The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-08-31 00:00:00

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HOUSE OF LORDS.—TuttsnAy
The House of Lords did not sit to-day.

HOUSE OF CO.MIVIONS.—TIIURSDAY.
Mr. ROEBUCK said that seeing the noble lord the Foreigt
Secretary in his place, he wished to ask a question relating
to the detention of Mr. M'Leod by the American govern.
Went. It was known that the reason of Mr. M'Leod',
detention was in consequence of the part he had taken in th,
affair of the Caroline steamer. He begged the house to re
collect that after M`Leod had been arrested a communica
Lion was opened between Mr. Fox and Mr. Forsyth.
wished, therefore, to know if, as there had been an alteratim
had taken place it
to .Mr. M•Leod':

in the American government, any than;
the situation and state of affairs relatir

case? In short, he wished to know what communicatioi
had taken place between her majesty's government and tha
of the .linited States on the subject. He wished to hea
what reasons- the noble lord could offer to justify the reten
tion of Mr. M'Leod.

Lord PALMERSTON considered it was very irregular to
preface questions lion. members might put to the government
with arguments likely to lead to a debate. He had no ob-
jection to state that her Majesty's government bad done
everything in their power to preserve the honour of this
country, and protect the safety of a subject—(hear)—and he
. _

had the satisfaction of being -able to inform the house, that
the government of the United States had given instructions to
the Attorney General to proceed in a manner perfectly in ac-
cordance with the law of nations. The noble lord then read
the correspondence which had taken place between Mr. Fox,
the British Minister, Mr. Webster, and Mr. Forsyth. Her
Majesty's government entirely approved of the conduct of
Mr. Fox, and they were decidedly of opinion that the attack
on the Caroline was in consequence of the order of the
government, carried into effect by military officers of the
government, and in all respects must be treated a public and
not a private act. (Hear.) The attack on the Caroline was
a national act, and raised a question between nations whether
an individual could be brought before the ordinary tribunals
of the country under such circumstances. The noble lord
then referred to several authorities regarding international
rights and privileges. The hon. member said on the outset
of the affair a special ambassador ought to have been sent to
the United States ; he did not think so ; it was better to
leave the question to the good sense and justice of that coun-
try; audit would now be better not to enter into any spe-
culation as to what the future conduct of America might be.
(Hear.)
In answer to a question by Sir C. NAPIER,

Lord PALM ERS'TON said'he had received a letter from
Lord Ponsonhy, informing him that the government of the
Sublime Porte bad agreed- to make good all the losses in-

of Acre

rued debate on the address was resumed by Lord
ho contended that the late Parliament bad not

been dissolved upon the question of the import duties, but
rather upon the want of confidence in.the . general policy of
the ministers of the country. lie thought they were not
justified in going into the discussion of the measures pro-
posed by the government, until the verdict of the last Parlia-
ment, as to their want of confidence in ministers, was sane-

tioned or otherwise, by the present [louse of Commons ; un-
til that verdict was decided upon, and if sanctioned until a
change of ministry should take place, he thought they would
be doing their duty to their constituents by refusing to con-
sider any of these questions. For these reasons he should
cote for the amendment.

Mr. M. GIBSON, in supporting the address, said that so