The Marquess of LondonderryI confess I see with much pleasure the noble Earl at the head of his Majesty's Government in his place, because I want to put to him one or two questions relative to the state of our Foreign Policy, to which, my Lords, my attention has been more particularly called by perceiving that a Special Mission is about to be sent from this country to the Court of St. Petersburg. I cannot but think, my Lords, that an embassy on which so high a personage as the Lord Privy Seal has been sent, must be of the greatest importance. I see that Thomas Duncombe, esq. is appointed Secretary to the embassy, and, perhaps, when the facts are fully known, we shall find that more of the noble Earl's friends and relations are to accompany the mission. But on that point I know it is not 1265 proper for me to inquire, though our curiosity may be a little excited by the circumstance that some of the noble Earl's friends, in their over-zeal for Reform, were carried, in the other House, a few evenings since, to the length of applying the strongest and most opprobrious epithets to an illustrious Monarch with whom we are in a state of alliance. I cannot help regretting, my Lords, that such language was indulged in, and that so little recollection exists in the other House of past transactions, for his share in which, the illustrious brother of the Monarch now on the throne of the Russias, had so many claims on our admiration and esteem. I hope, therefore, that the noble Lord is not going out to add to the irritation such language must produce, but rather that he is instructed to soften it down, and to do away with the unfavourable impression it must create. I do not expect, however, that the noble Earl will inform us of the nature and objects of the expedition; but I beg leave to remark to him, that we are arrived at nearly the close of the Session, and that we have not had from him, as yet, any explanation of the state of our foreign relations, which are, in my opinion, in a most difficult situation—in a situation almost as difficult of arrangement as the Reform Bill introduced by the noble Earl. I am justified in thus speaking of our foreign relations at present, for when I look at the continued possession of Algiers by the French, at the continued possession of Ancona by the same power, and the protracted and almost interminable train of the negotiations between Holland and Belgium, I cannot call to my mind a period when our foreign position was more complicated and perplexed. We have been for nearly two years engaged in the Belgian and Dutch negotiation, without having brought it to a close; and the question I wish to put to the noble Earl, is for the purpose of ascertaining what the five Powers have lately done—whether the five Powers have come to any arrangement on the subject, and whether the ratification has been yet received? I also wish to ask if Holland is the only power that has not yet acquiesced? and whether, if it has, there is any probability of the consent of the king of the Dutch being speedily obtained? I put these questions, because I cannot help thinking, that the embassy to the Court of St. Petersburg arises out of fresh difficult- 1266 ies in bringing the arrangement to a conclusion, and I feel it would be right to satisfy the public mind on the subject. I hope, therefore, the noble Earl will give me some satisfaction on these points, particularly with regard to Belgium, on which question I think the peace of Europe depends. I have put these questions on this occasion, but I hope, before the end of the Session, some noble Lord, better acquainted with the subject than myself, will call the notice of the House to the whole foreign policy of the country. Certainly, if no one else thinks proper to do so, I will; and, so far as Holland is concerned, I declare that I shall be happy to take any opportunity of expressing the high admiration which I feel at the gallantry, magnanimity, and manliness which the king of Holland has shown in resisting the demands of the five Powers.
§ Earl GreyMy Lords, I should think the noble Marquess must be aware that I cannot answer all the questions he has put. The noble Marquess has expressed a hope that I should afford him satisfaction, but, my Lords, I despair of doing so. It is not the first time the noble Lord has put questions to me, and, numerous as those occasions have been, I feel that I have never been able to answer him to my own satisfaction or to his. The noble Marquess first adverts to a mission, on which a noble relation of mine is about to depart, and says, he will not inquire into the secret of that embassy; but, scarcely has he said so, when he goes on to comment on the reasons which appeared to him to be so important as to call for the mission. The noble Marquess may indulge his suppositions as he pleases, but it must be evident to your Lordships, and to him, that I cannot say anything on the subject at present; and with that remark I must dismiss this part of the noble Lord's observations. The noble Marquess then proceeds to comment on language made use of in the other House, on a late occasion; but I must submit to your Lordships' discretion, that we are not met here to discuss the terms in which a debate should take place in the House of Commons, and, therefore, I have nothing to do with it. Still, I am not sorry the noble Lord has mentioned the circumstance, as it gives me the opportunity of saying that, whatever may be the feelings of any persons on matters of foreign policy, there is a respect due to foreign powers with whom 1267 we are in alliance, which should not be lost sight of in discussions in either House of Parliament. My Lords, I do deprecate all language of that sort, and I think it equally inconsistent with the dignity of Parliament and the interests of the country. It creates difficulties where none exists, and no man can more deeply lament, that language calculated to give offence to foreign Powers has been used than I do. Now, my Lords, with regard to the state of the negotiations between Holland and Belgium, I can only say, that I agree with the noble Marquess when he states, that so long as the question remains open there will be danger to the preservation of the peace of Europe. I have been of that opinion since these negotiations were opened, and I have spared no exertions to bring them to a satisfactory termination, by which the interests of all concerned might be promoted, and the general tranquillity of Europe secured. My Lords, I have to regret that these negotiations are not yet brought to a conclusion. I am very desirous that the moment should arrive when they shall be happily settled; but I cannot enter into the subject more particularly at present, and the noble Marquess must be content with these observations, in reply to the questions he has put. The noble Marquess has thought proper to speak in great admiration of the conduct of the king of Holland. I do not wish to say one word on the subject; but I cannot help remarking, that it is a little extraordinary that the noble Lord, not knowing all that has passed in the course of the negotiations, has taken upon himself to state, that the adverse party—if the king of Holland is to be considered the adverse party, which I do not now pretend to determine—to those Powers, of whom Great Britain is one, has been always in the right, and that the five Powers, Great Britain among them, have been always in the wrong. Whether that resistance be justifiable or not, remains yet to be proved; but it is rather strange that the approbation of the noble Marquess should alone be given to that course which his own Government has been hostile to.
§ The Duke of Wellington, who was imperfectly heard at the bar, was understood to say, that with respect to the conduct of the emperor of Russia, he regretted the noble Earl had not given some fuller explanation, in order that the absurdity of 1268 charges brought against that illustrious monarch should be exposed. For his own part, he must pronounce his entire conviction that his Imperial Majesty had performed every article of the treaty to which he was bound, as far as he (the Duke of Wellington) was able to judge.