HC Deb 23 July 1861 vol 164 c1376
MR. HENNESSY

said, he rose to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, When the Papers relating to Poland will be laid upon the Table of the House? Whether the Despatch (from Viscount Palmerston to Prince Talleyrand), which contains the statement that "the rights of the Czar are incontestible," will appear with the other Papers; and, if not, whether that Despatch is authentic? And what are the reasons which influence Her Majesty's Government in withholding its contents from the House?

LORD JOHN RUSSELL

said, that as the correspondence in question took place at a time when his noble Friend at the head of the Government was Secretary of State for the Foreign Department, he had found it necessary to consult his noble Friend both as to which were the papers that it would be necessary to begin with, and also as to whether it would be necessary to add any other papers. The documents referred to were contained in volumes of former years, and his noble Friend had not yet read them sufficiently to give an opinion. As soon as he had done so, no doubt he would communicate to him (Lord John Russell).