HC Deb 08 March 1860 vol 157 cc108-9
MR. VINCENT SCULLY

said, he would beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Ministers, being all Protestant, whilst a large proportion of the Queen's subjects are Catholic, it is the intention of the present Government to observe faithfully the principle of absolute non-intervention, so far at least as regards the territories and sovereignty of His Holiness the Pope?

VISCOUNT PALMERSTON

Sir, I can assure my hon. and learned Friend that the foreign policy of Her Majesty's Government is not in the least degree influenced by the consideration of what may be the religion either of the members of the Cabinet or of any number of Her Majesty's loyal subjects. It is founded on considerations of a much larger and higher order than any question of that kind. I have already stated on former occasions, that with regard to the affairs of Italy the principle which Her Majesty's Government have endeavoured to inculcate on other Powers has been to leave the people of Italy free to arrange their own affairs according to their own notions of what is best for their respective interests. That is the principle, Sir, on which alone we have interfered, if interference it can be called, to endeavour to exhort other Powers to act on that principle; and I am persuaded, if this principle be permitted to guide the conduct and course of other Governments, the people of Italy would in the end be enabled to arrange their affairs, so as to add to the prosperity and happiness of the people. Perhaps the House will allow me, before resuming my seat, to appeal to those Gentlemen who have Notices standing on the Orders for this evening, and who of course are entitled to that precedence which the rules of the House afford them over my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesex (Mr. Byng), who has given notice of an Address to Her Majesty on a matter of great interest to the House and the public. I should really he very much obliged to them, and I am sure the convenience of the House would be consulted, if they would kindly postpone the Notices which stand in their names previous to that of my hon. Friend, so as to enable him to proceed with his Motion now rather than at a later period of the evening.

MR. CAVE

said, that as a young Member he was willing to leave the matter in the hands of the House. At the same time if the House wished to hear his Motion, he would consider it his duty to press it, being one in which time was of great importance, as the Treaty to which it referred might be ratified at any moment.