Year: 1867

The following is the full text Of the


speech of Earl Derby, at the opening OF


Parliament, so far as relates to the


United States:


Shortly after the accession of the pres
ent government to Office, the United
States Government addressed dispatch
to the Foreign Office, recapitulating the
grounds of complaint which they stated
they had before offered for the consid-
Grafton of the office. In answer to that,
my noble relative thought it necessary to
enter, not acrimoniously, but particu


larly, into a discussion of the various
points raised. And l would state dis
tinctly that there was one question
pressed upon us, as it was pressed upon
the noble Earl opposite, to which we
thought we could come to compromise
or settlement. That was as to the right
Of this country to decide at what time
and under what circumstances we should
recognize the belligerent rights of the
Confederates.


In the first place the questions of rec
ognizing belligerent rights is inherent in
an independent power in the next place
recognition of belligerent rights should
not precede but follow declaration of
blockade by the United States TO block
ade is essentially the exercise of bel
ligerent right, and when blockade was
declared between the two parties there
were two courses open to Her Majesty
Gcvernment-to refuse to recognize the
validity of the blockade on the ground
that there was no belligerent; or on the
other hand, to recognize the belligerent
rights of the two parties. Aud | think
the noble Earl now truly said that be-
tween the alternatives he selected that
which was most friendly to the United
States when he recognized that which
was most imperfect blockade, although
by taking this course he found himself
under the necessity of recognizing corel-
alive obligations. Hear, hear


But | cannot think this is pointupon
which the United States Government
LAYS much stress, because we saw very
lately that upon the introduction of the
new Minister from France at Washing
ton a declaration was officially made that
after the evacuation of Mexico by the
French there would no longer remain
between the two countries O single ques-
ton to lead to ground for difference or
complaint. Now, the Government of the
Emperor of the French and the late
Government of Her Majesty pursued a
precisely identical course with reference
to belligerent rights and the recent block
ade and surely, if there iG no ground Of
complaint between the United States and
France with reference to the latter S
conduct in connection with the blockade
of the Southern ports, there can be no
ground of complaint against Her Majes'
tvs Government In reference 10 the same
matter


But my lords, l will say this-if the
United States admit the principle of
arbitration, if they can point out the
precise questions which they desire to
haVs submitted to the arbiter, and the
grounds upon which they seek for redress
aud compensation, we shall be quite
ready to meet them in q friendly spirit
to discuss the points upon which arbitra-
ton is sought, and, if we can find an
impartial arbiter, to refer to his decision
the question at issue. Hear, hear.
Such are the points which we have sub
mitted to the United States Government
II remains to be seen whether they can
be brought to a satisfactory conclusion.
trust they may, for there are no coun-
tries between which friendly relations
are more entirely for the interests Of
both than this country and the great re-
public the other side of the Atlantic. I
Hear, hear.l Nothing could be more |
suicidal than a war between the two |
countries; nothing more destructive Of |
their best interests; and, at the same |
time, there are no two countries which /
have it in their power TO be more useful
to one another [Hear, hear