§ MR. ROBINSONwished to ask whether any correspondence or communication had taken place between the noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs and the Minister of the United States on the subject of the Navigation Laws; and, if so, whether the noble Lord intended to lay such correspondence on the table?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONThere has been a correspondence between the American Minister and myself on the subject to which the hon. Gentleman refers. The American Minister intimated to Her Majesty's Government the disposition of the Government of the United States to go hand in hand with the Government of this country in any relaxation which Parliament and the Government might be disposed to make in our Navigation Laws. The answer Her Majesty's Government returned expressed their satisfaction at that communication, and stated that it was their intention to submit to Parliament a proposition on the subject, to which they hoped Parliament would give its sanction. I 4 have no objection whatever to lay these communications before Parliament, and I will endeavour to do so on an early day.