Star. — London, England, 1809-01-20 00:00:00

to contend with the armies which were coMpltUl n Int. It was not imps- heetirento the borders of the 'Pyrenees, and which bra sible, when the tinny came to be discussed, that he little exertion on our part might be drivetnbeyend might approve it ; but until the documents were be- them, and they disembark the troops at . Lisbon, fore him, be must suspend his opinion, and, above all ; where they could possibly be of no use in deciding things, decline to pledge himself to an unreserved ap- 1 the fate of Spain. Two months were passed before probetioreof the niensiuse. Ilentembe c eultineame•to can army was _sent even there, to that country about a pr neer decision onehis /subjo n die i must also obtain !. which Ministers appeared so excessively anxious, and eon! • information _respecting ehe.state of .Spain.. At., two months more before it reached the scene of acticn no pe nod within his metnory was' there so rim& spi- ninSpeln. He vetsuld net say that all Spain was lost, rit, sb much loydlty anllnztal'inteicietuttre; Cullen i butes, nian.conld Jeny that the North of Spain was ' at the same time, pearlueh dissatisfaction. it was a completely lost, without one British musket having i dissatin action not arlaing i fitnn setuebulent disposition I ever been fired there. And this is the way Ministers in the people of this countiy, un from any marked ' seek to recover the character, and to re-establish the 1 reveres, or from the pressure of the public burthens, i honour of the country, which they say has been com- but a dissatisfaction produced by a feeling most ho- f promised and injured by-their predecessors ih office. j nenrifile to the nation. Thedissatisfaition was pro- • Was it possible for any Noble Lord to acquiesce in gtortnenid to the zeal ante einettation of the country. j this Address, without understanding something of Ity'as not content either with the extent of the exer- ' the nature of the information upon which Government times - Ant had been made to aid the Snaniards n , or proceeded ? Did Ministers know that their 40,000 with themanner in which theywete employed. Some men would probably be opposed to '200,000 of the 1 stisteheettn he trusted, -would be made to allay this enemy ; and if they did, what would be thought of very laudable feeling of thepublic Mind. His Lord- them for seeding them there ? If they did not know ship bere declared lest he etne chiefly for the purpose this,what conni they say in extenuation for themselves? of qualifying the assent he should give to the greatest The gallant officerwho commanded the army in Portu- Set of the Address. With the reservation he had gal stated as a reason for the inactivity of that army,that Made, and that the means which would be liberally no arrangement had been made for receiving it. Why given would not be misemployed i that the sacrifices were not the necessary arrangements made? Ministers of blood and treasure that the people of this country had not been sparing of expence on this occasion. They weri disposed, beyond all example, to make, would had Military and Civil Commissioners in the capital, in be spent for the glory of the nation, and the honour ! the great towns, and almost in every village in Spain. or , his Majesty's crown, he would give his assent to I And yet, with all these means at their disposal, for' the Address. He Wished, however, not to be con- ! two long mouths, not one preparatory arrangement sidered as committing himself to its full extent, but I was made, not one step taken to march an army into merely as concurring in that part which recommends I Spain. When they should co-operate with the Spa a rigorous ptbsecution of the war; and expresses a I wards at the foot of the Pyrenees, they land thetroops determination to assist Spain, so long as Spain shall at Lisbon and Corunna, from whence they were to prove true to herself. He also concurred in the ex-; proceed through almost impracticable roads, and a nediency of increasing our military means in propor- ; country the most deficient in resources of any in Eu don to those ;of the enemy with whom we have to I rope. How could he coesider these instances of ig- Contend. norance and misconduct, and say that their exertions Lord GRENVILLE said, that there were many were vigorous and efficient ? The Speech noticed Pe'sages in the Address to which it was impossible the Armistice and Convention. He wished Noble & T hum to agree. He never addressed himself to their Lords would attend to the answer which was to be Lordships under such feelings as he now did, because returned to that part of it. That House knew no the sentiments he was about to utter respecting the thing of the Convention—nothing of the Armistice— whole course of policy which this country was purse- nothing of the disapprobation expressed by his Ma ing, were in direct contradiction to every thing he had jesty of these arrangements—and yet the House was beard that night. He could not concur with the to be called upon to concur in this disapprobation. Noble Lord who seconded the address, that we stood This was that impartial justice, which was described in that proud and exalted situation he had described ; in the petulant and offensive answer returned to the sfs little could be agree, with him respecting the Address of the City of London, and which was meant failure of the attempt to cripple our resources. It to cast a censure upon the whole body of the people of was formerly the policy so to frame the Speech &min tngland. This was not the proper time to make any the throne, and the Address in reply to it, that the observations on the Convention of Cintra, but it would Legislature were.left unfettered as to its approbation soon arrive. The remark in the Speech imposed the of the past, and not pledged to the future. Ministers, .imperious duty on the House of enquiring into the however, had, upon the present as on a former occa- circumstances of that Convention. The inquiry lion, adopted a custom directly the reverse. They which had already taken place might have answered wished to trepan the House into an approbation of the views of Ministers, but it should not satisfy Par their farmer measures, and to betray it into a plecke Lament. He would also refrain at present from say of unreserved support` in the measures they had in ing any thing respecting the naval part of the capi contemplation. He should only repeat the general tulation. He did not intend to express any opinion sensation of the country, when he expressed the ut- respecting the conduct of the officer who commanded most horror and detestation of the conduct of the on that occasion. These were all subjects for the tyrant who was endeavouring to usurp the throne of consideration of Parliament. It appeared to him, Spain. It was natural for the people of this nation however, an extraordinary arrangement, that, instead to applaud the efforts of a people struggling to assert of following the old code of naval instructions, to burn, the dignity and independence of their country. If he, sink, and destroy, an arrangement should be entered however, were called upon to say whether it was wise into to bring home an enemy's fleet, and hoard it up, in the past, or in the future, to send armies to Spain for the purpose of restoring it to its Sovereign when to support that people, he must say that it was not• peace should take place. [His Lordship next alluded His opinion last summer was, that there did not exist to what had fallen from the Noble Lord who se such a prospect as justified the sending an army into conded the motion respecting the American Em- Spain. In making this assertion, he did not mean bargo and the failure of every attempt to cripple our to be understood as condemning exertion of every commerce.] There was no one more competent to kind for that people. There were ways in which they speak on this subject than the Noble Baron, and he could receive material assistance. He would not deny trusted he would be able to prove, when the subject that naval and small military expeditions should be came under discussion, that it did not produce the employed in- their favour. These, properly directeJ, •inconvenience that was app rehended . He so far, would have assisted the Spaniards more than any j however , would agree with the Noble baron, that army we could possibly send to their support. In- 1 for this blessing the country was indebted to the firm stead of adopting this system, what did we do ?-1- I ness, as it was called, of Ministers. Their Orders in Why, sent an army of 40,000 men to encounter the Council were the cause of that Embargo. If any one whole force of France ! Whenever we acted on the doubted it, let him read the communications of the Continent, we always appeared an auxiliary, but now President of the American Government, and the do we dropped that character, and came forward with j cuments by which it wa s a c c om p ani e d. But to put 40,000 men ag..inst Bonaparte, at the head of four , the question beyond all cavils, let Noble Lords consi times that force. He regretted that the system con- ' der the proposition that had been tendered by the tinned in that excellent paper, e Precautions," had ' American Minister. They would see that it was to not been followed, and that the Spaniards, instead of the rejection of that that the continuation of the carryingEm on a desultory war, should have been guilty of bargo, or the substitution of a measure equally hostile the imprudence of engaging in pitched battles against to this country, was to be ascribed. -He knew that the ablest Generals, and as well disciplined armies. the American Government were influenced by a as any in the world. The moment we appeared on strong bias and partiality to Fiance ; but the ma the theatre of war, the Spaniards were necessarily • joints , of the people of America had no such partiality. compelled to adopt our system and abandon their They were advocates for British connexion. They own. They gave up all the advantages of a harass- I were too deeply impressed with the advantages result ing desultory mode of warfare. He had also to corn- ; ing from it to sacritiel them either to their Government, plain that Ministers did not meet Parliament sooner, i or to any point which did not affect their honour ai a and that some communication bad not been made ' people, and their independence as a country. He from the throne at the conclusion of last Session. He was persuaded it was the intention of Ministers to waited for that communication, being resolved to drive matters to extremity with America. This in come down and protest against sending an army tention was ill-disguised in that insulting and sophis into Spain, and exposing it to that fate which he tical answer which had been returned to the proposel scarcely had courage to contemplate. It appeared of the American Minister. Hadthat proposal befin to him as if Ministers had purposely concealed and adopted, we should , now have America in alliance withheld from Parliament the - knowledge of what with England, and at war with France. From the they intended to do. He had resolved before he moment that America offered to withdraw the Em came down to srate this, and he found additional tea- bargo, lie asserted, a new epoch 400 k place, and the sons in the Speech for adhering to his resolution.— question assumed quite another aspect ; for, 1u that He would so far coincide with the Address as to con- concession, he asserted, America, in fact, made com 'cur in the propriety of augmenting our military mon cause with us against France ; and it was an in force, fir that measure became imperiotiely necessary fatuation in Ministers not to come to accommodation in consequence of the great, and he feared fatal error with her. He knew there were many discerning that was committed in ending troops into Spain.— people in this country who thought that we should 'rhe most that could have been done for them was destroy all commerce but our own, and not suffer to afford them the means of arranging their defence any other ship on the sea. He knew not whether' in the Pyrenees or th" lieigbourhood. There lay ministers had any affection for this absurd policy, ' her best chance of defending herself against the un- but it seemed by their conduct that they had. But 'just aggression of the enemy. The French had most miserable and deceived would they find them been driven oe: of Madrid, or at least compelled to selves, if they acted upon any such absurd and mad withdraw from it. They retired to the provinces . speculation:.--Before hi sat down, he would just no contiguous to their frontiers, where they were can- tice the allusion to the overtures made from Erfurth. . toned in small parties. Had the British troops been He was of opinion that those overtures could never landed in Bismy, in any thing like an adequate force, have led to pcate,' situated as both parties then were with the assistance of the Spaniards, they might have with respect to Spain. Neither side could well have driven the French beyond the Pyrenees, and delivered treated on the Isti putirktir, 'Bonaparte expecting to vp to the loaner the keys of their country. Instead reconquer Spain in two months, and we in possession of co-operating in this way, it would seem as if Mi- of Portugal. But the proper time for discussing this meters had explored the mal e : sief at what part of equestion would come hereafter. He should only • the Peninsula, most remote the scene of action, just now notice a contradiction between the speech they could laud the troops. At the period he men- and his -Majesty's late Declaration. That speech t i o ned, time and local situation were every thing :and' states, that it was demanded as a preliminary that we yet nommen appear to have proceeded in utter con- should not interfere in Spain, and -the Declaration, ton s au d defiance of both. They left the Spaniards that we demanded that the French should cease their IP IPPPIPPIIIIIPP— M.-* - -- which he warwholly ignoral . interference. Which was the fact he knew not ; but sally necessary, as they alone were rest:tensible for it seemed to him an absurd thing for either side to ask the political conduct of the expedition. of the other, and of course not to be expected that Lord ERS KINE having animadverted on the con -1 either should acquiesce in, and therefore not likely to duct of the campaign in Spain, which he found in s e . lead to a pacification- Having now stated in What veral respects highly reprehensible, entered into a re. 1 points he dissented fro' -. the Address, he should just view of the relative state of Great Britain and tile ! -say, that he most cordially agreed to the proposition- *United -States. His Lordship earnestly recominero for augmenting our force ; he conceived it would be ded to Government to cultivate the good will and highly proper, and would be most essentially neces- . friendship of America , which he contended 'milli sary and useful under proper and wise management amply remunerate us for our Continental losses and hereafter, and he feared at no distant period, in our privations. We are sorry we are not able to fellow own defence. To that part he most cordially assented ; the Noble Lord on a variety of other important pare. but he could by no means, viewing the conduct of culars, from the great length of the d:batc. Ministers as he didi concur in the Address altogether : The LORD CHANCELLOR, in 'supporting the as proposed. c ; Addre-s, expressed his decided disapprobation of th e The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that the Address, introduction of subjects altogether foreign to the to. as it was worded, pledged the House only to th4t ge. pits naturally presenting - themselves to the House.— neral support of the Spanish cause, which was con- The American points in dispute had undergone full sonant to the sentiments entertained by all ranks of discussion in the last Session of Parliament, and if tne people in this country, whatever their opinions might system since adopted, were deemed objectionable, he be as to the system of operations that had been was confident that Ministers would at all times be adopted, as contrasted with any other which they ready to meet and answer the objections. might think more eligible. With regard to the ques. Lord MULGRAVE gave his support to the Ad. Lion of where the British troops should first act, he dress. could truly'assert, that Sir Arthur Wellesley had pro- Lord AUCKLAND expressed his astonishment at seeded on to Portugal,in consequence of the decision the silence of the Speech with regard to America, of the Junta at Corunna, that the expulsion of the when we were, perhaps, on the eve of a war with that French from that country was the most essential ser- country. With respect to the measures adopted to. vice which lie could do to the cause Of Spain. They wards Spain, or the policy .of sending an army into looked to the embarrassment that must have risen that country (a march of 600 miles from Portugal), from having to combat the hostile armies entering on or of keeping that army in Portugal, instead of send. the side of the Pyrenees, while a numerous French i ing it divided, and at such a season of the year, into force was at the same time ready to fall on their rear I Spain, he would not now enter into any discussion ; from Portugal. The Noble Lord had recommended I nor would he state his ' opinion of the propriety of coast expeditions, instead of penetrating into the heart sending that force sooner, and endeavouring to pre. of Spin, and yet the only coast expedition which was t vent the march of more French troops into Spain: practicable, and which had been successful in a degree i but to him it seemed, that the chance of success to . almost unprecedented, was the subject of his censure. the Spaniards was now at an end. Ministers might Was it not by the coast expedition of General Spen- defend themselves by saying, on this head, that a ca cer, who landed at Ayamonte, that the French in lamity had fallen on Spain, which it was not in their Portugal were prevented from effecting a junction power to prevent. However, under the Parliamet. with Dupont. As to the other objection of the Noble tart' understanding that no preclusion from future and Lord, that of sending a large force into the heart of full discussion on those topics was implied by voting Spain, he would say, that great risks mustbe run,where for this Address, he should not oppose it. ,great objects were to be obtained. But was there The Earl of LIVERPOOL then said, that before not, in what the Spaniards had done—was there not, the question was put, Ira thought it necessary to ap. in the moral and physical state of the country, every prize the House, that on Monday next it was his ia. I thing that could form an inducement to the most vi - tent ion to move the Thanks of the House t Q Sir Ar gorous and extensive assistance. There were pro- thur Wellesley and the other Officers, and the army vmces in Spain which had singly resisted a powerful under their command, in the expeditho to Portugal. enemy in the country for centuries. If the,hearts of He also stated that on the Thursday following lie Li the people were resolutely bent on continued opposi- tended to bring before the House a question rcla , tion to the invaders, history afforded examples of tive to the correspondence between the two Ern , such a spirit proving finally triumphant, after a perors at Erfurth, on the subject of a negociation with r struggle of many years duration. The expedition this country for peace, should the papers be in a state to Portugal was not dispatched in an unprovided of readiness by that time. state. On the contrary, when that came to be par- The Question was then put, and the Address was titularly discussed, he would be ready to prove, , carried nem. con. and ordered to be laid before his 1 that its equipment was in every respect as complete Majesty to-morrow, by their Lordships carrying white as any expedition that had ever sailed from the Bri. wands.--The House then adjourned at eleven, uat.il tish ports. It was notonly sufficiently provided with to-morrow. artillery, but in that particular department our mi- 1 litary character had acquired fresh lustre, and extort- HOUSE. OF COMMONS. ed even the praise of our adversaries, two thirds of At three o'clock the House assembled, and shorty whose artillery were in our hands in the course of a afterwards the Deputy Usher of the Black Rod few days from the opening of the campaign, entirely broug ht down a Message from the House of Lords, owing to our superiority in that particular depart- desiring the attendance of this House in the House of went of the army. He would not now enter into Peers, to hear his Majesty's Speech for opening the an examination of the merits or demerits of the Parliament read by Commission. Convention of Cintra—but was surprised how the The SPEAKER, accompanied by the whole Noble Lord could construe the censure expressed House, went up forthwith, and returned in about a in the Speech against sonic of the articles, into an quarter of an hour. unqualified disapprobation of the whole. He Two new Members took the usual oaths and their could asure the Noble Lord and the House, that seats. nothing was more remote from the intention of The SPEAKER informed the House that in put- Ministers, than to involve the Country in a war seance of custom, at the commencement of a Session with America. He should think that the ad- of Parliament, the Clerk of the House had prepared mission made by the Noble Lord that the Govern- and drawn no a Bill for the better preventing of clan ment of that country evinced a partiality for France, destine outlawries, and had now presented it. The would furnish a solution of the circumstances which Bill was then read a first time, and the second react• led to the present state of' things between the two ing was postponed .nine die. countries. The Embargo could not have been, nor The SPEAKER also acquainted the House, that was it at first alledged to have been laid on in conse- in - pursuance of the Act of the 24th of his Majesty, he quence of the Orders in Council, becausa the Ame- had isped his warrant to the Clerk of the Crown fur rican Government could not then have known that the election of Members to serve in the present Par such a measure was actually in agitation. lint in a liament for the following places : County of Hants, subsequent communication to Mr. Erskine, Mr. Ma- in the room of Sir E. St. J. P. Mildmay, deceased; dison stated, that the probability of such orders beinz ' and Bossiney, Cornwall, in the room of Lord Rea. issued, was one of the causes of the Embargo. if dleshani, deceased. this was true, the probability could only have arisen A new wr:: was also issued for the election of a from their reasoning upon the threat held out in the Burgess to serve in the present Parliament for the Order of January 7, 1807, and the principles laid • Borough of St. Alban's, in the room of the Honour. down in the Order of May, 1806, both of which able James Walter Grimstone, now Baron Forrester, could be justified on no other ground than that of a a Peer of Great-Britain. right in this country to retaliate. But while this pro- The SPEAKER then informed the House, that bability was of sufficient weight to impose the Em- this House had been in the House of Peers, and that bargo as a measure of precaution against this coup- the Lords, authorized by virtue of his Mali ,ty's come try, not one word was said of the original injustice mission, had made a speech to this House for open of the enemy, which.had led to the issuing of our ing the present Parliament, a copy of which he had Orders. Even the proposal of July last to this Go- been enabled to procure, and accordingly read .— ' vernment and that of France, shewed abias in favour (For which see the Lords.) of the latter. To France the • inducement to revoke The Honourable Mr. ROBINSON then rose and the Decree of Berlin was war with England ; to us, .addressed the House to the following effect :—" Mr. the advantage held out was only the continuance of Speaker, in adverting to the Speech of his Majesty I the Embargo with respect to France. His . Lord- st delivered,.l hope I shall not be led to detain the ship concluded with a few remarks on the flourishing I THuuse longer than is required, or than may appear state of our- oommerce and finances. to be consistent with what is due to the importano Lord SIDMCiUTH explained. . . of the points which it embraces. I intreat, however, The Earl of BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, in a short i that indulgence which the House has been unite= il speech, approved, though in a qualified way, of the bestow ing upon those persons who stand in the sat main points noticed in his Majesty's speech. atiun in which I am placed ; and, without further Lord MOIRA decidedly differed both from his , apology, I shall proceed to state to the House such Noble Friend and Ministers, as to the conduct which ; observations as have occurred to my mind upon de should have been adopted with respect to Spain. There I different points of his Majesty's Speech. His My was a period in the war when the force which we now ' jesty commences by expressing a confident belief the have there would have been sufficient to have stop-. you will concur with him in opinion, that the end ped the passes ()lithe Pyrenees, and led to the cap- ; way of obtaining a safe and honourable peace, is by tore of every Frenchman in that country. This was : vigorous prosecution of the war in which we are eh 4 the only plan which presented any chance of a sue-' gaged. With the view taken by his Majesty's 1%. cessful issue. It would have been to Spain as the .nisters of this unparalleled war, accomp anied as splitting of the rock in the wilde r ness—a stream of has been throughout by the most unheard of aggel life would have flowed which would have revived the sions of the enemy, with a retrospect of the cause I drooping energies of a desponding nation ! The con- the war, with the view which they had taken of di sultatiop with the people of Corunna, in the then state negociation proposed to terminate the contest, - of things, was as ridienlous as if the commander were with the view which they had taken of the ciretr to go to consult the inhabitants of Penzance, what stances which occurred during the course of the L should be done if the enemy were to land in Scotland? year, which has given such a new complexion to . I His Lordship entered at some length into the question affairs of the world ; I say, viewing all these r ota of die Convention of Cintra, and declared that his I think it would have been a most singular antf i opinion as a Member of the Board of Inquiry was paralleled instance of inconsistency, could his :kl , l' that no blame attached to the Commanders in a mi- ty's Ministers have forborne to prosecute the • litary point of view, the only error of that transac- against France with redoubled vigour and etas-, tion being of a political nature, and therefore not ranee. Had any other course been adopted. '-- within the constitutional scope of the powers rested in mus; have abandoned those principles of justice the Board. The result of their decision at , as to ren- t.rmness for which the country has been consoa der an inquiry into the conduct of Ministers indisp nn- fsr ages. Nor in such a review of these c: I d to to ch. In be d. at :a, La: .to 1), Ito of e. : to .;ht eir en- int! ir.g ore ap. ia- kr- my in- aa- rith tate was his hitt- natil wtly Rod wds,, se of ; the Thole )ut their pur- ssion Ltred clan. 'l'he read• that y, he n for Par- [ants. ised; Rea. ot a )r tile noun ester, , that i that cern. open. Le had .ad.-- e and [ajesty tin the ppear rtance WeV et, arm in e situ- '.ut the on • the Is Ma- ti that it coif is by a- ar e en- .'s Mi- d a s it agg ret ause ct i of the .st, an cive.nm the is to 01. • 110 s the nerscv ed. to .ice at' ortw