The Sun.
London, England, 1854-07-25 00:00:00

Boning that great object. Certain powers would be
i:stistied 'at the i'elincitilshinent on the part of Ilueeie of -
the Danubian Principalities ; but that would be wholly
insufficient to effect the ultimate object—a safe and an
honourable peace. Austria might occupy Wallachia
and Moldavia, and the mouths of the Danube might be
again opened to Austrian commerce ; and yet nothing
might be done to maintain the integrity of the Ottoman
empire. (Hear.) He (Earl F.) wished to know what
interpretation her Majesty's Government put upon the,
expression—"the integrity of the Ottoman Empire.
Did it mean the maintenance of that power on the foot-
ing of the treaty of Adrianople, or did it, on the con-
trary, mean an intention to enable that power effectually
to maintain its independence against the aggressions of
Russia? (Hear, hear.) That integrity should be one
not merely explainable by the boundaries of Bessarabia,
but one coincident with the independence of that power.
That future aggession would be made, he thought their
lordships could not reasonably doubt. If they effected
peace by simply restoring things to the position in
which they were a year and a half ago, they might
depend upon it that no very long time would elapse
before they would be engaged in another contest,
and not, perhaps, under such favourable circurn-
staaces as the present. If they thought it worth
while to maintain the independence and integrity Of
the Ottoman empire, they would, at no distant date, be
obliged to engage in another war for that purpose ; and
it was because he felt desirous that we should never again
find ourselves under a similar obligation that he hoped,
whatever negotiations we might enter upon, the result
of those negotiations would be such as to enable us to
reflect with satisfaction on the endeavours we had made
to maintain the independence and integrity of thee. Sill'
tan. He would not detain their lordships further. Bet
lie could not let that opportunity escape without draw"
lug their attention to what appeared to him the vest
singular position in which the Parliament and the Go-
vernment of the country were placed at this moment,
by the fact that the former were not made acquainted
with the intentions of the latter. (Hear, hear.)
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE could not refrain
from adding the expression of his surprise to that of his
noble friend on the cross benches (Earl Fitzwilliam) with
regard to the extraordinary course that had been pur-
sued upon the present occasion. He said " extraordi-
nary," because he did not think it could be shown ore
any former similar occasion was such a speech made in
proposing a vote of supply to Parliament as had been
made to-night by the noble earl. On all former aces'
sions he believed their lordships had had some explaska"
tion given them of the progress of the war and of the
position of the country in respect to its allies. Now,
he held that when a Minister who had already had re-
peated supplies voted by Parliament with unexampled
liberality and readiness came down to ask for further
votes, as it was due to Parliament to give some informa•
tion respecting the progress which had been made, the
operations performed, and the course pursued since the
former supplies were granted. (Hear.) If the noble
earl had had nothing else to say on the subject, at least
he might have taken this opportunity to pay sons°
tribute, however slight, to the glorious and brilliant
exploits of the ally in whose cause we had taken the
field. (Hear, hear.) For if anything had been
done, it was not due to the British Government.
= He regretted to say also that little was due to the
IBritish arms ; it was due to the Turkish arms—(cheers)
—to the firmness of the Turkish Government—to the
skill of its commanders, and to the bravery of its trooPa:
(Renewed cheers.) And it was to this fact that theirt.
lordships were disposed to agree to the present vote with
so much more cheerfulness than they would have doll!
some months ago. Unfortunately the slight operation'
in the Baltic, alluded to by his noble friend (Earl flite•
william), had only the effect of furnishing an opportir
nity for showing the bravery, skill, and intrepidity of our
sailors and their commanders, as far as they were allowed
the opportunity of showing individually and collectively
those qualities. But in the Black Sea, although veil
little had been done that could have a very serious effect
upon the war, undoubtedly some operations had been
performed and successes obtained, which with reference
to the question of which they had heard to-night, the
restoration of peace, would have a firm, lasting, and be.:
neficial result; he alluded to the capture of Russian for'.
on the Circassian coast, and the clearance of the enel
from that coast. (Hear.) If we had driven the Russianb
out of the Circassian provinces, it was a thing whiter
ought not to be overlooked when we came to treat lad
peace, and he must say he should like to have bests
some comments from the noble earl upon that point, an'
its being passed over in utter silence by the noble ear
was a little ominous. (Hear.) Then, with regard to
the confederacies and alliances into which this country
had entered, Parliament ought to have very distinct len;
formation upon that subject also ; and he begged to toti
that opportunity of stating that, if no other noble lord
did so, he himself would take an early opportunity
fixing a day upon which to rn ive for the production a
the late convention between Turkey and Austria, as vre,e,
as other documents relating to the position in which we
now stood. (Hear, hear.) That treaty ought tease
certainly to be communicated to Parliament, bs"nth;
by the treaty which had already been laid upon
eica
table, Turkey had entered into certain stipulations W" s.
forbade her contracting any secret treaty with Austerias
(Hear, hear.) But it was well known that Turkey LS
not entered into any "secret" convention with .Austri,.
,i,
(Hear.) It was, however, a most important conveow
tion ; and in voting the supplies which were d
asked for, Parliament 'aught to make itself acqiii.inwe
with the nature of that convention, and with the con'
duct of the powers with which we were allied; and With
which we were not allied. As to the conduct of Agr
tria, he was willing to put the best construction upon
it. He admitted the truth of what had been stated fron3
the Ministerial benches, that Austria was an indepeudeeS
power, that she had her own position and interests tai
look to, and that we had no particular right to contres
her. On the other hand, we had a right to see whaei
were really our prospects, and what was the nature '.
the contracts into which our confederates had
It appeared from general rumour, and the fact esasefri.
torious, that by the pressure and persuasion of the
tish Government the Divan, who were much averse.
it, and the Turkish Minister had concluded a coeventwet
with Austria, by which Austrian troops were „to r,
into the Danubian principalities, and occupy that rch
tion of the Turkish empire. That was a fact wslsh.
could not have been—and, undoubtedly, was not--whfse,"
held from the knowledge of the English Governsnen'so.
(hear, hear) ;—and the fact ought to have been
tioned to Parliament, and the treaty between the '112,610.
ish and Austrian governments laid upon the table. "--ty
cording to the accounts in the newspapers this tree f
was concluded on the 14th of June, when, the sieges°s,
enterecio,
Silistria being raised, the Russians were in hot hatret
not only from Silistria, but the principalities. But
see
appeared to be almost incredible, and upon whittler
ought to have some information, was this—that, re.
the convention was signed, the Russians being in treat, and the Austrian arm on the Turkish fronseis
instead of acting, as it might have been supposed tube'ses
would do, in vigorous fulfilment of the engagement it.tse
entered into, and marching upon the flank or rear of
Russian army, or endeavouring to act with any no
whatever, when the Russian army halted, the Ans"see
army kept their own position, and did not move ietasol
principalities at all. He wanted to know, then, of
Parliament ought to know, what was the meaning as
this Austro-Turkish convention ? (Hear.) Was it, er,tbe
it not, a convention for driving the Russians out of 00.
principalities ? If it were, how came it that. the sil
trians, instead of hurrying into the field, fell back, '''oof
commenced new negotiations ? (Hear, hear.) gene'
say his own opinion was, that there was too ulna" Dee
'
pendence upon other powers, and too little selfreliztes,
in the management of these affairs. (Hear, hear.) IS' be
tria was an independent power. She had a right,fesis
neutral ; she had a right to take part either with 1"- to
or with the allies. But, at least, we; were entitled,' to
know where we are, with whom we are acting, se PS ho
whom we are opposed. (Cheers.) We must know "00
other powers meant to deal with us in order to iodic
how we were to deal with them. (Hear, hear.) iiiitsels
the rulers of Poland chose to take part in that W",..si
had been well described by his noble friend the Seare—of
for Foreign Affairs on a former occasion, as a,w, :taros°
civilisation against the advance of barbarism—if
Z
rulers chose to take part against civilisation and in a' 00'
of barbarism, then an appeal should be made to tees. its
teens which they governed as to whether they We'-oie
the same mind, and whether their opinion was the %iv
as that of their rulers. He knew there were some 00r
siderations which it was very delicate to touchliSse
and which men office, under the responsibility oi 003
could not touch upon ; but it was well that Austria of
Prussia should know that if a doubtful, a suspicioulod
an injurious course of policy towards this count Les,
France were adopted by them, this country and -ri"tit of
mus
ttie
Prussia
soipnaufltwi
conflict
so
oda
createdellotnhl
ee upnhosewc
ade
trihd
etdnh.oe
not think
(c(Cheers.)
possessed,ee rtsh.that
had
itarAut 08
odo
ue bee
stated in the public journals that an invitation had 00'
held out by Austria to renew the conference at Viel3ooo
Now, he (the Marquis of Clanricarde) thought that had
of the great mistakes made last year was our havingeelef,
much longer recourse to negotiations than was adsissote
thus putting a stop to our own own operation* Os
forcing us to begin the war at a disadvantage. oft
thought that a great mistake was committed at thedisfe
of those conferences of carrying on negotiations in Dee
rent parts ; for at that time we had not less thaliber
places in which negotiations were going on togelteoter
and if there was now to be another conference at Vi
seba:
lie contended that Parliament had a right to knaviss the'
it was that conference was about. (Hear-) He hoped op%
nothing of the sort would be entered into. He, bye,
thought the time for that gone by. Already Lur,
negotiations and conferences we had got into a we
could
objects of which were so ill-defined that no one.,eustbee
foretell the probable termination or issue of it. er•
conferences, he believed, would have no effect wha,s;ool
We must meet henceforward—the allies and the , 00
--in the field of war. We must not be haliilisvtrniet
lingering for other powers to join us. We miss °""s
a
in the justice of our cause, and in the strengthoiste
own arms ; and if we did that, serious as lie bt tea
the conflict would be, he had not the least dolt „ricer
the allied powers of the west would come out of it
rious. (Cheers.) noble
The Earl of CLARENDON—My lords, as a ear
ly
friend has stated that he intends to name se-10 the
day on which to call the attention of the house else of
state of negotiation and the operation and PrPw
the
he war
M
Tarquis of CLANRICARDE—No ; ta °love for
papers. for the
The Earl of CLARENDON—Yes, to Moves Pori
treaty lately concluded between Austria and tl74tizie,
I should not have intruded on your lordships sti,
it were not to correct one or two errors into Wfisa rev
noble friend has fallen, and more particularlYtwbo ebsel
ference to that treaty. My noble friend saYaeo siege
treaty was concluded on the 14th June, after te, 140'00
in feu a 0
Silistria was raised, and the Russians were
_chide
_,,e
I believe it is quite true that the treaty was eS":le,looia's
the 14th Juue ; but at that time, so far from