The Chancellor of the Exchequer, after the late momentous events which had unexpectedly taken place, thought proper to call the attention of the House to the documents relating to the late negociations. Before the recess, he had been directed to acquaint the House, that the negociations which had been carried on at Chatillonsur-Seine were broken off, and that a communication would be shortly made to them on that important subject. At the same time it was understood, that all the documents relating to those negociations were to be laid before the House as early as possible, in order to submit fully to the approbation of the House the conduct of his Majesty's ministers in that delicate conjuncture. The change of circumstances which had, however, taken place since, rendered the production of those documents now less desirable. The man who was the principal party that we had to deal with in those negociations had been hurled from his throne—and on that event, which now filled the world with wonder, he would not detain the attention of the House; but since that momentous change had taken place, other negociations had been entered upon, which promised the happiest and most glorious results for England, and for Europe. Under these circumstances, he did not think it advisable, not perhaps decorous, to publish the documents relating to the negociations at Chatillon.
§ Mr. Whitbreadsaid, when the House last separated, they were in daily expectation of hearing of great events, and greater had never occurred in the history of any nation than those which had since taken place. No man could contemplate these with greater delight—no man could participate more largely in the general joy, than he did; but he could not help feeling, nevertheless, that the House would be guilty of a dereliction of its duty, if it neglected to call for the papers respecting the negociations at Chatillon. They (the members of the House of Commons) were not absolved from their duty by the prosperity which had opened on Europe and the world. They ought at such a time to be more vigilant than ever. It was their duty carefully to trace what had been the conduct of ministers before the rupture of the negociations. When he said this, it was not because he thought there was any reason to arraign the conduct of ministers; on the contrary, he 433 thought he should be one to applaud their conduct throughout, and that the rupture of the negociations would have his unqualified sanction. He, however, thought, after the confidence that House had reposed in them, by adjourning itself from time to time, in order to give them every opportunity of prosecuting the negotiations without interruption, it was too much to tell them, that those papers ought not to be produced which they had promised should be laid before them. When that House was the only body in England unofficially acquainted with what had taken place, he could not help thinking they ought not to suffer themselves to be treated thus, at a time when they stood so high in the eyes of the world as they did at present. If the right hon. gentleman thought it was inexpedient to produce them now, he would concur with, him, and be content to wait that prosperous issue which all fondly anticipated; but if he meant, that it was now, and would be ever inexpedient to lay them before the House, he for one would enter his protest against this doctrine. He would call for them; and he thought discredit would be thrown on the House, if they were not obtained. He thought, as negociations were at present going on, that it might be improper to produce them now. [Hear, hear!]—A member opposite said "Hear, hear!" Did that hon. member hear the right hon. gentleman (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) say he would be willing to give the papers at any future time? If the hon. member heard him say so, he heard what had escaped him (Mr. Whitbread). If he had said so, he (Mr. Whitbread) was content to wait; but if he had not said so, he was not content to agree that it would be for ever inexpedient to produce them. Though, from information that he had received as a private individual, he thought the negociations had broken off on just grounds, still, as a member of parliament, he must call for the papers which had been promised, that he might know what had caused the rupture.
The Chancellor of the Exchequerhad not meant, by any thing that he had said, to preclude the House from calling for the papers, if their production should be thought necessary at any future time. He wished at present to give opinion, as to whether or not ministers might hereafter think it desirable that they should be produced. Whether or not it would be expedient of a future day, he was not now 434 disposed to inquire. The hon. gentleman had said, that House had reposed great confidence in ministers, by adjourning from time to time to enable them to prosecute the negociations without interruption. He admitted, the House had reposed great confidence in them; he trusted that confidence had not been abused; and had only to express a hope, that the House would continue to have confidence in them for some time longer.
§ Mr. Whitbreadremarked, the right hon. gentleman had said that he did not mean to preclude the House from calling for any information which they might hereafter think necessary. He knew that the right hon. gentleman did not mean to preclude them from doing that over which he had no controul; but he now collected from what he had said, that—the instructions given by the right hon. gentleman's colleagues—that the opinion of his Majesty's government was—that it would not, even at a future period, be expedient to lay before parliament the papers, which they had promised to produce: now, if this was their resolution, when the time came, and a time must arrive, when the production of these papers would be harmless, he would get them if he could; and as their production had already been sanctioned by ministers, if he stood alone, he would endeavour to persuade the House to call for them. From the commencement of the negociations up to the present time, he had been one of the first to repose confidence in ministers. He did not repent the line he had taken; but they must not expect his confidence would be extended beyond all bounds; and he should think ministers unworthy of all confidence, if they kept from the House those papers which they ought to have.
The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, he had not expressed an opinion that it would be inexpedient at some future time to lay the papers before the House. He repeated, it was his meaning, that it was not now deemed expedient by his Majesty's ministers to lay before, the House those papers which a short time ago they thought it their duty to produce.