§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUEsaid, he rose, pursuant to notice, to call the attention of the House to the present position of the question of the right of visiting ships suspected of Slave Trading, and to ask what course the Government has taken upon that subject.
THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERSir, I must venture to ask the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. C. Fortescue) whether he really considers the question that he is now going to introduce is one that may fairly be brought forward on the Motion for adjournment. I know that by a severe exercise of his privilege the hon. Member may do so; but really to discuss such a question under ordinary circumstances would require a whole evening. Now, this objection to the Motion of the bon. Gentleman is irrespective of that general consideration which the language of the notice gives rise to. The language of that notice is—
To call the attention of the House to the present position of the question of the right of visiting ships suspected of slave trading, and to ask what course the Government has taken upon that subject.Now, Sir, the hon. Gentleman must be aware that at this moment communications are going on between the Government of England and that of the United States, which certainly would not be assisted by any discussion in this House. But my appeal to the hon. Gentleman is based on the broad ground that the question is one of 2034 such magnitude and interest that it would be hardly fair to enter upon it on the Motion for adjournment? I am sure that the hon. Gentleman's motive in his setting down his Motion as one to be moved on the adjournment was an impartial one; for I find that an hon. Friend of mine (Sir J. Elphinstone) has proposed, under the same machinery, to call the attention of the House to the Resolution of "the East India (transport of troops) Committee." This, too, is a question of such magnitude this it is impossible it can be fairly discussed without taking a very considerable period of time. Each of these subjects would afford materials for a night's debate; and both are questions which ought not to be introduced unless they are fairly discussed. I therefore put it to both hon. Gentlemen whether they do not think it will be rather an abuse of a privilege, the legitimate use of which I have always advocated, if they bring forward, on the Motion for the adjournment of the House, topics of this nature.
§ MR. CHICHESTER FORTESCUEsaid, that in putting this Motion on the paper he was not aware that he was taking any unreasonable course. He thought it was quite reasonable before they broke up for the Session, that the Government should be asked to state their intentions on this important subject. The intentions of the Government had not been announced to the House in that clear and satisfactory manner which might have been expected, and he thought it very natural that some Member of the House should make inquiries on that subject. He had intended, in introducing the question, to make but a very short statement, showing the present position of the question as left to the present Government by their predecessors, a point in connection with the subject which he thought had not met with the attention it deserved. The Government appeared to have ignored the acts of their predecessors, and he wanted them to tell the House whether they departed from or adhered to the policy of the late Administration. The Minister of the United States stated at a recent meeting in this country, that our policy had been changed, and that some great concessions had been made on points for which every Government of this country hail hitherto contended, and against which the country he represented had as long struggled. He thought it a perfectly legitimate question to ask whether that statement was true? The Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs explained on a 2035 previous evening that negotiations were in progress for bringing about a convention with the United States for regulating not the right of searching each other's ships, but for conferring the right of mutually verifying the use of the national flag. That was all very well; but the language used by the Government on the occurrence of those unfortunate events in the Cuban waters was such as appeared to him to concede everything for which this country and the predecessors of the present Government had always contended. What he wished to ask was, whether they intended to adhere to the policy of the Earl of Aberdeen, or to sanction the principle that by hoisting a foreign flag, no matter of what nation, it should be in the power of any vessel to stop all further proceedings on the part of our cruisers, and render such vessel sacred and inviolable, whatever might be her character? Because, if so, we had better withdraw our squadron from the waters of Africa and of Cuba. For his own part, he protested against thus imperilling the position of England as the first maritime Power of the world.
MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDSir, I am sure the House will not expect me to enter into any lengthened statement in reply to the observations of the hon. Gentleman. I think that in reference to this question there has been a general feeling in the House and in the country that we could not be too cautious. Certainly the circumstances which have taken place within a short time in the Cuban waters are not such as, in my opinion, to make it desirable that we should on this occasion enter on any discussion. Sir, I stated on a former occasion we had the assurance of the United States Government that they would consider not only with care, but with a desire to do justice to the question, any proposition that we had to make to the United States. Our propositions have not been made. They are still under the consideration of the Government; and it is impossible, therefore, for me to give the House any further information on the subject. I think the hon. Gentleman can scarcely be serious when he asks the Government to state what our policy will be in the event of such communication as is not yet made being unfavourably received by the United States Government. I certainly have every hope that this matter will be brought to a satisfactory termination; and the language of the United States Government and of the United 2036 States Minister in this country is such as to perfectly confirm Her Majesty's Government in that anticipation.