Lord Hollandrose to move that duplicates of the correspondence which had passed between the British and the French governments, relative to the Exchange of Prisoners, and which correspondence had been already laid before the other House of Parliament, be also laid on their lordships' table. It was painful to consider to what hardships and privations such a large number of persons had, in both countries, been doomed for such a length of time, especially if no serious measure had been adopted to relieve them from so distressing a situation. It was proper that their lordships should inquire, and that the country should know to which of the two governments was to be imputed the failure of the attempt to settle some plan for the exchange of prisoners of war. It was proper it should be known that nothing in fairness and in justice had been omitted on the part of the British government to effect that exchange, and that if it failed, it had not failed, through any want of sincerity and anxiety 643 on our part, to accomplish an object which, from every motive of humanity, it was so desirous to attain. It afforded him much satisfaction to observe, that no blame on this head was imputable to this country, and that the British government had gone every length which they were warranted in going, in order to bring about that much desired exchange.
The Earl of Liverpoolwas as desirous as any noble lord could be, that the conduct of government, in this respect, should be as generally and as publicly known as possible. Indeed government had evinced a most sincere anxiety to obtain this object by the sacrifices they were ready to make, in order to attain it; for every proposition that was just, fair, and equitable, had been made to the enemy for that purpose, but they were not met by a similar disposition, and had been frustrated only by the exorbitant, and wholly inadmissible demands on the Part of the French government.
§ The motion was then agreed to.