HC Deb 08 March 1864 vol 173 cc1657-8
MR. DISRAELI

Sir, I rise to put the Question, of which I gave notice yesterday, to Her Majesty's Government. It relates to the papers respecting the affairs of Denmark. The House is aware that the last, and, as we now understand, the final instalment of papers respecting the affairs of Denmark comes up only to the termination of the month of January. Since that period many important transactions and incidents have occurred in these matters. We have had an announcement, for instance, of an armistice; afterwards of a Conference; and finally, among other matters of moment, the invasion of Jutland. The House will find in the papers before us no official record whatever of these events. The House does not know why the armistice and the Conference were proposed, what objects were contemplated in the propositions, and why those propositions failed. What I wish to know from Her Majesty's Government is, Whether it is their intention to submit further papers on the affairs of Denmark to the House; and, if so, how early they will be in the hands of Members?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

Sir, the only matter which causes delay in pre- senting further papers is the negotiations or communications now going on with regard to a Conference. As soon as those communications are brought to a close one way or the other, which I should hope will be in a very short time, further papers will be laid before Parliament, bringing the Correspondence down to the period of the close of the negotiations now going on.