§ VISCOUNT STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFEMy Lords, it is on the ground of personal explanation that I claim your Lordships' indulgence for a few moments. On referring to the morning papers which I am most in the habit of reading, I find that the notice I gave, or intended to give here, yesterday, was not stated with the accuracy which usually characterizes the Reports of your Lordships' proceedings. The main point of my Notice is nearly or altogether omitted, and words are put into my mouth—unintentionally, no doubt—which it was not my intention to express. Without complaining of this confusion, no doubt accidental, I wish to state that the Notice had principally in view the prevailing rumours of the revival of the so called Holy Alliance. It was only in connection with that I referred to the remarkable Correspondence which was published, as your Lordships are aware, in a well-known morning print (The Morning Post) yesterday and on the previous Saturday. On the merits of that Correspondence I passed no judgment. It was not for me to moot whether the Correspondence be really authentic, as maintained by the paper in question, or fabricated, as declared on high official authority. A declaration coming from the Prussian Government, a Power in friendly connection with Her Majesty, must necessarily command my entire respect. Supposing the Correspondence to be a mere fabrication, no one would be readier than myself to condemn so disgraceful and unwarrantable a deception; but the circumstance which I have already brought to the knowledge of your Lordships is not affected by the character of the Correspondence, whatever it may be. I repeat that the despatches published yesterday in extracts and translation were shown to me many weeks ago in the French language, and, so far as I can recollect, substantially the same as those just published by a gentleman of undoubted respectability. This fact is, however, no proof of the authenticity of these documents, though many persons may think it gives these documents some additional claim to attention, and it certainly goes far to exonerate the publisher from any suspicion of complicity in practising on the credulity of the public. With respect to my intended Notice, the 820 forms of the House do not admit of any proceeding with it at the present moment, and I propose to defer its consideration to a more convenient opportunity. Of the three remaining nights in this week, two are assigned preferentially to the Orders of the Day, and a very important Motion stands on your Lordships' Minutes for Friday. It only remains for me at present to lay my Notice on the table. It will stand for Friday, the 15th instant.
VISCOUNT STRATFORD DE RED-CLIFFEthen gave Notice
To draw attention to the prevailing rumours concerning a supposed revival of the so-called Holy Alliance, and to inquire whether Her Majesty's Ministers have any information thereon which may be communicated to Parliament without prejudice to the Public Service.