§ MR. OTWAYsaid, that as the noble Lord at the head of the Government had stated in the House that negotiations were now going on, and were intrusted to "our ally to a certain extent"—Austria, and as one of the conditions of peace with Russia related to the state of the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia, he wished to know whether it was true that the people of the Principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia had been subjected to martial law by the Austrian authorities; and, if so, whether that step had been taken with the previous knowledge and concurrence of Her Majesty's Government; also, whether any communications had passed on this subject between Her Majesty's Government, or any agents of the Government, and the Austrian Government, or any of its agents; and, if so, whether the noble Lord had any objection to lay such communications on the table of the House?
§ VISCOUNT PALMERSTONHer Majesty's Government was informed, in the course of the present month, by information coming principally from our consuls in those provinces, that the general officer commanding the Austrian troops in the Principalities had proclaimed martial law, Lord Westmorland asked for information upon that subject from General Hess at Vienna, and the reply he received was that the Austrian Government had no information on the matter, that they had given no instructions for the order in question, 971 and that they did not know whether or not it had been issued. Upon further inquiry, Lord Westmorland found that General Coronini had issued an order, not to the effect of what we commonly understand as martial law—that is to say, an order superseding the law of the country in regard to the administration of justice generally—but an order which applied to the troops themselves, and to any person who might be detected in the endeavour to induce the troops to desert. The reason assigned was that attempts had been made to induce desertion, and the Austrian general thought that a necessary measure. Lord Westmorland inquired of the Austrian Government whether that edict would apply to any foreigners? and he was assured that it would not apply to any foreigners within the Principalities, and that if any complaint was made as to a foreigner having attempted to induce the Austrian troops to desert, a representation would be made to the Minister of the country to which that foreigner belonged. I am not aware that there will be any objection to give such extracts from the despatches as may serve to explain precisely how the matter stands.