Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-07-16
The Bombardment of Greytown-
Debate in the British Parlia-

OCudtC III tuc DllOlSu dIlid-
ment.
the last arrival from Great Britain
brought the psrticu ars OF an nteres ing de
bate in Parliament, respecting the Gray
town bombsrdm mt. We give an extract 1
1t below:
Lord C. Hamilton rose to ask what steps
her Majesty. Government had taken to OBJ
tain compensation iur 'hs British subjects re-
siding at Gray,own, whose property was
destroyed when that to was bomha ded in
1854; and ii it would lay upon the table o.
the House, copies OF the communications
that had taken p ace on the subject with the
G vernmeDt of the United States.
Wise uni Pa!merston said he was bound
to say tnat The transaction &as one which
must be charucteriz az ry violent and
cruel proceeding 1t was e., however auth,r-
Ized by The United States, though whether
they meant it 10 be carried out with such
severity as took place, or whether the Off
ce:s. (~ho, he brleved, was distinguished
and honorable officer in the United States
srrvice) mistook his instructions, he could
not say; but he was bound to state that the
severity which was tx x-rcised reflected no
credit on The Government which ordered or
on the ufficer which executed it. Hear,
hear.) But the question which her Maje,-
tvs Government had to consider was the
International law which bore upon the
point. Now it was an unquestionlble prin-
eli nt int al hat hon
government deemed it right to exercise acts
of hostility agains, any par, Of the territory
OF another power the subjects OF citizens ,
a third power who might happen to be resi-
dent in the place so attach ed, had no claim
whatever upon the Government which in
The exercise of its natural rights Committed
those ac's of hostility.
Her Majesiy's government had therefore
been advised (and he thought rightly that
British subjects has no ground upon which a
claim could be made upon the government
of the United States for compensation for
the injuries which they had suffered in that
attack upon Greytown. They might think
that that attack was not justified by the
cause which was assigned for it,; u; We had
no right, D. an independent state, to judge
Of the motives which might have a,tuatrd
another independent state to assert ri-hts
or to vindicacate injuries which its citiz-ns
or subjects might have been supposed t.
have sustained! There vas nothing too. in
the relation between Great Britain and
Greytown which gave US an exceptional
right to interfere.
Lord Lavaine said The nuble V;scount
might be rIgh, in the legal exposition he had
given of this Greytown case; but It was the
first time in the history of civilization that
one nation should suddenly attack and des-
troy the property of another, with which it
was at the time in state of profound peace.
At that time the attack was made on the
house of the English Consul the British flag
was e, ing. and the house as destroyed
with the perfect knowledge that it was
under the protection of the flag. (Hesr,
hear) Certainly, the language of the Gov
ernment in this matter was very different
from that they had held with reference to
the Chinese dispute. (Hesr, hesr.) 1t was,
however. a remarkable circumstance, that
Whenever a power itt which we happen
to have a quarrel was feeble. the govern.
ment manifested plenty OF intention to vim
dicate the national honor; but when the
power was really one which we respected,
somehow or other very 1iferent course
was adopted. (Hear)
Lord Russell said they had before then
proceeding which the American govern.
ment had avowed. Th,t being so, it only
remained to Il e home, Government to ascer
tain from the law officers of the crown wha
satisfaction could be obtained for the injury
committed 1t did not appear, IRON the
law of nations, how the government of thii
country could proceed t, make demand Of
redress. especially after receiving from
their law officers an opinion that they wer'
not entitled to redress. They could onl!
entertain the opinion along with the whole
civilized world that some explanation ough
to have been given. (Hesr. hesr.J Wit
regard to the case of the Wee Consul
house, he thought the bombardment wa
most unjusti6able.
In the case Of China our conduct has bee
so vicious. ard so totally wanting in justice
that he hoped it would never be exhIbite
again by this country (Hear, hear.) H
should be glad to see the appointment OF
|, committee to consider the estimates. A
present they were quite al sea. through tn
, number Of amendments proposed.
Sir d. Norreys confessed that he had al
rived at the same conclusion. He though
The Grey:own business wss the most dii
: graceful in the annals Of our diplomacy
Pu, he comnls;ne of hrinu inu forward suit