§ THE EARL OF DERBYA few nights ago a noble Viscount, not now in his place, (Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe,) gave notice of his intention to bring forward a Motion on the subject of the foreign policy of this country with regard to the affairs of Italy. He did me the honour of asking me across the table whether I and those with whom I acted had any desire to have the Motion postponed; but, after listening attentively to the terms of the Motion, I immediately answered that we had no wish to postpone the consideration of it, and that the Resolution, as it appeared to us, was one to which we could have no objection. Of course, that answer was made on the supposition that the Motion was made with the concurrence, and would receive the support of Her Majesty's Government; because it is quite clear that we should be placed in a very different position if, when the Motion was made, the Government were to move an Amendment, the terms of which might appear to us to be objectionable. I would therefore venture to ask the noble Earl the President of the Council, whether that Notice was given with the concurrence of the Government, and whether it will meet with their support. I would take the opportunity of suggesting that there is one expression in the second paragraph of the Resolution which does not quite correctly express the noble Viscount's meaning. He proposes to signify the confidence of the House in Her Majesty's determination to maintain inviolate, the "neutrality, as therein declared, of Her Majesty's dominions;" whereas what the noble Lord means to convey is, that the general principle of neutrality between the parties engaged in the contest, as laid down in the papers presented to Parliament, should be maintained inviolate. The alteration is merely a verbal one, and if it is made, I shall have no other objection to offer to the Motion.
§ EARL GRANVILLEreplied, that the noble Lord (Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe) was not now in his place, but if he were, 776 he would certainly be ready to repeat, that he gave notice of that Motion without having had any previous communication at all with the Government on the subject; and certainly, if he (Earl Granville) had been consulted as to the desirableness of bringing forward any such Motion, he should have replied that he did not see the particular utility of it. Of course, he must reserve till to-morrow evening to state his opinion as to the desirableness of agreeing to the Motion. But it would be convenient to the noble Earl that he should know what course the Government intended to take, he (Earl Granville) would at once say that he did not himself see anything in that Motion to which he had the slightest objection, or which would lead him to oppose it, far less to give the House the trouble of dividing on it.