The Sun.
London, England, 1853-04-29 00:00:00

therhithe ; but instead of giving a direct reply, he '
spoke in the most evasive manner, and although he said
he did not wish to cast imputations on M. Kossuth or
any one else, he allowed charges to go forth to the
world, and studiously avoided saying anything which
would lead the public to feel that there was no
evidence at all against that individual. (Hear, hear.)
His own opinion was that Kossuth honestly intends to
obey the law while he remained in this country, whilst
they had his word of honour that he was in no way con-
nected with these proceedings at Rotherhithe. He
wished, therefore, to know whether the Government had
caused these proceedings to be instituted, or whether
they had any evidence in their possession which could at
all implicate Kossuth in the matter ?
Lord PALMERSTON found fault with the hon. mem-
ber for the ignorance he displayed of our constitutional
law. The hon. member took him to task because he
would not answer a question which no one had a right
to put to him as a Minister of the Crown. The
honourable gentleman wanted him to prejudge a
case that was now being tried in a court, but
he could do nothing of the sort. (Cheers.) It was
no part of his duty to explain the conduct of the judges
of a constituted court ; but with regard to the other
questions put to him, he had no hesitation in stating
that these proceedings had been taken under instructions
issued from the Home-office. He had no desire to
shi ink from the responsibility of his office, and that
admission be made candidly and openly. (Cheers.)
With regard to the question of refugees residing in this
country, they were as free as the air they breathed so
long as they obeyed and respected the law, but when
thy violated the law, they as well as Englishmen, must
be held responsible to the constituted authorities of the
land. (Cheers.)
Mr. BRIGHT said the noble lord's excuse would
have been perfectly justifiable had the proceedings
been taken against Kossuth instead of Mr. Hale,
and therefore he had betrayed no ignorance
of constitutional usage in that house. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. COBDEN said this matter could not be allowed
to rest here. The noble lord had evaded the question
put to him. The noble lord said it was a breach
of constitutional doctrine to ask these questions,
but he denied that most positively. (Hear.) Was
Mr. Commissioner Mayne to be allowed to set
a policeman to watch his house, and yet not be respon-
sible to any one for such conduct ? Certainly not. The
commissioners were responsible to the Home Secretary,
and the minister could be constitutionally called upon to
give some explanation of his subordinates to the House
of Commons. (Hear, hear.) Honourable members
might cry " Oh, oh," but let them remember what
had been said about the vaunted freedom of the country,
and then think that it was just possible that they were
standing between Austria and these unfortunate refu-
gees by demanding these explanations. (Hear, hear,
hear.) He, therefore, blamed the noble lord for
the tone he had adopted on this occasion, and if
he valued his character out of doors, where most
assuredly this matter would be again taken up, he would
consent to give candid and explicit answers to these
simple questions. (Hear, hear.)
Mr. PHINN deprecated the tone which had been
adopted on both sides in this discussion, but the noble
lord, when he talked of constitutional usage, should
remember that the people of this country looked with
jealous eyes upon anything like an interference on the part
of foreign powers in our domestic affairs, and these pro-
ceedings were calculated to excite a good deal of irrita-
tion out of doors, following as it did upon a remon-
strance which had recently come from Austria.
(Cheers.) The noble lord had displayed a pro-
per reserve in declining to prejudge a case
which was being investigated by a court of law,
but at the same time the noble lord should bear in mind.
that the name of M. Kossuth had been improperly
mixed up with the proceeding, and he ought now
to state distinctly whether he had any intention of
following up the charge which had been made in the
prosecution against Kossuth ? (Hear, hear.)
Lord PALMERSTON protested that he had made
no charge against Kossuth, nor had he any intention of
directing a prosecution to be taken against that gentle-
man: The hon. gentleman for the West Riding had
tqouihtimem He
isapprheandenndoet b
d the question
called
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qu
upwhoinc ht had a de x
pbleaeinn
tputhe
conduct of a police commissioner, but he had been asked
if he thought there was sufficient evidence in the hands
of the police to convict certain parties of an offence !
eo
(Hear, hear.) Now, that was a question which must be
left to a court of law, and which he could not be ex-
pected to answer. It was in that respect, then, that he
found fault with the hon. member for Manchester for
having displayed ignorance of the constitutional doctrine
observed in the house, and not because he wished to
shrink from the responsibility which attached to the
office that he had the honour to fill. (Hear.)
Lord D. STUART must again take the opportunity
of telling the noble lord that in his opinion he was pur-
suing a course that was highly calculated to lower him in
the estimation of the country. The people of England were
averse to a system of police espionage for political pur-
poses, and the Government might depend upon it that
if they kept up that species of annoyance to foreign exiles
couldtion o
resistut of
idt o. o sHtehaart, nh
hear
aGr overt n
wmoeunitd,
bh
eo
much
who had sought refuge on our shores, there would arise such
.)
asbtnertoalrgitiaf the noble lord would display a little more candour,
h
and h
confess
against
Kossuth,
sant t onceh
, w heh that
he believed
b e lad i
ev
endo
weaysi evidence
about
whatever
the faet
At all events let the noble lord give up doing the work
of Austria, and consent to make such replies to these
interrogations as should be calculated to satisfy the public
mind and remove their anxiety upon the subject. (Hear.)
After a few words from Mr. FRENCH, the, discussion
dropped.