New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-08
Grent Britain.
AMERICAN AFFAIRS IN THE ENGLISH PARlIA
MINT

cSreut
AMERICAN AFFAIRS IN THE ENGLISH PAklIA-
MINT.
The London Morning Post Of the 24th IN It's
atty article saws the reports from Paris are su more
positive than before that confidential negotiations nave
been entered upon by the French Government Win me
Cabinet If St Tamess for the Joint recognition OF the
fderate States aud stated Tat Franco VIII act
alone in ease Of negative reply from England. lhe
city editor Of The Post declines 70 Youch Tor these re-
ports. N, N, -
Fitzgerald took the Government 10 task FOR sezng the
ironc ad belonging 20 the Messrs Lairds ana as
serted that IL was done in cOntrayenton OF the law In
moving for all the correspondence on the SUBJECT he
,aid nc should deplOre q war with America, put nc
with her than they should infringe the law OF En-
gland in consequence of the threats OF lorelgn I'm
Tic General replied ia defense OF the Gov
eminent clai1ning that ts action had been legal IN
every respect and that the we're seized as an act
OF Justice upon the evidence furnished of their Illegal
character. lie eeid:
~ do not hesitate TO cay in the face Of the House
and of the country. that the Government, acting on
their responsibility. detained the ships. Hear
They were prosecuting inquiry and the inquiry led 10
strong belief in their mind that the result OF IT would
be that the ships intended for Illegal purposes
and the law of the land would be violated to the
great injury Of friendly power Hear hear /
The Government were determined that the law
should be eyaded till the inquiry had been com
pleted 1 should Ike 10 know II, IL the case Of any
great criminal any great mischief in progress,
whether any would say that not the duty Of the
Government take steps 10 prevent MS fllpg rom
Justice and 70 carry on Investigations TIL they knew
whether there evidence for placing him his trial
JUesrJ He was remnnded from day o. day, till the
evidence was completed iHear' heaI.J But we could
not take that course ia the Of vessel and there
fore we acted own responsibility. lHear hear
The Government were determined that what TOOK pace
regarding the Alabama should hot be repeated. and
that those ships should not be allowed 10 escape out OF
the Mersey contrary law, I'LL the inquiry IN progress
had been faI advanced as TO cnaie the Coz eminent
90 Judge whether the ships were intended tor al
innocent purpose not. tiear, bear The detention
of the vessels nothing than an announcement
60 the builder that the ships we're under the surveillance
at the Government and that If attempt were made
70 withdraw them suddenly from the river, te Govern
ment, their own responsibility wond take measures
~ prevent that"
The Attorney. General then proceeded % show that
fhe Government had satisfied itself that there was 10
truth in the representation that the rams were intended
FOR the Egyptian Government and adtrd
His honorable friend (Air. Fitzgerald referred 10
papers which had been laid before tine Congress OF the
United States But there was another Congress before
which the papers had been laid. Hear, hear.I re-
port Of Secretary Of the Navy Of the Confederate
States laid before the Congress, IN which il Is
stated that in accordance with the Orde: Of the Pres
dent early IN the present year be dispatched several
agents 10 England and France "i;n orders 10 contract
for eight rOn.csd vessels. suitable for ocean service
and calculated TO resist the ordinary armament Of wood
en- vessels Of the enemy These ships were 70 be pro
Yded with rams 10 breag the blockade Of such ports
and which could not be broken by the ironclad
monitors Of the enemy-ve 70 be built in England and
three in France. Due precauiOD was 70 be taken
against ooDtrayening the laws in the construction
and equipment OF such vessels Three Of those
vessels were completed. The Government Of En-
xland Dispatched several war.yesses 20 the mouth
OF the Mcrsey 20 prevent their departure and they
subsequently seized by the British Government. Loud
cheers IL viii be convenient to discuss the
question regards Messrs. Bayray and Laird in an
other place but regards the Confederate States we
know matter OF fact. from Information Of the mos;
unQuesOnable kind from headguaI ters that these
ses built in violation Of laws and intended to
be- used in the bclgerent service OF the Confederate
States do not wish TO say anything with regard %
Vba Lara hut | mi OF " o
has read the Judgment of Mr. Baron Bramwel in the
Alexandra case viii that though not favorable 10
fhe Government would apply 10 ships Of this descrp
tion aud justify their sel1lt. The House, hope, VIII
believe that tie Government has not merely stumbled
on invention 70 justify their Interference, but that
they found On inquiry that there had been such an
Of the law not only authorized them.
but made il their daily 10 seize these vessels. !
IEIear hearl The Honorable gentleman says the Gov.
ernment recOnsdered the matter under the influence Of
Mr.. Alamss noe. MIR. Adams might probably nave
persuaded himself that hs second note had eiica
Gious influence; Dgt be6ye the fact is that the
previous note Of NJ. Adams had not led the Govern
take action to these vessels till the conrse
OF their inquiry led 10 t,leye that there oyi
dence TO iusiy them IN acting 30 II would be found
that tho Government h9d other grounds FOR acting than
his subsequent note. Her Maestys Government took
fhe step OF OBTAINING the vessels during the Of
their inquiry because they Psachcd point which
Jed them to beye would rexut in actual ana positive in
formation tliat these vessels not intended
Cor the Confederate II they intended
that a satisfactory end ~ the entire matter ifthey
cate the neutrality laws Of the country. Hear, /
bear With regard 10 the pregent state Of the il
would have been more satisfactory to II IL had |
been moro advanced with view 20 Judicial |
Investigation. Hear. hearl All I can say is !
that ths law officers Of the Crown ANXIOUS that il
,hould Dr. proceeded with with all due dspatch On the
other hand think the House would b. me VI il we
allowed il 10 be brought forward under circumstances
which were the favorable to the country aud GOV
trnment Hear. hcarI regret that in the state in
which we now are trial can take place before May
next but think IL will turn out that after all the delay
will not be altogether time lost The Government have
acted under serious sense Of duty 10 themselves, 10
Der Majesty, and j may say also, 70 our allies in the
ni,ed States and every other nation with whom leI
Majesty Is in friendship aud alliance and with whom
questions Of this kind may De likely 10 arise Hear
hen elasiyns Of the statute Law ofts description
attempted il Is the duty Of the Government 10 use every
possible prevent the escape ofyesses OF
Willie inquiry IN progress and 10 sot we rssu