e Austrian aceount of this transaction, and CIiaRTE3 'ELL sa'd h INDIA COMPANY. contr • it •
Lord J. b e was asked the other day
contrasting with the act aint Of it given by Mr..
if he interict to propose the appeietment of a Com-
Masher, and corroborated the testimony of sveral
wine° to iiiquire into the affairs or India previous to the
French aod filLilttaUt-S of it, it still apps •th appe"s to tee eve 41 of toe charter of the Esst Company.
as au to jusittieide act of outregie aid injustice has Is It •
to been committed on a British subject, for bad now state that his Ri Hon. Friend the M-
which "'Pie her for Pe. th would " on' eme
give notice of his intention to bring
reparation is justly due; arid I say further that I have
forward
111 1011 on the subject.
that confidence in the justice and honour Of the Tuscan
Government, and I may add that I have that confidencer to e
in the keen sense of honour of the Austrian officers T., p ystion,
MILITIA BILL.
a
iu Timmy es $9 induce me to believe that they Will 1 11414 " '4IT-0444 Dialed thill he Proposed to Wag

HOUSE OF COMMONS,‘Feb,- I
The S,PEAKER souk the Chun. a ;ew minutes befure
Four o'clock.

NEW MEMBERS.

The Right Hon. VEAN-N ZSDIITEI took the oaths
and his seat on his, re-election for Northampton.
Admiral STEWART tuck oaths and his seat for
Greenwich.

not refuse to give now ample reparation in this matter.
I mentioned before to your Lordships that the Austrian
officer offered, if Mr. Mather would make explanations,
an apology. Considering the state of this young gen-
tleman, I have no doubt that, if the Austrian officer
had speedily given an apology, he would not have dimi-
nished his reputation either for physical or moral cou-
rage, or have injured his character as a Christian or a
gentleman, or have acted inconsistently with that code
of honour which obtains, I believe, throughou Europe.
The sense of honour is the same among nations as
among individuals ; and I •herefore, trust, that on that
ground. the Tuscan Guvernment will not refuse repara-
tion. When I say that one nation should behave towards
another as it would wish that nation to behave towards
itself, without making any concession where honour and
good 'aith is at wake, I mean to assert that, when a na-
tion is clearly in the wrong, it ought not to be too proud
to say so; and I may be permitted to make that decla-
ration in consequence of the position in which I, as the
For. ign Minister of this country, have been recently
placed. I have not been enunciating new principles
which we do not apply in our own case. Of one thing
I am justly proud, that I have made an apology in the
name of her Mejesty'a Government in a case which I
thought it to be jus;ly due. An unfortunate
circumstance recently took place, in which, by the
neglect of his instructions, a naval officer and civil ser-
vent of the State committed an act of insult and aggres-
sion to Aards the United States. My Noble predecessor
in office began a friendly commuoicstion or the subject
with the Minister of the United States now residing in
England; but, on the very day after I bad entered on
the duties of my office, I was able to disavow the act
of violence which had cceurrcd, and to express our re-
gret that such an act had been committed. lam not
ashamed to say that I should have pursued the same
course if a weak State had complained instead of a
powerful one; for it was the only course that was con-
sistent with the just pride and dignity of this natioa.
Some allusion has been made of Austria being behind
Tuscany in this respect; and I cannot deny that there'
has lately been, on the part of the Austrian Government,
some Negligence in checking insults and petty persecu-
tions to British subjects on the part of its subordinates.
I certainly trust, however, that this will not continue;
and I have some ground for saying so; for one of the
first steps I was compelled to take on entering my pre-
sent office, on learning that an Englishman charged with
dispatches to Sir S. Canning bud been exposed to
insult, was to demand ample reparation for this
breach of the international usage and law ; and
I am happy to say that within the last two days I
have received from the Austrian Government an
answer which, though I do not think it a very good one,
yet at the same time is so tar satisfactory that it informs
us that the policeman concerned in the affair had been
punished; and further, I may state that the Austrian
Government has repre.tedly exp'essed its regret at the
occurrence, aid acknowledgwd the justice of the repara-
tion.—(Hear) For this reason I am inclined to believe,
which I do with great pleasure, that these sad small in-
cidents will not again occur; or that, if they duos to
some extent perhaps they are unavoidable, they will be
met in such a manner as to render it unnecessary for the
Minister of one country to writs to the Minister of ano-
ther making claims and demands, which are painful to
indite, and irritating to the Minister of that other
country to receive, and which usually lead to recrimina-
tions which are alt,v-ther, in my opinion, below the dig-
nity o' the Governments of the two countries, which,
although they may differ entirely with respect to the
spirit 3nd corm of ,neir internal administrations, have
still the same common objecte in view, and great ano
important interests committed to their chsrge.—(Hear.)
The County Courts Further Extension Bill was read
a second time (we understood); and the Municipal ,Cor-
poration Acts Amendment Bill and the Secretary of
Bankrupts-office Ab ,lition Bill respectively passed
through Committee.
Their Lordships then adjourned.