§ Mr. Ewartbegged to put a question to the right hon. Baronet at the head of the Government. Certain negotiations had been entered into with the Government of Paraguay. Several English merchants had gone into Paraguay, and had entered into negotiations with the Government. He had been given to understand that these negotiations had suddenly ceased, without any cause being assigned. As he considered the subject highly important, he was desirous of knowing whether any measures had been taken for the purpose of opening communications with Paraguay.
§ Sir Robert Peel,who was heard indistinctly in the gallery, we understood to reply, that some time since a British merchant, named Hughes, had applied for the sanction of the Government to go out to Paraguay for the purpose of making inquiry into the state of the country. The answer given at the Foreign-office was, that he must go out on his own responsibility. That gentleman had made an interesting report upon Paraguay, but he believed was not fortunate in his commercial speculations. In January, 1842, application was made to the government of Buenos Ayres to allow a gentleman named Gordon, an attaché to the embassy at Rio, to proceed to Paraguay; but they threw difficulties in the way, and eventually declined. Mr. Hughes had given Mr. Gordon some useful information, and the only account that had been received from him was, that he had met with a favourable reception. Since this, however, a merchant at Liverpool had received a letter, saying that Mr. Gordon's mission had been unsuccessful, and he had been expelled the country. The Government, however, had received no confirmation of that report.