The Sun.
London, England, 1866-07-21 00:00:00

LXPERIAL PARLIAMENT

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HOUSE OF LORDS.—LAST EVENING.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack
at five o'clock.

PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The following bills were read a third time and passed

South London Market, Buckley and Wrexham, Mold and
Connah's Quay Railway Companies, Midland Railway
(Branches, &c.), Bute Docks (Cardiff), Carmarthen and
Cardigan Railway, and Wendale and Speldon District
Water.
THE DANUBIAN' PRINCIPALITIES.
. .

Lord STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE moved for
papers relating to the Danubian Principalities. Ho
said
he had a few observations to make on this motion, which
stood so long on their lordships' paper, and which he
was compelled to postpone on public grounds, and from
circumstances over which he had no control. Having ad-
verted to the geographical position of the Principalities as
a barrier between Russia and Turkey, he expressed his ap-
prehension that the boundaries of the Principalities would
be affected by the disturbances on the Continent. He was
understood to say that a union between the Principalities
would be highly desirable in a political point of view. The
noble lord entered into historical details in connection with
the constitution of the Principalities, but spoke in so low a
tone as to be audible only at intervals in the reporters' gallery.
He was understood to say that the circumstances con-
nected with the Principalities assumed additional import-
ance from the position of other powers of the Continent.
He referred to Denmark and strongly condemned the
violation of principles upon which Prussia had proceeded
of late years. The time was most critical, for an
attempt was made to strike an important State
out of the position it had so long occupied.
He believed the policy of Prussia had been concocted for
some time, and he contended that its pleas for aggression
on Austria were not founded on justice or good faith. He
said he believed that they would have to look back with
regret to what had taken place in reference to the Duchies,
when a timely word of interposition might have taught
Prussia not to transgress a certain boundary of action, and
repressed the attempts at aggression into which it had been
betrayed, to the danger of the peace of all Europe.
The Earl of DERBY, though declining to follow the
noble lord over the wide field of controversey he had
traversed, could not refrain from remarking that the noble
lord had laid down principles which seemed to call upon
this country to interfere by force in the events which were
now taking place on the Continent. He did not hold the
opinion that it would be wise on the part of England in
all cases to pursue a policy of neutrality and non-interfer-
ence, but we should certainly be stepping out of our pro-
per province if we interfered in the present war or re-
sorted to the use of threats or menace. As to the Princi-
palities, it was rather for the late than the present Go-
vernment to vindicate the policy acted upon by this coun-
try ; but his own opinion was that the union of the two
Principalities, instead of being a source of weakness, was
likely to prove one of strength to Turkey, by enabling her
to hold her own on that frontier. Referring to the election
of Prince Charles to the Hospodariate. the noble earl ex-
pressed his disbelief in the sentiment that it had been
effected at the instigation of Prussia, which had disclaimed
all interference, and there was no proof whatever of her
connivance at the proceeding. The Powers which were
parties to the Conference had succeeded in persuading
Turkey to abstain from having recourse to arms to enforce
her claims, and he hoped that in a short time the questions
between the Ottoman empire and the Principalities would
be brought to a satisfactory conclusion. Under these cir-
cumstances he asked Lord Stratford do Redcliffe not to
press his motion for papers which could not be produced
without great inconvenience to the public interest.
Earl RUSSELL argued that it would be unwise in the
present state of the negotiations to produce the papers.
His opinion was that the clauses in the treaties of 1856
and 1858, which provided that the Hospodar should not be
a foreigner, were not advantageous either to Turkey or to
the Principalities. So far from that, he believed that a
foreign prince was much more likely than a native to main-
tain his authority over the people and preserve tranquillity
in the provinces. It had for a long time been the cherished
wish of the Moldavians and Wallachians to have a foreign
ruler, and he trusted the Porte would recognise Prince
Charles on his promising to pay tribute and fulfil the
duties which had been discharged by his predecessors.
The motion was withdrawn.

The business on the paper was advanced a stage, and
their lordship; adjourned shortly after seven o'clock.

HO USE OF COMMONS—LAST EVENING.
The SPEAKER took the chair at twelve o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.

The amendments to the following bills were considered
and agreed to :—Glasgow Police, Swansea Vale Railway,
Wandsworth and Putney Gas, Wolverhampton and Wal-
sall Railway, Brighton West Pier, and Liverpool Sewage
Utilisation.