§ SIR JAMES ELPHINSTONEsaid, he wished to ask the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Whether Her Majesty's Government have expressed any opinion on the circumstances of Mr. Seward having presented a document to Lord Lyons on the 22nd of December last, which, on the 19th of March, he "felt bound" to tell him he had "just discovered" to be "a forgery;" and whether Her Majesty's Government communicated with the agents of the Confederate States in Europe on the subject, or with the Government of the Confederate States at Richmond, and with what result. He also wished to know, whether Mr. Seward had been called upon to name the gentleman who was the author of the report?
§ MR. LAYARDsaid, Her Majesty's Government had not expressed any opinion upon the communications from Mr. Seward. As the hon. Member was aware, there was no agent of the Confederate States in this country to whom questions could be addressed, and it was not usual to address questions to the agent of a Government which was not recognized. Every endeavour was made by the Government to ascertain whether the document referred to was genuine. As soon however as it was found that the document was a forgery, that fact was stated by the noble Lord (Earl Russell) in another place.
§ SIR JAMES ELPHINSTONEsaid, he wished to know whether an agent had not been despatched from the Havannah to the Confederate States, in order to communicate with the Government at Richmond, and whether that agent was not refused permission to pass through the blockading squadron?
§ MR. LAYARDThat is so. He was not permitted to pass through the blockade.
§ SIR JAMES ELPHINSTONEsaid, he also wished to know whether the circumstance of an agent being accredited by Her Majesty's Government and sent to communicate with the Confederate States Government did not amount to an acknowledgment of the Executive power of the Confederate States?