Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1861-05-24
The American Troubles in the Brit
Isll House of Lords

ASM AAO0SS OR H1UFOS
In the House of Lords, on the 29th altimo.
Earl OF MaImesbury, a1verting to the state of
affairs IN America, said: beg leave to put tc
my noble friend, the Under-Secretary for For-
egn Aflirs, question Of which have given
him private notice, 10 reference to au5ieet
which deeply interests this country, and, may
say, the whole Of Europe Almost all your
lordships have, no doubt, read the, accounts
which arrived this morning from America, and
must have learned with pain, as we'll as some
asto nishmont, that civil war had broken out
between the Sacessiolists in that country and
the other States of the Union. Fortunately,
up to the date of those accounts, hardly any
blood had been shed, aud too much praise
canuot, think, be bestowed spou the COM
mander of the fleet engaged 10 the transaction to
which refer for abstainiug from entering on
a useless contest. Il is impossible, however,
that struggle such as that which seems now
impending IN America, struggle SO unnatural,
and calculated, may add, to prove so fatal TO
the parties concerned iu lt--should not pro-
duce reverberation throughout the rest Of
the world | mag further observe that no
country on this side of the Atlautic is, per-
haps. more likely to suffer from the civil war
which threatens the United States than our
owu; for, altoge ther apart from those feelings
of regret with which we must witness the
breaking out of strife between persons belong
ing TO the same family as ourselves, aud kin-
dred to US In language we'll as in blood, our
political and material interests are deeply in
voi9ed 10 this unhappy schism. That being
SO, cannot but believe that Her Majesty's
Minister, feeling upon this question with all
her MaJesty's subjects, have already done their
utmost, by otieious means, to bri1g about some
arrangement by which so dreadful calamity
as that of which | am speaking, NAV be AVERT
ed. ! therefore wish to ask my noble friend
what steps the Government have taken with
th,' object whether they have made any at
tempt to prevent the qulrrel between the df-
! fsreot States of the American Union from coming
to bloody Issue; what hopes they entertain
of succeeding in so hudable an endeavor
and whether they have invited, or are ia cor
respondence With any other European Govern.
ment, with the view Of obtaining .heir assis-
/ taHce in seeking to put stop TO a civil war.
/ of which, IL once fairly commenced, it viii be
I impossible 70 fotsee the end. THear, hear |
I lord Wodehouse--l need scarcely assure
my noble friend that the Government, in com,
mon with him, ana | feel confident that every
one of Her Majssty's subjects have learnt, With
the deepest regret, the intelligence Of the dis
senslons which have taken place in the United
States. We have also received with the ut
most concern, the accounts to which my noble
friend has alluded, informing US that those
dlssenslons have brought that country to the
brink of cilii war -if, indeed, civil war may
net be said to have already broken out within
her Territories; and IN answer to the question
what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's
Ministers to avert this great calamity for
such great calamity it undoubtedly must
prove to be, not only to the Americans them
j selves, out to England, which is SO closely con-
nected to them by the ties of kindred II have
TO state that after the most mature deliberation
the Government came TO the conclusion that
1t was not desirable that this couOtry should
) iutrude her advice or council on the Govern
ment of the Uuited States. Hear, hear.l--
However great the interests which we must feel
, in tue welfare of her people, aud however
anxious we migbt be to rescue them from the
misfortnbes whiel seems TO be impending over
their heads, we yet thought that great and
independent nation inghr not welcome advice
given with respoetto her internal affairs, if that
advice were proffered without being solicited.
The instructions, therefore, given to Lord Ly-
ons were, TINT he should on every fitting oc-
D casion, express the earnest desire entertained
by Her Majesty's Government that the differ
ences which prevail between the Northern and
Southern States of America should be arrang-
ed. He has not, however, been instructed to
give, 'sofficiously" or officially, any counsel OF
advice to the American Government, unless
snch counsel or advice should be asked for by
the contending parties themselves. This is
the answer | have to give to the question OF
my noble friend. 1t naturally follows that
Her Majesty's Ministers have not been iu com
munication with any foreign Government as to
: any steps being tiken of the nature of those
t to which he has alluded. Hear, hear.l
Tile "A CT on TILE I1r1 INC - The nnmmn.