Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-07-28
EUROPEAN AFFAIRS


THE DISMISSAL OF BRITISH CONSUL. auoRE-
STATEMENT ~ PARLIAMENT.
In the English House of Commons, .on the
10th inst, MIR. Blake said that, according to
the information that had been furnished tu
MIN, Mr.. Belsham, IL Bri ish subject, went
some time ago to reside in Alabama, and in
consequence Of his refusal to serve in the
Confederate army he was, III the moath Of
April last three or four times dipped in
tank Of water, and on coming TO the service
each time was asked whether he would serve
or not. II, refused to do so until he was ap-
prehensive that his lie would be forfeited.
and then he consented to serve under protest.
The case was then referred tY his friends to
Her Malesty's Minister at Washington, who
directed the Consul ut Richmond to inquire
into the subject lie had ra,rthcr been Informed
that AIR. Beisham had lJeeu sent to Montrom-
cry, IN order to have his case Investigated
but that since that Il ME his friends had heard
nothing OK him, and he (Mr. Blakc) wished
to ascertain iromtfe Under Secretary of State
what hau become Of him. His question was,
Whetiier the ronioTr STRANGE addressed by the
britlsn Cons1t. at Richmond. by direction of
Tier MalestS's Minister at Washington, to the
conlcuerazs authorities against the compul-
sion exercised upon Mr.. Il. Redmond Belsha,n
a British subject, at Montgomery, State of
AlabMna, to force him TO serve in the Con-
Tolerate army, had been attended with effect ::
aad whether there was any objection to state.
the substance Of whatever communications.
had been received from Lord Lyons IN the
subject.
Mr. Layard.--The case of Mr. Beisham hae
been brought &. the notice Of Her Maicsty's
Governments. The honorable gentleman is an
Ter a mlSapprehension when he says that the
fase was brought before the Confederate au-
thoritics under the direction of Lord Lyons
Lord Lyons had no official communication
whatever with the authorities Of the ConFcde-
ate States, ard, therefore. no action could
ave been taken under his direction. But
hlr. Moore, the British Consul mt RchIaund-
nd make representation to the COME :erate
government with regard to the case: MIR
beisham was, as he states, cruelty treated,
Indeed, ne was exposed K. torture TO compel
nim 10 take service in the army. unf"rtu-
natelN-his case was Lot the only One. We
nave had numerous similar cases Drought to
my notice, but they have generally taken place
ut u distance Gr,4, Richmond, and the Com
Tolerate authorities have expressed their re
sret that they, should have taken place. A
bill was brought before the session of the Con-
ielerats Isssemb'yto clnp0wcrth State to en-
list Foreigners in the army. The bill was reject
ed asl q committee WAS appointed to inquire in.
to Ahe treatment of British .suhiect who hare
been imprisoned, mostly1"r refusing to serve
in the Confederate army. Mr. Moore made
numerous representations to the Confederate
Government in respect to those acts of cruelty
and Illegally. 1t is.yell known that in con-
sequence of those representations the Confcd-
crate States Government suspended MI. Moorc's
exequatur, and he was compelled - leave the
Confederate States. Her Maiesty's Minister
for Foreign Affairs instantly sent instructions
TO Mr.. Moore to make strong representations to
the 'ntederate Government with respect to
the treatment of British subjects. bnt those in
structions did not reach Richmond till he had
left. But trust that, taking into account the
action Of the Confederate Government in this
matter, such cases will not occur again l
cannot tell where Mr.. Bclsham now is, for we
nave heard no more OF him since the statement
was received from Mr.. Moore.
Mr.. Gresory.-l wish to ask the Under Sec
rotary for Foreign Affairs two questions, which
| think he can answer at cnce The first is.
when he spoke Of torture being applied to
British subjects, did he distinctly mean
torture" and did he mean to imply that
the torture was applied on the part of the
Confederate Government? Hear. The sec
ond question is, whether, inasmuch as this is
i very grave affair, he will lay all the papers
connected with the case on the table of the
House?
Mr.. Layard.-I am afraid that torture, in
he strict sense Of the word, has been inflicted.
But au bound to say that these acts were
cd Ixy, IN -, Ia
rho authority of the Confederate Government
but at distance from the scat Of Government.
Hear, hear With regard to the papers
will answer my honorable friend on Mu,a-
day.
NAPOLEON AND THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES 10
COME IN.
The Paris correspondent OF the New York
Times" writing IN the 10Th inst. says:
There are some strange rumors in circulation,
Within day or two. which give YOU only rs
rumors Another change has been made, nc
rordins to these reports in the Mexican pro-
gramme. Mexico is TO be placed under the
French Pr"tectoratc, or TO become colony Of
France. with French Prince for Governor.
| The Confede,ates has renowned NIL idea of re-
gaining the Mississippi river, and the Trans-
I Mississippi country, without foreign mid. Mr.
Sldell's visits to the Emperor and Foreign Secre-
I
| new state of things on tho Mississippi. They
! are concocling schemes for an alliance against
the United States, with view of securing, the
one Mexico and the other the Mississippi Valley
The fall of Vickshurg and Port Hudson. they say
will throw jeff Davis and Napoleon into each
others arms; that will be the final blow which W III
precipitste an alliance that only hangs fire be.
cause the question Of the Mississippi might by
some hazard turn contrary TO present c1pecta-
tons. 1t is this, they say, which mn:ses Napo-
leon so lukewarm on the question of Poland it
is this which makes him continually say that
Mexico is the big affair OF the moment; it il
this which requires SO much activity in the Navy
Yards ut the present moment. aud it is this which
has suddenly demanded such large reinforce-
ments in Mexico. For the whole division Vi
hoy has been ordered to prepare itself for depar-
ture in the month of September, and several YES
sels-the Vile do Lyon, the Jean Bart, and the
Wagram. are about to sail with reinforcements
to the artillery, i'll MEN and material. And yet
The Government papers declared. after the fall
of Pueb!a, that there wero enough men now in
Mexico to finish the campaign.
| is asserted on nil I'm nls TINT thu Euporor