§ Mr. Ewartunderstood that the British ambassador had demanded of General Rosas, the Buenos Ayrean commander, that he should withdraw from the territory of Monte Video. That officer did not comply with the request; he marched onward and continued to lay waste the territories of Monte Video. The British merchants conceived that their ambassador, in not having proceeded further, although there was an ample force on the coast, had not acted up to the notice he had given, and they presented a remonstrance to the ambassador to that effect. He wished to ask whether steps would be taken to relieve the apprehensions felt by the British merchants, and give effect to the demand made on General Rosas by the British ambassador.
§ Sir R. Peelsaid he had already stated to the House that every possible representation and remonstrance of the most urgent character had been made to the belligerent parties, to induce them to come to terms of peace. The representative of the English Government, and the representa- 1251 tive of the French government acted together in the most cordial spirit of cooperation, and the united authority of those two countries was brought to bear, in every way in which it could be brought to bear, by measures of remonstrance against the continuance of such hostilities. Every protection which it had been possible to give, either to the French or British subjects had, he believed, been given, and would be continued; but if the hon. Gentleman asked him whether we should take a part in this war, he was not prepared to give any assurance that we should do so. On the contrary, he was prepared to say that the Government, deprecating those hostilities, and convinced that their only effect was to retard the growing prosperity of both countries, determined as they were to use all the influence they could command to put an end to them, and all their power to protect British subjects, could not encourage the hon. Member to hope that Britain would become a principal in the hostilities, or that British forces would be brought to bear on the issue of the contest. He begged leave to assure the hon. Member that every possible means would be taken to protect the lives and property of British subjects.
§ Mr. Milner Gibsonwished to know whether Government had authorised a letter from Mr. Mandeville, which had appeared in the public journals, requesting the Buenos Ayrean general to desist from advancing on Monte Video in an authoritative tone.
§ Sir R. Peelthe Government certainly never had authorised the British agent, nor had the French government authorised their agent to hold out the expectation that either one country or the other would become a party to hostilities, but both had been authorised to make representations in the strongest manner against the continuance of hostilities.
§ Mr. Ewartremarked, that British merchants in that country declared that our ambassador had assumed a position to which he had not adhered.
§ Subject at an end.