The Sun.
London, England, 1850-06-18 00:00:00

JUNE 18, 1850,

carried off numerous copper stewpans—(Laughter)—
and various other utenstls.—(Reno'Netl laughter.) It
appears, however, that they left a precise inventory of
every item of furniture in the house, and of the value of
evs,ry such article, every saucepan and pudding-mould—
(A laugh)—aud an account, too. of all M. Pacifico's
clothes, his coats, linen, stockings, j ack-to welt:, and sheets.
—(Laughter.) But they left him also one sheet to his
bed, which he was enabled to produce for the purpose of
proving the excessive fineness of three other sheets
which had been taken away.—(Much laughter.) He
states that he had in his drawing-room—
" 1 large couch in solid mahogany, British work, with
double bottom, one of which in Indian cane for summer,
701.; 1 bottom for the winter for the above, a cushion
in tapestry embroidered in real, gold (Royal work), 25/.;
2 pillows and cushion also, for the back of the whole
length of the couch, in silk and wool covering, em-
broidered in real gokl,, as the bottom of the above
couch, 751.;"
total for one couch, 1701—(" Hear, hear," and laughter.)
Then the bedrooms were famished on a scale of equal
maarnuicencr. Their furniture is very minutely de-
scribed. M. Pacifico had
A double bed in solid mahogany, with four pillars
richly carved, 2;4 yards long by 21 yards wide, with
the b:Lcic and the end carved, the crown in carved ma-
hogany arid carved frame, and a stet of brass castors,
worth 150/.,"
and then he explains, with the greatest minuteness, that
every utensil in the bedrooms was composed of the finest
porcelyin.—(Great laughter.) In addition to these
items, there was the demand of M. Pacifico upon the Por-
tuguese Government to the amount of 21,0001., or, with
interest, of 26,0001.; but, unfortunately, all the papers
and vouchers for this claim have been destroyed.
The claim is for services alleged to have been ren•
dered the Portuguese Government, and the precious
document on which the British, or rather the Greek Go-
vernment, are called upon to pay this sum, is a protest,
signed by M. Pacifico, admitting that the Portuguese
Government absolutely and entirely repudiated every
,f his claim!. The Portuguese Government de-
. ....

one of his cleieee
Glared they did not owe M. Pacifico a shilling, and re- claim on Portugal, the mediation was suspended, and
fused to pay his demand; but because the men who force was had recourse to, which need not have been
destroyed his house luckily dropped this protest ire; the the case if Lord Palmerston had only taken the trouble
street. he puts forward a claim for 21,0001, with to send a special messenger to Mr. Wyse. But a con-
-5,0001. interest, at 10 or 12 per cent. The British vention is established in London, and what are the
Minister at Athens, however, declared under his hand and terms? That if any other arrangement should have
seal that he believed that claim to be just and moderate. been come to in the meantime by the three Ministers of
—(Hear, hear.) When the claim was first made Lord France, Greece, and, Great Britain, be it more advan-
Palmerston directed Sir E. Lyons to state that the tageous or less advantageeus, the convention of London
Government would, as soon as possible, fix the amount was to be set aside, and that agreement adopted. No
they intended to demand as compensation for the such convention had taken place, but another settlement
sufferings sustained by M. Pacifico. In a previous had been made, says Lord Palmerston, not by all the
dispatch Lord Palmerston directed Sir E. Lyons to sup- three Ministers engaged in the negotiation, but by direct
port M. Pacifico's claim if he considered it just and communication between the Greek and British Minis-
moderate. Sir E. Lyons said, in reply, that he believed tars, and it was the result of the renewal of hostilities
the claim to bo just and moderate, and that he had by the British squadron. Now, what would have
sent it in ; and it was not till the February afterwards been more natural than to have said at once, "An un-
that Lord Palmerston began to intimate a suspicion that derstanding has been come to at Athens; to a certain
there might be some little exaggeration in the case of extent it has been acted upon, bat to the extent that it
the Portuguese claims, and called upon Sir E. Lyons to has not been acted upon I accept your convention of
send him word what was the particular nature of those London. I prefer the good offices of France rather than
claims, and how they were supported. Sir E. Lyons re- the intervention of our naval force. I prefer to Owe
plied that M. Pacifico could give no further information the settlement of this great question to the good
than he had already given—the list of his losses and offices of the French Government." Lord Palmerston
claims; but Sir E. Lyons again made a demand on the goes on stating, though there is little diffhrence between
part of England upon the Greek Government for the them, that he is still not prepared to adhere
payment of M. Pacifico's claims, without the slightest frankly to the convention of London. In refusing
intimation that any deduction would be allowed. It was to; accept the convention at the last moment, :her
matter of regret that the Greek Government were not Majesty's Government were trifling with the_powers
informed what amount we did intend to claim, for when which proposed it. There was only one more point to
the demand was made at Athens, in January, 1850, which he should call the attention of their Lordships.
it was required that all claims that had been It was one of considerable importance. namely, the gees-
sent in to the Greek Government, just or unjust, tion of territorial difference between this country and
should be paid in full, with interest, within the period Greece. Intrinsically the amount and value of the ter-
of twenty-four hours. Now, surely, that was the time ritory in question was incalculably insignificant—but
to have said, "We do not intend to press the Portuguese internationally it raises points upon which Russia and
claims, but we ask as compensation such reasonable sums France, as parties guaranteeing the integrity of :the
as the Greek Government can have no difficulty in Greek territory, have a right to interfere, and 1 in
giving." But it was not till February, 1850, after the respect to which England has no right to ;an
French intervention had been accepted, that Lord Pal- independent action. And England, being one
rnerston intimated to Mr. Wyse that some proposition of the three protecting powers, cannot i4er-
might possibly be made to diminish the gross amount of pose between her own protected states of the lonian
M. Pacifico's claim, and that, in such a case, Mr. Wyse Islands and the state of Greece, and decide as bet+en
was not to consider himself precluded from entertaining the two, to whom that territory belongs, setting aside
such a proposal. It was, then, in support of the exagge- the claims of France and Russia to express their opinions
rated pretensions of M. Pacifico—for with regard to the and pronounce their judgment with regard to what may
other claims there was little or no difficulty—that a British form part of the territory of Greece. Upon that ewes-
fleet was sent to demand compliance with an unreasonable tion neither France nor Russia will allow your inter-
request in 24 hours, and on failure of compliance with that ference single-handed; and now—now when you have
request, to capture the vessels and injure the commerce had the indignant remonstrances of Russia—when !she
of a friendly power. M. Londos, the Greek Minister, has told you that she will not tolerate that infraction
only came into office late in December, 1849, and on the upon her rights—l suppose you are about to recede from
17th of January, when he had not been three weeks in the position which you took up.—(Hear.) But lore-
office, the demand which had thus been enforced was vious to that declaration, so far as the Secretary of State
made, without his having any opportunities of institut- for Foreign Affairs and her Majesty's Government viere
ing inquiries to ascertain its justice. He would call concerned, in October, 1849, orders were issued to ithe
their atcentionto what heconsidered the dignified,hemight commanders of her Majesty naval forces to seize upon
almost say, the grand reply given by M. Londos to this the islands of Cervi and Sapienza, to expel the G reek
most extraordinary intimation that, without any attempt inhabitants, and take possession of tnose islands in :the
at a reference to other powers, without any attempt at name and on behalf of the lonian States.—(Hear.) For
any mediation whatsoever, the claims of the various years that claim had been set up, but without lefing
parties upon the Greek Government must be satisfied followed by any activity on the part of this con try,
within 24 hours, or hostile measures would be had re- and years ago Greece was promised the docum sits
course to by the British Minister. A more becoming on which was founded your claim, and which documents
protest from a feeble against the encroachments of a she has never yet received. But in the month of Pio-
mighty power he never read in his life.—(Hear, vember last, Greece did put in a detailed answer to the
hear.) The reply proved unavailing, on its receipt claim put forward on the part of the Foreign-offici to
the mediation of France and Russia being altogether the possession of Cervi and Sapienza, and vitidicate&lier
dispensed with. The vessels of the Greek State were, own claim and rejected that of Great Britain to the bus-
in the first place, seized by our ships, and when these session of these islands. Bat what is the rejoinde of
were found insufficient to meet the demand, an embargo Lord Palmerston? Does the receipt of this intelligince
seas laid upon private vessels, and private commerce and induce biro to pause before he takes further step to
private interests were stopped, in the Expectation that, bring the inciter to a satisfactory conclusion? Not at
by the power of distress upon their commerce, the do- all. In January he writes a letter in his usual off-hand
termination of the Greek Government and of the Greek fashion, declaring that there is no force whatever ituthe
people would be broken, and that thus violence would argument put forward on the pert of Greece. And sq far
exact the full demand.—(llear, hear.) The Greek as the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs is conce ned
people, nobly sustained tae protest which their it does not rest with his discretion that forcible possession
Minister had delivered in their name ; the was not taken of the islands of Sapienza and Cervi. pr_
:cenzo of oppression rallied round the Kin; of ders to that effect were issued, without consultin4 or
Greece not only the sympathies of Eerope, but the ear- communicating with the French or Russian governiT)lts;
nest zeal of his own people. lie would now read an ex- and it was simply incauie Sir W. Parker and Dir. 1, iyse
tract from one of Mr. Wyse's dispatches, detailing the took upon themselves, peuaing further instructimila to
effect of the screw ho is applying ti Greek commerce that effect, to suspend these orders, that those islehids
acid to the Greek people, to force them to yield corn- bad not been forcibly taken possession of.—(Hbar,
pif-nee; the naiveté is absolutely amusing. hear.) This is the position, then, in which we have heal
" The embargo, too, and seizures, arc beginning slowly placed by the Noble Lord—we have put forth positive
to produce their effect. The irritation at first naturally demands which we have finally waived; we have oVer-
directed towards us and our prozeedings, now that the footled the claims of Frence and Russsia, as well as t air
question is better sifted, is turned towards those who right in the matter. Fortunately, your officers d' re-
nave compelled us to such a course. A deputation from garded your orders—(Hear, hear)—and now this maim-
Spi.zzla was to have been received yesterday. Others try will, through the action of the Noble Lord upon dier
will follow from Hydra, and probably 'hares. Public foreign relations, by the remonstranees of Frauce land
opinion at Athens—where the truth is now known, Russia, as well as by a sense of right and justice, reeled°
and provisions are rising in price, will second their ap- from that position, which is one that she sheuld
plications." never have taken.—(Hear, hear.) He had substant4ted
The combined operation described of moral and physical that some of the claims put forward by the Noble 4ord
causes upon public opinion, and upon a rice in provi- the Foreign Minister as against Greece were execs
ye;
sions, was quite edifying, and quite in character with that others were, to say the least of themi
latof
the whole affeir.—(Hear, hear, and laughter.) lie was doubtful justice and equivocal validity ;
bound to say, strongly as ho disapproved of the course those claims had been enforced regardless) of
of our Government in the matter, that he did not find the feelings, and also of the rights of our allies; land
that Sir W. Parker, or any of the officers engaged in ex- that they were calculated to endanger—nay, that alley
ecuting those orders, overstepped in the slightest degree had endangered—the good understanding that ;had
the letter of their instructions; on the contrary, they hitherto subsisted between us and our most powerful
fulfilled their very painful task with firmness, of course,. allies.—(Heer, bear). God grant that his anticipations
but at the same time with temper and moderation— of evil might not be verified! God grantthat the pros ed-
(Hear, bear)---and he was only doing bare justice tojugs of the Noble Lord might not have the effect of dis-
-1
that distieguished officer and to the officers acting under turhing the general peace of this world! But if sue be
him, when he expressed the belief that they would, one the case, that happy result would not, ho was bound to
and al', rather have been engaged in deadly conflict with aid, be brought about by the temper, the judgment, oil the
the fiercest enemy this country ever encountered, moderation with which that Noble Lord, as the migan
than hen seen the honour of the British flag thus of the British Government, had conducted the neg
icy attacking a weak, unoffending people. ions in that case to a conclusion.—(Cheers). ; If,
"rho Noble Lord then proceeded to allude to the effect indeed, we had been guilty of injustice towards
which these proceedings had produced as regards our the defenceless, and oppression towards the weak,
relations with other powers. The Russian Government at the same time that we have endangered !our
had addressed to our Minister a protest as bitter, as im- relations with the powerful, and perilled peace vith
perious, and as offensive as the provocation had been. the strong, surely it became the British Legislature
The Russian Minister did not deny that England had to come forward and declare that the Foreign-offict of
claims upen Greece, but .I'3 contended that, before the England W9S not the people of England—and hat
ult:ma ratio was resorted to by England as against the fine generous feeling of the nation was not expreised
Greece, some intimation at least we) clue by England to by the proceedings of the Noble Lord at the lw 4 of
powers equally with herself concerned in maintaining that department.—(Hear, hear.) We separate ;ouurr
the independence of the weaker power; but not a word acts from his on this occasion.—(Hear, hear.)
_p
about the matter had been vouchsafed either to the Court views of good faith and justice were not those )of the.
of St. Petersburgh or to the Court of Paris. It was true Government of which he is a member, in this mastdetro
thet shortly after this first dispatch from the Russian (Hear, hear.) He knew the amount of prbiva non p r
Court another dispatch was communicated to Lerd Pal- sonal influence that will be brought tobear upamiltebhlies
merston, couched in terms of moderation, for which he question to-night. He
who lso the Tenn
gave great credit to the Emperor; but that was a dis- qualities of the Noble.Ltord
nseetphoelicwyeen
boyiemnrginneda
patch based upon the circumstance that the mediation,from personal acquam anhe.
the friendly offices of France, had been accepted. In case involvingsihrich large issues, to speak, not of the
reply to that dispatch, a reply singularly illustrating man, but of the incyr.st r• and speaking thus he had to
the difference of tone used by Lord Palmerston towards express his deerte::
dte.a'n_dluinsqwunalsinfieodeacsoendinemwricth;nproi!
powerful and towards powerless states, the Noble Vis- his acts in thih nce "1
count sought to withdraw from his original position on yen predilection r_p ersonal feeline can be honestly in-
the ground of some subsequent information. Bat to dulged. You sit, 11 the NobleLord,in ajudicialcapaelty.
a the feeling of the nation with; the
that reply of the Noble Viscount there had been a re- Yon are reconciletfo.o
justice; at all events, you aro here, that your
joinder. 1)11 that rejoinder establish perfect amity be- dictates of .
:case may go forth, and remove from the
tween us and Russia? Does it satisfy the Noble Mar- judgment in
erne which moist always attach to a great
stills that there is not jealousy, aliens ion, almost hos- coudutriy,,ht
power enforcing unjust, untenable, and ex-
elite' in the mind of Russia towards us, hostility that arnb., e
may not break out now, but which may seriously and
Theo e.mant Lands upon a feeble and defenceless ally.—
very alarmingly operate upon the condition of lisle coup- Noble Lord, having read 'hie resolution, resumed
lye bereafter?---(Heer, he ee) Have no ceiree of alarm seathis. at teeenfy minutes past eight o'clock amid greet
lensetion.
ad ees le us out cf the e eineonstauces with relation to ric(T) ~
Frenc:‘?—(lienr, heete) Whet has been the course Toe 7,larquie of L AN, S.DOWNE trusted their Lftlrcl-
por,acri by our Government towards the Govern- ships would not l:cc tam assenteto the motion o the
ment of France, in return for the most friendly course Noble Lord. He did not dispute the right of the Noble
they pursued towards us? Without a word of
Lord to bring the question under heir coltsideration, or
complaint of the manner in which their rights
Fin re.ls- his right to hold her Majesty's Ministers in that House
tion to Greece had been set aside by our Foreign responsible,. one and all, as they admitted themselves to
Minister, the Government of France generously and be, for those proceedings of which the Noble Lord had
frankly tendered their good offices; those g
ood offices
limitse s pronouncedy(rsathat so
tiewas
it a n opinion. He must, how-
were accepted, but upon conditions andwould be a source of con-
which, from the outset, promised very ill withinfor their ulti- ever, say
his Noble Friend at the head of the Foreign
On the 3d of February a private deer Department, which was more immediately concerned in
mate success.
mediation was
Lord by
the French Minister at our these transactions, that in that other branch of the Legis-
eCfoumretdion the sth Lord Palmerston wrote to Mr. Wyse !store of which that Noble Lord was a most distinguished
that he expected to receive a formal offer of the good ornament—(Hear, hear) —in which, beyond, perhaps, any
offices, not the mediation of the French Government,.of assembly in the world, the mercantile and manufae
which be should forthwith instruct him, and desired him turing interests of the country and the world were
meanwhile to be prepared to act upon those instructions, adequately represented, and which was long in the hait
and to suspend coercive measures. The formel offer was ot
the
ec p
i ou
sbe
ll i
yc
vte'Kaptcehnianigtuarlel_ptrgteeindinthgast wa
assembly
bwl
yo uolpd
tot effecthe
received by Lord Palmerston on the 7th of February, yet
on the Bth Lord Palmerston wrote to Mr. Wyse, a„ present moment there hed not been one single ma
notice of any such offer leaving been Made. The good tion—(Hear)—of any intention to bring under its noticde
offices of France, however, were aeceptee. A inis.
understanding occurred, and the French Minister acaalYledufatttheent Pi
or lc) c.eeNde7,smotore,ew-hhieenh
tthhoe
found it necessary to intimate that he should had been put to the Minister in thst assembly
c.n cameto
s eNquebeiset i oLnosr dsv hick
suspend his functions ; but still this intimation be tested by feet and truth they venished intreehoif
con-
in no degree justified Mr. Wyf.e in describing the —(Hear, hear.) That et least must be
ha source
mediation as at an end, for it had been expressly stiPu- tolation to the Noble Lord. As foorrdt uun selfbe-
h rel upon
lilted that, in the event of any such misunderstanding, fore them, eo little did the Noble
the status quo should remain until reference had keli it that be found it necessary to devote the entire' first
made to the respective Governments. In the meantime part of his speech to explain away thoe terms efaotiirto.nms le'
it was felt by France and England that differences more objectionable resolution,
ofor one more entirely at
might arise, and probably interfere to prevent any set- variance with the past policy,oorer
country,a ll n
tlement being arrived at, and
dohterefore a convention directly contradictory f p lic this
was proposed by M. Dr°uYn LhuYs) which, with more calculatetd to cut away from future Governments,
miguhutsebeccuaalled cuton to maintain
ofthat H Id the
very little alteration, was acceded to by Lord Palmers- as far as a vote
ton ; and the day alter the suspension of the negotia- grounds upon which
and
e they
the country the security of British
tion on the part of Baron Gros, Baron Gros received the lionour of
from General do Lahitte, under date of
~.thee subjects, had never been proposed in that House.-
12th, from Paris, an intimation that such- a donven- (Hear, bear.) Tho Noble Lord was sensible of that
tion had been entered into. He then writes in haste when he found it necessary so elaborately to qualifet it.
to Mr. Wyse, saying that an agreement had been en- As for the claims of M. Pacifico and the pesitton of the
terod into that, in case of differences, they were to lonian Islands, their Lordships must at ones see how

write home for farther instructions ; and he says— little they had to do with the principle of the ease.—
" Here's en eseape from, our nienculties. I retract my (Hear, hear.) The practice of all countries, and more
note of yesterday. I entreat you to receive this. I especially commercial countries, had,been to procure re-
bate this positive information. Come to me and I will dress from other countries by force. The Noble Lord
show you my instructions, and for God's take take no must himself know full well that France and the United
coercive measures until you shall receiveF corresponding States were from time to time in the habit, without
instructions to mine." Mr. Wyse 's answer was—" I consulting anybody, without thinking it necessary to
have no such instructions from my Government, and invite the opinions of other powers, to proceed to make
therefore I cannot be guided by your instructions; and good their claims when an injury had been sustained
cannot for cue hour suspend coercive measures." He by threatening force, and obtaining those claims by
wanted to know why these instructions were not sent? the use of force when not otherwise settled. In the
That they were not is a matter of notoriety. These in- course of thirty years he found that in tha case of France
struetions were agreed to on the 9th, and Lord Palmer- not less than fourteen, and of the United States not less
stun says—" The existing arrangement of the packets than sixteen or seventeen such instances had occurred,
for communication with Greece afforded me no oppor- and in almost all by the application of force on justice
tunity, that I was aware e£ of writing to Mr. Wyse be- being denied. The Noble Lord's language on this sub•
twrea the 9th and the 17th of April." Now, having ject had been somewhat studiously guarded; but did he
come to the most delicate of all questions of interns- mean to say that there was no difference in the re-
Lionel interference on which the whole thing turned— sponsibility of the Greek states as compared with the
having come to an arraneement with the French Go- responsibility of other states similarly circumstanced?
vcrnment on the 9th of April, Lord Palmerston did Tee Noble Lord had spoken of a certain guarantee—a
not think it worth his while to intiteate by ex- guarantee which he seemed to think bad created the pe-
traordinary means to the Minister at Athens, that culier position of that country. Tee guarantee- was ter-
any errengement had been come to, but was perfectly ritorial—(flear, hear)—not only was it territorial,. but
content to wait for the ordinary packet on the 17th. it was admitted by the Russians to be a territorial gua-
Why could he not send till the 17th? General de La- rantee, and a guarantee only. The Noble Lord would
hitte received the intimation on the 9th, at Paris, and find in the papers a most distinct admission upon the part
he found no datooltY, on the 12th, in making a ccina • of Count Neaselrode that she was to be considered as
wunieation to Baron Gros; yet her Majesty's Secretary en iitilspendent state; and how aas it possible that she
of State for Foreign Affairs, nut knowing that a packet could be considered an independent state unless she was
was about to sail, was not aware that there were any also u responsible state? Give him a state whose inde-
means of communicating with Mr. Wyse before the pendence had been tsken away—give him a state which
170.—(Hear, hear.) But he goes on to say that even had a peculiar connexion with a federal Government,
if he had been aware, on the 15th M. Drouyn de Lhuys liable only for what they did only through the medium
came to him with a different arrangement, and, in coese- of that federal Government, and then there would be
quence of diet, a convention was entered into. Yes, but seam force in the Noble Lord's argument; but there
up to the 15th there was no prospect of a convention had not been in the present case, in a single trans-
being entered into, and by that time the mischief had action, anything that took from the country the cha-
been done; force had been had recourse to again; and, racier of an independent state. .She had so considered
not by means of an amicable arrangement, not through herself; for sho had once or twice, during the period re.
the mediation of a friendly power, but solely because ferred to, been on the eve of going to war with Turkey.
M. Gros could not reconcile it to his soul and cen- He contended that this was a case precisely parallel to
science to demand 180,000 drachmas for M. PacifiCo's that of other states, which had been compelled to repair

injuries committed. He had already fetid their Lord-
ships that other states had adopted preciaely: the same
mode which England had adopted with regard to Greece
of vindicating the rights of their subjects. He would not
fatigue the House with many references, although he
held a memorandum in his hand of some forty or fifty of
such cases, some of them peculiarly apposite to this par-
ticular transaction. In the case of one of the states of
South America (and he selected this case because there
subjects had been protected in a manner similar to that
adopted by England in this instance)—in the case of
Venezuela a law was passed preventing creditors from
recovering their debts. The parties thereby considered
themselves aggrieved. They had entered the country
on the faith of having a very different sort of protection
extended to them ; they had entered it ,on the
faith of having their business and property rendered
secure. They remonstrated, and a naval force inter-
fered. The Noble Lord seemed to feel great horror at
the idea of interference upon the part of a naval force;
however, a naval force interfered, and redress was im-
mediately afforded. Let their Lordships take another
case—the case of Peru. In the year 1844 the people
resident in Peru were disturbed in their vocation, their
amusements, and their pursuits, and the House would
most probably recollect the various acts of outrage and
injustice which were committed upon them at that time.
Now, redress was obtained in that case. But how was it
obtrined? By the presence of a naval force and by a
very peremptory demand which had been made that
that injury shculd be apologised for and that the per-
sons who committed it should be punished. He knew
not whether the Noble Lord considered the case of Peru
a weaker or a stronger case than that of Greece, or
whether he considered the application of force
was more justifiable in Peru than it had been in Greece.
But, very probably, the Noble Lord was not prepared
to go the whole length which the French Government
had gone in a certain case, to which he would just
briefly refer. Was the Noble Lord acquainted with
what had passed some years ago with respect to ren-
dering protection to French subjects? If not,
he ought to have made himself acquainted with it,
He (the Marquis of Lansdowne) had no hesitation in
saying, though he did not take upon himself to disap-
prove the acts of the French Government in that respect,
and though he knew that Naples had finally acquiesced
in it, that the case in question was an infinitely stronger
interference on behalt of French subjects than England
bad put forward on behalf of English subjects. If the
Noble Lord was not acquainted with the case, he (the
Marquis of Lansdowne) would inform him of it. At
Naples there had been an insurrection. There were bar.
ricades. In the course of an attempt made by the Go-
vernment—finally a successful attempt, to pull down these
barricades, certain houses were broken open. Of course
the principal part of them were Neapolitan houses, but
some of them were French houses; and, after they had
been broken open, the mob entered and plundered them.
The French Government instantly sent to Naples to
say—" These are French subjects, they have had
their houses broken open and plundered by means
of the civil power ; the Government were unable
to prevent the outrage, but we hold the Government
responsible for the property destroyed." And, upon
that ground, but not without a naval force being sent,
reparation was made by Naples, and the French subjects
obtained redress, though the Neapolitan subjects whose
houses had been broken open and plundered obtained no
redress. What, then, became of the Noble Lord's "law
of nations?" The French Government said in the
Neapolitan case—" there is a general law cf all nations
which entitles subjects in their lawful callings to protec-
tion," and on that protection they insisted.—(Hear.)
What was going on at that morn..nt? Was the Noble
Lord acquainted with what ass cuing on? An outrage
was said to have been committed upon American ships
at Lisbon. The strongest remonstrances bad been
made by the Government of the United States against
that proceeding; and, at this moment, as he (the Marquis
of Lansdowne) had reaeon to believe, vessels of war
were on their way from America for the purpose of ob-
taining redress. These, then, were a series of instances
in which tioat mode of receiving this question, which the
Noble Lord seemed t ) think constituted a new sort
of law, had been adopted—which be had called a
wilful law, but which wilful law was the approved
law for obtaining redress ; in fact, every power
would consider that it was a degradation if it were
to ask have of a second or third power whether it
might or might not enforce its claims in different quer.
tern of the world.—(lleur, hear.) And now he came to
the particular case, which he would discuss as shortly as
possible, on which the Noble Lord had dwelt at such
length, and which formed the subject of the present mo-
tion. In the first place he must premise, in consequence
of some observations which had been made by the Noble
Lord, that, however entertaining all the observations he
had been induced to make for the amusement of the
House might be, whilst referring to the minutest details
of M. Pacifico's furniture, he (the Marquis of Lans-
downe) would naturally exclude them from considera-
tion in a case in which justice and principle were in-
volved.—(Hear.) He hardly expected that the Noble
Lord, whatever he might have read in newspapers re-
speetinz the minuteness of the claims, would have con-
descended to rest any portion of his arguments upon
those details.—(Hear, hear.) Because, if the Noble Lord
referred back to the history of this country, and of the
world, be would find that great principles, upon which
the honour, happiness, and glory of nations de-
pended, had had their origin in the most
contemptible claims as respected particular indi-
viduals. On one occasion, for instance, in Eng-
land, a paltry claim was made, which apparently,
perhaps, ought not to have agitated the country,
as it did, from one end to the other, but that claim,
of very small amount, would, if not enforced, have in-
volved the scandal of the Constitution for years; and,
accordingly, the party politicians of that day recog-
nised in it one of those great principles in which they
conld embark their fortunes and their lives.—(Cheers.)
Now, the Noble Lord had alluded to character, and he
had taken great pains to damage the character of the
unfortunate M. Pacifico. The character, however, of
hi. Pacifico had nothing to do with the case.—(Hear,
hears) Every one would remember the time when this
country was agitated by the unlawful proceedings di-
rected against Mr. Wilkes. He (the Marquis of Lsns-
downe) would not enter on the present occasion into the
character of Lir. Wilkes, but it certainly was asserted of
him at the time that his character was open to many
charges—charges of immorality, scandal, and others
of that class. But did that character of Mr. Wilkes
prevent the men of that day—Lords Chatham and
Campbell—from interfering? No. Though he might
be a gambler and a cheat, though he might be an infidel
or an atheist. God knew whether these charges ware
true—it never entered into the beads of the men in
question to say they would summon a jury to ex-
amine into his character before they determined to
interfere in other respects. And so with
Ahirn,regard to
M. Pacifico ; whatever his character might be, he
vva3 entitled to redress, if he possessed a rightful claim.
however, knew
most
and
h e respectableno not only
r
if e!. of the nirrt unjust perseeteioe, but he said that " he
eith which charges is
TVA; a,tonished et the 1...-oidnity
resident at to be the sub-
bteu ,rot up rr7airtet hirn to pr*ve that his house should
been turned. —(Hear,
hear.) He added that it
"
put him in mind of a bad case which had once come on for
hearing in Wes rainster
-hall, in which, in the brief
Westminster-hall,
given to the counsel for the defendant, there WAS the fol-
lowin rernar•
14.—" When you come to this part of the
g
business,the case is very bad, but you may abuse the
plaint irs ettorney."—(llear, bear, and a laugh.) Now,
Noblet Lord said in the present case—" it is true
Pacifico has suffered loss, but then he was a man of
dreadfully bad character." This was not the way to meet
a man's claims; or, rather, were the claims to be dis-
allowed, because the man who preferred them happened
to be considered bad in character?—(Hear.) He (the
Marquis of Lansdowne) frequently referred with delight
and pleasure to a work which held an immortal place
in the literature cf this country—he meant the work
published under the name of " The Judgments of
Lord Stowell," which might be studied with profit and
ndvantage by every man of taste and judgment. They
would lied there great principles laid down and great
acts recorded; but, if they went and analysed that work,
and, paszieg by the b,auty of the general principles
there enucciated, looked nt the characters of the persons
concerned, they would find most of those persons to
have been slaveholdera, slavedealers, adulterers, persons
of every description and shade of crime and of moral in-
c,,Paaity, but, nevertheless, all of them entitled to claim
justice before the tribunal,; of their country, and to be
protected in the assertion of their most important prin.
applied to all the Noble Lord's ob-
servations respecting
de relative to the minute details of
discoveries he had ma
Pacitico's Hear, hear.) Now, there was one
circumstance which distinguished this claim from all
other claims. It was—not the amount of the claim itself;
nor the manner in which it was enforced—but, was
length of time that had been allowed to g
elapse
the great len
before the claim was enforce. Some portion of it had
j
arisen gp far al@ I§§ksa72(lNri) ' •
Lord bad pact§ fiti auptioil iii Me 0 Ft 'RIM