Mr. Hutt, elated by having no contest for Gateshead, made
a very imprudent boast to his constituents of his cavalier treatment of Austria in the matter of the commercial treaty, which he was sent to negotiate. Finding, he says, that Baron Kalchberg, who had asked for the International Commission, was not really honest in his free-trade professions, and was not permitting the Inter- national Commission to investigate thoroughly all that they wanted, he went to the Foreign Minister, Count Mensdorff Pouilly, and complained. " I told him that unless I was satisfied that the Austrian Government would 'make " more hearty con- cessions, " I would break up the Commission, return instantly to London, and throw upon the Austrian Government all the odium of having contracted honourable engagements which they never intended to fulfil, and of having thus offered a gratuitous affront to a powerful and friendly nation. Count Mensdorff received my representations and some papers illustrative of them with that lofty and honourable spirit which I expected from such a man. He acknowledged at once that England had a grievance against them. He said he considered that Austria was honourably engaged to carry out the inquiry in a loyal spirit, but he asked me to suspend my further inquiry for the next two months, assuring me on his honour that at the expiration of that time 1 should find that Austria had taken steps to carry out all her engagements." And Mr. Hutt occupies the two months in coming home and proclaim- ing to all England that he has menaced Austria with effect ! How will the "lofty and honourable" spirit of Count Mensdorff bear that ?
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