The Sun.
London, England, 1861-03-16 00:00:00

MEXICO

Mr. BUTT asked the Secretary of State for Foreign
Affairs, whether Sir C. Wyke, who was appointed
on Jan. 23, 1860, Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic
of Mexico, had as yet proceeded to his mission ; and, if not,
when he was likely to do so ; and whether the Foreign
Office had received any official intimation of any
IlleASUreS adopted by the present Mexican Government to
carry into effect the engagements entered into with the
holders of the bonds of the e
Ra pa 131l' 9
Mr. HENNESSY said he begged .to ask the noble lord
whether he instructed Mr. Csdo Russell to ask. Cardinal
A.ntonelli whether the Papal army
the would act on the defen-
sive, and whether the army ofPope would be sent to
the Romagna to attempt to regain the Romagna P There
was also another question ho should like to put to the noble
lord., (Oh, oh.) The noble lord had called the attention of
the Austrian Government to the fact that Austria in speak-
ing of _LOmbardy, had called it the Lombardo-Venetian
provinces.. That was said to be incorrect, and a violation of
the treaty GI Zurich. He wished to ask whether, if that
were a violation of the treaty of Zurich, the noble lord felt
himself bound to demand an explanation whether it was not
a flagrant violation of the treaty of Zurich that Victor
Emmanuel should assume the title of King of Italy?
LOrd J. RUSSELL—Sir, I certainly have a great many
questions to answer, which are multifarious in character as
well as numerous. The hon. member for Finsbury began by
stating a good many reasons for thinking my conduct in
foreign affairs unduly partial to Austria. The hon. mem-
ber for Taunton, on the other hand, rose, and gave what
h e thought conclusive proof that my conduct was very un-
fr;endly to Austria. These are the sort of accusations
which we receive when we are pursuing a line of conduct
which we think impartial, and which we believe is condu-
cive to the preservation of the peace of Europe. 'With re-
gard to the question of the hon. gentleman opposite, I have
this to say, that without any violent interference on our
Fart
in foreign affairs, there are occurrences happening
from
to a time to time which seem to us to be calculated to lead
veryptl.ire of the peace of Europe. It seams to me
desirable to preserve the peace of Europe. (Hear,
hekor.ln
to onc twhie•neac. t place, whenever any occurrences come
between edke which may tend to make a rupture
wolf ode
nation and another, it is a friendly act as
chan le of 4et, to ask for an explanation or for a
eo?:lduet
cumstances may see', Or for such a course as cir-
cumstances
has heard no'f to? require. The hon. member for
a,,,Teat many things which did not
occur, and seems to be
.ignorant with regard to many
matters which have ocehrt.: Y
poz-ed ect- (A. laugh.) How has he sup •
that•her Majesty's
Government have communicated
or intimated to Sardinia, that ly
lvanY expedition should leave
y,
Italy for the coast of Dalmatiae hielaisAustrian tern'tor
such an expedition would be oppob ed by hemradMajesty's naval
forces. No such intimation him le
gentleman seems to have been crammed with ' The hon.
mannye stories.of this kind not founded on fact. There was o
ng,
however, with regard to which I did put a que,ti
On to Sir
J. Hudson, but in regard to which the answer he gav,wai
a different one from what the bore, gentleman suppowi. I
had heard from persons in the city of London, that there
was a contract about to take pia ce for a railroad through
;Sardinian territory, and the firs t clause of that contract was

1 that a large sum of money should be paid to Kossuth. It
was conjectured, and reasonably conjectured, that a very ,
large sum paid to Kossuth in this Sardinian territory woad
be used for purposes of aggression against Austria. Now
Austria might have said at any time—l do not say she has I
said, but she might have said—that if hostile preparations
are made within the territories of the King of Sardinia, and
those preparations have for their result that ships or armies
and men and money are directed against Austrian territory,
an expedition so prepared upon Italian soil, and so landed
upon Austrian territory, will not be considered as the mere
act of individuals, but that Austria will think herself jus-
tified in asking for an explanation or redress from those
powers in whose territories those preparations are made. Of
sours that principle may be just, or it may not, according to
the manner in which it is applied. It is evident that cir-
cumstances of that kind may arise, either by negligence or
oversight, on the one hand, or by too great suspicion on the
other. But it is obvious that they are tircumstances which
may lead to a disturbance of the peace of Europe. I there-
fore directed an inquiry to Sir J. Hudson, whether he knew
anything of this contract,and whether it was true that a large
\
sum was to be paid to Kossuth either by the Sardinian Go-
vernment or by parties in Sardinia. And, as far as I can re-
collect the particulars, the reply of Sir J. Hudson was that
there had been in contemplation such a contract, but that
the plan had been entirely abandoned. I must say, so far
from Sir J. Hudson giving such an answer as the hon.
gentleman supposes, expressing indignant virtue at such an
inquiry being made, Sir J. Hudson acted as an honest and
faithful servant of the Crown, and he gave me to the ques-
tion I asked every information which his great intelligence
and great knowledge of Italy enabled him to do. Then, sir,
with respect to this ominous omission in the despatches be-
tween Aug. 31 and Oct. 27, I have looked over the chief of
them to-day, and I find they are, most of them, on very
trifling matters. There was an English ship that had been
seized by some of the Garibaldians, and was afterwards
carried into Malta ; and the question arose how compensa-
tion was to be obtained for that violent seizure. There was
a question with regard to the Irish legion of how they were
to be got back, and of what had become of Major O'Reilly.
(Laughter.) There was a question whether it was fit to have
a consul at Florence, and whether her Majesty's subjects
would not find great convenience in that consulate being
established. There was another question with regard to an
English gentleman who had got into debt at Milan, and
who had been thrown into prison, having been very much
encumbered by a debt to his tailor. (A laugh) I did not
think it necessary to load the Blue-book with subjects of that
kind, and if the house will permit me to make a general re-
mark on this subject, I may say that before the session be-
gan, having selected, with the Under Secretary of State,
what papers should be given, I said, "It very often
happens that when too bulky a volume is presented to
members of Parliament, they are almost as much at a
loss for information as if no despatch had been pro-
duced at all. Therefore, let us endeavour to extract
all the despatches that are most intaaresting, bearing on
the great point then in dispute, and not give such volumi-
nous despatches as are sometimes laid upon the table of
the house." This, therefore, is the explanation of there
being no despatches between those two dates to which the
hon. gentleman refers. The hon. gentleman next asked me
what I could mean by saying that the British Government
hag interests in the Adriatic Sea. Well, sir, I must inform
the hon. gentleman, that which I suppose all the rest of the
house are quite aware of, that treaties were made in 1814
and 1815, by which the protectorate of the lonian Islands
was given to Great Britain ; that a British garrison is kept
at Corfu, and at that time, when there was great discussion
whether the whole of the provinces neighbouring to Greece
should rise in insurrection, and that there should be an at-
tempt to make a great Greek empire, the Greek Minister at
that time told me himself, that his Government had no
means of preventing any public manifestation of that kind.
And though the hon. gentleman may not have heard of
Corfu, yet let me tell him that it is a very important posi-
tion, and is not to be entirely neglected by any person who
may have charge of the foreign affairs of the country. The
hon. gentleman opposite asked me several question to which
I am afraid I cannot give him so satisfactory an answer as—
Mr. DUNCOMBE—The despatch relative to Kossuth?
T mean the despatch in which the noble lord desires Sir J.
Hudson to keep his eye on Kossuth—(a laugh)—and also
that despatch relative to the railways, that no concession
should be made by Sardinia of any railway with which
Kossuth was connected. The noble lord has evaded that.
Lord J. RUSSELL—It is because I recollect no such cir-
cumstance. The hon. gentleman did not inform me of the
precise question he was about to ask ; but I never remem-
ber asking Sir James Hudson to keep his eye on Kossuth.
I did say that the payment of a large sum of money, to be
used for the purposes of war against Austria, might be a
very inconvenient thing for Sardinia. Therefore I hoped
he would make observations upon it.' (Cries of " Hear,
hear.") I must say again that Ido not think that it is for
the interest of Sardinia, or for the interest of that new
kingdom of Italy, which I should regard not with those
feelings of apprehension which the hon. gentleman opposite
(Mr. Hennessy) does—l say that to that new kingdom of
Italy it would be a most unfortunate circumstance that she
should be sending. out expeditions to the Hungarians, not
to take part in Hungary itself, but on the coast or Dalma-
tia, and thereby involve herself in hostilities with Austria.
I do not deny that I took that step—(cheers)—l should be
sorry that Austria should have just cause of war against
Italy, or that Italy should have just cause of war against
Austria; and therefore I never omitted any week, begin•
ning with the last recess of Parliament, impressing upon
both those powers not to give any just cause of offence to
the other. Then the hon. gentleman the member for Taun-
ton (Mr. Bentinck) asks me whether information was re-
ceived from Sir Jas. Hudson previous to the 31st of August
last to the effect that the expedition of Gen. Garibaldi was
secretly assisted by the Sardinian Government, and whether
, the Foreign-office did, previously to the 11th day of Sep-
tember last, receive official information that the Sardinian
Government contemplated the invasion or seizure of a por-
tion of the Papal States. Sir, neither before the 31st of
August, 'nor since, have I been informed by Sir James
Hudson, nor has any official nor indeed reliable information
whatever been received, that the expedition of General
Garibaldi to Sicily at its first setting out: was assisted in
any way by the Sardinian Government. Count Cavour, in
the despatch of May, says, and I think says with great fair-
ness and candour, " The Sardinian Government has no in-
tention of attacking the territories of the King of Naples."
But I must admit that among the subjects of the King in
his states there is great sympathy felt for those who are
rising in Italy against the King of Naples, and that may
give rise to expeditions. Now, whether Count Cavour, or
whether the Sardinian Government did not exceed what
they might fairly do aceording to international obligations,
is a question into which I do not think it necessary to enter.
I am not bound to defend all the proceedings of the Sardi-
nian Government, but I certainly did not receive any inti-
mation, nor do I believe that the Sardinian Government
were concerned in fitting out the expedition of Garibaldi.
Their subsequent conduct I need not criticise, because it is
not the business of the British Government to defend every
act that foreign Governments may have done. The hon.
member asks me whether .any and what answer was re-
turned by the Austrian Government to the despatch No. 96,
addressed to Lord A. Loftus, and referring to a 'despatch
from Consul-General Perry. Sir, the only official informa-
tion we have received was contained in that despatch of the
7th of September which is on the table of the house. Of
course there has been—and I have received since I have
held the office I have the honour to hold—various informa-
tion that a portion of the Papal States is very much disaf-
fected to the Pope, and that continued missions were being
sent from Umbria to Turin, asking the King of Sardinia to
receive deputations, and that he would take Umbria under
his protection. We were always told that those deputa-
tions were discouraged, but at the same time that dissatis-
faction and disaffection were known to prevail. When it
was likely that that disaffection would break out in revolt
of course it was not inour power to tell. The hon. gentle-
man asks with regard to the foreign mercenaries employed
by the Papal Government. Now, in the despatch so often
alluded to of the 20th of October, I do not rest any part
of the case upon the employment of foreign mercen-
ariee. But there again I think it was a subject which
naturally excited great attention on the part of the Sar-
dinian Government. As soon as it was decided after
the peace of Villafranca to reduce the Austrian army,
Austrian soldiers in great numbers, went to Ancona, and
we're there enlisted in the Papal service. Many of them were
I
A.a At
t hu sa
tt
rize the
unifooirmronwmhaetannteheetye
whichengagedi
alluded
ohisdervede
atnhde
wPope.
was pointed oat to the 'Austrian Government' was ias ths . I
*
said, no doubt you able to allow your men to engage in
foreign service. itasiaii- d • •
your right to do so. But
on
should
, with respect to expeditions of cf this kind, recollect that if
lritaenr rigtaoxrryi a
great numbers. of Austrians should be formed into battalions
eocesiaucp)ya;.derAonusaatnridan4anr.ootupas
urd
and
thean PAanpaat
the other, nothing-fig more likely to on induce Sardinia to
believe she is not safe, and that she must rid herself of a
force of that kind. Therefore I think, although that is not
itself a cause of war, yet it is one of those circumstances
which might produce a collision with Sardinia. With re-
gard to all the circumstances which then took place, I must
say that I have no complete information, but they wore in
that state that at any moment the Piedmontese Government
might think their safety was compromised and might begin
to arm. That is what Sir James Hudson pointed out. He
said that if Garibaldi were to proceed from Naples to the
Papal States an insurrec
• tion would follow, and the Pied-
montese army would throw their arms into it. Of course I
am not entering into the general question, as I have no offi-
cial information. Then the hon. gentleman asks what answer
was returned to despatch 96, which referred to some arrests
which had taken place in Venice. There is, again, another
circumstance which we had pointed out to the Austrian Go-
vernment. It is no doubt very difficult—some will say im-
possible, for the Austrian Government to conciliate her sub-
jects in Venetia. Butethis is quite certain—that arrests
which have been made from time to time during, not the last
one or two years, but during 20 or 30 years, and confine-
ment of persons who have been tried and secretly con-
demned, or kept without open trial, is one of those circum•
stances which have worked most deeply into the minds
of the people of that country, and has induced them to
refuse to be reconciled to Austria. Well, we pointed that
out in Particular cases to the Austrian Government. The
stutstrian governinent replied, as no doubt was too, true,
_..