Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-03-08

against my country in matter in which it is
at issue with another. Cheers
The honorable and learned gentleman con-
cluded his address with the expression of q
feeling which is entertained by the whole coun-
try-a sense of the cslamities which would
arise from conflict between this country and
the United States No man can feel that more
strongly than do. | will not allow the hon
orable and learned member monopoly Of
those sentiments Cheers.
! will venture to say that those are the feel
ngs OF the people of this country, and that no
American can traverse Great Britain from John
OGroat's house to the Lands-end, nor pass
from the northern to the southern extremity of
Ireland, without finding that there is, on the
part OF every man of information, and of every
man who has the slightest influence upon
others, the most friendly disposition towards
the people OF America. Cheers.
II Is, however, one thing to entertain friendly
sentiments towards neigboring and kindred
people, and another to lose that selfrespect
which IS due to ourselves. Cheers. Under
circumstances like these, it is incumbent upon
those who are charged with the public inte-
rests TO consider, not whether they feel the
most kindly sentiments towards another coun-
try; not whether the interests of the two are
equally bound up in the continuance of friendly
relations-I say equally, because let it be
clearly understood that the interest in the
maintenance of peace is perfectly mutual, and
that if to us war would be distressing and ca
lamitous, it would be equally calamitous and
distressing to the inhabitants of the United
States-but to consider what is the Justice of
the case, and what is right and beftting the
dignity and honor of the country with the in
terests of which they are charged. Hear,
hear.
am convinced that this good disposition is
reciprocated on the other side of the Atlantic,
and in spite Of what we may have seen of
speeches which savored but little of such
feeling, the sentiment Of friendship which pre-
walls in this country is no stranger in the
breasts of our American cousins. Notwith-
standing these ebulltions which have, in my
opinion, tendency to anything rather than the
settlement of differences, hear, hear,l / am
persuaded that there is so much right feeling
in the people of the United States, that they
attain SO much value to the friendship Of the
people Of this great empire, and that they are
SO sensible that the interests Of both are in
separately bound up with the maintenance of
friendly relations between the two, that these
matters Of difference, when they are laid be-
fore the Congress Of the United States, as
they will be before the Parliament of Great
Britain, will receive the calm, disposition
ate and reasonable consideration which is
essential to their amicable settlement, and
which will, trust, prevent any individuals,
either on the one side of the Atlantic or the
other, from plunging the two countries into the
calamities of war. Much cheering.l
Mr.. Disraeli-I have always thought that if
member Of Parliament believed, or supposed
he had reason to believe that our affairs with
foreign countries were not managed in man
ner conducive to the interests, and, above all
things, to the honor of this country, it was his
first duty to call the attention of Parliament to
the subject. Hear, hear.
/ have ever held that if statement were
made by a Minister of the Crown, which a
member of Parliament deemed to be incon-
sistent with certain documents in his own pos
session, it was the imperative duty of such q
member to demand an explanation, and to ask
for the opinion of that House on the question.
Hear, hear. This doctrine is, venture to
submit, a sound one; but cannot think that it
is the duty Of Minister of the Crown. filling
the Office Of the noble lord to taunt ali indie
pendent member Of Parliament with holding a
brief from the enemy, ferries of "Oh"l or to
call 10 question the motive that may have in
duced him to take course which, however
little ! may be disposed to agree with the hon
orabe and learned member for Sheffield, / can
have no doubt that he has adopted in fulfil
| ment Of that which he believes to be the obi
cation of his position. Hear, hear.
lam Of opinion that, under the circumstances
in which we now fnd ourselves with respect to
this question, which so violently agitates the
people and Government Of the United States,
the utmost forbearance and the most cautious
reserve are duties incumbent on this House.
| Thus much ] am willing to concede; yet
cannot say that i am surprised that the hon.
orable and learned member for Sheffield should
have made this motion tonight.
From the very moment that the noble lord at
| the head Of the Government volunteered an
eT parte statement in this House, while affect
ing to answer this question, felt that it was
inevitable that some information should be
| placed before the House TO induce il TO suspend
its judgment, and to refrain from sanctioning
the conclusions which, with some uniairness,
and With great indiscretion, and in manner
and spirit most premature the noble lord at.
tempted to make it adopt, before it was in pos
session Of the documents which alone, could
enable II 10 arrive at correct and deliberate
decision. Hear, hear.
Nor can think that the tone Of the noble
lord tonight will, in any degree, compensate
for the indiscretion Of which he was guilty in
making that er pdrte statement the other even
| ing. He talks Of danger Of trifing with the
feelings Of the two great nations. Is the model
Of the discussion to be taken from the speech Of
the noble lord, who more than hints-who,
indeed, intimates 10 this House that there has
been a conspiracy on the part Of the Govern
ment Of the United States TO entrap? Loud
cries Of "No, mol"
can only say that such was the impression
] received from the statement Of the noble
lord. Renewed cries Of "nor That was
what collected from his words but, if be
mistaken, what, let me ask, was his meaning?
| Lord Palmerston; | stated that which be-
lieve to be the fact--that there was n certain
number Of persons, not connected with the
American Government, who entered into a
conspiracy to entrap the officers and agents Of
the British Government into the commission
Of acts contrary to the laws Of the United
/ States.
Mr.. Disraeli: am willing to accept the ex.
PLANTATION Of the noble lord; but the inference
| from the statement he now offers appears to be
that the circumstances to which he refers we're
really too trihiug and indifferent 10 be brought
1 before the Houaa thia avanin0 Hear haar