The Sun.
London, England, 1857-02-10 00:00:00

THE SECRET TREATY.

Mr. DISRAELI rose and addressed the house rela-
tive to a statement he made on the first night of the set-
sion, and which was contradicted by Lord Palmersten,
to the effect that France had guaranteed to Austria her
Italian provinces by a secret treaty. He said that he
received the information which he then mentioned from
unimpeachable sources, and although he objected to hon.
members being called upon to give their authority for any
statements they might make, ho would inform the
house that he had his information from no French au-
' thority, and that it had nothing to do with his recent
visit to Paris, but that he obtained it from good autho-
rity in this country. (Hear, hear.) If it was an erro-
neous statement he was prepared to take the responsi-
bility. It was not to impugn the policy of that treaty
that his observations on the night alluded were directed,
because the policy that dictated it on the part of France
was conceived in that wide, temperate, and conservative
spirit that had gained for the Government of the Em-
peror of the French the respect and confi• ,
deuce of Europe. (Hear, hear, hear.) What he
complained of then, and what he complained of now,
was, that if it be a fact that the private treaty existed,
and that the statement he made be a correct one, that
the conduct of her M-ajesty's Government at the time
was conveying to the house, to the country, and to
Europe', an impression that they•were pursuing a policy
quite contrary to the course of their general policy, and
entirely adverse to what this alleged treaty was intended
to accomplish. The contradiction of the noble
lord involved two allegations against him (Mr.
Disraeli), first, that Lis statement of a secret
treaty, by which France guaranteed to Austria
the security of her Italian provinces, was altogether a
fiction, for that no such treaty existed—that, to use
the noble lord's words, it was a romance. (Hear, hear.)
Tho second allegation v.aq, that it was a deri,ive hypo-
thesia, fur that it' there he such a treaty her Majesty's
Government had never heard of it, and that, instead of
advising such a treaty, had her Maje,Ay's Government
known of it they would have given contrary advice. His
statement, therefore, was, that negotiations were entered
into between Franca and Austria, with the main object
of guaranteeing on the part of France the security of
Austria's Italian dominions ; those negotiations were
brought to a successful conclusion ; that they were ex-
pressed in writing, and formed a written instrument that
assumed the form of a treaty and a secret treaty, and that
that treaty was ex!cuted on 22d December, 18.51; and he
had reasonable evidence to prove 'that her Majesty's
Government were privy to the negotiations, and gave
their consent to the execution of the treaty. Tne right
hon. gentleman concluded by stating that he could
prove hie statement by documents in Downing-street,
and complained of the tone and manner of the noble
lord on the first night of debate.
Lord PALMERSTON said that he had no desire on
the former occasion to say or do anything to im-
peach the honour of the right honourable gentle-
man. The right hon. gentleman had omitted an im-
portant part of his (Lord Palmerston's) contradiction.
The charge brought against the Government by the right
hon. gentleman was that her Majesty's Government were
professinggreat interest for the Italians, and encouraging
the Italian nationalities, yet at the same time they were
acting a contrary course with France and Austria. He
(Lord Palmerston) repeated that according to his belief
there was no such treaty as that named by the right
honourable gentleman, and that it now remained as on a
former occasion on hearsay evidence. What ho stated
on a former occasion was, that the Government did
not know of such a treaty, nor had ever hoard of it,
and unless the right hon. gentleman had seen it, that
he must have been misled respecting it. The
only foundation he could assign for the statement of the
right hon. gentleman was, that about the time alluded
to, Austria asked that, if she took part in the
war with England and France, France should not
take advantage of it to disturb Austria's Italian
dominions to which France .consented, and that
if, disturbances took place in Italy in con-
sequence, that French soldiers in Italy should
assist Austria for keeping the territorial
limits. These arrangements were embodied in a tem-
porary convention, and although it met with the appro-
val of the Government, it was not signed, becaus)
Austria did not join France and England in active ape-
rations againtßussia, which was its basis. That convention
and the treaty the right hon. gentleman had mentioned
were as different as any two things could be. (Hear,
hear.) Re repeated his statement that he knew
nothing of such a private treaty as that
mentioned by the right hon. gentleman. (Hear, hear.)
The subject then dropped.
INCOME TAX.

Major REED then rose to move the following resolu-
tion :—" That whereas the act of Parliament (18 Vic.
c. 20), contains a proviso which, by itstechnical construc-
tion, would inflict in a time of peace a second year of
full war income tax upon the loyal but heavily burdened
subjects of her Majesty, this house is of opinion that the
provisions of the said act should cease and determine
from the Gth day of April next."
(LEPT SPEAKING.)