In the House of Commons last nigh; Mr. Manama, by
moving the ad- journment of the House, took occasion to ask explanations of "the un- usual delay which has taken place in laying before the House the state papers relative to the late unsuccessful negotiations." The papers might have been laid on the table on the night Lord John Russell returned, had the Government shown any willingness to place Parliament in pos- session of information to which it has a right. He had searched the jour- nals for precedents as a guide, and he had found several; but he selected one because it was of modern date, of the highest importance, and apposite to the present conjuncture. That precedent was the rupture of the negotiations of 1796. On the 8th October 1796, the House was informed that Lord Mahnes- bury had been sent to France to negotiate for peace. On the 20th De- cember, it was known that the negotiations had terminated. On the 29th, Lord Malmesbury returned to England ; but two days before, Mr. Se- cretary Dundas had presented to the House a message from the Ring stating that the negotiations had been abruptly broken off "by the peremptory refusal of the French Government to treat except on a basis evidently inadmissible," and that the state papers should be laid before Parliament. On the 28th, the whole of the papers connected with the negotiations were laid upon the table. Mr. Disraeli drew an unfavour- able comparison between the Government of 1796 and the.Government of 1855, and pressed for explanations.
Lord Paimanwrow said, he thought the answer he should give would have been anticipated by all who heard the question. In the case re- ferred to by Mr. Disraeli, the negotiations were carried on " directly " between England and France, and it was clear before they commenced that they were hopeless. In the present case, the negotiations were con- ducted through the friendly intervention of Austria, who had been in- cessant before and since the war began in her endeavours to reconcile France and England with Russia. The conferences at Vienna were a continuation of those efforts. The conferences were not broken off, but adjourned sine die : since Lord Sohn left Vienna, conference was re- sumed, at the request of Russia; and there still exist at Vienna the elements of a conference. If the Government had determined that they would not listen to any other overtures that Russia might make, through Austria, then, the course proposed by Mr. Diemen would be the proper course : but the case cited by him is not parallel to the present.; for the French would not accept the basis proposed, whereas Russia did accept the basis.
"We have failed in the attempt we hare made ; but I am not prepared to say there are no other means open, through which, by the intervention of the friendly offices of Austria, a proposition may not be made which it may become the duty of the Government seriously to consider, with a view to a determination whether it is still possible to bring those differences to a close. I should be neglectful of my own duty if I held out false hopes which cannot be realised. The Government would equally fail in their duty if they stated that all hopes of negotiation have disappeared. I wish to leave the question in the state in which it now is— (Ironical cheers from the Opposition)—I wish to leave the door for negotiation open : I wish that door to be open to every possible accommodation, but not by such steps as the right honourable gen- tleman would drive the Government to. . . . . But while, on the one hand, we are determined to continue that contest in a manner consistent with the honour' the dignity, and the interests of the country, so, on the other hand, we willnot be parties to abutting the door against any possibility of conclud- ing an honourable and satisfactory peace." (Cheers.) Under cover of the form afforded by Mr. Disriteli's motion, a variety of !subjects were talked about. Mr. Fannon inquired what had been done in the matter of Lord Dtiodonald's proposals? Lord PALMERSTON said, that the plan, investigated last year, had again been forced upon the Govern- ment by Lord Dundonald : it 13 still under consideration ; but it presents difficulties of execution, and it is doubtful whether it would answer the purpose intended. Mr. nurser Haitian criticized the'management.of the Militia ; complained that nothing had been done to carry out the Foreign Enlistment Act ; and recommended Lord John Russell to supervise Lord Panmure as he had supervised the Duke of Newcastle. Out of this arose much desultory talking. Mr. PEEL stated that upwards of 10,000 men had been sent to the Crimea during the last two months ; that depots for the Foreign Legion will at once be formed at Heligoland and at home ; and that several officers, two or three of whom have gone to Germany to enlist men, have been commissioned to raise troops. Mr. ADDEMLEY ;suggested, that prisoners under sentence of penal servitude, who had con- ducted themselves well during eighteen mouths, should be allowed to en- list for service as military labourers in the Crimea. Sir GEORGE Guar, on the authority of Lord Panmure, said that the army would not accept the services of convicts.
It was found necessary to withdraw the motion for adjournment, as the House will have to meet this day, for a Royal Assent Commission.
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Pensaf1311 (Ire.. discussion Chiefly
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On the motion of Lord REDESDALE, the House adopted the -Mowing resolution, which, it will be remembered, was beneficially in operation last session—
"That this House will not read any bill a second time after Tuesday the 24th of July, except bills of aid or supply, or any bill in relation to which the House shall have resolved, before the second reading is moved, that the circumstances which render legislation on the subject of the same expedient are either of such recent occurrence or urgency as to render the immediate consideration of the said bill necessary." The debate on the second reading of the Tenant land) Bill was resumed and concluded last night. dealt with the retrospective compensation-cla which Ode some opposition. It was supported by Mr. and.
scanwroit; and the second reading was carried -A,
In the House of Peers, on the passing of EAGLE spoke in the most favourable manner of but protested against the repayment-clause, whic principle of the old sinking-fund.
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