§ MR. DISRAELII will now, with the permission of the House, answer the Question of my hon. Friend (Mr. Bruce)—whether it will be convenient for the public service that we should enter at once into some discussion on the present state of affairs in Turkey; and, if not, whether I could feel it my duty, when the occasion serves, to facilitate that discussion in this House? Her Majesty's Government appreciate—entirely appreciate—the sage forbearance—I will even say the patriotic reserve—which has been extended to the Government in circumstances of difficulty, and which has induced the House to refrain from discussing affairs the public notice of which we may assume might be inconvenient. I myself trust that this forbearance will not be abused, and I can assure the House that there is no wish on the part of Her Majesty's Government that we should take advantage of it for any other object than that of the public 266 welfare. The House will perhaps best form an opinion as to the expediency of discussion at present upon the affairs of Turkey if I place before them, as accurately as it is in my power to do, the exact position of affairs. The Great Powers, although they may have differed on other points, have unanimously agreed upon one—namely, that after the events which have happened at Constantinople, and the accession of the new Sultan, it was just and expedient that he should not be unduly pressed, but that he should have sufficient time to survey his position, and to decide what, in the opinion of his Ministers and Counsellors, was the best course by which he might extricate himself from his difficulties and bring about a state of affairs more satisfactory to Europe. With this view the Sultan has published a Proclamation, which grants a general amnesty to all his subjects in Herzegovina and in Bosnia, and at the same time has announced a suspension of hostilities. In what manner this Proclamation has been received by the Insurgents we have no formal evidence, which is the necessary consequence of their having no Provisional Government or recognized head. But so far as we can now form an opinion from what is occurring in those countries, the Proclamation has, at least, elicited some inert sympathy; because we have it in evidence that it has been in the power of the Turkish authorities to revictual the most important stronghold in Herzegovina without any difficulty, though the attempt to do so a few weeks ago caused a severe and sanguinary struggle, and I might say more than one sanguinary struggle. I may also observe that we have reason to believe that communications are at this moment passing between the Government at Constantinople and various bodies of other subjects of the Sultan. What may be the result of these negotiations I do not pretend to give an opinion; but the House can now judge whether they think it expedient that we should enter into a discussion of these important affairs under present circumstances. From its own experience the House is quite conscious that, in debate, a single expression often leads to great misapprehension—that it may foster very unreasonable expectations in some quarters, and may lead to some delusive hopes. I should say my- 267 self, on the part of the Government, that at the present moment the reserve which they have adopted, which Parliament has adopted, should certainly be continued until we learn what may be the consequences of the steps recently taken by the Government at Constantinople. When I consider the magnitude of these affairs, the great interests at stake, the difficulties of the situation, and the course which Her Majesty's Government on their responsibility have already taken, I cannot for a moment suppose that Parliament could be prorogued without giving its opinion upon our conduct. On the part of Her Majesty's Government I can assure the House that at the first moment we feel that we can enter upon the discussion in Parliament without serious inconvenience and even injury to great interests, I shall think it my duty to give my hon. Friend who has addressed this Question to me to-night, or to any other hon. Gentleman who takes a position on the subject, the utmost facilities for bringing the question under the notice of Parliament.
THE MARQUESS OF HARTINGTONPerhaps the House will allow me to make an observation before this subject is passed over. I presume, after the statement made by the right hon. Gentleman, that the hon. Member for Portsmouth (Mr. Bruce) will not bring forward his Motion to-morrow. I wish, however, to point out to the House, and especially to the Government, that the circumstance of the hon. Member having obtained for to-morrow a somewhat favourable opportunity of bringing forward this question, has no doubt to a considerable extent prevented other Members of the House placing on the Paper any other Motions or Questions on the subject, inasmuch as on the question which was to have been raised by the hon. Member a general discussion would be expected. I only wish to say that there does exist, especially on this side of the House, a very strong opinion that it is extremely desirable that there should not be much longer delay in our obtaining further information than we have yet obtained as to the position of this country with regard to the present state of affairs in Turkey—that is, as to the present position of this country in regard to Turkey herself, in regard to her revolted subjects, and also in regard to the other Great Powers of 268 Europe. I venture to think the House will see that the statement the right hon. Gentleman has just made, interesting as it was, does not convey to the House any information upon the part which Her Majesty's Government have been and are at the present moment taking in these important matters. I am far from saying that the time has come in which it would be prudent or politic for the Government to make these explanations to the House. I only rose to say that I do trust the right hon. Gentleman will take the very earliest opportunity of enabling the House to form an opinion upon his policy on this subject; and that he will also, if possible, lay upon the Table those Papers which I understood the right hon. Gentleman on a former occasion to say would, as soon as the public convenience permitted, be laid on the Table of the House.