§ THE EARL OF DERBYMy Lords, I have waited to the last moment in the expectation—I think not an unreasonable one, considering the question put to the noble Earl on the last meeting of the House, and the reply which he then gave to me, that Her Majesty's Government would take into consideration the course they should think it advisable to pursue with respect to our relations with the United States of America—I have waited, I say, until the last moment, in the expectation that the noble Earl would not have waited to be again questioned on the subject, but that he would volunteer that information on a subject concerning which he must know that the House and the country are most anxious to possess. It is impossible to overrate the position in which the country at present stands, or the serious responsibility that rests on Her Majesty's Government with regard to the advice they may give to the Crown with regard to the course to be pursued at this juncture; and I should have thought that 1473 the noble Earl would not have required me to put to him this question—namely, if Her Majesty's Government, since the House last met, have come to any conclusion as to the course which they would advise Her Majesty to pursue, and if they were prepared to state what that course may be?
§ THE EARL OF CLARENDONMy Lords, I stated the last evening the House sat that it was the intention of Her Majesty's Government to lay before your Lordships, at the earliest period, the papers which have been communicated to us by the American Minister. Those papers have since been laid before the Senate of the United States, and they are in the possession of the people of this country. They are now in the printer's hands, and will be laid before your Lordships as soon as the answers to these despatches have been returned. Your Lordships must be aware that these answers will require some time and mature deliberation, and it is because they are not as yet prepared I did not take the initiative which the noble Earl thinks I should have taken. It is the duty of Her Majesty's Government to satisfy the very natural anxiety which is felt by the country in general with respect to our relations with the Government of the United States of America, and I therefore do not hesitate on this occasion to inform your Lordships, and through your Lordships the country, that it is not the intention of Her Majesty's Government to advise Her Majesty to suspend our diplomatic relations with the United States.
§ THE EARL OF DERBYIn the absence of the papers mentioned by the noble Earl, it would be extremely premature to enter into any discussion with respect to the announcement just made. I myself personally rejoice at that announcement, for this reason—because I believe that, although I deeply regret the course pursued by the United States Government, yet it is impossible for us to vindicate the conduct of our own Minister, and of those under whose authority he acted; and believing the United States Government have a just cause of complaint against us, I rejoice that Her Majesty's Government have sanctioned, by their acquiescence in the withdrawal of Mr. Crampton and the Consuls, the opinion which I myself entertain, that America has a just cause of complaint against this country. At the present moment I will not enter into 1474 merits of the case, but I rejoice that we have acknowledged our error, even though by acquiescing in that which I must say is humiliating to have to submit to on the part of this country—namely, the removal of our Minister from his position by the authority of the United States.
§ THE EARL OF CLARENDONMy Lords the noble Earl said, that at present it would be premature to enter into any discussion with respect to the announcement which I have made to your Lordships. It is true that he has not entered into any discussion in respect to it; he has, however, pronounced a most positive judgment upon the matter, and I can only appeal to your Lordships, and through your Lordships to the country, not to follow the example of the noble Earl, and prejudge the case.
§ THE EARL OF DERBYI have formed my judgment from the papers supplied by the Government themselves, and laid by them on the table of your Lordships' House.