The Sun.
London, England, 1831-02-16 00:00:00

WEXFORD ELECTION.

The following are the Committee :—The Hon. G.
Dundas, Messrs. G. Harris, C. Freemantle, Clive, H.
Creighton, Buxton, Pringle, E. W. Pendarvis, Hon. C
Pelham, Mr. E. J. Cooper, and another, whose name we
could not hear.

Several petitions were presented on different subjects.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

Sir R. VIVIAN said, feeling aware that it was com-
petent in any Member to propose a question relative to
foreign affsirs, and seeing the Noble Lord at the head of
the Foreign Office in his place, he wished to ask him one or
two questions. In rising to do this he had notthe least wish
or intention to throw any obstacles in the way of his Ma-
jesty's Government, but as certain publications had gone
abroad, the time had come when, for the honour and
interests of this country, an explanation was required.
The subject to which be alluded had been spoken of in
the Congress at Brussels ; it had &so been widely circu-
lated through the medium of the French newspapers.
Surely, then, the time had come when some explanation
ought to be given on this great and momentous question..
An HON. MEMBER rose to order, when a question was
about to be asked, it being not regular to enter into a
debate.

The SPEAKER hoped the Hon. Baronet would con-
fine himself to the bare question, and not enter into argu-
ment.
Sir R. VIVIAN—Then I will read the letter to which
I allude.
The SPEAKER—The Hon. Member will see that it
is obviously the general rule in asking questions, that
they should be put as dry and short as possible.—
This, most certainly, was an arrangement that all
agreed to, for the convenience of the House. Every.,
Member was entitled to ask a question of his Majesty's
Government ; but it was not incumbent on the Minister
to whom it was addressed, unless he thought proper, to
give an answer
Sir R. VIVIAN would then read only the letter, unless
he thought it necessary to explain.
The SPEAKER—The Hon. Member will see that he
has fallen again into the same error. The explanation is
the very thing which involves the point of disorder.
Sir R. VIVIAN had read a protocol signed by the
French Minister in England. A letter had also appeared
in the public newspapers of the French Minister for
Foreign Affairs. The Hon. Baronet here read the letter, as
follows :

Paris Feb. L
0 Sir,—lf, as I hope, you have not yet communicated to the
Belgian Government the protocol of the :20th of January, you will
oppose this communication, because the King's Government has
not assented to it. In the question of the debt, as well as of the
limits of the Belgian and Dutch territory, we have always under-
stood that the concurrence and consent of both states were ne-
cessary.
" The Congress at London is a mediation, and it is the intention
of the King's Government that it should never lose that character.
:''l'o M. Bresson." " HORACE SEBASTI ANL"
The question he wished to ask was, whether the Noble
Lord had received any official notice of this letter. He
wished to know whether that letter was official or not.
He was officially aware of the fact that there were large
bodies of troops at the present time assembling on the
north-east coast of France.
Lord PALMERSTON said, respecting the first ques-
tion he could only say that his Majesty's Government had
certainly received from Brussels a copy of the letter to
which the Hon. Baronet alluded ; and, having said thus
much, be trusted the House would think that he would be
justified in not adding any thing more in answer. For be •
was sure the House would bear in mind the inconvenience 1
that must arise to the public service, if subjects were to be
folly entered into whilst yet under negotiation. With
respect to the second question, he could state it was cer-
tainly true that a certain force was assembling ou the
north-east coast of France, but he believed the numbers
of that force bad been greatly exargerated. He
would, however, state, that his Majesty's Govern-
ment continued to receive from the Government of
France, not only as regarded the object of assembling
this force, but on all other subjects, the most earnest wish
and desire that all intercourse between each nation should
be maintained in the greatest friendship and amity. The
Government of Franco not only expressed these friendly
wishes towards England, but r.lco wished equally to main-
tain a friendly intercourse among all the great Courts of
Europe.—(Hear, hear.)
GAME LAWS.
Mr. FYLER wished to ask the Noble Marquis (Chan-
dos) whether it was his intention to persevere in the
motion he had given relating to the Game Laws.
The Marquis of CHANDOS felt himself placed in ai
awkward situation. He had given notice of a motion on
the subject, and ;r:. doing so his motive was to make such
an alteration in the Game Laws as would satisfy
the country. Since then, however, the Noble Lord
opposite (Altborp) had expressed his intention of bringing
mu-a Riil on the same subject. Such being the case be had
proposed to the Noble Lord that the Bills should be re-
--ferred .to a Cominitize pp stairs ; end, thet:efore, before by .
answered the Hon. Mernbee3.p.e.„'Aion, he shiiuld wish to
know whether the Noble Lord agreed t. 7 07., proposition ?
Lord ALTHORP said, that after seeing the :-Johle
Marquis's bill, be considered it of that nature that left
him no alternative 1),.t to bring is a new Bill, in which
it certainly was his intention t. persevere.