Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-04-24

was morally tmpOSSlDIG stnat TWO Sucn nations
AZ England and America should embroil them:
selves for comparatively worthless territory.
and he should conclude by moving for the cor.
respondence, and by asking what course the
Government intended to pursue 10 the event
cf the Senate concuIring in the twelve months
notice.
The E,rl Of Aberdeen (~ho was at times
almost inaudiblr) said My lords, in the very
delicate and difficult position in which am
placed. il might, perhaps. appear natural that
! I should have viewed with some degree of
! hesitation the notice which my noble friend
gave yesterday. But, ny lords, however
much this might, under ordinary circumslan-
ces, have been the case, felt certain, in the
case Of my noble fIiend. that his sense Of pub
lie duty. and his Intimate knowledge Of the
great interest at stake, would prevent him
from adding anything to the difficulties with
which the question is already surrounded:
and at the same time that his own feeling
would indlspose him to make his motion the
subject Of any embarrassment. Ny expecta.
ton has been fully realized Dy the speech which
my noble friend has made. (Heal, heal
My lords, think that the desire expressed by
my noble friend is quite natural and Reasonable.
| think. when we are receiving, from time 10
time, from the United States, information and
documents Of the highest interest and impor-
lance, affecti g US in the manner in which these
transactions do, it lis quite natural that your
lordships and the public should desire TO re-
ceive from the Government of this country au-
thentc information as to those transactions,
accompanied by such other information as il
may be safe and proper TO give. | therefore
think have no valid reason for objecting to
the production Of those papers for which my
noble friend has moved; especially AZ great
portion Of them must be already known to
your lordships and the public. But ] must
reserve TO myself the discretion of. for the pre-.
sent, suppressing a large portion of the cor.
respondencs which has taken place between
her Majesty's minister in the United States
and myself. the production Of which. at This
time. wonId be injurious TO the public inter-
ests. (Hear.) My loids. Twill say further,
that should not be disposed voluntarily to
! lay on the table any such information. In the
first place, it is quite unusual, in the midstot
negotiation Of this magnitude, without any
special objec, in view, to produce to Parlls-
ment accounts of the particular position we
may. for the time being. find ourselves in.-
! (Hear.) IL is true that the Government Of the
United States has acted differently. but their
situation is different from ours. The execu-
tive government Of the United States had to
call on the legislature 10 take direct course
on this subject. The President Of the United
States proposed to the American Legislature
certain measure. to which he required their
assent; and, Of course. he was under the ne
cessity Of furnishing them with the materials
on which to form an, opinion in coming to- a
decision on question Of snch Importance
Blu: that is not our case. Her NJ +jesty's GO
vernmen; have no intention of calling on Par
lament at this moment for any opinion, nor
do understand that it is the intention OF my
noble friend. or Of any other member OF this
house, to call on Parliament at present to pro-
nounce an opinion. These circumstances
q therefore, would have indisposed me from
voluntarily LAYING on the table information at
this moment. Another reason also would pre-
vent me from voluntarily coming down with
any such information TO the house. l must
admit that from the aspect of the negotiation,
as reported in the papers which have been
: produced In the United States, and which
am 10 condition to produce to your lordshlps,
an inference might fairly be drawn not favor
able TO the result Of the negotiation in which
We are engage d-thpy WI uld he calculated to
induce us to augur favorably of the result
For this reason. therefore, should have wish
n ed not voluntarily to submit to the house. IT
S such a stage Of the negotiation as thatto which
y. we have now arrived, communications which
:, are calculated TO produce sdch an opinion
y (Hedr.) Nevertheless, il ismy decided oPIn'
$ ion, that such an opinion would he nnwa'ran
:. ted. cannot bring myself TO believe. my
lords however the effect produced by the pa
pers have referred to might be, IS have
i'd cannot. | repeat, hiring myself to be-
! leve that any reasonable doubt remains OF on
-" y being able to bring this matter toa sat'sfacto
\ I III
: nf the sincere desire Of both Governments Il
- :. arrive at the result; and hope that my no
&c BILE friend will not think me gnlty Of any I'M
e courteous conduct, if decline to inform hin
of the steps which. in the present juncture %
affairs, her Maies,y's Government. may thlnI
=, proper to take in pursuit Of the negotlatlon.-
" He may look on it that. believing, as do
=, that war is the greatest calamity that can be
. fall nation. and the greatest crime general,
:" that nation can committeeman. hear,)-h
y. may rely that every effort consistent with TIN
national honor will be employed to avert II
20 20 lie; r. hear.) My lords, will not lay CLAIM
" to your indulgence beyond what ain falrI
-, enlitI. to; but if | might without presump
~ ton add the expression of an opinion. il wou
~ be, that you xouId believe that the conduct g
~ this great transaction will he forbearing, con
- cilatory, moderate, and just, without any sac
~ rifce Of honor, or the real interests of tn
n, country. [Hear.) But, my lords, on tn
~ other hand, it is certainly possible (though
=, :. would reject the no,ion) that all our effor:
~ may be unavailing. In that case ] can onl
~ ~ say, that it will be my endeavour not only ;,
~ secure the support and continuance of every on
- of your lordships. but the sympathy and al
probation also of every state in Europe, an
of the whole civilized world. (Hear, hear. J.
-, L. Co
haps, not expect me to 90 further into tie sui
8 iect at present, and | will conclude the fp'
words which have thought it necessary
Ia Ii l.. HI