The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-04-14
AMERICAN AFFAIRS IN THE BRITISH
PARLIAMENT.
Speech OF Earl Russell.

realty and the convention regulating
he armed force to be kept on Ameri-
an lakes, said that the treaty would
erminste within twelve months of the
ay on which the receipt Of the notice
7asAeknowledged He added
a think it must be admitted that
ecent occurrences on the lakes
Iamely, the seizure Of vessels bv agents
f the Confederscy, and other acts OF
Iostihty-eompletely justify the United
Mates IN giviH9 notice Of tie Termination Of
he convention. My lords, it was not to
'e expected that the United States
hould submit passively 10 such acts OF
without awaiting themselves
II all the means Of repression within
heir power. With regard to the Re
'iProcity treaty, although l will not
iay there are sufficient grounds, yet
here are grounds with respect to the
admission Of articles duty free into the
United States, which may induce the
United States government TO wish for /
, renewal of the treaty with modifoa-
tons that may be more advantageous,
and which the United States govern |
ment may consider more lust, to the |
United States. When Mr.. Adams in
formed me of the result of the negotia- |
tons which has taken place between
the President of the United States and
the agents Of the sO-caIled Confederate
states, l expressed to linn hope that
when he should present TO me tine no.
lice OF the termination of the Reel
procity treaty / should find that the
Congress and Government of the Uni
ted States would be ready to consider
propositions by which a which a small
and limited armament might be kent
up n the lakes, for tn purpose Of po-
lice, at both sides; and also that re-
neWal of the Reciprocity treaty, upon
terms TO be agreed upon by both par
ties, might be negotiated during the
twelve months to elapse before the ex
isting treaty ceased it7 operation of
course, Mr.. Adams was not authorized
to give any assurance upon the subject,
but the words used induced me to trust
that such an assurance would be given.
am sure your lordships will all be
anxious that the relations between this
country and the United States should
continue IS they now are, of a pacific
and friendly. character cheers); and
for my part should be very sorry that
anything should occur, or be done in
this country 20 prevent such satisfac-
tory result But, my lords, cannot but
think that the expressions which have
been used, and the speeches which have
been made, may tend TO excite in the
United States a disposition unfavorable
towards the end which we thus desire
to see accomplished I allude TO
speeches declaring that this country
has behaved wrongfully TO the United
States, has given the United States Just
cause of complaint, and that an un-
friendly spirit has been shown through
out these transactions. My lords, the
obvious effect Of speeches such as these
must be that individuals in the United
States who are in favor of hOstilities
with this country must know that there
is in this country party ready to take
up the view that the United States are
in the right and, therefore, that they
will be wanting in proper spirit and in
proper regard for the national interests
and the national honor if they do not
complain loudly Of the conduct of this
country"
Earl Russell then proceeded to make
the following explanations concerning
the concession of belligerent rights tc
the rebels
81 ask your lordships to attend for 3
short time to the statements which
have 10 make; because / cannot bal
think that the government of this coun.
try and this country itself have been
wrongfullyiaccused upon these various
| points. One Of the chief complaints
put forward is, that this country in I
great hurry and without proper consid
GRAFTON granted belligerent rights L
what are called the Confederate States
Now, every one who knows anything
about the Law of nations, knows per-
fectly wen that although a country
may put down insurgents who rise
against its authority, yet that q country
has no right or power to interfere viii
neutral commerce. unless it assumes th'
position of belligerent Hear, hear
But that is what the United States did
The President of the United States by
his proclamation declared that tn,
coasts Of particular States were in
| state of blockade and that armed yes
sells belonging to these States were Z,
be treated as pirates. There came rep
reservations on this subject from he
Majesty minister in the United States
but in the first instance these merely
covered dispatches from Admiral Sir A
Milne, commanding her Majesty
squadron in those watefs, asking HOY
ne was to treat the vessels of the tw,
parties.
AT that time Lord Campbell hel,
theshigh office of Lord Chancellor, and
of course, we consulted him aud Tn
law officers Of the Crown as to wha
should be done lord Campbell declai
! ed, as we all supposed ne would do, tina
/ there was no course but one to pursu
namely, to regard the blockade o.
the part of the United States as tn
exercise of a belligerent right And a
belligerent rights cannot be confined
J one party but are usually exercise
against somebody else, our adviser
told us that we were entitled TO recol
. Mise the existence of belligerent right
on the part Of both Of the oombatant
, and TO declare Her Msiestys neutral
ty between the two parties Cheers
: And this, accordingly, was the cours
Z which we recommended. The prOcli
l nation in that sense was approved,
not actually drawn up, ] believe, by m
learned friend the present Lord Char
p cellor; and the course Of neutrality thu
, | adopted was certainly received with f
: vor, and, believe, commended itse
D othe sentiments Of the country as III
right course for US 20 take
e at is said now that we ought b hav
awaited the arrival of Mr. AdamR
, know not what Mr.. Adams could sa
. on the subject If had told my co
( leagues that we must wait for him an
i consult him, | believe il would onl
y have caused embarrassment in the r
lations between the two countries ii
a could scarcely have approved anythin
q which we did short of taking the pa
}, Of the North sgainst the South Blu
y then, it is said, if the proclamation ,
. I hNAAAAAAAN MAo NV aAkNs HAAAtA MAUAaI
at any rate il ought TO have been d
+ layed, and that unfriendliness VS.
shown in the manner of its promulg,
ton. ] conceive that there was notl
j ing unfriendly, nothing uncourteOus !
, the declaration; but on the contrarl
? that Il was the proper course for TIL
country to declare at the earliest m,
ment that Il ment to take part neithe
2 with the North nor with the South. bu
! to remain entirely neutral in the COZ
test Hear, hear. Be il observe,
olso that from the issue of that prOcla
nation, ON the IL, of May, Her Majesty
subjects were bound to take no part il
the contest, and were warned that they
would disobey Her Msjestys iniunc
tons If they gave aid to one side or th,
other.
Your lordships all remember the AT
fair of the Trent 1t is said with ne
gard to that affair, as with regard "a
the proclamation of neutrality, that the
proceedings Of the government were
unfriendly and unoourteous, and / sm