Star.
London, England, 1830-02-09 00:00:00

?'IT:t of his being co eieec.r•', A. Government contractor.—To be
I kin into consideration on Thursday, the 45tb of February.

LAW Or 1.1.112 L.
Vr. O'CONNELL gave notice that be would, on Monday,
Webruary IS, more for leave to •bring ig a bill declaring that the
obtication of truth is nor, and shall nut be considered, a libel.

COAL TRAPt. '
Mr. DENISON brought up the report of the House of Lords
.11 :he subject of the coal trade.—Laid on the table.

MEXICO.
Sir R. WILSON 'said he rose to call the attention of the House
ror a few minutes to a subject of considerable importance which
had been incidentally discussed the other evening; he alluded to
c.ir present relations with Mexico. It was well known that a few
veers ago 'a strong force was assembled at Cartbagena and Porto
Rico, which produced considerable expense and alarm to the Re-
public, and not a little to the commercial interests in this country.
nho had millions of property awaiting the result of the invasion
which was meditated by Spain. TheiWzicansthreatened Cuba with
a Emig force, arid information to that effect reaching Mr. Canning,
he sent fie Mr. I lurtado, the envoy here. and told him it was his
duty to state, that England would not permit any attack upon Cube
on the part of the republics of Colombia and of Mexico, inasmuch
as each an attempt might excite a negro insurrection there, and
probably extend itself to our West India Colonies. This declara-
tion of Mr. Canning was conveyed to the governments of the two
republic., and was acquiesced In by Bolivar. They dispersed their
forces wish the hope that, having acted in conformity with the
views of the British Government, no prejudice win& exist against
their resisting any attack which_ might be made against them by
Spin. Mexico and Colombia both suffered severely by being
obliged to keep up a large naval force ; they were partly obliged
to abandon it ; and they made application to the British Go.
vernment to be protected against any attacks upon the. part of
the mother country. They asked, at all events, that they should
he strictly neutral, and preserved from any attack which might be
directed against them from Cuba. This occurred in 1827, and re-
clamation. were made to this governmeptohowing the evibwhich
would be inflicted upon the republic if an attack from Cuba were
permitted. A further application totbis effect was made, when
Barradas was at Cuba, and about to land on Mexico, where be
imagined that the sight of the Spanish banner would soon find ranged
tinder it the Mexican population. He landed, and soon discovered
that this illusiun had ceased, and that they disliked the Spanish
yoke; but though they defeated Barradas, stiU they were in no
small degree of anxiety as to future attacks, for so far was Spain
from abandoning the attempt, that she was forming another
expedition, and that expedition was to sail from Cuba. It was,
there fore, now but fair • that Mexico should know what our policy
towards her was in this respect, and that the British property em-
barked in that country should not be liable to confiscation or de-
struction. Wheu Laborde put to sea, a report prevailed that an
insurrection had taken place in Columbia; he hovered off her coast
for about forty days, but finding the insurrection net so bad as he
was led to expect, he returned to Porto Rico. During these tran-
sactions the province of Venezuela was obliged to keep up a force
tor self-defence, which had the effect of preventing the Mexican
bond-holders from receiving their dividends last November.
(Hear, hear.) Again he begged to eaU the attention of the right
honourable gentleman, and of the house to the state of Mexico,
as it regarded the advantages held out to England by the early
acquirement of the precious metals, the produce of her
mines; advantages which had been so forcibly recommended to
their attention on a former night by the right hon. member for Li-
verpool. He would state facts which had been verified as relating
to one article of trad: with this country, employed in working the
mines of South America. In 1827 and 1828, there was consumed
in the mines of Mexico only, quicksilver imported from this
country to the following amount :—ln 1827, the quantity ex-
ported was 379,579 (ounces, we believe ;) in 1828, it
was 661,325 ; and in the months of December, January,
and February, 1829-30, the exportation gave a proportion of
1,310,400 for the year. (Hear.) Could there be a greater proof
than this of the advantages to be derived by the commerce
and manufacturers of this country, front protecting Mexico
against foreign interference, which interrupted her industry, and
distracted the progress of her internal improvement? In 1827 and
28, the quicksilver exported front this money was worth from 45
to 55 dollars in Mexico, whereas such was the increase In the de-
mand and the price, that it appeared from intelligence received by
the last packet that some bad now sold for 80 and 85. These were
positive advantages to our interest, but it was not on that account
alone that he wished the influence of the Government to
be used in preserving the peace and tranquillity of the South
American States. He desired that this country should nut
be accused of acting with a partiality which degraded her,
and of abusing the power which she possessed over the
welfare of these States. The questions he had to put to the right hon.
gentleman were these—first, whether any prohibition, restraining
Mexico and Colombia from attacking Cuba and Porto Rico, was
intended to be maintained by this Government? And if so, whe-
ther the same restraint would not be hereafter imposed upon Spain
as far as Cuba and Porto Rico were concerned ; that was, whe-
ther those places should not be considered as neutral countries,
from which no attacks should be prepared or made upon
Mexico or Columbia? If such a prohibition had formerly
existed against any hostile operations on the part of Mexico, he
wished to know whether it would not now be considered in the
nature of a dropped order in that house, and that Mexico would
be at liberty, in the case of any further hostile interference from
Spain, to Invade Cuba, as long es she observed the obligation and
acted according to the laws of war ?
Mr. Secretary PEEL could assure the hon. gentleman that
on this, as upon every other occasion, it was his desire to answer
any question put to his majesty's government in that house
respecting the foreign policy of the country. as frankly and as
clearly as was consistent with the general interests of the state.
But he felt these questions to involve a point of such deep im-
portance, that the house would excuse him if he did not content
himself with giving a simple answer to the questions of the bon.
gentleman, but entered into a short explanation of the facts, and of
the intentions and policy of the government. W hen a noble friend of
his on a former night put a question to him upon the same subject,
he answered it upon the strength of his recollection ; and if he bad
then fallen into any mistake as to the occurrences which had been ries
hired to, he was sure the house would readily have pardoned him
when they considered that seven or eight years had intervened sines
• they took place. But in the interval since that dismission be had re-
ferred to the documents, and found that his recollection. upon all the
Substantial points had been correct. He then stated his impres-
sion of the facts to be, that in the year 1825, Mr. Canning,
then being Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, made a public
declaration that England would not resist any attempt made
by Spain to re-establish her power and authority over her re-
volted colonies. At the same time, Mr. Canning declared that
England would not recognise the right of any other foreign Power
to ally herself to Spain, for the purpose of aiding her in such
an ettempt ; but that if it were made by the Mother Country,
and by her own resources, then that this Government would not
interfere, but obser ye a strict neutrality between the contending
parties. His noble friend had said that something more was added,
about the difficulty of maintaining a. strict neutrality ; and it had
been further asserted that Mr. Canning prohibited any counter
attempt upon Cuba on the part of the South American States. His
answer to that was, that if 'any prohlbidun was issued by Mr.
Camping, prohibiting Mexico front attacking Cuba, he was con-
, fideendlat it had been made upon some peculiar ground, in-
vutsingeperhaps the common interests of humanity, or some par-
ticular and :paramount interest Of this country. Upon examin-
_

ing the records of these traosserbmB he found that his view of
of Mr. Canning's motives had Inv the •tvue one. In the notes
of a Conference betireen Mr. Carining and the Prince de
P.lviac, which took place on the 9th of October, 1823, he found
that Mr. Canning made tlita imporient• deetaraton,"_ Tbst the
British Government would not only abstain from interfedng to
prevent Spain from resorting to any negociations for the re-
covery of her colonies, but email std her in such negotiations •
and in any case be strictly nentinieesan if war should be resorted
• to by Spain-herself. But that, if Spain should form a junction
with any other foreign power .who Jshould aid her in the war,
dam that the British goiertinient would consider another case
• to have wait'', and h. constatt-'would be influenced by other
v.eas." This was the ground taken by Mr. Canning, and be
referred with pleasure to another. partof the document. In which
the Prince de Polignac, on the part of France, disclaimed in any
case the intention of joining in hostile measures against the South
American Colonies. Thus far the declarations of Mr. Canning on
the question were in their possession. He had no recollection of
any others, and there was nu record of any such prohibition as that
which bad been alluded to. If any such bad been made, the pro-
bability , was, that le:hail been verbal, and of this he was certain
—that it was made as an exception to the genetal rule, and jus-
tified by some peculiar considerations growing out of the circum-
stances of the case; either relafing to the, common interest of hu-
es he had said before, or to sonic paramount considera-
tions of State. He bad said that there was no record of. the
act, or of the miniyes which dictated it ; but if Mr. Genies
did make such arprolubition, he should think it rather referred
to the manner in which the air was likely' to be carried on.—
This he was bound to 'state in justice to the memory of Mr.
Centring , so strongly did he feel the desire of promoting the tran-
quillity of the §quth Ames Lan Colonies—so anxious was he to pre-
• ' vent the revival 'or the opening oil fresh Iseitillties between them apd
the Mother Cdnetry, that in the year 1824, just previous to our
recognition of their independence, be offered Spain to guarantee
to her possession of Cuba, upon condition of her entering into
••• negotiations, the basis of which old be, that their independence
should be formally recognised, (Hear, hear, bear.) lf, there-