'Caroline.' The American authorities refused to give
him up on the demand of the British Minister, who
alleged that M'Leod's deed was a legitimate act, done
in obedience to his superior officers. He was tried,
and fortunately acquitted; but Mr. Webster, the
American Secretary of State, subsequently admitted that
individuals concerned in a public transaction under the
orders of their Government could not be held
responsible to the ordinary tribunals of law for their
participation in it. See Halleck's _International Law_,
vol. i., p. 430; and Hale's _International Law_,
p. 261.]

Besides China and America, two days ago appeared the Sultan's
firman restoring the Pasha, but on terms which he was certain not
to accept. This document, which arrives just as we are renewing
our relations with France, and which carries on the face of it
the strongest marks of Lord Ponsonby's interference and
influence, is well calculated to obstruct the arrangement, and so
it appeared to Clarendon, to Lord Lansdowne, to Melbourne, and to
John Russell. Clarendon immediately appealed to Lord John, who,
however, took it very quietly, and was averse to saying or doing
anything; and when he spoke to Melbourne, the latter said
Palmerston had shown him Ponsonby's private letter, in which he
said that he had nothing to do with it, that it was all
Stuermer's[13] doing, and that for some time past he had not been
able to make Redschid Pasha mind a word he said. On the other
hand, Lord John also spoke to Palmerston, when Palmerston said
not a word of Ponsonby's letter, but told him it was the best
possible arrangement; that Mehemet Ali had not understood it at
first, but that he would in the end be quite satisfied with it,
and that it was the only way of preventing confusion. Of course
Melbourne and Lord John were quite content, and fully partake of
Palmerston's entire satisfaction. Yesterday morning, however, I
found that Francis Egerton was full of indignation at this fresh
outrage, as he considered it, of Ponsonby's, and had taken a
resolution to bring the matter forward in the House of Commons,
but previously to speak to the Duke and Peel. Nothing was done
last night, and this morning he came and told me that they both
agreed with him, but that the Duke urged the necessity of extreme
caution, and of previously ascertaining the senti