Year: 1862

SPEECH OF LORD PALMERsTON.


Lord Palmerston-I should hope, after the


length to which the debate has gone, that the


House win be disposed to come to a division to-


night cheers on the motion of the honorable


member for Sunderland. The subject which we
have been debating is one of the highest impor


tance, and one also Of the most delicate chsTsc-
teri hear, hear land l cannot think that the
| poStponement OF the conclusion of this debate


till next week can be attended with any Bene-
fetal results either one way or the other
[Cheers. confess regret very much that


my honorable friend has thought it his duty to
bring this subject under discussion in this House


in the present state of things. Cheers. There
| can be but one wish on the part of every man in


the country with respect to this war in America


and that is that it should end. Hear l might


doubt whether any end which can be sstislacO-


~, or which could lead to an amicable settle


mont between the two parties, is likely to be ac-


celerated by angry. debate in this House
| [Cheers. We have had tonight the American


war waged here, in words, by champions on
| both sides. 1t is quite true that many things


have been said which must be gratifying to the
| feelings of both parties now fighting in Ameri.
! CT; but, on the other hand, things have been


said in the warmth of debate which must tend


to irritste and wound the feelings Of both sides,


and it is in human nature to think more OF
tHlHSe lnab dIt OuClSlF6 LuAl OF thugs WulCu
are gratifying and friendly / confess, there
fore, that l regret that the debste has been
brought on, and I should earnestly hope that
the House would not agree to the notion Of my
honorable friend, but would leave 1t in the
hands OF the government to deal with IN the
future content, as believe the country is, with


the manner in which the past has been con
Quoted by them. Cheers l don't ask this
upon the ground Of confidence in the govern


ment of the day, because think that whatever
party might have the rule IN this country


whoever might sit on these benches-it would
be wise and expedient in the House to leave a


matter of such delicacy, and of such immense
Importance in the hands Of the responsible gov
eminent of the day hear hear to deal with it
according to the varying circumsta ances Of the


moment, and not by a resolution to dictate and


point out specific course and to tie up their


hands, thus taking upon the House Of Com


mons the responsibility which ought properly


to belong to the government. Cheers. The


motion Of my honorable friend points 70 two


courses-mediation and acknowledgment. We


have heard a very learned and we'll argued


speech from the right honorable gentleman op


pOsite on the question of acknowledgment. l
am not going to dispute that if this country


thought it right to take that course we should be
perfectly justified in acknowledging the indepen-
dence CT the Southern States, provided only that
independence had been in the words which he


used" firmly and permanently established.


IHear hear Moreover, quite concur with


him that Acknowledgment Of that independence


if we thought right to make it, would be no just
cause of war, no Just cause Of Cffense on the
part of the UAited States, or against this coUn-
try. But the case which the right honorable
gentleman eited-more especially the case of
South American repubics-were totally differ.
eRt from that which is now presented to our con
sileration. Hear, hear The South American
republics were not acknowledged till a great
many years after they had practically achieved
and obtained their independence. That was q
war between them and Span-separated by the
wide Atlantic from her revOlted sUbjects-and
unable with any degree of power to re establish
her authority over them; and believe, 1t was
nearly fifteen years-certainly great many
yesTs-belore that independence was acknOwl-
edged.


But what was the state of affairs in this case
until the uncertain rumOrs we have received
this day? A fortnight ago it was doubtful
whether the Coniederates or the FedeTals would
be in possession of Richmond. 1t was but few
days ago that we imagined that the whole course
of the Mississippi was in the hands of the Fede-
rals-we know that New Orleans, and possibly
Charleston, were in their hands, and l contend
up to the present moment, whatever may be the
opinion which anybody may entertain OF the
resolution of this great determined nation of the


South to fight to the last for the maintenance Of
It's independence, practically the contest has not
yet assumed that character which would Justify
this country in assuming thatthat independence
was permanently and fully established. Cheers |
But, then, many people who talk OF acknowledge
ment seem to imply that that acknowledgment, !
if made, would establish some differontrelations
between this country and the Southern States.
But that is not the case. Acknowledgment
would not establish nation unless it were fol- |
followed by some direct active interference. |
THear, hear Neutrality as was well observed !
by the right honorable gentleman opposite, is !
perfectly compatible with acknowledgment. |
You may be neutral IL war between two coun- |
tries whose independence you never called in |
question Two long established countries 90 to !
war; you acknowledge the independence of both, |
but you are not on that account bound to take /
part in the contest. Hear. The right honor |
able gentleman argued that we had taken step |
toward acknowledgment by admitting that the |
South had belligeTent rights, but Yatel and |
all the best authorities on the law of nations /
hold that when a civil war breaks out in a |
country, and is firmly established there |
other nations have a right to deal with those two
parties as belligeTents, without acknowledging |
the independence of the revolted portion of the |
country. Hear hear Admitting that the /
war has been established on such footing that /
each party is entitled to be regarded by other /
countries as belligerents, the mere fact of our /
having acknowledged that those two parties are
bellirerents in the international sense of the |
word does not imply step toward acknowledge |
ing one or the other of them IS an independent |
nation Nobody can be insensble for a moment |
of the vast importance to this country Of a |
speedy termination Of that war. Hear, hear |
We all know the privations and sufferings which |
a great portion of our population are enduring in
consequence of that unfortunate war but on }
the other hand, it has been well put by an hon
orable gentleman who spoke in this debate, that /
any attempt to put an end to it by active inter /
ference, would only produce greater evils, greater
sufferings, and greater privstions to those who /
interlered. Hear, hear. There is no instance /
l believe, in the history of the world, of a con
test such as that which is now going on in
America contest of such magnitude between /
two different sections of the same people. The |
thirty-two years war in Germany was joke to |
it in point Of amount and magnitude. 1t was |
but the other day that I saw map sent by the |
ousrterrnaster- general of the Federal forces on
which was marked out the positions Of 7200 600 |
Federal troops We now hear that 100000 /
more men are to be caRed into the field |
making 100000 on one side, and probably |
there is something not much less on the other. |
Irritation and evaporation on both sides are ad- |
mitted by all who have taken part in the de- |
bate, and is that the moment when it can be |
thought q successful offer of mediation could |
be made to the two psrtiesl Hear, hear Ny |
honorable friend said, 81 don't care for that |
we had better offer mediation and let it be re-
fused, and, if that were followed by the &C
acknowledgement, it would ultimately lead to sat |
isfactory settlement between the two parties"


wish to guard myself against anything in re-
gard to the future. The events Of this war have
been so contrary TO all anticipation, from
time to time, that ho would be a bold man in
deed who should attempt to prophecy from
month to month what character the war would
assume. Hear. l believe the country and
this House are of opinion that tho government