The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-09 00:00:00

ht the Hon. Member who preceded him. He did not wish in
any way whatever to depreciate the merits and exertions of that
gentleman. But what he had to complain of was that a gen-
tleman's duty should be el vague and undefined; and, that
gelding no higher rank than that of Vice-Consul he should
have to exercise such great powt rs. What were the function's
which this gentleman (Mr. Wood) discharged? He excited
an insurrestion in Syria—he headed an army—anti was saluted
as chief by two armies in the field. He was the medium of
conveying decorations from the Porte; and he had a
quantity of blank firmans for the appointment of Emirs,
to fill up at his pleasure. He alio pardoned crimie
nals on his own responsibility ; and interfered with the
proceedings of our gall int Admiral and his officers.
He acknowledged that the case was one of a peculiar nature.
It was not the ordinary duty of a Consul to direct a province in
a state of war. But he wished these peculiar cases to be met
in a peculiar manner, and not to be thrown on the Consuls.
The ordinary duty of Consuls, if appointed in Europe, were
not very arduot.s, and not of much difficulty, It was merely
to make half-yearly reports of the corn trade, forward com-
mercial information, or anything that bore ern European com-
merce, to relieve di-tressed seamen, and other duties which
were regularly defined. What he found fault with was. that in
as the sphere of the duties was extended, and
4
more difficult, they were less defined, and the
aC4notnihnsey lessuvlesrbheeacdraamt:'
guidance for their course of actienr This was
a state of things that it well became the House to inquire into.
The position of the Consuls differed very materially, according
to where they were placed. His Hon. Friend had all ded
so ably, arid at such length, to the way in which the Consuls
were mixed up with the diplomatic body, that he should not
go farther into it, but should merely al'ude to the ex-
traordinary position of their Consuls in the Levant
There their duties were perfectly inconsistent ; they were
obliged to act as magistrates, as notaries, and as offi-
cials of the board of health ; and it was for these that
instructions and regular orders were wanted. In criminal
cases, the Consuls in the East were obliged to ye ithdrew persons
from the nativejuriseliction, and try them without either counsel
or jury. These powers were given by stipulations granted to
the Levant Company, and though the Company was extinct
yet we still claimed the powers, and it was therefore necessary
that very great di-eretion should be used by tie Consuls to
prevent the subjects of her Majesty from, in any way, infr.nging
the laws, or exciting animosey in the Turkish authorities,
which might possibly lead them to withdraw their protection
from us The duty of Consuls was most extraordinary and
general. In all civil cases they adjudicated between British
subjects and the subjects of other states. They could fine an
individual and imprison him, yet they had generally no
legal knowledge; they were obliged to consult the
assessors, and the only remedy and safe-guard they
had was, either to submit to imprisonment, or
to pay the fine inflicted upon them. In criminal cases the Con-
sul could withdraw the criminal from the operatier of the Local
Courts. If he was an Fngli.lernan he sent him over to England,
and the moment lie arrived in England he was at liberty. An
examination of the state of the law in Malta and the lonian
Isles would show that, as viva voce examinations were required,
encouragement was given to criminals in proportion to their
crimes. Surely the House could not wish such a state of
things to continue. He would not trouble the House with
many instance s of the injurious effects of th system as it was
at present conducted, but he hoped the House would see that
the subject was one that deserved its attention.
There was one case to which he would direct their notice; it
was the case of Mr. Larkins, the Consul at Alexandria. He
lotted been Consul there during the Syrian warfare, and for his
good conduct he had received the approbation of the Noble
Lord at the head of the Foreign Department. He had ren-
dered most essential services to that country, for on account of
his high character and influence in Egypt he had been enabled
at all times to procure access to Mehemet Ali. His health
had suffered in consequence of his arduous exertions, and he
had applied for leave of absence to come to England on ac-
count of his health. He had afterwards applied for a further
extension of his leave, and the Noble Lord had written in re-
ply, srating that with regard to the reduction in the saltry du-
ring his absence he regretted to say he could not depart from
the general rule, and considering it improper that any person
engaged in commercial pursuits should hold the office of Consul,
he (the Noble Lord) had deemed it advisable to advise her
Majesty to cancel his (3lr. Larkins) appointment of Consul at
Alexandria, and to nominate Mr. Stoddart as his successor.
Mr. Larkins remonstrated, and stated that he had long since
ceased to be engaged in commercial transactions. 'f he Noble
Lord replied that his being engaged in agricultural pursuits in
Egypt would be equally objectionable, and that he (the Noble
Lord) was convinced that the change which he had recom-
mended was for the benefit of the public service, anti that there-
fore he could not advise her Majesty to make any alteration in it.
He had mentioned these cases merely forthe purpose of showing
the defects of our present system of consular establishments.
He had, however, no remedy of his own to propose ; and he
would leave it to the House to deal with the subject as in their
wisdom they might think expedient. He hoped that some
plan would at length be adopted for effecting an improvement
in the system. He concluded by apologizing for having so
Ling detained the House, in seconding the motion.
Af.er a considerable pause, and cries of " Question, ques-
tion," Dr. Bowring rose, and also Lord Palmerston—the
former resumed his seat.
Lord PALMERSTON said—Sir, I certainly del imagine
that upon a question affecting a great public establishment,
some one of her Majesty's Ministers--( Ihe Speaker here
intimated that Dr. Bowring bad caught his eye, and accord-
ingly Lord Palmerston sat down amidst great laughter.)
Dr Bo WRING thought with the Noble Lord that on such
a great subject, some Member of her Majesty's Government
would express an opinion.—( Hear.) But as the Hon. Gen-,
tleman the Member for Shrewsbury had done I im the honour
of following him through the countries into which he had had
the privilege of being sent by her Majesty's late Government,
he would trouble the House with a few observations. It was
of great importance to the comfort and safety of our travellers
that they should receive assistance from our consular estab-
lishment. He thought the preen system required great reform.
Bert he did not think the Hon. Gentleman or the Noble Lord
who followed him had touched at the root of the evil, which
he (Dr. Bowring) thought was in the defective education of
the gentlemen who filled those departments. They were
generally chosen at a time of life when they were not capable
of ap, lying themselves to the acquirement of the knowledge
necessary for the efficient discharge of their important duties.
It was his conviction that England, instead ..f being worthily
represented abroad, was most unworthily and defectively re-
presented.—(Hear, hear.) Many of the Consuls were wholly
ignorant of the language as well as the laws, customs, and
commercial interests of the people amongst whom they were
sent to represent this great commercial nation, anti promote
its interests. But he did not think the Noule Lord, the late
Secretary for Foreign Affairs, was to blame more than his
predecessors ; for, in tact, he did not believe that the materials
for forming a good consular establishment exsted. Let
the House look to the way in which Consuls were se •
Jetted. Gentlemen who had influence in that House pressed
upon the Government the selection of their personal friends.
When they were removed into remote regions their corres-
pondence was almost unknown, and neither Parliament nor the
public had the means of forming a correct estimate of these
Member
Thst
with
fure
lion. nuSa.
qualificationsbhl
it
c period 4
parties. He should wish to see the Consular returns laid re-
e
gularly before Parliament, as that would be the only means of
knowing who did their duty and who did not. The Noble
Lord had referred to the situations of the Consuls in the
Levant. It was known that there they exercised the func-
tions of Magistrates, and they were Judges, both in civil anti
criminal matteee. There was hardly aissingle Consul there who
knew the language of the country in which he lived. Many were
appointed to the office on the decline of life ; and in one
instance a Consul was assassinated by his servant because he could
not sufficiently explain himself in the language of the country.
He would not go over the ground traversed by the Hon. Mem-
her for Shrewsbury, but he would make one observation with
respect to his (Dr. Bowring's) Report Oil Candia, as it had
been referred to by the Hon. Member. When he was travel-
ling in Syria it was his privilege to fall in with3lustapba Pacha,
a man of most extraordinary character. The ineirmation he
had sent :with respect to Candia he found confirmed by this
personage, and he therefore added that report as a kind of
addendum to the report upon Syria; although it was not neces-
sary for him to do so, yet he felt assured that with reference
to M. Anglais it was of great value. He ( Dr. Bowring had
seen that report translated into foreign languages, arid he had
great pleasure in having received testimony from other coun-
tries of its value. The Hon. Gentleman the Member for
Shrewsbury went out of his way to refer to a Report he (Dr.
Bowring) had made with respect to tl:e French accountancy.
He would say that the French accountancy was the most
perfect in existence. The Right Hon. Baronet ( Sir James
Graham) had applied the principle with great advantage to the
accounts of this country.
Sir. R. PEEL said he wished to say a few words, not so
much with reference to this subject as with reference to the
e(enbrsthr, oieeerdu:Nß.alati
no.st
Gentlemanfhanirtrjs'which
bowoi hfchfhat:h,d,
oelhitrieageri
gentleman
fsopreitv''Prilotfhtahte Icon.
motion.
apieieelc)ulhiaadr anpuit)bdinngtmteontdoinv,l
unable to speak of the personal
appointed ; he must therefore refer to the general question upon
which the Hon. Member grounded the motion he had Inseught
forward. He alluded to that motion which implied a direct
opinion, and which required that House to affirm that orsinion
--that great inconvenience and injury had arisen to the public
we.fare from the civil affairs of her Majesty in foreign countries
being carried on by two distinct ,ervices ; and that with a view
of advancing those commercial interests which at this moment
so much occupied their consideration, it was expedient that
inemures should be forthwith taken to blend the consular with
the diplomatic body. That was, that the House should express
and opinion without any qualification that the diplomatic and
and consular functions ought to be united in the same person.
He ( Sir R. Peel) was not prepared to give his assent to tha'.
proposition. He was not prepared to affirm, without qualifi •
cation or reserve, that in all CiI3CS the dip'omatic anti consular
functions must be in the same person. Questions of this kind
should, of course he decided by authority. Now, so
far as authority was concerned, he could find no authority
which held it to be necessary that these two functions should be
united, except the speech of the Hon. Member. ( Hear, bear,
and a laugh.) Because in the first place he found that in 1825
this very question occupied the attention of the House, and
then they were called upon to form an opinion upon the sub-
ject. If he were asked to name. two men who were most cake,-
rable or not that the diplomatic _
) fe
ods
ri drn thee ra tnihauemo
he should name Mr. Caning
be united in the same person, -
lilted to form a judgment on thrasnqduceosmtiomne,rweihaletfhuenretiitownsasshdoeuslid-
Binh
had
ds
quite
abnrodu
"e
at that time,
clear, therefore, that upon
consideration
and diplomatic functions
their opinion was that the consular
yearss
ate() a Committee of that
gAbltr.inupont Huskisson,hi s
uabnj
etle t heby foundhme t
,tvhoa that
ean
ought to bo disunited. Some
su'ar establishments. It comprised House was appointed fully to
state of
manyof th
indivi-
duals de ievni
duals perfectly well qualified gesmstaent on the sub-
Sir J. Graham, Lord Stanley,
at number of names of corn-
Thompson, together with a
Warburton, Mr. 3PKenzie the
mercial men, Mr. Hutt, Mr._
• himself, Mr. Ferguson, Lord
Hon. Gentleman Dr. Bowring , .
ject. On the Committee were Loors•dirPaHlm
verisvtioann,,LoArldr.L. Lowther,
Sir
pointed solely to inquire into the cons.
and in
that Committee,
(hence was brought before
whether it was fitting to unite
of that evidence the question of N.
Mahon, and a number of others. flunisarCdoempamrtiratteenet.wastavpi.
Report of that Committee was no-. . a
f re that Committee appeared to
The principal inquiry be
n whether or no the
question the consular and diplomatic functions was fully gfovnetruirntoo.f The
be directed to the
the consular establishment should of
e• But the weight of autho-
rity Trade or under tie Foreign-oilic
considered that
Con ul should correspond with the Boardbe ournTdrearde,thaenditwolaierdther
was against this, and it was
theF.4. the consular
itte.eudcormteaninteodnihe names of
department should be continued under
oftheeigafiee.The question was duly considered as to the union diplomatic and
capable
of forming
aj
and diplomatic
the subject,
cmoennsupleairfefuctni;tions, and that Committee
and that opinion was, that the consular functions
should House of
Commons be s cpa rate.
appointing g a portion Considering,so of t
far as
iauthoritysdy tie
erit,
considerthe
this subject, there was no one authority in favour of the motion
brought forward—viz., in favour of a motion for the consular
to be blended with the diplomatic functions. lie ( Sir R.
Peel) must say the House of Commons ought to be cautious in
affirming a ,resolution in favour of a proposition of this kind.
to the part of the proposi-
tion which stated that men should be appointed
to these offices perfectly calculated
departmentlatedtoe in which duct theiebomtbmeeyrcairael
affairs ofw with
he
countryt in the
placed. There might be circumstances in which it might be
perfectly fitting to employ men whose attainments did not
extend to commercial transactions. On that ground also he
should refuse his assent to a universal proposition like that pro-
posed. Looking to the reports, he could not see how the pro-
position could be carried out. He looked at the different con-

wrote again, stating that intrigues and such like were at work.
Again, he said, of his Majesty's sincere intentions he had no
doubt, but he was afraid of the intentions of the Minister of
the Interior; he doubted also his Majesty's confessors, and he
was alarmed at what was being done by the Duchess de
Berri. Here he would ask the House whether, if that
were not diplomatic correspondence, what was? He. e
a man had interviews with the Prime Minister • nay, more,
he had audiences of the Sovereign ; he had to frustrate
the Ambassadors, to compete with a Royal Duchess ; and he
( Air. D'lsraeli) must say that this appeared to him to be a
diplomatic correspondence. If it were necessary for this man
to have interviews with the Prime Minister, to have audiences
of the Sovereign, to frustrate confessors and Duchesses, why
did they have Plenipotentiaries and Secretaries of Legation
there? He believed himself that the transactions which
had taken place with reference to the commercial treaties of
Naples were transactions which, when better known and
understood, would produce a deep impression on the public
mind of this country. He was quite sure that when the Noble
Lord succeeded to power in 1830, and brought with him untie
stalled talent, that the great historical knowledge which he pos-
sessed, in addition to hie abilities, were great recommendations
to the Noble Lord. He believed that if there were two can-
didates for public favour, the aristocrat would immediately be
the favourite ; he believed that was the general feeling in the
country; for example, he read the other day, that the great
soldier of the age was net merely a soldier of fortune, but
he was the son of an lri.h Peer—that was mentioned.
If such a system were maintained—if it were pursued indi-
vidually, it must 1 ad to political disaster ; if pursued on a
general scale, it must lead to political calamity. Such was
the desire of the late Government to extend this system, that
they could not let even the Duchy of Lucca, in Italy, escape.
Why might not some member of the Florentine Legation
have done the business of a Minister at Lucca ? Might nut an
attache to that Embassy have ridden over the Duchy, and
made his statistical report on it in the for mof a letter ? Nay,
he might have drawn up his Report in a letter to a lady ?
( Hear, and laughter)—and have it presented through the
agency of his fair friend at the next ball given by her Majesty?
lu Switzerland it had been thought necessary to have a report
on the state of manufactures in that country, and a special
mis ion had been sent out for that purpose. Now the Minister
Plenipotentiary had been an old Consul-General, so that the
usual excuse that a diplomatic agent was unfit for the execution
of commercial duties would be of nu avail in that case. The
report had been ma*, but neither the Minister Plenipotentiary
nor the Consul-General had furnished any information. In
France we had a Consul-General with a salary of 1,000/. a
year—a diplomatic establishment costing us 10,000/. a year—
and a consular establishment, consisting of 15 full Consuls,
costing us 4,0001. a year. In 1831 the Government was de-
sirous of obtaining information- as to the manner in which the
public accounts were kept in France. Now of the diplomatic
assents none of the consular body could supply the information.
The Finance Report was made, and it stated that from the
accurate manner in which the public accounts were kept in France
fraud was impossible, every security being taken against mal-
versation. The Government was justified in the course it had
pu"sued, if they had no confidence in the diplomatic body, or
in their consular agents; but possibly the diplomatic and
the consular bodies might not share in the confidence of the
Government as to the perfection of the mode in which pub:ie
accounts were kept in France, and that might account for their
want ofzeal ; and, in justice to those Gentlemen, he should state
that the very day the Report was printed, news arrived in Lon-
don •of the defalcation of M. Capiles, one of the public ac-
countants, who had gone off with something like forty millions
of public money. The consular body in these circumstances
might have some reason for holding back the information. It
was a notorious fac', that when treaties were made, Commis-
sioners were always appointed. In the year 1831 or 1832 two
Commissioners went to Paris for the purpose of making a
treaty, which was to be laid on the table after Easter, but it
was not yet laid on the table of the House, and he sup-
posed it was maturing. With regard to the late change
in the Government, he was glad that the country was
not deprived of the services of •a gentleman whose
labours were attended with such benefit to, the country—he
meant Mr Bulwer—and if the treaty were concluded it would
be owing to him, and his considerable powers of diplomacy.
With regard to the report of the state of the manufactures of
Switzerland no useful information was obtained, in consequence
of the age of the Consul there. The same might be said of Bel-
gium and France. He now came to Austria, where, beside
hi, Excellency and the Secretary of Legation, there was a
variety of unpaid attaches—gentlemen who were learning
their profession—and he did not see how they could be better
employed than in obtaining information on the state of the
manufacturers and artisans in the various countries where they
resided. The House would perhaps allow him to allude for a
moment to the state of our diplomatic establishments in the
countries to which the Zolverein extended. He found that
in the districts in which that union operated we had five
diplomatic establishments, with an expense of 20,000/.
a year. Of all those places, the one in which a man ot
capacity might render the most %pitiable service to his country
was Leipsic. The Noble Viscount opposite had appointed to
the Consulship of that city a Mr. Jacob Hart. Now, if the
Noble Viscount had searched England over, he could not have
found a person more unfitted for the office. He (Mr. D'lsraeli)
did not ask who Mr. Hart was, who had recommended him,
what might have been his relations with the Noble Lord, or
what might have been his original pursuits ; but he would sim-
ply state his belief, that considering everything that appoint-
ment was a disgrace to the Minister who had made it. That,
however, was only a specimen of the consular system ; and in
justice to the Noble Viscount, he felt bound to say that he was
not sure that in some other place a similarly disgraceful appoint-
ment might not have been made, because consular appoint-
ments seemed to be considered as a refuge for the destitute.
All the men of broken reputations were made Consuls.—
(Laughter. ) There was some unfortunate member of a great
family who could do nothing, and therefore he was made a
Consul. Why did the public treat the consular establish-
ment with contempt ? Because, although it cost an immense
sum of money, and if properly conducted might be of great
service to the country, there was no party or faction which
was riot represented by some member of that establishment.
What was there in the stirring streets of Stutgardt, or in the
bustle of Munich, to prevent the Consuls from devoting a few
momenta to the service of their country? Yet what was the
position of the Right Hon. Baronet when he came into power?
The information which he wanted ought to have been found in
the archives of the embassy ; but that information being
wanting, Mr. Meek was sent on a rambling, scampering ex-
pedition for five or six weeks, for the purpose of preparing that
Report which had been laid on the table of the House.
He thought he had now laid before the House the condition of
every country from the Mediterranean to the Baltic, but he
might say more—lie thought he had referred to every country
from the Nile to the Elbe, and he believed there was not a sin-
gle town between these two rivers that had not been visited by
the officers of the late Government. There was only one other
country to which he intended to call the attention of the House,
and that was China, where they had sent an officer to discharge
the duties of Plenipotentiary. The officer to whom he alluded
was Captain Elliot, and when he (Mr. D'lsraeli) said that of-
ficer was not competent to discharge the duties imposed upon
him, he believed no man would say he spoke with any degree
of bitterness against Captain Elliot. It was his (Mr. D'lstaeli's)
opinion that Captain Elliot had failed in discharging his duty,
but the real secret was not so much the inefficiency of Captain
Elliot, as it was the position in which he was placed by the
Government. There was a vacilating power between political
and commercial interests entrusted to him, and he did not know
which of them it was his duty to attend to—it was the divis'on of
duties which brought Captain Elliot into the fatal errors he
had committed. The late Government recal:ed Captain El-
liot as a species of punishment, but what did they do with him
afterwards? They m de him a Consul, they sent him out toTexas
as Consul—( Hear, hear)—he was put in a position of great
difficulty ; but the old official habits of the Noble Lord led to
the re-appointment of the officer who had committed these
errors in China, and amongst the names published in the last
September Dispatch of 1841, containing the names of General
O'Leary and Mr. Fonblanque, was also the name of Captain
Elliot. He thought he had shown the House such facts as
would enable them to form some idea as to how our consular
stablishments were arranged and carried on. There was only
one more point on which he thought it his duty to touch. It
was said. that a Consul must have commercial knowledge.
Consuls formerly had the power of examining the registers and
cargoes of ships; but since the Consular Act of Canning, a
Consul could not examine the register or cargo of a
ship ; he hail not, therefore, the power to examine
ships' papers. In old days, a Consul used to clear a
ship, pay harbour duties, and do a number of other
duties which now they did not perform. That, however, did
not constitute the duties of a Consul, who was a superintendent
of commercial interests. The fact was he performed no com-
mercial duties whatever, though he had to defend the commer-
cial interest in the same way as an Ambassador. There was no
difference.between the duties of a Consul and the duties of an
Ambassador, but the difference of degrees. The plan which
he (Mr. D'lsraeli) prop-wed was, that in every metropolis where
there should be a diplomatic mission, the consular department
should be conducted under one head. Also that every Vice-
Con, el should bear the relation of an attache
to the British Minister in every important place. If the
House adopted this resolution it would be found to operate for
the benefit ofthe country at large. He believed it would be
the commencement of an era that would lead to the foreign
service of this country obtaining a character very different from
the one which it had hitherto maintained.—( Hear, hear.) If
it were carried out, instead of the present imperfect system, we
should see one continuous service, well-regulated. we.l-con-
ducted, well-educated, and the result would conduce to the
honour of the Sovereign and the welfare of her subjects. The
Hon. Member concluded by moving the following resolution—
" That it appears to this House, that great inconvenience and
injury to the public welfare have arisen from the civil affairs of
her Majesty in foreign countries being carried on by two dis-
tinct services ; and that, with a view of advancing those com-
mercial interests which at this moment so much occupy our
consideration, it is expedisnt that measures should be forthwith
taken to blend the consular with the diplomatic body."
Lord C. H ANULTON, in seconding the motion, besought
the House to weigh well the plan proposed by his Hon. Friend.
In his (Lord C. Hamilton's) opinion it was well calculated to
obviatesmainbay,
whichdeep:egrhbosteyiohnnwetgahal
eei
personalities,
itaieNobl
ss
o,oueboontifr:
ithel:l
esaosnraapaykrryee.sbdeshe opposite,netetra
vi‘svlayset, tern.observations
while
oi iw avoid,nui
would he
ehmeuobservationseh indulgea s p oian.
olen
htheewaisppoinintemffieerets.
The subject was one of the utmost importance to the merchants
of England, and every thing that affected their interests waa
the
(mostthe
imanpxeriotaunsee atetefntthioen
subject
jeettheie
aHoeuemse:
wWohrethny of
hereg
mercial, apolitical, and statistical
point of view,
f and the great
advantage that must result to the
countryt a more efficient
diplomatic service existed, he hoped he migh t be allowed to make
a few observations.—(Hear, hear. But before he entered on
the subject, he begged to say that e had no
.apprehension that
would
the
uu
llNdd obmbel eapkrLeeojarueddyappointments
nowai toa t
t thhee headie
public ofn thett interests.
toe
teForeignsgconsular
vinre Department,
the
tisehich
tent of the commercial transactions of the country, the fra
me "-
work of their present consular establishment seemed to himto-
be extremely defective. It was surprising to find hew imper-
fect was the state of our consular establishments. There was
no digest of laws to which consuls could refer or which guide
them in emergencies. There had been certaUly a considerable
re-modelling of the consular body in the time of Mr. Canning.
Merchants had formerly been appo'reed to the offices of consuls ;
but the inconvenience of that system had been felt, and a dif.
cerent system was adopted. Not only were there no rules for
guiding the consuls, but there were actsunayl
engaoumaqionuntagal
nsfitese•l withh
the avti
whom
for assuming the office. It was not necessary that there should
beanyprevwu
language, habits, m
boos,n aienrd c ifael knowledge,
they were to reside. The appointment was arbitrary; it was
commercial
e(the
people
generally conferred upon persons of advanced age, in broken
fortune, who were totally unqualified to eerform efficiently the
duties of their office. Were it otherwise the Government
would not be under the necessity of sending out a person to
collect information; that expense would be saved to the country.
He thought the country bad a right to say that if these Geis-
tlemen were to receive such high salaries they ought to per-
form the duties well which appertained to their office, or if
they did not do that their salaries should be diminished. The
arbitary system of promotion which was observed in the con-
sular establishment naturally tended to prevent young men of
ability and talent from turning their attention to the studies
necessary to fit them for the office of Consul. There were now
170 Consuls in the Establishment, at a coot of 100,000/. a
year, and he thought it would be desirable so to arrange that
those who acted with ability, and who were of service to the
country should be enabled to look forward to promotion.
At present, however, it was notorious that the highest con-
sulships were given to those who had not been brought up so as
to he fitted for the duties required of them. He would now
advert to Mr. Wood, of whom mention had already been made

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY MORNING. MARCH 9, 1842

(Hear, hear.) The same principle which applied to Bogota
applied to the other States—a Charge d'Affaires and a Consul
having been appointed in both. The vacancy created by the
res-guation of the Consul at Bogota had been filled up without
any increase of expense to the country. The Hon Gentleman
avid that the individual he (Lord Palmerston) appointed was
not fit for his office. The Hon. Gentleman had his opinion
upon that subject, and he (Lord Palmerston) had his own
opinion.—( Hear, hear.) He would not have appointed
that gentleman if he had not known that his talents
and qualifications were such as eminently fitted him
for the office, and he was perfectly convinced that the duties
of the office would be most satisfactorily performed by him.—
( Hear, hear.) It was said that he did not understand the
Spanish language. If no gentleman could be appointed as
Consul who did not perfectly understand the language of the
country to which he was to be sent, the pubic would be fre-
quently deprived of the services of many useful officers. A
knowledge of any language could be easily acquired, but,
above all others, the Spanish language was the most simple
and easily acquired by a gentleman of ordinary attainm its;
a d by this time he was sure his Hon. Friend, who he hoped
had before now arrived at Bogota, in spite of t' -e Hon.
Gentleman opposite (Mr. D'lsraeli). was now perfectly
able to speak both Spanish and French —( Laughter. )
However, at Bogota the Consul could not be at a loss for a
Si.anish iuterpreter, because it was qui e clear that several
persons, even amongst the British merchants there, could be
found sufficiently trustworthy to act as interpreters—( Hear,
hear)—so that, in that respect, the Hon. Gentleman must have
been either grossly deceived by the character he had received
of the merchants there, or he had only heard of the first act ot
the drama, and then, when the curtain was drawn up, the
representation was very different. When the curtain was
drawn tip, the Hon. G rifleman found that the Consul-General
was sitting in the discharge of his duties with a very respect
, ble British merchant acting as his interpreter. He ( Lord
P.) controverted the proposition of the Hon. Gentleman.
He denied that he gave consular duties to those who were a;,-
pointed to act as diplomatists, but he thought that
those duties could at least for some years to come be
confined to those who had at present been discharging
them. Then the Hon. Gentleman, following him (Lord P. )
through every region of the earth—( Laughter)—in r very
part of which he had the misfo tune of incurring the Hon.
Gentleman's displeasure and disapprobation—(Laughter)—
the lion. Gentleman next went to Egypt ; there he found a
very respectable gentleman Mr. Parker, who retired very shortly
after he ( Lord P.) came iato office. Col. Campbell, and Col.
Hodges were then appointed, and he ( Lord Palmerston) might
justly say, he was proud of these appointments.--( Hear, hear.)
The Hon. Gentleman said that Colonel Hodges commenced
his career in Portugal ; true it was he did so—he served for
some time in the army which placed Donna Maria
upon the throne, and distinguished himself in that
service, and he (Lord Palmerston) had yet to learn
that intrepidity and great valour, high honour, and such general
conduct as attached a distinguished officer to the men under his
command, were to disqualify such a man from holding a respon-
sible office. Those things should rather have qu ilified him for
the discharge of his duties —( Hear, hear.) Again, the Hon.
Gentleman (Mr. D'lsraeli) was totally misinformed with re-
gard to the affairs of Servia, and he (Lord Palmerston) f It it
his duty to contradict the Hon. Gentleman's assertion, when
he stated that dissensions or convulsions in that country were
fomented by the British Consul there.—( Hear, hear. )
Now he would say that the appointment of Col. Hodges was
one for which he (Lord Palmerston) took some pride to him-
self; and he would add, that the able manner in which he
performed his duties in Egypt led him to send him to Ham-
burgh. They had followed the plan proposed by the Hon.
Member opposite where it could be done, and he thought that
the diplomatic arrangements of Newburgh might well be left
in the hands of those who managed the consular affairs. Now
with regard to Mr. Wood, the Hon. Member said that he had
not performed his duties. The fact was, that Mr. Wood was
not Consul when he first went to Syria, but whilst there he per.
formed services of great importance to the Government in
which he was ergaged. Whether the Hon. Gentleman re-
gi etted the expulsion of the Egyptians from Syria, he (Lord
Palmerston) did not know, but those who did consider that as a
step of good policy, he was sure would acknowledge that Mr.
Wood had rendered great and efficient services to the accom-
plishment of that object. Again, the Hon. Member spoke in
terms, which he (Lord P.) thought might have been spared,
with regard to the Consul at Leipsic. That Consul had some diffe-
rences with some of the local authorities at Leipsic, but he had
reason to believe that those differences were made up ; and
he (Lord Palmerston) would say that Mr. Wood had furnished
them with some most useful statistical information relative to
that place. The Hon. Member then entered into a lung
statement relative to the system pursued by the late Govern-
ment in sending Special Commissions to inquire into and re-
pot ton matters of a statistical nature. He (Lord Palmerston )
must say that he considered that practice must useful and bene-
ficial. It was all very well to say you thave Consuls here and
Ministers there, and attachees at anoher place, and what do
yon want with any other assistance ? He (Lord Palmerston)
was of opinion that they might have good Ministers, good
Consuls, and deserving Attachees, and yet they might not have
that details d information which was fit should be acquired for the
benefit of the Government at home. It was possible the greatest
industry might not acquire necessary information. Oi this
the lion. Member had given them a specimen to-night—he
had made them a speech which showed a good deal of indus-
try in a particular way, and yet he had shown such a la-
mentable want of information as would not enable him to
obtain any support for his motion. But were we the only
people who adopted the course which the Hon. Member con-
demned? They would find that at the time of his ( Lord P.'s)
Hon. Friend's mission to Prussi I, with regard to the Com-
mercial League, France and the United States sent over
similar envoys, though they had at the time most able and
efficient ministers at Berlin. Again, tha French sent Special
Commissioners here to examine and report on our system of
customs. The United States also sent Commissioners to more
than one country in Europe to obtain information with regard
to the Post-office system. If we were wrong, then, we went
wrong in good company. We went wrong in company of the
Right lion. Baronet opposite, and the Governments of France
and the United States; and so far from that being any reflec-
tion on the diplomatic ministers, or the consular
ministers, he thought it was only another proof
of the desire of the Government to obtain the most
accurate information. Again tke Hon. Member was wrong
in thinking that Consuls did not make reports of important
information, both statistical and commercial ; for it was the
duty of every Consul regularly to send home reports of this
kind to the Government; and the Hon. Gentleman was wrong
again when he said that these reports were not read by the
Secretary of State. He (Lord Palmerston) would say that
when he was Secretary of State, he read every report
which arrived, from that furnished by the highest
Consul- General to that sent in by the lowest Assis-
tant- Consul in the service.—( Hear, hear.) It certainly was
very laborious reading, and took up a
.great deal of, time ;
stilt it was a great mistake to imagine that because there was
a Clerk in the foreign-office who was the Superintendent of
the consular branch, that the Secretary of State did not give
the same minute attention to those matters which it was his
duty to give to every point in his office. 'I he Hot.. Member
then thought that it was unnecessary to have sent the person
who was deputed to Naples for the purpose of settling the com-
mercial tariff of the two countries. Speaking of the Minister
of Naples, he (Sir R. Peel) would say that he had always per-
formed his duties with intelligence, integrity, and zeal ; and he
( Lord Palmerston) was one who would not say so if he dill not
think so. The censure of the Hon. Member, then, was mis-
applied ; and it would be, indeed, advisable, if the hon. Mem-
ber would make himself better acquainted with the facts before
he entered into these questions. Mr. Macgregor was sent to
negotiate some alteration in certain clauses in the tariff; he
discussed the question of the treaty, but had gone farther
than he was instructed to do, and the general arrangement
which he had thought should be accepted by her Majesty's Go-
vernment, was one which he (Lord P.) did not think it his
' duty to sanction ;he believed, in consequence, that the treaty had
not to this day been ratified. Again the Hon. Member objected
to the seeding of Mr. Macgregor to Sicily. Her Majesty's
Government having sent Mr. Macgregor out to revise that ta-
riff, and that they might receive the most detailed accounts
from him, which could not be contained in written despatches,
it was his duty to go to Sicily that he might obtain most per-
fect information. He (Lord Palmerston) felt it his duty, in
in justice to the consular body, who had been much censured, and
whom it was the fashion of Gentlemen in that House, who were
wholly ignorant of the matter of which they were treating,
to censure—to say that though there might be some hss per-
fect than others, yet, taking them as a body, there was not a
more able and efficient body in Europe. Ile ( Lord Palmerston)
felt much obliged to them fur their assistance, and he thought
there could be no doubt that they had rendered the greatest
service to the country.—( Hear, hear.) As to the Government
being ill-informed, he would say that, during the time of these
Consuls, the Government of England had been better ,
informed than any other Goverment in the world ; that
might appear a bold assertion, bat he said it most
deilberately.—(llear, hear.) The motion of the Honourable
Member being, he (Lord Palmerston) believed, only an occa-
sia.n on which he might retail the complaints of those hunch eds
of disappointed candidates for consulships against the more
successful candidates, he need not, perhaps, have gone so
much into the matter contained in his speech. He thought,
however, that he had shown that that part of the Hon. Mem-
tier's scheme, which consisted in the very reverse of the words
he had made use of, viz., " giving diplomatic power to consu-
lar had been followed out by the Government
as agents"faras possible. It came across him that there
were two persons whom the Honourable Momber criti-
cised (if whom he (Lord Palmerston) had yet said nothing,
though it was his duty to do so. The Hon. Member said
that we had a Consul-General in Venezuela, but instead of his
residing there he was living at St. Petersburgh, and the
Consul was dying at Liverpool—a very pretty antithesis, but
well suited to the rest of the Hon. Gentlemans' speech. What
was the fact ? The Consul-General having completed a most
important treaty, applied to him (Lord Palmerston)
for leave of absence which he obtained, but said the Hon.
Member' he was living at St. Petersburgh ; perhaps,
he was, because having his family living there, and taking
advantage of Isis leave of absence, he went there.—(Hear.)
He was an able and most valuable public servant ; he had
been a long time at his post, and certainly deserved the
leave of absence which he obtained. But then the Consul
at Puerto Cabello died at Liverpool some time ago, and a
Mr. O'Leary had beev appointed in his p'ace. Mr. O'Leary
was a naturalized subject of America; he spoke the
Spanish language, and by a long residence in that
country .knew something of the people. How could we
think of appointing such a man—one who spoke the
language, and was well acquainted with the country ?
He ( Lord Palmerston) must ask the Hon. Gentleman to give
up his case either against the ConsUl at Bogota or at Puerto
Cabello. He would give him his choice, but he mint give up
one or the other. But who was General O'Leary ? He was a
British subject, though by long residence is South America
he had obtained the privileges of a South American subject.
They were not very difficult to obtain, for, after living
there two years, they gave it to you and said, " you shall be
an American subject." General O'Leary became an Ameri-
can subject, he served with great distinction in the Colombian
army, and he ( Lord Palmerston) was quite sure that he was
perfectly competent to take care of British interests at Puerto
Cabello. And he would now give the Hon. Member a piece of
information, rmation, it was, that this American subject was not acting
a
Consul-General in the room of Sir H. Porter during,
his absence; here then was a double . charge
that this person, who understood their language.
and was well acquainted with the country, should be appointed
to perform the duties of his chief. He (Lord Palmerston),
should not trouble the House much farther, he thought he had
gone through the names of all those whom the Hon. Member
meant to make his victims. If he had omitted any he hoped
the House would judge of them by those whom him had defended.
He could only say that it was fair warfare for Hon. Members
on one side of the House to say what they pleased
against Gentlemen on the other side; and anything personal
against him (Lord Palmerston) he might have urged with any
degree of antitheses, or any point of epigram he chose, because
as •lie Right Hon. Paronet said, though now out of office, he
had aright to defend himself ; hut he thought it not very be-
coming for a Member of that House to draw into the matter per-
sons who had no connexion with the part—persons sensitive of
their character, more so perhaps than lion. Members might
suppose—and whose power of serving their country depended
much on the weight their characters bore.—(Hear, hear.)
He would therefore beg of the Hon. Gentleman that while ha
gave him the fullest permission to turn his steel on himself— ( A
laugh)—while he gave him the amplest liberty to attack him,
he would, in behalf of those who
were serving the country in
official situations, entreat of him to spare their feelings, and
that he would take pains to make himself acquainted with
the facts on the subject before he stated in that House what

13 star departments—he found that in Calais, Paris, Havre, Bou-
logne, Oporto, and many other 'daises, there must be Consuls,
and the men ought to be qualified fot the office. If he was told
that the men were unqualified. he should readily believe the a
Brain's functionary should be employed to watch over the com-
mercial interests in those q 'assess, but how could they unite
the consular body with it ? How could he affirm a resolution
that the consular should be blended with the diplomatic holy ?
!t was a universal unqualifiedproposition. He would take the
ease of a great country such as America, where he could
0.-tow that it was necessary to have a consul where there was no
diplomatic functions. Now, if this was so, how could they
affirm a proposition uniting the consular with the diploreatia
body ? lie took the case of Archangel, ‘l arsaw, and ether
placet, to which the same argument applied; and this was an-
other ground why the House of Commons should not affirm a
proposition that the diplomatic and consular bodies should be
blended. At the same time he should be sorry to oppose a pro-
positi in that in some cases they should be blended. There
were many cases in which, in his opinion, they ought to be
' blended ; and there were many cases in which they were blend-
ed; and he thought that in every ease where they could be
blended, and thus save an additional expense, they ought
to be united. But it was impossible to lay down any
general or universal rule. He thought it should not be
in the discretion of the Executive Government to determine
in what cases those functions ought to be united, but that they
should have the power in particular cases, where those func-
tions could be united ; for he thought it would be a saving of
the public fund,. He could not deny, as was stated by the
Hon. Gentleman, that one situation disqualified the party fur
the other (as we understood). It was important to the mer-
chants and trade of this country that the persons appointed to
the office of Consul should be duly qualified. With regard to
the question of api-ointmint, this subject would be duly con-
sidered, and with respect to the union of the two functions he
could assure the Hon. Member, that when they could take
place they would, and he (Sir It. Peel) was glad to have that
opportunity of making that public advertisement to all those
who might hereafter apply tohim for appointments—(Cheers)—
to say that he would not interfere with consular appointments
upon political grournds,and he took that opportunity of stating this
for the information of all those who had a di:position to apply,
or who expected an aepointment.—( Laughter.) Every ap-
pointment ought to be inquired into and certificated. No
appointment ought to take place except they could be justified
on the grounds of comtnerc al knowledge and fitness of the
party. —( Hear, hear.) This he hoped would be received as
an answer.--(Laughter.) If he could get this thoroughly
known, he should be willing to resign any particular advantage
as a Minister, and consider himself amply compensated in
getting rid of these applicants.—(Cheers and laughter). He
could only state that he was fully conscious of the importance
of these appointments, and so far as he could he would see that
they were given to persons fully acquainted with commercial
affairs. He hoped the Hon Gentleman would not press the
Reuse to affirm a resolution of this kind, as it was contrary
to opinions formed upon the fullest inquiry. He hoped.the
Hon. Gentleman would not press his motion to a division, but
if he did it would be his ( Sir R. Peel's) duty, founded on con-
viction, to give a negative to the proposal.
Lord PALMERSTON said he certainly was anxious that
the Right Hon. Baronet and some other Members of the Go-
vernment should state their view 3 of the proposition made by
the lion. Gentleman the Member for Shrewsbury, because
the speech of the Hon. Member in bringing forward the
motion was ostensibly principally directed to a change in the
establishment in which he (Lord Palmerston) was no longer
responsible. He agreed with the Right Hon. Baronet who had
just sat clown, that no grounds whatever had been shown by
the Hon. Gentleman making this motion for the proposition
which he had submitted to the House. He (Lord Pal-
merston) would say that he never heard a speech which
was so little supported by evidence, and which was more sup-
ported by assertion than by proof, than that by which the
motion had been introduced to the House.—( Hear, hear. )
The Hon. Gentleman had toll them that the subject had occu-
pied his attention for several years; and he had particularly
considered the appointment of Consuls. He (Lord Palmer..
stun) was afraid this was but an unprofitable employment, so
far as enlarging the mind was concerned.—( Hear, hear, and
laughter.) If the Hon Gentleman had taken the trouble to
have studied the written law of nations, or any materials
which would really throw light on the subject, he thought he
would not have made his motion, or if he had made it, his well-
known ingenuity and talent would have advanced better
grounds than those he had laid before the House. That mo-
tion was to transfer the consular duties to the diplomatic
agents; yet if any thing more strongly fixed in his mind more
than 'another, th..t was that one. Consuls had perfot med their'
duties to the satisfaction of all; and yet the lion. Member
came forward with his usual talent and activity with a
new system, which was to unite the consular with
that of the diplomatic body. Upon the entire ques-
tion it was quite manifest that the Honourable Gen-
tleman opposite had brought forward his proposition for the
purpose of enabling him to enter into details and criticisms
upon the appointments which he (Lord Palmerston) had
made. It was true that every man, no matter what posi-
tion he was in, thought himself competent to make a good
Consul—every man, as the It ght Hon. Baronet had said,
whether in the army or navy, or pursuing a mercantile life,
or in legal pursuits, no matter what, he thought his former
course of life fitted him for consular duties. That also would
lead persons to look with a little more caution than they
would otherwise probably have, and when there was a great
number of candidates, several muss be disappointed, and it was
not unlikely that those who had been selected should be the
object of criticism. With regard to the question itself of con-
sular appointments, he was surprised that the Hon. Gentleman
who had turned his attention to it should not see from the
nature of the thing that it was impossible his proposition could
be acted upon. The lion. Gentleman proposed that the Am-
bassador should perform two-fold duties, that there should
be Consuls who should act as Charges d'Affaires, Vice-
Consuls who should be Attaches. It was plain that the
lion. Gentlemen understood very little about the duties of
those offices. The duties of Consuls were in many respects to-
tally different from those of diplomatic agents. he Consul's first
duty applied to the adjustment of all shipping affairs, and to
the settlement of disputes between the crews of our ships and
their masters ; to attend to all complaints made by British
subjects who want to those places for the purposes of trade.
The Consul was charged also with attending to the distress of
British subjects, and to supply them with means to enable
them to return home, and to protect them against the local
authorities. These were the duties which were to be per-
formed by the Consuls, and in their nature they were wholly
different from diplomatic duties. It was true that in places
where there were no ministers, the Consul would have duties
of a diplomatic nature to discharge. It might be said that
then his duties were political, and in some respects that they
were of a diplomatic character. How was it possible
that the Government of this country would permit,
suppose twenty or thirty diplomatic agents from
different foreign countries, to bedispersed throughout this coun-
try ? If the Hon Gentleman's proposition were acted upon,
those agents must be multiplied throughout the country.
Surely the English Government would not permit their allies
to send so many agents to this country—it would be a depar-
ture from international usage. It would either indicate cir-
cumstances calculated to excite suspicion, or it would show an
inconsistency with the arrangements of the country. The
diplomatic agents act by letters given to them by the Govern..
ment who appoint them. They hold their offices during the
pleasure of the Government which sent them out. They act
not only by the letters of credit they had obtained from their
own Government, but also by the exequatur which they ob-
tained from the foreign Government, which might be with-
drawn at any time without any reason being assigned. The
Honourable Gentlemen (Mr. D'lsraeli) had converted all
those Consuls into Charges d'Affaires. In the first
place, the Honourable Gentleman had been totally
in error in attempting to do that, for there was no such thing
as a Charge u'Affaires wkere there was a British Minister, the
co-existence then of a Charge d'Affaires, and of a Minister in
the same place was riot c ,mpatible according to the nature of
the things. But according to the Hon. Gentlemen's pro-
positions there would be 20 or 30 Charges d'Affaires in a place
where there could be no possible communication with the
authorities, and the Hon. Gentleman could invest them with
powers, which they could not possibly exercise. It was plain
then, the plan proposed by the Hon. Gentleman was so incon-
sistent, that if the Hon. Gentleman read the report to which
he had referred, he (Lord Palmerston) was sure he would have
derived much more inf mmation from it titan the Hon.
Gentleman did by watching the appointments made by the late
Government.—(Hear, hear.) It was pet fectly true that there
were many cases—(and the lion. Gentleman felt the difficulty
of it)—ia cases in which the two characters of Consul and
diplomatists were combined; first when there were no diplo-
matist agents to a place, and secondly from motives of economy.
When questions arose upon the local authority, it was the
duty of consular agents to interfere. That was the case with
the consular service. be Hon. Gentleman adverted to the
manner in which those appointments were made. He (Lord
Palmerston) was not then speaking of the Government to
which he belonged, but he wished to state that the Executive
Government had not been inattentive to the general principle
which the Hon. Gentleman wished to be pursued, where that
principle could be pursued consistently with the diplomatic cha-
racter, and that the consular duties could be properly fulfilled
first. The lion. Gentleman said he wished to render a prroper
tribute of approval to the Consuls in the Levant. Ile said
they had rerformrd the duties of their office with satisfaction,
but he (Lo-d Pahnerston) totally disagreed with the observa-
tions of the Hon. Gentleman. He said there were two species of
duties which those Consuls had to perform, their consular
duties and diplomatic duties. The Hon. Gentleman said that
the consular duties were of an inferior kind, and that inferior per-
sons were appointed to discharge them, but that the
diplomatic duties were of a superior kind, and that a superior
class of men were appointed for them. That he (Lord P. ) did
not at all admit.—(Hear, hear.) It was true there existed
a great difference between the nature of both duties. There
was this important distinction between them : upon the dip-
lomatic duties depended peace or war with the country,
whereas, although the other duties were of a serious charac-
ter, those grave questions of peace or war could not directly
arise:; therefore, with regard to the Levant Consuls, he ( Lord
Palmerston) did not see that he need do anything else than
confirm the expression of approbation of the Honourable
Gentleman for the proper discharge of the very mixed
duties, which, under the existing circumstances, they were
called upon to perform.—( Hear, hear.) . Then the Honour-
Hon. Gentleman went to America.--.( Laughter.) He admit-
mitted that in 1831 or:lB32—however, he was not quite cor-
rect as to the dates, because it was not then the arrangements
he alluded to had taken place—but he (Mr. D'lsraeli) said that
many Consuls were then appoipted with the character cf
Charges d'Affaires. Undoubtedly many Consuls were ap-
pointed by him (Lord Palmerston) with the authority or powers
of Charges d'Affaires, but it was in many instances front mo-
tives of economy that was done. In South America it was
quite true that the political interests of this country were con-
' cerned in a minor degree in its commercial relations with that
country, and, consequently, most of the questions which
arose there were of a diplomatic nature ; yet they
had more or less reference to the commercial interest
of the country ; therefore he (Lord Palmerston) did not feel
feel that, with a due regard to the state of South America, it
was of importance to have a diplomatic agent there, and it
was therefore essential to give a diplomatic character to the
Consul-General who had the care of the commercial interests
Of that country.— (Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman was
not exactly lucky in following correctly the facts— ( Hear,
hear)—or from the information which the lion. Gentleman
had received from others with regard to the course which he
( Lord Palmerston) had pursued. The Hon. Gentleman had
said that a Mtn-ester had been first appointed by the late Go-
vernment, and then that Minister had been recalled for the
purpose of giving him ( Lord Palmerston) an opportunity of
appointing some of his political friends.—( Cheers and counter
cheers.) The lion. Gentleman admitted that political adher-
ents should be appointed to offices, but he ( Lord Palmerston)
was very sorry the HOll. Gentleman himself was an exception
to that rule._( Laughter. ) Probably, however, before the
determination of the Ses ion the maxim laid down by the Hon.
Gentleman would be practically carried out in his own per-
son. —( Loud laughter.) Then with regard to Colombia, tine
Hon. Gentleman talked of that as if it still existed as a single
colony ; if the Hon. Gentleman knew anything of passing
events—( Hear, hear)—he must have known the Republic of
Colombia was split several years ago into three different
States, namely, first New Grenada, Venezuela, and Bogota.
The Minister who was at Bogota was allowed to continue. It
was not thought fit to do anything harsh by him, either by re-
calling him from his place or calling upon him to retire upon a
pension.' However, that Minister came home on leave of absence,
and after being home for two years, he then intimated his
wi-h not to return, but, as he was in ill health, that he wished
to retire upots a pension. He was accordingly allowed to_ re-
tate upon a pension, and he was not called home, as the Hon.
Gentleman said, for the purpose of making room for another.

-- - r
w(dthlgo forth to the public and inflict pain, and perhaps
jury, on the public servants of the country.—(Cheero
r. SAIY I'HE said that although it might appal` pr"--4
tuous in him to rise after the statements made lit,
Hight Hon. Baronet and the Noble Lord, he Would II;
the indulgence of the House for a few reonientso
agreed with the Hon. Member who introduced the ID',
that improvement" might be made in the consular
merits, and he had no doubt that, if the consular body relf,e
larger pay, they would be more inclined to attend to the2lil
matron which was expected from them. The Hon. Alera,,A
Bolton might, in such a case, expect an appointment, s''
might exclaim, with the poet :
" Ohl fortnnam natam, me Consule, Romani."
( A laugh.) But he could not give his assent to `the 5A
ing condemnations of his Hon. Friend. The Hon'.
spoke of the appointment of Mr. Wood and the Syrian ems
tion in disparaging terms, but he could not aeree with
that opinion. His lion. Friend al.o spoke of the N°bllirto
count opposite in a manner to which lie ( Mr. S.yeelrie
eive his assent. He thought that Noble Lord had -Per,. ty.
the duties of his office with great ability, and ttlatstil;
t eaty of London he displayed some of that consuninutw
for which his illustrious ancestor, Sir William Tem:P.:de"o isti
es lebrated, who concluded the treaty of Nimeguen
ability in a former period of their history.-41relr' bese
lie (Mr. S.) was of opinion that the consularA 11,
tablishment should be confined within those limitt'ilefi,';;oll
Air. Canning, and he thought that the duties of Consis f tti
not be confided to persons engaged in trade. So°°„„,°oo
C insuls, he believed, were allowed to trade, and et"9'-bgo
wit. The Consul at Venice was refused the liberty',„ctio
was allowed to the C .nsul of Trieste. 'The same di't",ol?
was observed with regard to the Consuls of St. Peterilmithi
anti Odessa. The leading object of the Consuls 'iVag'fortii
been observed, the procuring of commercial information
country; and that being the case, he saw great ohjeetiess of,
exist in the way of affording such information. The im,°' est
Lion was obtained as well for the public as for the Geter",.,,,tV
and it could not be expected—at least it was not Wise
private interest of the Consul as a merchant slionl,''.do;
varianca, as it was, with the information he was obui
afford the public on commercial subjects. A '
engaged in trade was also liable to the aceident
other persons engaged in trade, and he might rott
a bankrupt. And, in his opinion, it was not right thit 100
rests of a great nation should be placed in the haft& • f tl
persons. He threw out the hint for the consideraff9o 'OO
night Hon. Baronet, who might perhaps be induced to is
matter into his sts, ions consideration.
suet?'
Air WILLIAMS rose amid cries of "Oh, oh."
He
not occupy the House for any length of time. Theor
merely to direct the attention of the House to di°, AC/
a Consul at Cracow. Austria, Russia, and Prussia,. 0•",,,J0
suls there, and he believed if the English Government
agent in that place, its occupation by foreign troops !'&10
prevented. He had no doubt that the establishment ol," 401
at Cracow would be considered by the people of Prus",,,,a
071
manifestation of the reeling, towaids that unhappy
of the people of England.
Sir WILLIAM SOMERVILLE•did not rise for toll"
pose of addressing any lengthened observations to the '4Ol
' but there was one subject alluded to by the Hon. Genet
which, in his opinion, did not receive a sufficient ans,
alluded to the unworthy attack made by the Hon. Gel, (Pi
upon the Minister at the Court of the Two Sicilies. R'ogfr .
W. Somerville) in a subordinate situation, had the b°"01/.
serving under that Minister, and he was bound to statjeit)/
better or more able individual was not to be founurd
foreign service of the country.—( Hear, hear.) The it°Pb
which the Hon. Gentleman sought to make, by his, °0144r
tions, on the House was, that the individual had bee° of
by the Noble Viscount (Lord Palmerston) on acconntop"
relationship, and had been placed above others 17,,
count of the affinity which he bore to bir°,lo.:
the fact was, that he was one of the oldest-diplomatic
in the service of the country, and he made his way up
huu.ble post to the high position which he now heirl."; IrrA
hear.) Ile (Sir W. S ) having had the honour toe'
under him, and the pleasure of his friendship, couid„!
down without offering that tribute to him.—(Cheers.) off,,
Mr. WARD said that he was happy to bear his testira 1
what had just fallen from the Hon. Baronet, because b:i011
Ward) was also connected with the Hon. Air. TerePi
buretjl
sear 1816. But he would not have alluded to the of.;
all if the motion of the Hon. Member could have bee
°
by any practical result. The Right Hon. Baronet °lrote;
had given unanswerable reasons why no person
it in its present shape. There was one point to which 11,,ept/
to call the attention of the House, which was, that wr„,oslit,
had a diplomatic establishment in the centre of the
,el:4l'
they should nut encumber it by having a resident Cfaifiro
the capital. The young men attached to the fureigl,6
matic departments might be accustomed to more at;:i?
the commercial intercourse between this country
country in which they resided, by making the corr
of the Consuls pass through their hands. ince °I
America a large. establishment of Consuls-
had been appointed by Mr. Canning, by AID t▪ o
which the country had derived much advantage.
had fallen from the lion. Member for Shrewsbury. of,i
hard to the ignorance of the Consul-General of Bort'sifir,;
language' of the country, it did not appear to him (Alrf•ift
to be at all necessary for the interests of the coun.he
could
such knowledge should be possessed. One of
brilliant diplomatists which this country ever PO's"
meant Lord Heytesbury, was totally unacquainted *;$1•
0.;
panish language when he was at the Court °
hut that did not in the least disqualify him trout heL
useful directions to the Consuls of the country Whic_4esrA
presented. It was always to be supposed that con:01'11i
might be easily carried on through the medium oft 04,
persons, as interpreters ; at the same time it va; ;
desirable that a knowledge of the language be
countries where they were placed should kg.
tamed by persons entrusted with diplonistic„_td,
They could never in this country make diplomacy r,isiopo;
fession as to induce persons to adopt it, as they 47_„,,rse,`,
countries. When one Government in this country °V,
another, they. were obliged to have pets"'
own immediate confidence, and therefore
fori
were placed over the heads of others, ancto
to situations to which they might not be btiefy
titled. He was inclined to think that some goUti °alga.
from the motion of the Hon. Gentleman opposite; '4
Ares ed it to a division, he (Mr. Ward) should feel it his
vote against it.
LABOUCHERE had a few words to say in coot v
what had fallen from the Hon. Gentleman.; The la
vernment had thought it so inexpedient that there'o?)
Minister and a Consul-General resident in a foreigitimetrii
that he believed his Noble Friend (Lord PalmerstoO)
the situation of Consul-General where theree-WItS a
English Minister. This was the case in Paris, Madrid, e;o,
Buenos Ayres, and Naples. He believed there were 07_
_!aces where there was a British Minister, and a CennhoB r),l
also ; but those places were particularly situated. Ham
one of those places, where the extensive nature of their e°
intercourse required an English Consul.
Captain PLUMRIDGE said it was evident that e4l.erY
Consul ought to understand commercial 'business. 0)
was more difficult than that of a captain of an 11 I
war, when called on, as he frequently was, to set IS an
1000
Consul, and to arbitrate between rime captains ,hf do
o
vessels and their crews. The Consuls had no .potier fo d,
and he hoped whoever had the appointment of Consulii :41
them thi, power. thej?
Mr. D'ISR A ELI replied. He said he had to than loci
Viscount for his aspirations for his (Mr. D'lsraeli's)
ferment, and if he had learned any of the secrets of the 1/
count's astonishing career by which he had continued
office with every Government for the last twenty-6;109
( Hear, hear)—he should think the debate had been tlncillt
some advantage. He dissented entirely from the Pr
clues
down by the Noble Viscount, that they were not to 09,,r
personal character of an appointment as Foreign Minister' #t
Government was responsible, and if they' thought a ne
ottj
was appointed was not a proper character, they WI it 110;i
power to question the propriety bT that appointment.
~ be
been his object to enter into personal details; • it b"
bad
could have adduced four times the number of cases he; tolf
but he had not instanced any cases of a personal nattltic
illustrative of the principle he advocated. The I"l°bbe eel /
serted that he wanted knowledge of the subject, Oa!, twig',
have read the Report, and have studied the law or Da
ode
then he would have seen that a Consul requited 1,,:‘ „jet)
But he might venture to say that he hid not erred,as ",.wed
'tor°
Noble Lord himself, nor any other Hon. *ember had tta° j
principle he wished to enforce. He denied that he at'hau'ib 4
character of the Hon. Member for Haddington, and sOated
the Right lion. Baronet, the leader of time Hong.,
that the responsibility of separating the commercial aneapial
tic duties of Consuls was too great, yet no one bad,,d
those duties were. It had been said that they ha" tie/n4
b,tween captains and their crews, and attend to the WI:"
vessels, but these were to some extent diplomatic acts:l
these commercial duties ? What was their comnletels2o 0i
No one had described it. Though the fate of the rn°"- ye'
dent, yet nothing had been elicited during the debate
must tend to advance his view of the question-
The motion was then put and negatived without a diviners
INTERMENT IN CITIES. usilf9,
rflo
Mr. MACKINNON rose to move for a Select Ergs
consider the expediency of framing some Legislative reasce..)l.
(due respect being paid to the rights of the clergY) t",
evils arising from the interment of bodies within the bsl; 4
large towns, or of places densely peopled. He fa'a,. trofsi,
forward the motion of which he had given notice. he the 0,1
should be excused for making a few observations °
under contemplation. He was first induced to bringttoale,"
forward from having been a member of the Select C
ststed)
pointed the Session before last, to inquire into the
lo Pee,
towns, and though the object of the Committee Waithe
the same as the present motion, yet._ d he pp°
incidentally came under their view, "!..!-. bad .001
thought it of such importance that be oot t".
induced to give it his best consideration. Suns
many persons in the City of London, and severs'that
of high character, had mentioned to him their desirc.ioeese,
jeer should laz brought forward. Under these circkl% if he ti t,
fcre, he trusted he should not be thought presurnPtu,uve 00007
vou red to show the House the necessity of the mei'inre, in/we',"
inn to their notice. For many centuries they had kept WOO -f
and corruption within the walls of large sad P
tPhe
.0
while a'most every nation of Europe had adelSe‘l,4_ nett
tached burial-grounds. The object he had in view, I,7.4ingew- tr
Vie sanction of her Majesty's Government, and of the 1;6'000 °
of the Church, and that object was to prevent the incitiess
dead within the walls of large towns and populous
....raptee.,
was possible that such a custom could be so long P's the Y.)
this country, passed his comprehension ; and
would be surprised when he informed them that:.
b.'een obstO
nations of the world a different system of things b ,
The ancient Egyptians had the custom of burm_lietos
f/5
the Greeks adopted the same custom ; and the
,Ite „Twelve
the same practice. It was one of the laws of til'precinc ,
that nobody should be burned or buried within the ,„ be so iirj
town or city. It was impossible for any practice oe
OUR to health as the practice they now observes, ,Ookinf
that, setting aside the custom of the ancients, I: Id 00V/
at the injunctions of the primitive Church, they. °l:vied
•
the early Christians did not allow the dead to n!_it restio!
within their towns, or within the church. The •
Cist4,
was buried within the walls of a church was ....Ifiaaary
.
Now he would come to the point, by quoting
r. "fated, ti
Emperor Constantine, who had been
01 three medicaLmen on this subject. Mr. Oa
of
tih` e deaq
effluvia caused in churches by the decom
o it
°("n Bs
sli
beneath and around was most pernicious to the
ver3,ealth ~,a„trt
tions and inhabitants. The Lance! contained se
was universally admitted to be bad. The heads
01
feeling 10 111°,1.‘,4:
of this troth. In short, the inhumation of bode_t.eh'elturcla,l!
'a rtritegaa' L 4'
the city of London, had communicated this _
thtesero
knew this was the feeling of the public at large, n''
a
c)
felt it his duty to bring forward the subject, convincew_,.„ ye
ed °steel;
rejoia:
BO WRING, in seconding the motion, .0 re. 11
rleeaAdistlhaeturnrea;vo7_ld
(tailkeeari.thueTr.a)nd with these few op
Dr.
country, which was behind every country in Europefine's;
effect:,
had at last taken up this important question. Theislature io h
already resulted horn the interference of the Lee
ts jlo
in France and Spain, and he looked also for the be."
nt forAr
legislative interference here. Government gr •
Mr. WAKLEY was quite grateful to the woo
ce:dreintghatot tnhoe
cemeterymotian. pHroephrioepreodrstshheoullidoub.eGoenntrb.inena.ruodrioitttoPto,
(Hear, hear)—and also that the Committee should..!
„Too. los
heavy charges the poor had to pay iri
heard that in a neighbouring cemetery a poor man
_et, to the •,01
He would give the name of his authority for this s_.*_„o,l4
o monopoly's"
Gentleman. They should take care that n
Wee
front the proposed measure. the,
• 'on that
Sir J. GRAHAM was decidedly of opinion some burr,ri_siroe
ce5,..100:1

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