The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-06-26

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give an answer or not, but le. them say whether
they Will give or withhold the information9
The Marques Of LANsDowSE-Does the noble
lord mean to say that other peer is entitled TO
speak but himselfl The noble lord behind me
Lord Beaumont) has right not only to make
such observations as he may choose, but also TO
ask question as well as the noble lord
LORD BEAUMosT.--I must say that am sur
prsed at the tone adopted by the noble lord oppo-
site, not merely in his recent attempt to prevent
me from making remarks, he has done, on the
duty Of the government, but also at his pressing
his question upon her Majesty government after
the answer he has already received to the question
which was originally put. My noble friend made
answer that the subject was under the considera-
ton of the government, and ! maintain that, in
the present position Of affairs, any other answer
than that would be indisereet; and rose, there
fore, to urge upon my noble friend not To allow
any other answer to be given, because with that
answer maintain il is the duty Of the house to
be content, in the present position of affairs.
LORD BR0UCHAM.--l am not aware that there
was any necessity for the rebuke which the noble
lord opposite has just administered to my noble
friend near me; and am sorry to see he suffers
so much under il, Qaughter;) and further, am
not aware that the duty Of this house is anything
like the duty which my noble friend opposite
seems to think il is--thc duty Of stopping our
inquiries or discussions because we are bound to
rest satisfied with the answer Of the government.
l. for one, am perfectly satisfied with it, because
all the answer that has been given by those men,
oers Of the government who are in the secret is,
that there is no at all, aughter) in short,
think all that my noble friend has said, amounts
only TO roundabout and verbose manner Of say
ing a very simple thing-that he knows absolutely
nothing whatever on the subject CONTINUED
aughter.) But it is subject on which the gov
respect TO it is as plain as A u C--the expedition
8 a piratical expedition, and the men composing
Il are to be treated as pirates. That there are
eight thousand of them, does not make them less
pirates than If there were two--rather that there
are eight thousand Of them, only renders them
more dangerous. We are all agreed as to the
treatment Of piratesust il is the duty of every
person to seize murderer, so it is the duty OF
every State to act against pirates. 1t was upon
hat assumption, that the house approved of the
conduct of Sir James Brooke, in the Indian Seas,
where there were many hundreds of pirates, bur
their numbers did not make them the less pi-
rates.
The Earl Of ABERpEEN.--There is one conside-
ration which makes the question Of my noble
friend perfectly natural in present circumstances.
Il will be in your lordship's recollection that dur
ing the whole preparation Of this expedition we
ish government; and, therefore, il is very natural
for him to inquire whether, not regard to the
affairs Of Spain, but regard to British interests,
has led her Majestys government SO far as to take
the proper steps to cooperate against this piratcal
expedition. If it could be supposed that our
alienation and estrangement from the Spanish
government had rendered her Majesty's govern
ment lukewarm in exercising duty of this sort,
then very grave responsibility will attach to her
Majesty government in consequence.
Earl GREY.-I do not understand the noble and
earned lord representing this delicate question
on this side of the house. Those who heard the
observations Of my noble friend heard him con-
iemn the proceedings of the expedition strongly
rs did the noble and learned lord himself; and he
vent further, and informed your lordships that
he expedition was equally condemned by the
American government. The expedition is un-
loubtedly Of piratical nature but it is differ
,nt thing to state that her Majesty's government
nave had their attention called to the subject, and
hat they are watching the state of affairs in the
West Indies-there is a difference between that
md at once answering the question whether any
and what particular instructions have been given
~ her Majesty's government to the naval COM
nander-in-chef, as to his duty in respect to what
vas going on. Your lordships must be perfectly
ware that to answer this question at the presen!
moment, would obviously be attended with ex-
RENE inconvenience. II is not fitting till accounts
hall have been received from the West Indies,
hat her Maiesty's government, should give my
Information as TO the instructions given to the
naval commander on that station with respect TO
lis interference or non-interference in the matter.
There can be no doubt as to our right to check
iracy; but it is different qnesiy ss to the man
Ter in which we are to exercise that right.
The subject then dropped.
HOUSE OF Commons, June Z, 1850.
Mr.. DIsRAELI wished to ask the noble lord, tho
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whethe,
Her Majesty government had received any infor.
nation relative to the invasion Of Cuba by buc-
.aneering expedition from the United Statesl Also
whether they received, previous To the sailing o
hat expedition, any intimaton Of the probability
# such an enterprise, rom Her Majesty's Minis
er at Washington, or any other of the agents Of
his country Andif so, whether they have felt il
heir duty to communicate the result of such init
nation to the Court of Madrid!
Viscount PALMERsToE said it was well known,
some considerable time ago, that an expedition
vas understood to be preparing in the United
states, for the purpose of making descent OF
cuba; and it was also well known that the Gov
,rnment Of the United States issued proclama-
ion against such an expedition, and took sucl
measures as put an end TO the enterprise for
sime. Her Majesty s government had received a.
despatch, a few days ago, from our representative
At Washington, stating that information had
reached Washington, that suddenly, without the
}nowledge Of the Government Of the Uni ed ates,
IN expedition had sailed from the Southern par
IF the States to make an attack on Cuba. The
irst detachment, supposed to consist OF two
thousand men, sailed, as far as his memory served
about the 9th of last month; and it was said that
turtneT ueldCuilcH', SuppoSeu W o'iiouAAs W oui
or FIVE thousand men, followed some days after
wards The President of the United States, on
the receipt of this intelligence, Immediately des-
patched naval force in search Of the expedition,
o intercept it, and for the purpose Of taking such
measures as might be fitting under the circum-
stances, to carry into effect the friendly intentions
OF the United States towards Spain. As this in
formation only reached her Majesty s government
a few days ago, of course, no communication
could have been made to the Court Of Madrid; but
he Lord Palmerston) had seen the Spanish Min
ister, who reached London yesterday, and had
conveyed to him the information which the gov
eminent had received.
From the London Gazette, june 6.
Trade Of Great Britain.
The Board of Trade returns for the month, and
for four months, ending the 5th Of May, have just
been issued, but the late hour at which they
reached us, prevents our giving in detail, to-day,
more than the tables relative to shipping (Which
will be found in another column,) the tables rela-