really to be closed this day? because, if it be so, I think it would be a perfect waste of time to continue the discussion of the Amendments to the Motion of the right hon. Member for Manchester (Mr. M. Gibson), now on the paper. VISCOUNT PALMERSTON: It is perfectly true, Sir, that Her Majesty's Government expect that the Conference of Vienna was to be reassembled this day, at one o'clock, for the purpose of its being finally closed. The consent of the Governments of England and France to such closing was converyed to their respective Ministers, and I believe it was the intention of the Austrian member of the conference to declare that the conference was MINUTES.] PUBLIC BILLS.-1° Youthful Offend- closed. The result cannot be known until ers. 2o Mortmain; Grants of Lands. 3° Edinburgh Lands. The House met; and the Clerk at the Table acquainted the House, that he had received a Letter from Mr. Speaker, together with a Medical Certificate, which he read to the House, as follow: "89, Eaton Square, a late hour this night, if at all; but my expectation is, that we shall hear in the course of to-night, or to-morrow, that the meeting did take place to-day, and that the conference had been finally closed. MR. T. DUNCOMBE: And a good riddance too. MR. BRIGHT: I wish to ask the noble Lord when he will be able to lay on the table of the House the further with papers Monday, June 4, 1855. "SIR,-I trust that the enclosed Certificate reference to the conferences, giving the from the Surgeon who has been attending me particulars of any propositions which have during my indisposition will satisfy the House been under the consideration of the Gowith regard to the cause of my unavoidable ab-vernment, forwarded by the French or sence on the present occasion. I can only express my sincere regret at being thus prevented attending the service of the House. "I have the honour to be, "Your obedient Servant, "Speaker. "Sir Denis Le Marchant, Bart., &c., &c." Austrian Governments, and the answers that have been returned, so that the House may know, up to the latest moment, the precise condition upon which the country is entering into a prolonged war. VISCOUNT PALMERSTON: I am not at present able to give a reply to the hon. Gentleman, but I hope to be able to do so his leg in mounting his horse. A considerable "EDWD. HEADLAND, M.R.C.S., &c., &c. THE CRIMEAN MEDALS. MR. A. STAFFORD said, that previously to the recess he had received an answer from the hon. Gentleman the Under Secretary of War on this subject, which, he believed, was not strictly accurate, and he would therefore now ask the hon. Gentleman to state the precise mode in which soldiers from the Crimea now at home or in hospital would be able to get the medal and clasps lately issued for services in the Crimea ? MR. FREDERICK PEEL said, he believed there was some inaccuracy in the answer which he had formerly given to the hon. Gentleman on this subject. The course, however, which would be pursued would be this: The depôt officers of the 2 U Crimean regiments would be called on to furnish returns of all the men belonging to their regiments who had been in the Crimea, and who were now in this country, and upon this list being forwarded to the Board of General Officers the medals would be sent to the depôt officers for distribution. At the same time, soldiers at their own homes would be able, on application to the Secretary of the Board of General Officers, to have their medals sent to them. MR. SPEAKER'S INDISPOSITION. VISCOUNT PALMERSTON said, he had seen that morning the professional gentleman who was in attendance upon Mr. Speaker, and had been told that, although the right hon. Gentleman was only suffering from a sprain which he received last week on alighting from horseback at a yeomanry review, still some days' rest, he thought, would be essential to a rapid recovery; and therefore it would not be advisable that Mr. Speaker should come down to the House for a few days. Under these circumstances, and in order to avoid the delay which would take place every day in complying with the forms required by the Standing Orders, he would, with the consent of the House, move the following Resolution "That in the event of Mr. Speaker's absence continuing for more than this day, Mr. Fitz Roy take the Chair in like manner as on this day, on each subsequent day during Mr. Speaker's ab sence." The Standing Orders at present required that Mr. Speaker should write a letter every day explaining his absence, and as that letter had to be read to the House, and a Motion made, some delay would always be caused to public business. LORD ROBERT CECIL said there had been no prayers that day, and in consequence Members were unable to secure their seats for the evening. He wished to ask whether, in the event of the Resolution being agreed to, that disadvantage would continue to exist? MR. FITZROY said, that there had been no prayers that evening, because prayers were never said in that House on the occasion of the election of a Speaker; but if the House would agree to the Resolution, prayers would be read as usual on the next and following days. SIR FREDERIC THESIGER said, he would suggest that the words, "in like manner," should be omitted from the Re solution, otherwise there would never be any prayers till Mr. Speaker came back. VISCOUNT PALMERSTON said, he would agree to leave out the words, "in like manner.' SIR WILLIAM HEATHCOTE said, that if it were intended to pass this Resolution indefinitely, they would be introducing a grave alteration in their proceedings. For one or two days it might be unimportant, but the House could not appoint a Speaker without the approval of the Crown. VISCOUNT PALMERSTON said, the original Resolution providing for the occasional absence of the Speaker had received the approbation of the Crown. It was competent for the House to rescind this Resolution at any time, and thus the whole matter rested entirely in its own hands. MR. DISRAELI said, it would be placing the House in an invidious position to call upon them to rescind any Resolution to which they had agreed on a former occasion. He thought this very question had been discussed in the Committee, and they were of opinion that the course the noble Lord now asked the House to take would not be expedient. VISCOUNT PALMERSTON said, perhaps it would be sufficient to say that the proposed arrangement should continue during the present week, if necessary. LORD ROBERT GROSVENOR said, he would beg to suggest whether it might not be possible for the House to avail themselves of the absence of Mr. Speaker to get rid of a complication of Amendments in one of the most useless and mischievous debates that had ever taken place in that House. Ordered-That in the event of Mr. Speaker's absence continuing for more than this day, Mr. FITZROY do take the Chair on each subsequent day during the present week. BLOCKADE OF THE GULF OF FINLAND. MR. J. G. PHILLIMORE said, it had been stated that Captain Watson, of the Impérieuse, had notified to the authorities at Port Baltic, that foreign neutral vessels would be permitted to depart either in ballast or not having Russian property on board. Upon this the Russian Government observed that, by such a step, Her Britannic Majesty resumed the right which she had abandoned by Order in Council at the commencement of the war-namely, was the substance of what passed. He might also refer to another statement which had been made with reference to a request made by the civil governor to Captain Watson, to allow four Russian vessels to proceed to Riga. What Captain Watson said on that occasion was, that the vessels were free to leave so far as he was concerned, but that he could not say whether the Commander in Chief of the fleet, who was coming up the Baltic, might not interfere with them. SIR CHARLES WOOD said, he was in a position to give the most complete and satisfactory explanation to the hon. and learned Gentleman in reference to the interpretation put by Russia on the notifica- PROSECUTION OF THE WARtion given by Captain Watson, of Her Ma- ADJOURNED DEBATE (THIRD NIGHT). jesty's frigate Impérieuse, to the Russian Order read for resuming Adjourned authorities at Port Baltic. It appeared in Debate on Amendment [25th May] to one of the public papers that the Russian Amendment [24th May], which was, to Government had issued a circular stating leave out from the first word “ House," that a notification had been sent in by in the Original Question, to the word Captain Watson, which was in contraven-"feels," in line 6, in order to insert the tion of the declaration of Her Majesty at the words, "having seen with regret that the commencement of the war with reference Conferences of Vienna have not led to a to the rights of neutral vessels. He was termination of hostilities,”—(Sir Francis happy to be able to say that there was not Baring,)—instead thereof :-And to which the slightest foundation in the world for Amendment, an Amendment had been prothe statement which had emanated from posed on the 25th May, to insert after the the Russian Government. He had seen words "regret that," the words "owing Captain Watson, who was now in this to the refusal of Russia to restrict the country, and also Lieutenant Godsell, the strength of her Navy in the Black Sea :" officer who carried the notice into Port—(Mr. Lowe). Baltic; and he was able to state precisely Question again proposed, "That these what that officer had said, which state-words-namely, owing to the refusal of ment, the House would see, was in strict Russia to restrict the strength of her accordance with his duty, and totally at Navy in the Black Sea,' be inserted in variance with the account given of it by the proposed Amendment.' Debate resumed. the Russian Government. The facts of the case were these :-The First LieuMR. MILNER GIBSON said, that from tenant of the Impérieuse was sent into the question which had been asked that Port Baltic, where he met the civil governight of the First Minister of the Crown nor on the pier, and told him for what purpose he had come-that vessels then in the harbour must leave in ballast, or with whatever goods they had on board; but that they would not be allowed to take in further cargo after the intimation of the blockade. The officer, in company with the civil governor, then visited every ship in the harbour, and found that only two had any cargo-one a Dutch vessel laden with lime, and another a Danish vessel laden with spirits, both Russian produce, and probably the property of Russians. Those vessels were allowed to leave the harbour, and no questions were asked as to the ownership of the property, and thus it would be seen that the principles contained in Her Majesty's declaration that the flag should cover the cargo, had not been at all interfered with. This by the hon. Member for Finsbury (Mr. T. Duncombe) relative to the closing of the conferences at Vienna, it had been attempted to be inferred that it would be inconvenient at present to discuss the Amendment of the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Lowe). He (Mr. M. Gibson), for one, was not responsible for that Amendment, and, therefore, seeing that its proposer persevered with it, he should state the reasons why he must vote against it. The doctrine of the hon. Member for Finsbury was certainly somewhat startling, because the House was often asked to postpone discussion while negotiations were pending, and often agreed to do so; and, therefore, to say that, inasmuch as negotiation had now closed, they ought not to discuss the conduct of the Government, was tantamount to contending "That this House having seen with regret that, owing to the refusal of Russia to restrict the strength of her navy in the Black Sea, the Conferences at Vienna have not led to a termination of hostilities, feels it to be its duty to declare that the basis of negotiation being by this refusal exhaustmeans of coming to an agreement on the third ed, it will continue to give every support to Her Majesty in the prosecution of the war until Her Majesty shall, in conjunction with Her Allies, have obtained for this country a safe and honourable peace." an that the Government should not be re- would read the words of the Resolution. sponsible to the House of Commons at all. It would stand thus after the insertion of After the prolonged discussion on the Mo- the words proposed by the hon. Gentletion of the right hon. Member for Buck- man— inghamshire (Mr. Disraeli), he felt it his duty to move the adjournment of the debate, in consequence of the change introduced by the Motion of the hon. Member for Kidderminster. He could not consent to that change, because it involved considerations of great maguitude, which, in his opinion, it was unadvisable for the House to adopt. Now, the debate which took place before the recess was one of a party character, the House having been asked by the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Disraeli) to pass a vote of censure on the Government in consequence of its ambiguous language and uncertain conduct on the great question of peace and war. The right hon. Baronet the Member for Portsmouth (Sir F. Baring) undertook the defence of the Ministry, and moved what, considering the nature of the occasion, was certainly a very feeble Amendment. From the speeches which had been delivered by both the Friends and the opponents of the Government it undoubtedly appeared that both parties advocated the prolongation of the war; but, then, it was difficult to discover that either of them entertained any definite views as to the ultimate objects of the contest. Indeed, the position of both of those parties in relation to this subject resembled that ascribed by an eminent political writer to two reviews which strongly opposed each other, though politically there was little difference between them. They reminded him of two opposition coaches, which raised a great deal of dust and bespattered each other with mud, but were in reality travelling the same road and would arrive at the same destination. This remark he must, how ever, qualify by observing that he entirely concurred in the opinion expressed by the right hon. Baronet the Member for Carlisle (Sir J. Graham)—namely, that the views propounded by the right hon. Gentleman opposite (Mr. Disraeli) did not so completely exclude all hope of an early and satisfactory peace as did the portentous announcements conveyed in the speeches of Members of the Government-speeches that, in fact, indicated a policy which, if pursued by this country, must land us in a war of thirty years' duration. In order that the House might clearly see what it was about to vote upon, in respect to the Motion of the hon. Member for Kidderminster, he Now, it should be remarked that his hon. Friend (Mr. Lowe), though apparently advocating the sentiments of what might be termed the war party, did not, after all, really represent their views. The hon. Gentleman-like many other persons-was open to the reproach of having been prepared to agree to what was called ignominious peace; for it had been stated in numerous publications and speeches, that the country thanked Heaven that the proposals made to Russia by the Allies were not accepted, because a peace based upon such terms would have disgraced and dishonoured us. Therefore, if the hon. Member truly represented the opinions of the party the views of which he professed to advocate, instead of regretting, as he did, that the offers of the allies had not been accepted, he should rather have worded his Resolution thus-"That this House, having seen with satisfaction that owing to the fortunate refusal of Russia to promise to restrict the strength of her navy in the Black Sea, the Conferences of Vienna have not led to the termination of hostilities, feels it a duty to declare that it will support Her Majesty," &c. However, taking the Resolution as the hon. Member had actually framed it, what did it ask the House to do? Why, deliberately to pledge itself to insist upon the principle of the limitation of the maritime forces of Russia as a sine quá non for peace, and to declare that Russia's refusal to accept that condition was a sufficient cause for the prolongation of the war. In point of fact, it also asked the House to affirm its approval of the proposals made by the allies at Vienna in reference to the third point, and its adoption would be equivalent to a vote of confidence in the noble Lord the Member for London, who had been characterized by the right hon. Gentleman (Mr. Disraeli) as "the unsuccessful negotiator." The noble Lord, the First Minister, stated | might be some risk of injuring the cause that he would not object to the first part he advocated if he proceeded with his moof the Amendment, but that he should tion; and he did not do so because he resist the words asserting that the means conscientiously believed that it would inof coming to an agreement on the third jure the cause of peace. In discussing basis of negotiation had been exhausted the proposal of the hon. Member for Kidby the refusal of Russia. The ground on derminster, he did not think it necessary which the noble Lord opposed this portion to travel over the ground which had been of the Amendment was that it would inter- so often trodden, nor to narrate the cirfere with the prerogatives of the Crown. cumstances connected with the origin of Such a doctrine, however, ought to be re- the war, but he would state that he took ceived with great caution, because the the theory of this war to be-for he viewed prerogatives of the Crown, it should be it as a war in support of political theoryremembered, were usually exercised under that the rule of the Sultan in the partithe advice of the responsible Ministers. cular part of Europe, where he now exIndeed, the noble Lord and his colleagues ercised his power was a political necessity, would, in this respect, do well to recollect and that this country was bound to defend the ancient maxims of the great luminaries him against his enemies. He believed it of the Whig party during the French war. was totally apart from the consideration Mr. Fox, Mr. Sheridan, and others, then of the question of whether Russia was contended that the House of Commons right or wrong at the commencement of ought to retain the power of advising the these hostilities, but that, whether right or Crown and of saving the country from the wrong, if this theory was a sound one, expense and the calamities into which it Turkey was a European necessity, and that might otherwise be plunged by the reck- it must be defended against the attacks of lessness or the imprudence of Ministers, its enemies-and, in point of fact, the and they held that to deprive it of this policy of the advocates of this theory was most important function would be to des- that the Turk could do no wrong. Now troy its chief use as a deliberative assem- he for one was not strong in the faith of bly, and to reduce its authority to two dry the political necessity of upholding the points, namely, to the mere power of im- rule of the Sultan, but he would adopt the peachment and the power of the purse. situation and take his departure from this Now he was prepared to discuss the se- point without disputing the soundness of cond part of the present Amendment upon this political theory on which the war was its own merits; and he should say "No" placed; but this he would say, that this to it, not because it would interfere with theory of always supporting Turkey against the perogative of the Sovereign, but be- its enemies, and of laying down the doccause he could not admit that, in conse- trine that they meant for all time to supquence of Russia's refusal to restrict the port the rule of the Sultan in his dominumber of her ships, all hopes of peace by nions, would have the effect of alienating means of negotiation were therefore neces- the sympathies of the whole of the Greek sarily at an end. He had brought for- Christian population of those countries, ward a motion the converse of that pro- and of driving them into the arms of posed by the hon. Member for Kidder- Russia; and it would also have the effect minster, and had been charged with enter- of enervating the Turkish Government, ing into an intrigue or party arrangement and of relieving it from the obligation of to avoid discussion, but he would at once attending to the duties of a good Governfrankly state that the responsibility of not ment, and the necessity of producing conproceeding with his motion rested on him- tentment among its people; and these, in self. He was aware that he should be fact, formed the only basis on which the appealed to, but at the same time he was strength and independence of Turkey could told by the right hon. Gentleman the permanently rest. He felt bound to reply Member for the University of Oxford (Mr. to an attack, if it might be so called, Gladstone) that he left the matter to his which had been made by the hon. Member (Mr. Gibson's) discretion, and that if he for Aylesbury (Mr. Layard) by the hon. went on with his motion the right hon. Member for Lambeth (Mr. W. Williams) Gentleman would support him. He had and two or three other Members, who had had no communication with the Govern- said that this war was caused by the adment, but he thought, on hearing that the vocacy of peace by certain Members on conferences were not concluded, that there his (Mr. Gibson's) side of the House, who |