The Sun.
London, England, 1849-06-26 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF LORDS, June 25.
RELATIONS WITH SPAIN.
The Earl of ABERDEEN rose to draw the attention
of the House to the state of our relations with the
Spanish Government. If it had not been for the
many great events which had taken place in Europe,
the state of our relations with Spain would no doubt
long since have attracted the attention of their Lord-
ships. It was now more than twelve months since
our relations with the Court of Madrid had
been interrupted, and our ambassador had been dismissed
with contumely. It was clear that a Government
had a right to dismiss an ambassador. The Regent
Orleans had not only dismissed the Spanish
Ambassador to the Court of France, had not only sent him
his passports, but had caused him to be arrested and sent
as a prisoner to the frontier, and had afterwards justified
his conduct in the face of Europe. The Spanish Govern-
ment had not gone so far, they had merely sent our
Ambassador his passports. He did not mean to say
that the Spanish Government was justified in so doing.
He did not believe they were ; but up to that time
no explanation or reparation had been made. That ap-
peared incredible. —(Hear, hear.) They may have
thought that our ambassador was the friend of anarchy
and revolution, but it was their duty to adduce proofs in
justification of their belief. However, it was not his
intention to examine into the causes of the persuasicn of
the Spanish Government that our Ambassador was ex-
ceedingiy ho the to them, and the aider and abettor of
anarchy and revolution. It was evident that Government
feared this country and its representative, and acted
under a very strong impression of the sort to which he
had alluded. But that was no justification of the act to
which he now drew attention. The questio., now rested
between the two Governments. The gentleman who was
our Ambassador at the time had amply justified himself,
and received new honours and a more important appoint-
ment. The question, he now repeated, rested with the
Government. What he had witnessed lately of the con-
duct of the Spanish Government made him exceedingly
anxious upon the subject of our relations with that
country. The Spanish Government had turned out
more stable tha❑ was anticipittal, and had now so little
to dread from internal disturbanes, that they could
spare eight or ten thousand troops for service in Italy.
Our relations with that Government were important,
and our misunderstanding with it had dsluyed

the settlement of a treaty for the Hie:elm-tier) of
our, manuteeter, d too ,t a, en!, e feel e
()eject ter thirty yeas. li Coe p (i“vt,flactilt in
Spain remained in t. filee he locked for a satistactery :ar-
rangement of (air differences with them, but that de-
pended greatly upon ourselves. He trusted that due
caution wou!d be mixed wile an earnest endeavour to
arrange the unhappy differences existing between the
two countries, and that another effort would be made to
open up a new market for our trade. He would now
ask whether there was any prospect of a speedy renewal
of cur diplomatic relations with Spain?
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that he did not
intend to go into any discussion respecting the recent
exclusion of her Majesty's representative from Spain.
That had already been done, and after full consideration
there could be but one opinion upon the subject, that a
justification and explanation was due from the Spanish
Government, but up to that moment nothing had been
dcno that was satisfactory. He regretted much that
that was so, but they were always ready to accept a
reparation, and with that object an offer of mediation on
the part of the King of the Belgians to mediate, had not
been declined. That monarch, who was so well fitted
for the office, had not received on the part of Spain nny
offer of reparation which he thought himself justified
in recommending to the consideration of the Bri-
tish Government.—(Hear, hear.) The personal
honour of our distinguished representative was
bound up with the public honour, and it even through
him any communication was made, he could only say
that it would receive their immediate attention. All
offers made hitherto on this subject were not concessions
to our just desire for an honourable arrangement, but
for their own interest. He looked forward to a time
when good sense would guide the actions of the Govern-
ment of Spain, and that they would not think it incon-
sistent with their own honour to hear and receive
the justification of Sir Henry Bulwer from the asper-
sions so unjustly cast upon his character.—(Hear,
hear.) Before he sat down he might take that oppor.
tunity of mentioning, in regard to a question put to him
on a previous evening, respecting the communications
that had taken place between the French Government
and this country, in regard to the expedition sent to
Rome, that he was now able to lay upon the table of the
House all the communications between the two countries
in reference to the affairs of Italy.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE presented a petition
from the Lord Mayor and Common Council of the City
of London in favoor of the Alteration of Oaths Bill.
The Noble Marquis also laid upon the table of the
House two returns from the Palace Court, ordered by
their Lordships.
PACKET COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SCOT.
LAND AND IRELAND.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY moved that a Se-
lect Committee be appointed to inquire into the expe-
diency of removing the Packet Station and communica.
tion between the South-west of Scotland and the North
of Ireland, and to ascertain the public grounds upon
which the harbours of Port Patrick and Donaghadee are
to be abandoned, and those harbours, which cost the
country 400,0001., for the sake of a trifling saving, to
substitute a long sea voyage of 90 miles from
Greenock to Belfast, which is now the object of her Ma.
jesty's Government; and to report thereon to the House.
The question resolved itself into first, the expediency
and advantage of a short passage; 2dly, the wis lorn and
prudence of abandoning it; and lastly, the saving to be
thereby effected. On the first two points it was well
known that all previous Governments had been agreed,
and that at very great expense they bad kept up this
passage. He believed that the Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer himself at this moment was of opinion that it
was the safest and most convenient, and that if he could
follow his own convictions it would not be interfered
with or abandoned. For his own .part, he did not
exactly understand with what department of the Go-
vernment the change originated. The postal com-
munications of these ports was formerly under the
control of the Admiralty; he supposed it was now under
the Noble Marquis the Postmaster-General. He was
certainly very much surprised when he heard of the in-
tention to break up this packet station, and had felt it
to be his duty to accompany a numerous and respectable
deputation to Lord J. Russell, in order to lay the facts of
the case before him, end, if possible, to induce the Go•
vernment to reconsider their decision. The able speeches
made on that occasion by gentlemen fully conversant
with the question, and the documents they had adduced,
to all of which publicity had been given by the press,
re, dered it unnecessary for him to detain their Lord-
ships by any lengthened statement. The answer of Lord
J. Russell was in effect that he could not give any deci-
sive reply. He supposed the Noble Lord wanted time
to confer with his colleagues. He bad since received
the following letter from the Noble Lord:—
" Cheshatn-place, June 22, 1849.
"My Lord,—Upon consideration of the memorial re-
specting the mail communication from Portpatrick to
Donaghadee, the Government have come to the decision
to abandon the postal route between those two places.
The harbours will be attended to by the Admiralty, but
it is not thought advisable to continue the expense of
the packets when the service can be more cheaply pro-
vided for.