The Sun.
London, England, 1866-05-09 00:00:00

I LONDON, WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 1866.

An interesting discussion took place last night
in the House of Lords on the subject of the Con-
tinental disturbances, which is well worthy of at-
tention, since it refers to the influence of the past
upon the present. Lord CADOGAN, according to
notice, put the question to the Foreign Secretary,
whether anything had been done in the shape of
mediation, with a view of assisting the Govern-
ments of Austria, Prussia, and Italy to arrive at a
"pacific settlement." Lord CLARENDON replied
that no information had been given to Parliament,
because this country will, neither directly nor indi-
rectly take part in any war, if it should un-
fortunately occur. UP to the last fortnight,
said the noble Earl, there appeared to
be every chance of moderate counsels pre-
vailing, but lately this hope has dwindled away.
Lord CLARENDON, however, stated that had the
Government entertained the least idea that their
good offices would have been of use they would
not have hesitated to come forward. Most truly
did the noble lord conclude his few remarks by
stating, that it " is a raelancholysig
ht in this en-
lightened age, and in the present
state of civilisation
and progress, that Europe should be ever menaced
with war, for which there is no cases belli, and for
which there is no justification." Earl GREY'S speech
was very much to the point ; he said that what was
now occurring was the natural consequence of the
conduct pursued by us two years ago. This.
is perfectly correct, for none of the present
confusion would have arisen had a firm policy been
acted upon by England at the commencement of
the Schleswig-Holstein dispute three years back.
The noble lord reminded the House of what he bad
predicted at the time, that " encouraged by our
sufferance, scandal, wrong, and robbery would re-
sult." The contest now before us is likely to be one
of a more formidable nature than the one we shrunk
from formerly.
Earl RUSSELL appeared to be very
indignant at the tone of the remarks of Lord GREY,
and declared that
he
of non-interference never laid down the doctrine
in the sense in which it had
been just represented.
the noble lord That may be very true, but
now at the head of her MAJESTY'S
Government was greatly to
blame for the manner
in which he transacted aff •
at the Foreign-office
during the outbreak of the nano-German war, and
.
the nations of Europe are now reaping
conse-
quence of her " meddle-and-muddle"-and-muddle"the "
policy Lord
DERBY made some spirited observations
the subject, and declared that Lord Rus,s on
Emisrepresented the noble lord concerning the police
,
adopted by the Government at that time. As Lord
DERBY truly stated, the noble lord laid down that
the action of the German Powers in the affairs of
Denmark was a wrong and a robbery, and having
done all this " when Denmark depended on your
moral, if not your material support ; then you took
an opportunity of withdrawing from the contest
which you yourselves had encouraged, and aban-
doned the ally whom you had led by your en-
couragement to maintain her own right." This
language adequately defines the disgraceful course
pursued by England towards Denmark And