The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-09 00:00:00

RELATIONS WITH BUENOS AYRES AND
MONTE VIDEO.

Mr. EWART wished to bring under the consideration
of the House the importance of our commercial relations
with the River Plate, especially with reference to the
war now raging between the States of Buenos Ayres
and Monte Video. It was most important that the
House should take the condition of this immense tract of
country under their most earnest consideration. The
capabilities of that country were very great ; its
mines of tin were most prolific; and its
produce of cotton and wool very considerable. They
had recently had experience that the article of
wool now imported from the districts of Rio de la Plata
was of a very improving character and greatly in do-
mand. The wool from Germany ranked in the first
class amongst the hest judges of it in this country; that
of New South Wales in the second class; and thirdly
came the wool from Buenos Ayres. The cotton trade,
however, claimed the greatest share of our consideration,
and for this reason he presumed it was that his Hon.
Friend, the Member for Manchester (Mr. M. Gibson),
had been requested to pay attention to this subject, as
he (Mr. Ewart) had been by many of his former consti-
tuents, merchants and others of Liverpool. Our exports
in 1841 to the river Plate amounted very nearly to one
million, and rather more than one-half of that was in the
article of cotton goods. With regard to woollen goods, the
same returns gave the exports fir the same year, 1841,
at about 200,000/., and there had also been a consider-
able export of linen and other goods. Turning from
our own exports to the imports of that country, he found
that in 1830 we had imported 30,0001b5. of wool, but at
the present epoch we had imported no less than five
millions of pounds of that article. Having stated the
importance of the trade of that part of the world, he
now came to what he might call the diplomatic part of
the question. He had upon this subject received com-
plaints of various sorts. It was thought that in conse-
quence of the suspension of commerce which had been
caused by the hostilities between Buenos Ayres and
Monte Video, that France and England would have in-
terposed to put an end to such a state of things. It
was within his own knowledge, that a great part
of those persons who had been previously advantageously
employed in supplying those articles which were sent in
return for our goods had been compelled to enlist in the
army of Rozas. He was sorry to say there had been
very strong complaints made of the conduct of our
Minister out there ; but on that occasion he would no
further refer to it. It had been stated that our Minis-
ter had been more favourable to Buenos Ayres than to
Monte Video, but he trusted there was no ground for
that statement. Our naval commander, on the other
hand, was said to be more favourable to Monte Video
than to Buenos Ayres ; and thus it appeared that they
did not pull together. Again, it was said the French
commander had taken a different view of things to the
English commander. It was from a hope that some
course might be taken to bring about a general harmony
between the two Governments, by the united efforts of
England and France, that he now ventured to make this
appeal to the Right Honourable Baronet oppo-
site (Sir Robert Peel). Whether justice was on
the side of Buenos .Ayres, or of Monte Video, it
was not for him (Mr. Ewart) to state. His sole object
was the restoration of peace, and the return to the
peaceful pursuits of industry and commerce—(Hear,
hear, from Sir R. Peel)—which might redound to the
interests, not only of those two now hostile countries,
but to this country and to the world. He admitted
freely that the general policy of the Right Hon. Baronet
(Sir R. Peel) was a policy of peace, and he for one, as
an independent Member of that House, would ever sup-
port him, or any other Minister, in ,that policy, so long
as to do so was consistent with our honour and dignity.
—(Hear, hear.) He did not believe that the Right Hon.
Baronet would consent to anything which wonld com-
promise our national honour, nor submit to any unjust
or tyrannical exclusion of our commerce. He trusted,
therefore, he would be enabled, in unison with that
great and high-minded man at the head of the councils
of France—and whom, he thought, no one could look
upon without admiration and regard—to arrive at some
common understanding, by which hostilities might be
stopped between Buenos Ayres and Monte Video, and the
peaceful relations and peaceful pursuits of all countries
be restored. France was as much interested in this
question as England, and as there was a common object
to be attained, he trusted there would be a common
combination between the Governments of the two coun-
tries, to effect it. It was with these views, and in this
hope, he now begged to ask the Right lion. Baronet
(Sir R. Peel) if he could communicate to the House
any information upon this most important and interest-
ing subject.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir ROBERT PEEL said, in the first place, he would
express the very great satisfaction with which he had
heard the observations which had fallen from the Hon.
Member, in the concluding portion of his address, with
respect to his determination, although opposed in his
general politics to him (Sir R. Peel), to put a liberal
construction upon every act of the Executive which had
' for its object the continuance of amicable relations with
France. The Hon. Member might depend upon it, that
no compromise of the honour of this country would take
place, and that lie and his friends around him were by
such eonduct as lie had avowed his intention to
pursue thus greatly strengthening the hands of the
Government, instead of pursuing that petty course
adopted by others of stigmatising every measure of fair-
ness and conciliation as a mean subserviency to France.
He wished that a similar honourable feeling which had
been declared that evening would be pursued in another
place, where the man, whose only desire was to main-
tain the honour of his own country, and respect the
rights of others, had every unfair and ungenerous ob-
stacle thrown in his path. He sincerely believed that
the Ministry of France were influenced by precisely the
same motives as the Government of England, convinced
that they might have every reciprocal advantage, en-
courage arts, promote industry; extend commerce, and
contribute to thegeneral civilisation and happiness of the
world ; and that this good understanding, and , these
good offices were to be secured consistently
with the most absolute independence on both
sides, and with the most scrupulous regard
to the honour and character of each of them.—(Hear,
hear.) He avowed there that such was the principle
he wished to act upon towards France, and he would
fearlessly express his opinion that the same liberal and
enlightened spirit characterised the conduct of France
towards this country.--(Hear, hear.) He (Sir R. Peel)
fully agreed with the Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Ewart) in
respect to the consequences of the lamentable state of
things arising out of this war between Buenos Ayres and
Monte Video. Look at the Rio Plata—it was the great
outlet of the vast southern coast of that great country.
It was the channel by which the produce of all that
country must be brought to Europe, and by which our
own goods must be introduced into that country. And,
therefore, he granted that nothing could be more vexa-
tious or injurious to the commercial interests of this
country than the continuance in that quarter
of the present state of things. The complaint,
too, was of no ordinary character, and had
originated in no ordinary cause. It was
a conflict of mere personal passions and personal inte-
rests, and this at the expense of the peace and happiness
of the two countries themselves, and greatly to the de-
triment of all others who might have connexion with
them.—(Hear, hear.) But the lion. Member (Mr.
Ewart) must recollect in what a delicate position this
Government was placed, and how he (Sir R. Peel)
might forfeit his character as a Minister of peace if he
interfered too vigorously to bring hostilities to a close.
Now, lie begged to say that the Government, of which
he had the honour to be the head, had done everything
short of an armed intervention for putting an end to
hostilities between Buenos Ayres and Monte Video.-
-(Hear, hear.) The English Government first offered
its good offices singly, and afterwards, with France,
offered a joint mediation. This offer was accepted by
Monte Video, and rejected by Buenos Ayres. No effort
to bring about a better state of things had been left un-
tried by this country ; and he feared it would
not be wise for this country, certainly not singly, to
interfere by force of arms. He very much doubted if a
tranquillity brought about by such means would be effec-
tual. Whether it might be advisable for the Powers
most interested in the peace of this quarter of the globe
to interfere by armed intervention—as in the case of
Greece—to bring matters to a termination, was, per-
haps, not wholly undeserving of consideration. With
respect to the conduct pursued by the British authori-
ties out there, they lamented greatly the state of things,
and were disgusted at what they witnessed; and it might
be possible that, in their zeal, they had gone a little too
far. But if they had, it was from the best of all mo-
tives—a sincere desire to do all they could to put an end
to the very unhappy and injurious state of things then
existing on the Rio Plata. He trusted, however—and
from what had recently come to his knowledge he had
reason to hope—that the 'present state of things would
soon be altered ; and that whichever party was victo-
rious would pursue such a policy as would heal the
wounds of the past, contribute to the revival of trade and
commerce, and therefore to the happiness and prosperity
of the world.—(Hear, hear.)
The conversation then dropped.