The Sun.
London, England, 1816-05-22 00:00:00

lONIAN ISLANDA.

Sir CHARLES Motse. rose to submit his pro-
mised
motion with respect to the lonian
The floe. Barinlet detailed the circumstances iii
which these islands had been placed at different
times in the course of the war. Ile particularly
dwelt spout the establishment of the independetice
of the lonian Repel)lic, ender the guarantee of
Russia and the Porte, atter the first expulsion of
the French from those islands, and the acknow=
ledgement of that independence by this country
apt France upon he Pea.ce of AftlieHS. lie also
disenhsed the conduct of this country towards
those Islands, upon taking pnesese;ik of them al-.
ter the last expulsion of the French. That pos-
session, it appeared front the dispatch °Mord Col-
lingwoml and the proclamation of Our officers, was
avowedly taken, with ai view to maintain the inde-
pendence of the Septinsular Republic. Yet after all
those pledges which bound the honour of this cottn-
try, what wee the conduct of the Noble Lord (Cas-
tlereagh) at the Congress of Vienna with respect to
the lonien Islands I Did he there press, as it was
his duty, the guarantee of Russia, and the ,tic-
knowledgment of that independence by this coml.'
try and France ?—Had the Noble Lord no recol-
lection whatever of the proclamation and, pro-
mises of our (Ahem to those Islands, upon -taking
possession of them I Surely principle and national
homier ought. ,not to be disregarded upon this
subject; and on the score of principle the lonian
Islam's had strong chin's upon the honour of our
Government, as well as upon that of the .ot her
great Powers to which he• had referred. Here
the llonourAble Baronet adverted to the con-
duct of the. Commissioners sent to the lonian.
Islands, under the Treaty by which these Islands
were *ceded to this. country. Among other
things provided by that Treaty, the Commissioners
were empowered to direct all the proceedings, a
regulation which placed the lonian Islands in a
state of thraldom, to which even our West India
possessions were not subjected; yet, that was
what was called national independence. We alto
claimed the right of garrisoning all' the fortresses,
and commanding the troops; bat it was in 'vale
to possess the fortresses of a country, unless the
hearts of the people were also possessed. The
Honourable Baronet then animadverted upon the
oppressive conduct of the Provisional. Govern-
ment, and concluded by moving fOr the :appoint-
teem of a Committee to inquire into the present
political state of,the Cooitto Islands, and to report,
their opinion Iller4oll.
Mr. L. FOSTER bore testimony, from personal
experience, to the character.orthe inhebitents of
the lonian Islands : he had - been among them.
and be perfectly concurred in all that bad fallen
front the lion, garonet. With, respect to the in-
dependence which they bad a right to expect, he
apprehended the whole course of their history,
trom,the earliest periods, would prove that their
present condition was highly favourable to them.
For many centuries they were•under the dothinion',
of Venice, but at the breaking out of the French
Revolution, emissaries of Jaenbinism were seat
among -them, and were but too successful in the
objects of their mission. The ineabitants warmly
and enthusiastically entered into all the preposte-
rous doctrines of the Rights of Man, anti the con-
sequence was a:civil war hetween'the Aristocracy
and the Democracy. In that State they con-
tinued nearly till the conclusion Of the Peace of
Andens ; and it was a relnarkable fact, that *bola
a year before the Signing of that Treaty, the island
of Zante had determiued to send a deputation to
this country to make an offer of placing itself un-
der our protection. It so happened that an Eng-
lisk °dicer was at that time upon his travels, or
rather his adventures, in that part of the world,
and seizing the opportunity, he eepresented
him-
self as being sent opt by the British GoVeretneut,
to :fulfil the Wishes of those islanders. Accord-
ingly, he took possession of the island, and
performed every function of a goOd Governor,
except in not communicating With this country,
for the space of eleven months. At the end of that.'
time be fourui it prudent to abdicate his authority,
in consequence of the appearance of a combined
Russian and Turkish fleet off the islands. The Peace.
of Amiens followed ; and by that compact the in-
tegrity of the 'lonian Islands was gertrAnteed, lie
(Mr. F.j•happened to be there at the dale,. and'
Witnessed the joy'and exultation manifested by,
the people, whet* they heard that they were hide-
pendent. After the minute of the peace, the-
events of the war which fellowed placed those
islands ender the doininion of Russia, who .subse-,
quently transferred them to France, and in' which
condition they remained until we obtained poises-
Sion of them by the,rights of conquest., He should
be glad to know, therefore, wheCclaim they'hatl to
a greater share of freedont,than they now possess-
ed. The truth-sees, they hid ins taste for More :
they had, indeed, never enjoyed so much in any
former period of their history. He believed it its ould
proVe, a most, fatal gift, because. they were not
able, to protect themselves, and would be exposed
to that calamity which most of ail they dreaded,
falling under the yoke .of Turkey. It was not to
supposed they would prefer the feeble security.
of a gnatantee by treaty, to the stronger one of
being actuall.y under the protection of a powerful
country.-- The only question therefore was, what
country, they would select. Russia and France
they had_tried, and he would venture to affirm
they had no wish to belong again to either ; while,
on the contrary, - he believed they were most
anxious to place themselves Under our protection.
It was certainly their interest to be placed muter
a Government where-the civil authority prevailed,
rather than under one which ruled by military'
force. He had no doubt, if a and libctal

cours-e of policy were pursued, the inhabitants of
those islands would become the most attached
subjects of the British Empire.
Sir C. 11,1oNcic briefly replied, when the motion
was negatived without a division.