§ LORD ADOLPHUS VANE-TEMPESTsaid, that in putting the Question which appeared on the paper in his name, he wished to explain the reasons that had induced him to withdraw his Amendment on the previous evening.
§ MR. SPEAKERThe noble Lord is out of order in referring to a debate which is past and which has been concluded.
§ LORD ADOLPHUS VANE-TEMPESTThe Question he wished to ask related to the annexation of Savoy by the French Emperor. He had felt throughout that the House had been placed in a strange position with regard to the Treaty of Commerce. He was in a very difficult position, but being desirous only to discharge a con- 242 I scientious duty, he trusted he should receive the kind indulgence of the House. He certainly would not detain the House more than ten minutes. They were asked to decide upon a question of a treaty of friendship with France, when, in consequence of the French Emperor's policy, they did not know whether they might not in a short time be on a footing of estrangement and suspicion with that country. They were asked to conclude a treaty of peace on commercial matters in a spirit of amity and friendship to Frenchmen. ["Order!]"
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, that the question of the Treaty with France was set down for discussion that evening, and it was contrary to order to discuss, by anticipation, a Motion which stood on the Orders of the Day.
§ LORD ADOLPHUS VANE-TEMPESTthought that on the question of Adjournment till Monday, it was competent for him to put a Question, and to make any observations he chose, so long as he confined himself to the subject of that Question. He desired to know whether he would be out of order in making some more remarks, which were pertinent to the Question.
§ MR. SPEAKERsaid, the noble Lord was entitled to ask any Question, and he would now, no doubt, confine himself within due limits in proposing his Question.
§ LORD ADOLPHUS VANE-TEMPEST,who was continually interrupted by cries of "Order," said, the hon. Member for Bridgwater had, with convenient amiability, postponed his Motion with regard to this important subject at the suggestion of the noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, until the 19th of the present month, and as if that was not sufficient, that ingenious architect the hon. Member for Pontefract (Mr. M. Milnes) had already formed a pont d'or for the Government. They were going, by affirming this Treaty, to declare to Europe that their hands were tied up with regard to this question. ["Order!"] He would not now detain the House upon the subject of the Treaty; but on another occasion he would do so at greater length, though owing to the admirable strategy of the noble Lord the Foreign Secretary, he would have to wait until the 19th March. He would now ask the noble Lord whether Her Majesty's Government had taken any steps, and if so, whether they had any objection to state the nature of them, to obtain the concurrence of Austria, Prussia, and Russia in opposing the rumoured annexation of Savoy 243 to France? He wished to ask also whether they had been made acquainted with the final intentions of Sardinia with reference to this subject; and whether the expressed opinions of Switzerland remained unchanged? The opinions of Switzerland were very strong on the subject. He asked her Majesty's Government whether they had any objection to give the House the information they possessed on these subjects?
MR. KINGLAKEsaid, that if he could maintain a little more gravity than the House seemed to be possessed of at that moment, he would endeavour to express the indignation with which he had heard the charge made against him by the noble Lord. A charge more ungrounded had never been brought against any Member in that House. He thought he had given on a former occasion a proof that he was not disposed quickly or very easily to give way to any pressure put upon him by the Government for the purpose of inducing him to postpone his Motion. Once, when he was asked by a Minister of the Crown on his responsibility to postpone it, he consented; but on the, second occasion when he was asked both by the noble Lord the Foreign Secretary and the hon. Member for Pontefract (Mr. M. Milnes) to postpone it, he declined to do so, and having shown that he was capable of resisting pressure which it was painful to resist, especially when it came from his own side of the House, he asked the House whether it was right that such charges should be brought against him by the noble Lord. If the noble Lord had been in the House on the first occasion, he would have heard the noble Lord the Foreign Secretary declare, that if the question was then brought forward it would prove inconvenient and perhaps dangerous to the public service. After hearing that announcement, could the noble Lord persevere in asserting that he (Mr. Kinglake) had, with a convenient yielding, assented to the suggestion of the Government? He appealed to the House whether it was fitting that a charge of this description should be made on grounds so totally insufficient.