New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-13

limit v Ind offered rometbsng Wouid ". 'o oeo 80
mt he believed tha, before instructions were senl
o,, ,o Jsmoica The vessel had become the proprI
If the Confederate Government, and tbst mspe y
impossible TO detain her, as sbe had pssseo
ia va upder which her MsJestys Goveromeni e"nla
act lie hoped the House womb 'nins inss -. Hn,
n the introduction of this debate should tend 10 re-
NOW falrs impre seious, IL would be circumstance
for W hieh they would have reason to eongrasuiaie
his hOa. freud and themselves. lCheers.l 90 gaze
.t SPEECH OF MR.. BRIGHT. 81
Mr. Bright said he was sorry TO hear the speech OF
the hon. aud learned gentleman, not only - rgAIut
is tone but because Il WA very different 70 speeco
delivered by The hon. and learned gentleman IN we
last session Of Parliament. lie would roaa 70 Tue
house letter which he had received, teiling Dim
what was beoR done In this country In the con-
struction Of vessels for the Confederate
The vri er said that w. C. Millar Il Son, the firm
that built the Florida steamer formerly the Oreto
were constructing another gunboat, The Alexanofis,
for the Confederate Government; that Messrs Fsw'
cett, Preston a. Co. were supplying the engines Tor
this vessel and that there wss no doubt OF her char
scter hear hearl; that another vessel the Phantom,
wss launched On Saturday. the nh instant, by
another trm, for the same government, which would
proceed 10 Nssan for her armament that the Messrs
aird of Birkephesd were construc ing two rams Of
most formidable character, like the late Monitor,
and thai they would DO ready in June for the same
government; that George and james Thompson OF
Glasgow were building monster gunboat 'or
the oufsderate Government; and that another
steamer called the Southtrner, was beng con-
s,ructed by firm Of Stockton, which was intended
TO be used ~ a privateer. IL was stated that she
would be ready for 10 about three weeks iwonld
probably take out goods from Liverpool, hDG;Tould
receive her armament at Nassau. Such Sas the
state Of the case. and he believed the buIPing OF
these ships WAS ~ notorious ~ that OF the Alabama
had been. Hear, hear. There was only one other
point TO which no wished 70 call the attention OF the
house. The honorable and learned gentleman fan
h. nod Trim nhed tha honorable member
for b adford when he stated that the United states
had thought necessary to alter their enlistment
act. Generally speaking, he MI Bright sheaid say
that il was not necessary 10 alter the Foreign En-
listmeut act OF this c0untry but it was very com
mon thing with all governments to alter ne Aws ior
a spec,al occasion. Why, be recollecsed chat TIE
Government Of " eh the present Foreign secretary
was Primo Minister, once brought III OIL toSendsr
was ooiy sedi ion. The House on that occasion
ysry iudciousy limited the operations OF the meas
ure 10 two year, because 1t WAS thought that though
there might DO proprety In the change al thal
moment (which was one OF great exchement). WAS
not necessary alter the law Of the counry FOR all
time. Now in this case the United States paused
their Foreign Enlistment act Ia 1919. Our own was
passed in the following year, and was founded npon
theirs In 1887 the United States found that their
law did not give them power To Interfere 20 summs
r,ly ss they thought desirable, 10 order 10 prevent
difficulty with England 90 far as the affairs Of Cam
ada wsre concerned. They therefore passed another
sct.
sPERCH OF LORD PAIMERsTON.
Lord Palme,ston said: Sir, cannot but express
sops regret nj the tone Of she remarks OF the hon.
member from Bradford, and still more at the tone
taken by the hon. member for Birmingham. There
Is no conoealipg the fact that whenever any political
Marty whether In or out OF ohce, In tho unitod
States finds itself in difficulties, It raises cry
against England fbear, hear as q me,oOd OF ere.
aaing what Il called, in American language, political
capital. Hear, hear. That 10 course which we
mns, very deeply regret. SO long as II Ia simply
confined 10 their own internal affairs, we can only
hopo tust, IL being rather dangerous game u Will
NOT he earned further than they intend. When u
government, or large party excite the passions Of
one nation against another without Just cause II has
great teaceney 10 endander friendly relations be-
tw ecu the two coautries. We understand the OBJ
i.ct and do not feel tho irritation which We Night
| under other circumstances. But II that cry
is raised for the purIose Of driving the govern
ncnt OF this country 10 take some course which may
be contrary 10 tee law aid dignity OF England, IN
tho way of altering our laws Tor the purpose OF
plsasug snother country, all can ssy 10 that such
course Is likely TO accomplish its object. Hear
hearJ regret, therefore, that the sPeschs: Of Tho
| honorable members for bradford and Birmingham
were calculated 70 encourages that Irritation which
think totally unfounded on the part OF the Amer-
cans- should bsve hoped that gentlemen bringing
this question before the House would rather have
tried 10 aay that irritation instead Of sndcayoring
70 MAKO oat that the Americans bad just cause OF
eminent. Hear, hear. With regard " the cause
Of complaint my honorable mud learned friend the
SOLICITOR sDerA Ia that sdlairable speech to which
We have all listened with the greatest delight
-lebeenl demonstrated individually that She
Americans have no cause Of complaint. Hear.
hear He hss shown that the Bfitsh Government
have dooe, upon representations made TO them by
the American mister here, everything which the
law OF tho country enabled them 70 DO, ana al
though I can very easily understand that la tho
United States, WHERE owing 70 the great irritation
aud tho animation produced BY the evil war now |
raging. mems minds have been led TO forget In q
grea. degree the obligations Of law, and the course OF
practice has been 10 set IL aside can under
mepts that We use. that We cannot 80 beyond what
the law preseribes and authorizes lee THINK the
Uou,e will see that my honorable and learned friend
has shown that In regard 10 the Foreign Enlistment
act, We have done everything which tue law allows
and enables us 70 do. Honorable gentlemen have
argued as If the seizure Of y vessel was equivalent
to its condemnation. They say, Why did you not
seze tho Aabama-you were told she was known
or believed 10 DO intended for wariiko purposes on
the part Of the Confederatesf" But, In the fret
place, Won cannot seize q vessel under the Foreign
Enlistment act unless you have evidence on oath |
authorizing just suspicion. Hear, hear. Well,
the American MN ster came ~ us and said, 81 tell
YOU q /. and that" He is asked II he Will produce
evidence on oath. and be says, "NO, this informa-
tiop il Won couidentially, but you are to act on
my assertion and my suspicious, which l maintain
are well rounded" But what would have hap
pened # we had seized ths vessel upjustiy and
without good grounds There 10 process OF law 70
follow [hear, heal, and tho Government would be
condemned In heavy costs and damages. And why
are we to undertake illegal course Of this kind
simply 10 please the agent Of a foreign country 7
Hear. bear so far there was any fault, IL
was on the part Of those who called upon IA to
act, but would not give us the evidence on
o...t 6onht rnvself whether III We had seized the