§ Viscount Palmerstonwished to ask the right hon. Baronet when there was any likelihood of his being able to lay upon the Table of the House those papers connected with the affairs of Servia which the right hon. Baronet had said, he would be ready hereafter to communicate?
§ Sir R. Peelsaid, that he had on a former occasion stated to the noble Lord, and with perfect truth, that the only hesitation which he felt to produce the papers in question was, that the names of individuals who had taken part in the proceedings were so mixed up with almost every line of the communications, that their publication might seriously affect: the interests of those persons Servia was not now in a very settled state; but orders had, he believed, been issued, for a new election of a governor; and at the earliest moment at which he could lay those papers before the House consistently with the safety of individuals, he should be ready to produce them.
§ Viscount Palmerstondid not wish for information of the nature which the right hon. Gentleman had mentioned, and the production of which, would, he admitted, be objectionable. He would ask the right hon. Baronet whether he would permit him to look over those papers, and to strike out of them every thing that could bear upon individuals. He should be content with the rest, whatever it might be— content, that was to say, as far as those papers went; but, of course, reserving to himself to ask for more if he should think it desirable. His object was to ascertain what was the right of Russia to interfere with the election; and whether any engagement given to Russia had been so violated as to require the election to be cancelled and another to take place. He would undertake to return the papers to the right hon. Gentleman on the following morning.
§ Sir Robert Peelconsidered that the noble Lord was rather influenced by his former habits of Secretary of State in making his proposal. As far as the per- 89 sonal satisfaction of the noble Lord was concerned, he should have no objection to afford him a perusal of the papers, but it was rather an unusual and novel proceeding to require him to give up the papers to the noble Lord in order that he might exercise his discretion as to the parts which should be published. Without meaning the slightest disrespect to the noble Lord, he (Sir R. Peel) would rather reserve to the present Secretary of State the duty of deciding what should be produced or not. The parties engaged in these transactions on the part of this country were at present in Servia, and he did not think it was in his power to give a full account of these transactions without committing individuals, and probably endangering the election.