§ LORD WILLIAM GRAHAMsaid, he begged to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether the Austrian Ambassador had called upon Lord Clarendon for any explanation of the words stated to have been used by a Member of the Administration, that "no settlement of the Eastern question would be satisfactory unless Hungary and Poland were restored?"
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONSir, in regard to that Member of the Administration to whom the noble Lord refers, I shall merely say that it has caused me great satisfaction that that hon. Friend of mine has accepted service under the Crown, and that I have the most confident expectations that his great natural abilities and the remarkable energy of his character will render him an ornament to Her Majesty's service, and will enable him to do honour to the memory of his illustrious father. The question of the noble Lord, however, refers to the policy of Her Majesty's Go- 882 vernment, and upon that I am prepared to give him the fullest information. The Austrian Government know, and have all along known, that the Government of Great Britain would consider it a great misfortune to Europe if Hungary were separated from the Austrian empire; because I consider the Austrian empire, as an aggregate body in the centre of Europe, to be an essential element in the balance of power of Europe. The Austrian Government, therefore, have no doubt as to what are the policy and views of Her Majesty's Government in regard to Hungary. With respect to Poland, I have no hesitation in stating my own opinion that the kingdom of Poland, as at present constituted, and as at present occupied, is a standing menace to Germany. It is for the Powers of Germany to determine how far they may think that constitution of Poland is or is not dangerous to them, and whether, under circumstances which may lead them into war with Russia, they will think it for their interests to endeavour to change that position of affairs. But, undoubtedly, no stipulations in regard to a new arrangement of Poland form a part of those points upon which Her Majesty's Government are now, in concert with the Government of France, negotiating at Vienna. Those negotiations are carried on upon the basis of the Four Points, which have been frequently published and are well known to everybody; but the two Powers have reserved to themselves the right, according to circumstances, and according to the events of the war, if hostilities, either owing to a prolongation or a rupture of negotiations, should continue—they have, I say, reserved to themselves the right of adding in future to these Four Points any other stipulations which they may think essential for the future security of Europe. At present, however, the negotiations are going on upon these Four Points, and that is the policy of the Government with respect to this subject.
§ LORD WILLIAM GRAHAMsaid, the noble Lord had not answered the question put to him.
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTON;I have stated that the Austrian Ambassador and Government are perfectly cognizant of what is the policy and what are the intentions of Her Majesty's Government, and there has never been any secrecy on our part, or any doubt entertained on the part of the Government of Austria upon that subject.