§ MR. WILLIAMSONasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If it is the case, as stated in The Daily Telegraph, that the Foreign Diplomatic Body at Lima has refused to acknowledge the Government of General Iglesias; whether the action of the Diplomatic Body includes the Representative of Great Britain; whether any assurance can be given to the House, and to the Country, that our name and power will not be used in Peru for the recovery of debts, real or fictitious, due to Foreigners by that Republic; and, whether instructions will be at once telegraphed to our Representative to abstain from any course which would weaken a Government so recently established under circumstances of extreme difficulty, and 30 which might lead to the renewal of war in that part of the world?
§ SIR WILLIAM M'ARTHURasked the Under Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, If it be true that the Foreign Diplomatic Body have broken off relations with General Iglesias, President of the Republic of Peru, declining to recognize his Government; and, if the Foreign Office has been informed of the reasons of such conduct?
§ LORD EDMOND FITZMAURICESir, on the 19th of December Her Majesty's Representative at Lima was instructed that Her Majesty's Government intended to recognize the Government of General Iglesias upon the recognition by Congress of his appointment. The recognition took place early in March. On the 3rd of April the European and American Representatives were convened by the Peruvian Minister for Foreign Affairs, who requested the immediate recognition of the Peruvian Government. The Ministers, including Her Majesty's Representative, appear to have desired to receive further instructions before replying. The Peruvian Foreign Minister thereupon informed them that henceforward relations with the Legations were suspended. I have already explained to the House the action of the Foreign Representatives in regard to the Treaty of Peace between Chili and Peru; but this question is quite separate from that of the recognition of the Peruvian Government, and it is evident that the questions raised by the Treaty cannot be properly discussed until diplomatic relations are restored. Her Majesty's Representative will, accordingly, be instructed that there is no departure whatever from the intention of recognizing the Government of General Iglesias, and he will be directed to do so. In regard to the claims alluded to by my hon. Friend, there is no intention of departing from the terms of Lord Palmerston's Circular of January, 1848, on the subject.