The Sun.
London, England, 1838-05-12 00:00:00

SPANISH LEGION.

The Earl of ABERDEEN said, it was not without considerable sur.
prise that he had read the letter of which he had given notice of his
intention to bring under the notice of the House.—(Cries of hear,
hear.) It was addressed to Colonel Shaw, late of the Spanish Le.
gion ; it was signed by Mr. Backhouse, the under secretary; and it
said he was commanded by Lord Palmerston to announce that he (Lord
P.) would move the Government to take upon themselves the payment
of the arrears of the officers of the Spanish Legion. It was true that he
might not have understood the extent of the communica.
tion. While he was in office, he might have made some re-
eornmendaticn to the Treasury, which his Noble Friend
(the Duke of Wellington) in his zeal for the service of the country, and
the saving of its funds, did not think proper to adopt ; but he would say
he had never given such hopes as that letter held out, without being aware
that his Noble Friend would as willingly receive the recommendation as
he made it.—(Hear.) If the Noble Viscount and the Government had
really taken upon themselves the payment of this claim, which
amounted to no less than '28,0001. or 27,0001., he must say that it was a
very serious affair.
Lord MELBOURNE—There is no such intention.

Lord ABERDEEN—Such being the case, he must say that it was
one of the most extraordinary and unprecedented cases that he had
ever known. It must have much deceived these gentlanen—they
had held a meeting, which had been adjourned upon the faith of the
letter. It was quite clear that the Secretary of State had recom.
mended this claim to the consideration of the Noble Viscount, and
therefore as it was connected with another class of claims, he would
take the liberty of saying a few words with respect to them.
He confessed that he was very happy to hear the Noble
Viscount say that the Government had no intention to pay
such claim, though he admitted that it was their duty to
use their utmost exertions in ordar to obtain justice for these
poor men.—(Hear, hear.) The Calms ha had to notice were
sf a very different nature—they were much stronger and more
deserving of Government interposition. They arose out of a treaty he
)Lord A.) had the honour to negociate, about ten years ago, with Count
°falls, the present Prime Minister in Spain, British sub-
jects having then some claims upcn the Spanish Government.
The money was to be paid two.thirds in money, and one.third in
bends. The sum to be paid in cash was 600,0001., and that to he
paid in bonds was 300,0004 Now, this treaty was guaranteed
by Act of Parliament, and surely the parties had a right to look to Go.
vernment for its fulfilment.

Lord MELBOURNE said the Noble Lord had fallen into the error of
supposing that the letter which had been referred to, and which was simply
a reference to the Treasury, was a recommendation—no opinion being
expressed either way. His Noble Friend (Lord Palmerston) considered
that the question, which was of.a financial character, should be submitted
to the financial department of the Government—so he had sub.
mitted it to the consideration of the Lords of the Treasury.
The parties had no claim upon the justice, but only upon the
generosity, of the British Government.—(Hear, hear.) The con.
tracts were made with the Spanish Government, and to that Govern.
ment they must look for their fulfilment. Although as British subjects
they had a claim on the interposition and good offices of the
British Government, yet it was in no way responsible to them
for the obligation they had entered into. He agreed that the claim.
ants had a full right to look for the fulfilment of the contract ;
but the interference of the British Government beyond a certain extent
was a matter for prudential consideration. Every means had already
been taken to induce the Spanish Government to fulfil the contract. The
Noble Lord he believed had not stated more than was true, when
he said the men were in extremely distressed and suffering circum-
atances—(Hear, hear)—but he would add, that those who represented
the interests of the bondholders most largely, were perfectly sa-
tisfied with what had been done, and did not think it prudent
to go further.
The Duke of WELLINGTON thought it quite impossible to meet
the question on any other than public grounds, and he feared that
entertaining the present discussion would open the door to demands of
this description quite beyond any contemplation. It appeared
to him very extraordinary that there should have been any difference
of opinion between the Foreign-office and tle Treasury on the subject.
After a few words from Lord Mataeuaxn and the Marquis of LON-
DONDERRY,

Earl RIPON said, it appeared now quite certain that the hopes
of these parties were literally worth nothing, and he thought it strange
that such an intimation had not previously been made to them.
The conversation then dropped, and after the presentation of a few
petitions, their Lordships adjourned.