FOREIGN REFUGEES IN ENGLAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 79, 10 July 1852, Page 4

FOREIGN REFUGEES IN ENGLAND.

The following circular despatch, from v Earl Granville to her Majesty's Ministers at Vienna, and St. Petersburgh, and her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires at Paris and Frankfort," has just been presented, with other papers on the same subject, to both Houses of Parliament:—

" Foreign-office, January 13. " My Lord (Sir)— Representations hare been made to her Majesty's Government on the part of several European Governments, through their representatives at this Court, on the subject of the proceedings of the foreign refugees now residing in England; and it has been urgently demanded that immediate and effective steps should be taken by her Majesty's Government to put a stop to those intrigues and conspiracies against the governments of various European Powers in which foreign refugees now in England are asserted to be engaged. "By the existing law of Great Britain all foreigners have the unrestricted right of entrance and residence in this country, and, while they remain in it, are equally with British subjects under the protection of the law ; nor can they be punished except for an offence against the law, and under the sentence of the ordinary tribunals of justice, after a public trial, and on a conviction founded on evidence given in open court. No foreigners, as such, can be sent out of the country by the executive government, except persons removed by virtue of treaties with other States, confirmed by Act of Parliament^ for the mutual surrender of criminal offenders.

" British subjects, however, or the subjects of any other state residing in this country, and therefore owing obedience to its laws, may, on conviction of being concerned in levying war against the government of any State "at amity with Great Britain, be punished by fine and imprisonment. Offenders in this respect are equally open prosecution by individuals or by the government.

" Measures in the form of Alien Acts have been at different times resorted to by the British Legislature, by which the power of expelling foreigners, in ease of necessity, has been conferred on the executive government ; but such powers, even when asked for only for the maintenance of internal tranquillity, have been regarded by the people of this country with jealousy.

" The general hospitality thus extended by our institutions to all who choose to come to England has from time to time been the means of affording a secure asylum to political refugees of all parties, many of them illustrious in rank and position. Among them may be mentioned kings and princes of the two branches of the Bourbon family, and the prime ministers of France and Austria.

" It is obvious that this hospitality could not be so freely given if it were not so widely extended. If a discretionary power of removing foreigners were vested in the Crown, appeals would be constantly made by the dominant party in foreign countries for the expulsion of

their political opponents who might have taken refuge in Great Britain. Monarchial governments might object to Republican refugees, and Republican governments might object to Boyalist refugees; and it would be difficult to defend such hospitality, which would then be founded upon favour, and not upon equal laws. " It is the earnest wish of her Majesty's government to promote as far as in their power the peace, order, and prosperity of every country with which they are in friendly alliance; but they do not think that any ground, exists which would justify them, on the present occasion, in applying to the Legislature for any extraordinary or further powers in reference to foreigners resident in England, and they have no reason to doubt that this opinion is shared both by the Parliament and the public of this country.

" With reference to the intimation that exceptional measures for precaution may be taken against British subjects travelling abroad, her Majesty's government cannot complain if, while insurrection is raging, or its flame is scarcely extinguished, foreign governments should take precautions against suspected English travellers.

"Her Majesty's government adhere to the principle laid down by Viscount Palmerston in his note of the 30th of September, 1848, to the United States' envoy at this Court, in relation to certain citizens of the United States, who had come direct thence to Ireland, then in a state of partial insurrection.

" Lord Palmerston did not in that note ask for any change in the American laws, and he expressly forbore to press the President of the United States with representations against the offenders, but merely said that those who visited a country in a state of insurrection must take their chance like persons whom curiosity might lead into a field of battle; and that the American government must not take it amiss if citizens of the United States who visited Ireland at that time were involved in the consequences of measures aimed at men of a different description. The measures, however, to which he alluded were taken with reference only to persons to whom, under the peculiar circumstances of the moment, suspicion attached. But it would be in the highest degree unjust and unworthy of the enlightened character of any European government, and wholly unwarranted by the course pursued by the British Government on that occasion, to put vexatious impediments in the way of unoffending English travellers, by way of retaliation for the acts of foreign refugees in England.

" While, however, her Majesty's government cannot consent, at the request of foreign governments, to propose a change in the laws of England, they would not only regret, but would highly condemn, any attempts on the part of foreign refugees in England to excite insurrection against the governments of their respec tive countries. Such conduct would be consi dered by her Majesty's government as a flagrant breach of the hospitality which these persons enjoy.

" The attention of her Majesty's government will continue to be directed to the proceedings of suspected foreign refugees in this country, and they will endeavour by every legal means .to prevent them from abusing the hospitality so liberally accorded to them by the British laws, to the prejudice of countries* and governments in amity and alliance with Great Britain.

" You will communicate a copy of this despatch, to the Secretary of State.—l am, &c.

" Granville."