The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-09 00:00:00

French Ministers by M. Walewski—and•lthinlithis country,
nnsl Parliament should be in possessidn of the most authen-
tic,records of the opinions of our own Government upon the.
same subject. I think it is not only desirable that we should
be ih possession' of the views of her Majesty's Government
upon this sub, eet, but that it is also very necessary that this
house should 'know the language in which these views have
been exPresWed. It hiair be that that language is judicious ;
it may be that it iA conciliatory ; it may be that it is all
this house 'could deire ; but, on tho other hand, it may be
such as is caldulated: to irritate and to wound the sus-
ceptibilities of those to whom it is addressed. How-
ever guarded statesmen may be, in writing their despatches, .
it is not always that a public Man is 'successful in attaining '
the object he has in view. A very remarkable instance of
this occurs to my mind, because, on a foriner occasion, when
the noble lord (Lord J. Russell) held 'the seals of the
Foreign-office, he addressed a very important despatch to
the. Court of Russia. The laudable Object of that despatch
no one doubted'. but, laudable as was its object, it only
paved the way for the outbreak of hostilities, and en-
couraged
the Emperor of Russia in the pursuit of those
designs and the adoption of those measures which afterwards -
rendered a war between this country and Russiainevitable.
It is therefore desirable that we should knout not only "
what the policy Of the Government is, but what are the '
exact terms and phrases in which they have conveyed
that policy to foreign Governments. If, under present cir-
cumstances, and especially after the news which has just
been received, the noble lord thinks it better that the
despatch should not now be produced, I will say nothing
further: But I shall now conclude with asking whether
there is any objection to lay on the table the despatch
alluded to by the right hon. member for Halifax on the oc-
sion to which I have referred ? (Hear, hear.)
Sir C. WOOD (who was indistinctly heard) was under-
stood
to say,— Sir, I may be permitted, before the noble
lord rises, to offer a few words in explanation of what I did
say at Halifax, and of why I made the answer that I did
yesterday to which the • hon. gentleman has adverted. I
understood the hon. member yesterday to ask for the pro-
duction of a despatch which I had stated had been addressed
to the different Courts of Germany, urging on them an adhe-
rence ,
to a course of firm neutrality in the present war ; and
in reference to that assertion, speaking perhaps with a little
warmth; I remarked that I had said nothing of that kind.
What occurred at • Halifax was this !—Many persons there
were very much interested in the trade of the Continent,
and,' apprehending that their business would be entirely
stopped by the war they expressed great, alarm at a report
which they hfad heard that Prussia was on the point"
an active part in the struggle. On the
ofO takingtlierhamita large nuMber.of people werealse apprehensivii,:,
leSt the preparations going on in 'this country should rendek
the maintenance of our neutrality much' mere difficult. In"
the first place, I told 'them that the preaent Gcivernment
were not more likely than the last to abandon the policy of
neutrality, and I assured them that the naval and military
preparations which had been for some time in progress were
not intended, as I believed, by the late Government, and
certainly not intended by the present Government, in any
way as a departure from that policy. But I added that
events might happen elsewhere, for example in Germany,
by which, if the war extended, this country might possibly
become involved ; and that out of consideration for our own
interests, and even for our own obligations, we might be '
called upon to interfere. I further said, I hoped and trusted
that this would not be the case—that the statement that
Prussia was on the point of taking an active part in the
war was unfounded—that that was a course which I thought
a regard for her own interests should induce Prussia not •
to pursue, and that we had also given our advice to that
effect. Not that we had advised Germany that she ought
to remain neutral. That would, perhaps, have been going
further than we had a right to do ; but that, looking to the
interest which this country felt in the question, she was
justified in urging Prussia not to take an immediate and
active part in the war now raging in Italy. . .
Mr. SEYMO UR FITZGERALD—I certainly never
used in relation to this despath the words which the right
hon. gentleman has described. I spoke of it merely as a
communication on the part of her Majesty's Government
giving advice to Prussia as to the course to be pursued wiih
reference to theiwar.

OUTRAGES IN MEXICO.
Mr. SCHNEIDER wished, before the noble lord the
Foreign Secretary rose, to call attention to the present state
of Mexico, especially with reference to the outrages which
have been committed on British subjects. The hon. mem-
ber mentioned several cases of gross outrage upon the lives
and property of British residents in Mexico, and stated that
the conduct of Mr. Otway, the British Minister in that
country had been strongly complained of in connexion with
those:proceedings. The speech delivered from the Throne
in February last intimated that our Government had sent
a squadron to the Gulf of Mexico for the protection of
British subjects, and to obtain redress for the, injuries in-
flicted upon them by the Centralist party, at the head of
which was the present President of the Republic. Mr.
Otway was on the most intimate terms with the President,
and it was believed that if he had exerted himself as he
might have done, the pardon of an innocent British subject
who had been condemned to death might easily have been
obtained. Without casting any aspersion on the character
of Mr. Otway, or charging him with want of energy or zeal,
it was, nevertheless, the fact that reports very prejudicial to
his reputation as 'a ;public servant were circulated and
generally credited in. Mexico, and therefore he ought to
have an opportunity of refitting the charges brought against
him. The outrages in question, instead of diminishing
were increasing in frequency, and even after the arrival of
the British squadron they had beconie worse and worse.
He therefore hoped that the noble lord would inform the
house what steps had been taken to obtain proper repara-
tion for such injuries.
THE CIRCULAR. OF COUNT CAVOUR.
Mr. B. COCHRANE (in the absence of Lord W. Gra-
ham) rose to ask•tho Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
whether the circular of Count Cavour, dated the 14th day of
June, 1859, had been officially communicated to the Eng-
lish Court ; and, if so, whether he had deemed it consistent
with his duty to make any reply
_thereto, or to address
any observations thereon to the Sardinian Minister in this
country. In hig despatch of the 14th of June Count Cavour
referred to a previdus despatch of the Ist of March, which
had been laid on the table. In the first of those despatches
allusion had been made to an independent Government for
Lombardy and Venice, while in the second the following
language was held :
" The feelings of the inhabitants have broken out; the
municipal authorities, the very same that had been instituted
by Austria, have proclaimed the fall of the ancient Govern-
ment, have renewed the union of 1848, and unanimously
confirmed their annexation to Piedmont. The municipality
of Milan proclaimed it even within range of Austrian can-
non. The King, by accepting this spontaneous act of the
national will, infringes the existing treaties in no respect,
since Austria, by refusing to accept a Congress having for
its basis the maintenance of these treaties, and by invading
the &Minions of his Majesty, has torn up, in so far as con-
cerns herself, the transactions of 1814 and 1815."
That despatch conveyed so much meaning, and differed so
much from the first to which he had referred, that he wished
to ask the noble lord whether he had any objections to lay
the answer to it on the table.
Lord J. RUSSEEL.—In answer to the question which
has just been put by the hon. gentleman, and which was to
have been put bo a noble lord relating to a despatch or cir-
cular of Count Cavour of the 14th of Jane, I have-to state'
that it has not been officially communicated to the British
Government. There is a despatch from Sir J. Hudson,
stating the substance of a circular written by Count Cavour
—I am not exactly sure whether the same circular or not—
which alludes to certain States being annexed to Piedmont.
The answer of her Majesty's Government to Sir J. Hudson
was that they could not acknowledge any of these annexa-
tions of other States; that the 'system of occupation must be
decided finally by -the wishes of the inhabitants, by the for-
tune of war, and by any general treaty of peace that might
be concluded. This answer Sir. J. Hudson was desired to
communicate to Count Cstvdur. There is, therefore, no
acknowledgment by her Majesty' s"Goiernment of any of the
annexations that may have taken place. (Hear.) I will next
reply to • the question which` has been put by the hon. gen-
leznan the late Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs,
His question is, whether I have any objecton to lay upon
the table of the house a despatch addressed to the Prussian
Government or her Majesty's Minister at Berlin as to the
course of conduct which Prussia ought to pursue with refe-
rence to the war in Italy. In answer, I have to state that
it.would be very inconvenient to the public service if that
fallen
andesapnsattrwheasre
blueiednognivthene
btaybrler.uslstiai,s despatchwahile,
ga again,
into ,
another
was sent only last night by her Majesty's Government, con-
tinuing the correspondence. I think, therefore, the hen.
gentleman will see that it would be highly inmivenieixto,
give publication to part only of a correspondence. (Hear.)
e the
hon. vtehrye ofnnaatturureally into correspondencesome rin
the
The hon. gentleman speaks of a circular addresied to the
Germanic Confederation from the Court of Russia, and of
another circular signed by the French Minister of Foreign
po
and ofwhriagthts was and
the
proper
duties
epe
r of
courset h
Affairs, M. Walawski. The circular of the Court of Russia,
and I think also that of the French Minister of Foreign
Affairs, spoke of the
eGefrmor atnihact Con-
federation,Con- ,
federation to pursue in regard to foreign nations. Now, that
is a kind of discussion natural enough for the Sates of Ger-
many ; but we have not followed any such course. We have
not discussed at all the rights and duties of the German Con-
federation, and the rights and duties of the several States,'
or What should determine their relations to other Powers..
But with regard to Prussia, owing to rumours that were in
some degree countenanced by official statements, we ad-
dressed a despatoh to that Court. Now, in looking
at the Italian papers on the table, I see a despatch from
Lord Malmesbury to Lord Bloomfield, our Minister at
Berlin, in which, after stating that the Government •
of this country intends to remain neutral, he says,
" Her Majesty's Government, therefore, deprecate any
act which might unnecessarily extend the theatre o f
war, and they are prepared to take advantage of any favour- ,
able opportunity that may arise of being the medium of re-
storing peace." (Hear.) Now, the object of our despatch tot '
the Court of Berlin was to " deprecate any act that might.
unnecessarily extend the theatre of war." Tear.) It ap-
pears to me that it is the bounden duty of
the Government,
as far as they can properly do so, to consult with other go-•
I need hardly point
of warfrom extending. (Hear, hear.)
out to the house, certainly not to the hon. gentleman, who.
.vernments which are neutral in order to prevent the theatre
is so well acquainted with foreign affairs, that while it is a
great calamity to have war in Italy, it would be a still
greater calamity if the war extended to Germany, mnil
through Germany to the whole of Europe. We were the re-
fore led to consider what were the causes put forth f hat
should induce Prussia to take part in hostilities, and to dis-
cuss in the most friendly manner the interests of Priem ia in
regard to the waa. (Hear, hear.) In regard to the I tatter
part of the question put by the hon. gentleman it is pecu-
liarly necessary that there should be no premature put lica-
tion of correspendence at this moment ; for, without k now=
lug how far the armistice may extend, we are inferrer"( id of-
ficially by the Ilionitear that it leaves room for negoti
(Hear, hear.) That is so important an announcertront that