§ MR. W. WILLIAMSsaid, he would beg to ask the noble Lord the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether he has lately received a Despatch respecting the Island of St. Juan, confirmatory of certain proceedings which are said to have taken place in that quarter, at the instigation of General Harney?
§ LORD JOHN RUSSELL,in reply, said that it was quite true that orders had been issued by General Harney with respect to the island of St. Juan, in complete contradiction to the arrangements which had been made by General Scott, who had directed that a small number of the troops of each nation should occupy the island, and that there should be no exclusive jurisdiction. General Harney, departing from that arrangement, had given instructions that the American jurisdiction was to prevail in St. Juan, on the ground that it belonged to the United States; but the moment intelligence had reached Washington that such orders had been issued, Lord Lyons had entered into communication on the subject with General Cass. By General Cass, the matter had been laid before the President, who directed that General Harney should be immediately recalled, and that the affairs of St. Juan should be placed on the footing arranged by General Scott. He would only add that the action of the President afforded an assurance that good faith in dealing with the question would be observed on the part of the Government of the United States.