Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-03-11
Great Britain.

The following important conversation took
place in the House of Lords on the evening of
February II. The discussion was commenced
by Lord Clanrcarde, who assailed the Ministry
Lord Clarendon replied:
Their lordships would not expect him to follow
and expose all the fallacies of his noble friend
but, with respect to Prince Menschikoff's miss
ion he was bound To repeat that the Government
had acted as it had done because it could not dis
believe the solemn assurances put forth by Rus
sa; and so far from there having been dssen-
sions on this point between France and England
tho two Governments had acted on the occasion
in perfect harmony lie was happy, too, to be
able To agree with him in all he had said in
praise of Lord Stratford, whose ability and de-
yotion it was impossible TO oyerrate.
Lord Clanrcardo had besides insisted on know
ing whether we were Mt peace or war, though
their lordships well know that this was a ques-
ton which 1T was impossible to answer We
were neither ut war nor were we at peace, but in
that intermediate state when our desire for peace
just as strong aud sincere rs ever. though
our expectations of maintaining it were gradual
ly dwindling away. The noble lord then enter
ed at length into the line of policy pursued by
the English and French Governments after the
massacre at Smopc, we'll Us into the circum-
stances which had TRANSFERRED respecting Count
Orlot's mission TO Austria and Prussia, both
which Governments had, he believed, returned
an answer becoming Independent nations. lie
also praised the admirable discretion displayed
by the people of England during a period Of great
excitement and concluded by declaring that if
war were forced on England, she would respond
to the call to arms III II manner worthy of her
ancient renown, we'll as of the fame of those
allies who would now, for the first time be rapg-
ed in battle by her side.
Lord Ellesmere hoped that any force des-
patched to the seat of war in the East would not
be subjected to diplomatic control While saw
ing this, however, he entirely eoncurred in the
opinion expressed as to the great ability of Lord
Stanford
Lord Malmesbury could not refrain from re-
marking that the publication of the answer to
Count Nesserode's circular would. if it had been
produced when he moved for it last session
have been attended with great advantage to the
public service.
Earl Grey considered that one great fault of
the present Government was, that they had ever
been drawn into this war ut all, inasmuch as he
saw no reason or proyoeation why we should
hive intertered in the way we had in the dispute
between Russia and the Ottoman empire, He saw
no reason to support the Turks, whom he looked
upon as little better than horde of barbarinns
who had oppressed for the last four centuries the
population over which they had control. As to
saying that the character of the Turks had inn
proved OF late years, he believed nothing of the
Niho "iiu ho NohN'hutu llluI III never could
prove so long as Turks remained Mahomedans ::
and neither the property nor lives of Christians
y ere safe in their dominions
The Earl of Derby said that Lord Aberdeen.
after the many reproaches he had received on ao-
count of his peace policy, must feel a strange
KIND OF pleasure at finding Lord Grey accusing
hun OF being precipitately hostile. He could not
understand the supporters of Government in
many OF their statements that night, iMsmuch
as some said we were not at war, others we were
at peace, and others, again,we were not neutral
lie should like to know what, then, was our po-
siuon win large fleet going to the Baltic,
another in the Black 5, a. and ali the worlike nra
paratlons at home, il looked very like war Such
being cur position. nothing could be worse than
ahesltating and uncertain course.
Had Government, iustea2 Of going on oompl;-
menting Russiaprotested against her aggression.