The Sun.
London, England, 1856-02-08 00:00:00

OUR AMERICAN RELATIONS.

Mr. COBDEN asEerl an explanation from the First
Lord of the Treasury for the non-production of
the correspondence respecting our relation with
America. He had a twofold object in doing so—one
the Central American Convention of 1850, and the other
the recruiting for the Foreign Legion. The Con-
vection of 1850, owing to an unfortunate failing
of diplomacy, was likely to involve a serious quarrel
with America, and with regard to diplomati.tg he
thought it desirable one of the future tests for a di-
plomatist should be his capability of writing plain and
intelligible English. In this case both parties wrote
and spoke the same language, yet there had been a
lengthened dispute betwten the two countries relative
to this convention. The correspondence that had taken
place on the question had been published both in this
country and America, but he was prevented from deal-
ing with it in that house until it had been officially
communicated to the house. The noble lord (Lord
Palmerston) had on a former occasion said the cor-
respondence waa not complete ;
,but he found
from a statement that had been made by Lord
Clarendon that it was complete ; and Mr. 'Clay-
ton in the American Senate had stated the
same, and that the .question was to be submitted to
arbitration. The other dispute was the sending emis-
saries to America to enlist soldiers. He should like to
know who were the men who advised our sending to
America for men to form a foreign legion ; men who
had emigrated from this country to America to better
their condition, and he should have thought they might
have as soon expected to roll back the seasons or tun
a river in its course as to send to the &nited States of
America and find labourers, who were earning 45. a day,
to came back here, and fight in a remote and seini-bar
birous part of the world, when they bad men in Eng-
land whose labour was paid at the rate of but 61. per
day. lie reviewed the amottle Towable that had been
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raid to have been made in this case, and said he thought
it would be mere satisfactory to all to.dificuis this ques-
tion rather than keep it
.wrapt up in Secrecy the Fo-
reicioroffic.. The queStion he thought would be much
'safer in 'the bands of the house than in the Foreign-Office
a A•the Press. If a war brae out between tbiscountry
-and America he tivuight it would be attributable to the
diplotna4Mf the 'Foreign-office and the irritation
he press. lle could scarcely entertain the idea of a
'greattr calamity occurring than an hostile collision be-
t xeen this country and America ; yet he found from all
he .saw and heard, it would be diffluit. to escape.from
thoet calamity.
Lord PALMESTON said that, be. did not think the.
Clayton-Bulwer treaty was liable any ther thn,u oce
construction although the the Arnercan Government had
endeavour (Id to give it. another, different to this country,
and in .cotsquence Of that the country had stated its
will'ngttess t ze!er it to a third party; to that offer this
country hal not received an. answer. On roiiew-
Ang that esuirespondenee he was Willing now to lay
the- papers before the house relating to it. With
regard to the foreign legion, he defended the con-
duct of the '• Government .. and the instructions
given to • prevent any infraction of the United States
taws. and as anon as it was found umbrage had • been
taken by that country, orders woke given to step the en-
listthent, and an apelogy made ; which, when communi-
cated to the American Minister in this country, be
expressed- his satisfaction, and said he felt his country
would do aim. A correspondence haj taken place,
and he was in hopes he could have laid it before Parlia-
ment, but the day before Parliament met a despatch was
received from America relating to it; which could not be
answered before a communication had been made with
the English Minister at Washington.
[LEFT SPEAKING.]

LONDON GAZETTE—(This, Evening.l_.

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BUCKINGHAM PALACE, FEE• !.

The Queen was this day pleased to confer the honour
of Kniguthood upon Richard Graves Wllonnell, Esq.,
Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath,
Captain-General and Governor-in-Chief of South Australia.

13UCKINGHAM PALACE, JAN. 30.
The Queen was this day pleased to confer the honour of
Knighthood upon George Bramwell, Esq., one of the
Barons of her Majesty's Court of Exchequer.
ST. JAMES'S PALACE, FEB. G.
The Queen has been pleased, on the nomination of the
Right lion. Lord Foley, to appoint' George de la Poer
Beresford, Esq., late Captain 16th Foot, one of her Ma-
jesty's Honourable o;rps of Gentlemen-at-Arms, vice Hob-
son, retired.