§ MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDsaid, he would beg to ask, Whether the Government have received official information relative to the Convention said to have been entered into at Soledad between the Allied Powers and the Government of Mexico; whether the British Force has been, or is about to be, withdrawn from the territories of the Republic; and whether instructions have been sent out to the British Minister approving the terms of the Convention?
§ MR. LAYARDreplied, that the Government had received official information that a Convention had been signed—not between the Allied Powers and Mexico, but between the Commissioners of those Powers and the Government of the country. It was true that the British Force—if it might be called a force—might probably have been withdrawn from Mexico by the present time, with the exception of a small body of men. That force originally consisted of 600 marines, but a reference to the papers which had been laid on the table on the House, would show that it had never been the intention of the Government that those marines should take part in any expedition into the interior of the country. They would, therefore, be withdrawn, with the exception of 100, who would he left to carry on the ordinary duties at Vera Cruz and San Juan. As regarded the Convention, he might add that Her Majesty's Government had approved of it as a whole; for although they could not approve all the articles, yet they believed that the general spirit carried out the intentions of Her Majesty's Government. The Convention distinctly disclaimed all desire, on the part of Her Majesty's Government, to interfere in the internal affairs of Mexico, and encouraged a hope that the present differences would be satisfied by negotiation and pacific means, and that any hostile measures would be unnecessary. It was to be hoped that these expectations would be fulfilled, and that it would not be necessary to go to war with Mexico.
§ MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDasked, whether papers on the subject would be laid on the table immediately?
§ MR. LAYARDsaid, the hon. Gentleman had given notice of his intention to move for those papers after Easter. He could not at present say whether there was any objection to lay the Convention on the table, but he should probably be able to inform the hon. Gentleman on Monday.
§ MR. SEYMOUR FITZGERALDsaid, it was for the purposes of his Motion that he was anxious to have the papers.