§ Several petitions were presented, complaining of Agricultural Distress.
The Marquis of Lansdownsaid, he thought it a fit opportunity, when petitions were presented, complaining of distress which unfortunately was but too well known to exist, to ask a question of the noble earl opposite, regarding a large sum of money which had, for a considerable period, been due to this country. There was but too much reason to complain of the sums which had been lavishly wasted during the progress of the war, and in particular of one large advance to a continental power, which ought to have been long since repaid. He alluded to what had been called the Austrian Loan. It had been understood last session, that a negociation was to take place respecting 125 this loan, at the congress of Verona. Now, as that congress had been for some time broken up and dissolved, he wished to know from the noble earl whether an arrangement had been agreed upon, which held out any hope of the repayment of the loan.
The Earl of Liverpoolsaid, that the Austrian loan being merely a transaction between the government of this country and that of Austria, could not become a subject of discussion, either at the congress of Vienna or of Verona. It was true, however, that a noble friend of his had intimated in the last session, that a negociation was in progress with the court of Vienna upon this subject; and he had no hesitation in saying, that the principle of an arrangement for the repayment of the loan had been agreed to by the Austrian government. He trusted he should soon be enabled to announce, that the arrangement had been concluded.