Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-04-16


gress which has just expired to place. by conscpou
every man MT to carry arms at The disposal Of the Pres
dent OF the United States, and to vote Of money
amounting to not less than 900 sterling for the
purpose of carrying the Well then, in this state
OF Affairs, should say that looking to the question OF
right it aOouM MOI be friendly act tooards the United
States toond notbe TO full obligations country
toah iohieh noe hare long anta ned relations of peace
and amny--a great country ,chch says still carry
on me war-n ,coud say be failure Of friendship on
part at This moment ICE ,oere to inerposs and recog-
mise ihe Southern States.
have endeavored to guard mysef by saying that
speak now with reference to the present aspect aas
hardly know any moment in which my noble friend could
have brought forward his motion with less encouragement
from events 1t may turn out that these immense rita
which are being made shall be made in vain that the
spirit OF the South uncOnQuerable as their determination
never to be united again with the Northern States is final
and rrevocable and that time may come when the duty
OF t9s country will be totally different from what is at
inc pesea. moment All MAINTAIN is that it is our duty
AZ present to stand still and not to proceed act so
definite, so positve--an act unfrendiy the United
states st as that Of ne recognition Of the SouM
My noble friend spoke Of various topics. Of danger Of
Canadas being attacked y the Northern Republic and Of
the West Indies being attacked by the Southern Nv
lords cannot follow my noble friend into these suppo-
stons do not venture to say what may be the future
course OF events conhne myself to that which think
to be our duty now, which tbink right and if that be
fo we must be conteDt in future days meet with future
dangers, and will not enfeebe if we have it in
our power to reflect that have failed in our obpa
ons to those which have been great States n and
amity with and that it has been through any fault
OF ours that great acton has fallen them Cheers
Well my lords, know not that there is any thing in
what my noble friend has said to night which would make
necessary for ne to go much further into this question
out az the same time there parts of his speech in
which ne referred to former occasions and former instances
OF interference on our part if my noble friend and
some Of those who looked forward to his motion tonight
expected that there should be some interference on our
part 10 ths war Now, wish to say only few words
upon THAT which we have done in former DAYS toward in
terveniion. We too, ike other Statss have at times
taken upon Us TO intervene We nterf4ed in the case of
Holland to save her from the religious tyranny and polti
cal despntism OF Sir Philip H. That contest was halowed
by the blood OF Sir Philip Sydney and by the part took
contributed to her Independence In another case-the
case OF Portuga-we interered. Charles i. Cromwell
Charles IL all agreed in that interference We declared
ourselves ready to send ten thousand men to the aid Of the
new Government of Portugal and we helped the Portu.
Sc 70 relieve themselves from the Spanish tyranny u-
der which they gronned and establish the Independence
of their State. In more recent times when Greece an
deavored to establish her independence we aided her in
her contest with Turkey; rescued her from the de-
ruc.Gn ~nch threatened her. and helped her to found
free and independent monarchy Take the case of Belgium
again When the Begens declared that they were unable
to remain under the Government of Holland in accordance
with the Treaty OF Vienna we interered by force in
Junction with France and the wise and happy
YVES made by which the freedom of Belgium secured
Now, my Lords, 10 all these instances, whether the in
tervenon was carried on BY our ancestors in
times there is nothing of which Epglshman need be
ashamed Ii we have taken part in interventons has
been IN behalf OF the independence freedom and welfare
OF great portion OF mankind should be sorry indeed
,ohieh could bear another character Cheers. trust
that this will not be the case and that no interests deeply
as they may affect usnteress which imply the welbeing
oil great portion OF people, but interests which may
affect also the freedom and happiness other parts of the
gobe-w induce to set example different from that
OF our ancestors but that when bound pteress
,ot bt an in ference of iberty and 10 pro-
mote The freedom of mankind hare hitherto dome in
such 1t with this conviction that have address
ed thess few remarks t. what has been done by this
country IN former days and trust that with r. gard to
he bfe IN
impartial and neutral course Depend upon it, my lords
that II that war to it is far better should cease
by conviction both on the part Of the North and the
South that they can never live again happily one CON-
munty and Republic and that the termination of hos
tte can never be brought about by the advice the
dIalion or the interference of any European Power.
Cheers repeat have spoken only Of the duty Of the
Government at the preseut time and trust that there will
now be further debate on this subject Loud cheers
After few words from Lord Stratbeden, the subject
dropped.
DEBATE ON THE ALABAMA
10 the House of Commons, on the 9th utmo, Mr. w.
E. FORSTER asked whether the attention of Government
had been directed to the danger to our friendly relations
with the Uuted States, resulting from the fitting out in
potts of ships of for the service of the sesyed
Confederate States in contravenon OF the foreign enlist
ment act Snd the policy of neutrality adopted by England
He reviewed in detail the history Of the fitting out Of the
Alabama the yard of gentleman holding seat in that
House The American Minister had continually called the
attention Of Government TO the case and at last it was re-
ferred TO the law oicers Of the Crown and after con-
siderable delay their opinion received stating that the
fitting out Of the vessel Illegal but that very day she
allowed to sail. The House bound to inquire into
this delay for very likely to embro with the
Americans especially he believed there were other
vessels fitting out in Eoglsh ports He believed that Co
venment was under the erroneous idea that il it's
duty enforce the law, but to leave it to the American
Minister The Alabama built in England, and was
itt.d out from Eugand and manned by Englishmen, ex
cept or two officers aud she had never been 10 Con-
ederate port and under these circumstances it was not
surprising the Americans should regard her as an English
ship.
The SoLrCIToR-GENERAJ said be could easily show that
the charge brought by the American Government against
her Majesys Government most uDfounded and when
the honorable member referred to the complaints of the
American Government it desirable to what they
Snce the first Mr. Seward complained not only OF
the Alabama, but also in the communications of the
export of arms, &c to the Confederate States IL was
certainly astonishing that the American Government could
prefer such complaints but it had all along denied TO Great
Britain the rights Of neutras allowed by international law
o which they had been themselves the strongest asserr
He quoted at 9Th the opinions of American jurists and
Of the rules of practice laid down by Mr. Webster aud Mr.
Madison to the effect that the American Government did
not and could not prob bit it's subjects from selling
raband goods to belgerents but that they did only
the risk OF capture aud conf scaton by either begeren
The GoYernnent would do all that IL could carry out
the law. The foreign enlistment act was passed for our
own defence and not by obligation Of international law
Its violation not breach OF international law but Of
the municipal law and there no offence on the
showing OF the American Government itself against later