§ MR. SMYTHEwished to ask the Foreign Secretary—1. Whether there was any objection to lay before Parliament copies of instructions to Mr. Hood, senior, Lord Howden, Captain Gore, Mr. Hood, junior, and Mr. Southern, some time agents in La Plata? 2. Whether our relations with France in La Plata were of such a nature as to afford any hope of a successful issue from the offer of our good offices made in the third article of the new convention? 3. Whether security to the lives and property of British subjects residing in the Banda Oriental had been guaranteed?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONsaid, that the negotiations which had been going on for some time between the Government and General Rosas, having been concluded by a treaty, it would not of course be consistent with his public duty to present the copies of the various proposals which had been made from time to time, for the purpose of bringing about an arrangement, but which had not been successful in their results. Now, however, a treaty, and, as he thought, a satisfactory treaty, having been concluded—and if the House did not think it satisfactory they could discuss it next Session—he did not think it would be just or right to produce former proposals which had been unsuccessful. With regard to the second question, they thought it better for the interests of all parties that 1029 they should conclude a treaty on their own part with General Rosas and the Argentine republic, without waiting for the results of the negotiations with France. By adopting that course, they thought they should he in a better position, having settled their own particular question with General Rosas, to obtain a settlement of the entire dispute between all parties, than if they waited for the negotiations with the French Government. According to the last accounts, these negotiations were going on satisfactorily; and no person was more likely to obtain from General Rosas those small modifications which were required to terminate the dispute, than the officer who was sent out by the French Government to conduct the negotiations. With regard to the safety of British subjects, he had no apprehensions that the British subjects in Monte Video would be exposed to attacks of any kind. They had the guarantee which General Oribe gave them on a former occasion, and which he always considered to be binding upon him. He therefore saw no ground for apprehension to British subjects or British property when the foreign troops were disarmed and the Argentine troops returned from the territory of Monte Video.