Lords Sitting of 5 July 1866

MINUTES.
Took the Oath—The Lord Seaton.

THE MINISTERIAL CRISIS.
Their Lordships having met—
EARL RUSSELLsaid, he had received a communication from the Earl of Derby, in which the noble Earl requested him to move the adjournment of the House, as far as public business was concerned, till Monday.

THE STATE OF EUROPE.

  OBSERVATIONS.
  LORD BROUGHAMsaid, he did not rise to oppose the Motion, but he could not refrain from expressing his utmost horror at the state of Europe and the cruel and unchristian conduct of so many of the Powers. Thousands and tens of thousands of men were being arrayed for the purpose of slaughtering others or being slaughtered themselves. Never was Europe in such a state before, but he must add in justice to Austria that, except with respect to the Duchies, she had acted entirely on the defensive. She had defended herself against Prussia and against the Italians. In his opinion those Italians had no right to a single acre of territory more than they had obtained by the Treaty of Villafranca, but the Venetians themselves had a right to throw off Austrian rule if they felt it to be oppressive. In this grave state of things it was stated that Austria had ceded Venetia to France. It was said that bystanders often saw more of the game than the players; but in this case there was a bystander who not only saw more of the game, but took a share of the prizes, on whatever side they might fall. He hoped the public feeling in France would prevent a continuance of the war after the offer of Austria to cede Venetia to the French Emperor. An armistice had been called for by the Emperor, and he hoped it would be followed by a Congress. His own opinion was that the territory of Venetia should not belong to Italy, but that it should be a free country—free from a foreign yoke.
  Motion agreed to.
  House adjourned at a quarter past Five o'clock, till to-morrow, One o'clock.