Star. — London, England, 1809-01-28 00:00:00

C PARLIAMANTAir PROCEBDINGS.. HOUSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY, JAN. 27. The Archrisbop of CANTERBURY moved, that the Bishop of Bangor be requested to preach before their Lordships at the Collegiate Church of St. Peter, Westminster, on Monday next, being the Anniversary of the Martyrdom of sing Charles the First. Counsertiere heard in the causes, Oakes v. Pemberton, and Smith e. 14!Niel. Further consideration deferred till Tuesday. Adjouined to ten o clock on Monday. HOUSE OF COMMONS. A new Writ was ordered for Wigton, Stunner, &c. in the room of the Hon. Edward Stewart, who has accepted the office of a Ccumulaaioner of the Navy. Sir THOMAS TURTON pmenteil a petition from the pri *onus for debt, in the county gaol of Surrey, Horsemonger•lane. Ordt•red to lie on the table. Mr. GILES took the oaths, and his seat, for the Borough of St. Alban s. in consequence of some explanation from the SPEAKER re specting an Act which passed in the last Sessiort, for the Regula • tion of Duties upon Wash from Sugar, in Ben of that from grain ; on the motion of Mr. DUNI)AS, a Committee was appointed to inquire respecting the same,and report their opinion to the House. POOLE WRIT. Lord FOLKSTONE moved, tl.at a new Writ beissued for the election 'of a Member for Poole, in the room of John Jeffery, Esq. who, since his election, had accepted the office of Consul Ge neral in the dominions of her Most Faithful Majesty in Europe. Mr. ROSE expressed some doubt whether that Hon. Member ' had, by such acceptance, vacated his seat, within the meaning of the Place Act. He knew of no precedent on record, wherein a Member of that House could be construed to have vacated his seat by accepting the office of Minister at any foreign Court. It was not so deemed in the csbe of an Envoy sent to Vienna, in the reign of Quern Anne, which was the only case within his recol lection that bore any analogy to the present. He hoped, however, the Noble Lord would have no objection to wave his motion for the present, in order that the question mightbereferred to a Com mittee' to inquire whether or not Mr. Jeffery had vacated his mat, by the acceptance of his present office. The SPF.AKF-R mentioned anothcrprecedent of an Envoy sent lathe Netherlands in the year 1762 ; and what analogy th:.t ease bore to the. present, would ha for the House to judge. He sug gested, however, the propriety of adjourning the debate on the subject for the present until the opinion of a Committee should be reported. Lord FOLKSTONE acceded to the proposition of a Itommit tee., which was accordingly appoint, and the debate wasadjour nod to Monday se'nnight. I.ord FOLKSTONE moved, that an humble Address be pre sented to his Majesty, praying that he would be graciously pleased to order, that a copy of the appointment of Mr. Jeffery be laid before the House.—Ordered. Mr. Secretary CANNING moved, that the supply voted in consequence of his Majesty's gracious answer to this House, be referred to a Committee of the whole House on Friday next.— Ordered. LOSSES OF BRITISH OFFICERS IN SPAIN. Mr. FREEMANTLE wished, before the House proceeded to the orders of the day, to ask the Noble Lord opposite to him (Lord Castlereagh) whether it was in the contemplation of his Majesty's Ministers to recommend to Parliament any compensation to the officers of the British army in Spain, for the losses of baggage they had sustained in the march to Co. runna, and in consequence of the subsequentembarka. tion of the troops. Those losses bore extremely hard upon the private property of many meritorious offi. c,rs, who could ill afford such heavy sacrifices. He t erefore hoped it would not be deemed unreasonable that adequate compensation should be expected from their country, in whose cause they had so gallantly fought and bled. Lord CASTLEREAGH readily coincided in the justice of the Honourable Gentleman's suggestion, but thought it would be ungracious prematurely to anticipate the intentions of the Crown on this subject. AIMY• Mr. ELLIOT moved for R eturns of the number of Recruits enlisted and approved for the Army of the line, from the Ist of August 1807 to the same date in the last year ; and also for• the number of Deser tioLs whiAl had occurred in that branch of the Public • Service within the same period.—Oidered. AMERICAN PAPKIii AND ORDERS IN COUNCIL. Mr. WHITBREAD, pursuant to notice, moved for such copies and extracts of all communications, which passed between the American Government and his Majesty's Ministers, since the commencement of the last year, which it was not inexpedient to lay be fore Parliament.—Ordered.—He also gave notice of a motion, upon an early day in the ensuing week, for rescinding his Majesty's Orders in Council, so far as regard s • Ame den. Ordered that this House do, at its rising, adjourn fill Tuesday next. GENERAL SIR JOHN MOORE'S FAMILY. Lord MO lt PETH wished to ask the Noble Lord (Castlereagh) whether it was the intention of Go vernment to propose any provision for the family of that gallant and justly-lamented officer, Sir John Moore, who bad recently fallen a sacrifice in the cause of his country. He was induced to ask this question, because he bad expected the able and elo. qaent eulogium of that Noble Lord, upon the high character and eminent services of that gallant Com mander, and the consequent motion for a monument to celebrate his fame, would have been followed by some proposition for a permanent provision to his Aisaily, which depended urn him for support, and 'must have been dear to his affections, but that he was hitherto disappointed in that expectation. Lord CASTLEREAGH perfectly agreed with the suggestion of the Noble Lord, that the family of Sir John Moore had every claim on the gratitude and generosity of his country : but the Noble Lord, he was sure, would-agree with him in deferring to the feelings of the Crown upon this occasion, confident that his Majesty had by no means lost sight of a pur pose so nearly affecting the public feelings. THANKS TO-SIR ARTHUR WRLIJOARY. Si; A. Welleslet having appeared in his place, satisfaction that I now WINK to' House. Ido therefore, in the t. of the United Kingdom of Great return you their public thanks ries obtained by you over the gal, on the 17th and 21st days nourable and glorious to the British arms." Sir ARTHUR WEDLESLEY returned Ms l i thanks to the House for the high honour now con ferred upon him, and in a peculiar manner to the Right Honourable Gentleman who filled the Chair, for the very polite and obli&ing manner in which he was pleased to repeat to him the sense which the House of Commons did him the honour to entertain' of his humble exertions for the public service. NO man felt more gratefully, or valued more highly than he did, the approbation of Parliament and of his country f the officers and soldiers of the British Army looked up to that approbation, as the highest honour that could be held, out as an excitement to their valour. Conscious as he was of his want of powers to express the sense he now felt of the distin guished honour this day conferred upon him, he hoped the House would be pleased to accept his most grateful acknowledgements for their favour. Ordered, that the Address of Mr. Speaktr, and the Answer of Sir Arthur Wellesley, be entered upon the Journals. GPNEILAL ANSTAUTHER. Sir JOHN ANSTRUTHER. rose to exptess his extreme regret that the name of a gallant relation of his, who .had fallen a sacrifice in the cause of his country, on the late march of the British army to Corunna, had been honoured with no place in the Votes of Thanks which had passed that House to the Officers who had been employed on that service.— This was a circumstance which bore heavily on the feelings of that gallant Officer's friends and family. That he did nOt in his death share the honours so justly paid to Sir John Moore, for the victory at Co runna, was not to be imputed to him, as it was upon his march thither that he fell a victim to excessive fatigue only 43 hours before the battle, in which, but for this premature fate, he would have borne a distinguished part. He took the opportunity of mentioning this subject to the Noble Lord, with a view to ask, it such a gratification could be conceded to the washes of e tieral•Anstruther's family ? Lord CASTLEREAGH answered, that he had every wish to acknowledge the eminent services of the gallant General, and that he felt every disposi tion to do honour to his memory ; but on the present occasion, he feared it was not compatible with the usage of Parliament, to name any Officers but those who were actually present. Sir ARTHUR WELLESLEY bore strong teal mony to the distinguished gallantry of General An struther. He was confident, had it been consistent with Parliamentary usage, his name would have been included in the vote of the House. The SECRETARY at WAR concurred in the same sentiments, and added, that the gallant Gene ral's name had twice before been included in the Thanks of the House. The SPEAKER rose and diddressed him - nearly in the terms following:- 44 Sir Arthur Wellesley, it was ow of the first objects of this House, in directing its attention to the brilliant services of the British-army in Portugal, and amidst the contending opinions upon other subjects connected therewith, to express its toub ipprobation of those splendid services you have rendared to your country on that important occasion. You have been called upon to command the armies - of your country in that expedition ; and it was your peculiar good fortune, by your eminent skill and gal. lit example, to inspire your troops with that confi dence and intrepidity which led them to such signal triumph in those battles, which have so justly obtain ed for you the thanks and admiration of your country, and rendered your name illustrious to the extremities the,British Empire. Your great military talents, 'thus eminently successful in your country's cause, live justly intitled you to Royal favour and to the gratitude of Parliament ; and it is with the utmost would subi j e u t el 4 ::: '' -.- - light grounds. The first fact ; honour and interests of the British army, and tie • feelings a of sy ti s s t e em o . ffi th c e er H s, o ss u - e s r e e o p f r e o o pe m r m ly o t n o s be vas the case of Major Tonyn, rho received his Commission ! to such 'August 1802, and was pro- 1 and decide. He hoped, after what had he had sea t. . the 81st regiment in August ed, the House of Commons would not refuse 1., reflection upon this gallant oacer, grant him a Committee to inquire into those trines, nor in the smallest degree to depreciate his merits ; he ; teens; and if they agreed, he would pledge him . se- • meant merely to state facts as communicated to him. I to bring as evidence before them Mrs. Clarke he s , s ; Major Tonyn was the son of a very alistinguished and the whole of the other persons whom he L officer, and might have purchased his promotion, if he ' named. There was another circumstance in this ca ' chose ; but this Gentleman was intrOduced to Mrs. which he could not pass unnoticed : it was the esp.- Clarke by a Captain of the Royal Waggon Train ; ence of a Public Office in the City of London, Mice and it was agreed, that upon his appointment to a ComMissians in the Army were offered to purchase, • Majority, he should pay 5001. the Money to be lodg- at reduced prices, and where the clerks operas , :tee ed at a house to be named, three days before he unequivocally stated in his own presence, and in to was gazetted, and then paid to a Mr. Donovan, a ' hearing, that they were employed by the present fa. Surgeon, in Charles-street, St. James's-squares As : vourite mistress •of the Commander in Chief, I.l e , he should have occasion to menticet this Gentleman 1 Carey ; and that, in addition to Ciommissions in ths (Mr. D.) again, it was necessary to state, that in 1802, 1 Army, they were employed to dispose of place:: 1:, he was appointed to a Lieutenancy in a Garrison every department of the Church and State ; and th, e Battalion. - He had never enquired what was the nature . agents did not hesitate to state, in words and writin i : of the services he performed, but certainly he had per- ' that they were employed u nder the aus p ices of tv-e; formed no military services, for he had never been near of his Majesty's principal Ministers. Having n ee his regiment, and . seemed to have a perpetual leave of , gone through the whole of his statement , the Hon. absence. He could not account why this Gentle- - ; Member concluded by expressing his hope that the man' s appointment was not in his professional line, House would grant him a Committee to inquire in!. upon the Medical Staff, sufficiently extensive as it ' the conduct of the Duke of York, in respect to tl.._ was for the purpose. The introducer was Captain disposal of Military Commissions ; and he moved Huxley Sanden. This money was appropriated by accordingly. Mrs. Clarke towards the purchase of an elegant ser- I Sir FRANCIS BURDETT seconded the motion , vice of plate from Mr. Purkis, a silversmith, the Corn- 1 The SECRETARY at WAR said, he did not rise mander in Chief paying the remainder. Thus it was to give any opposition to the Motion Hear, Hear f evident that Mrs. Clarke had the power of disposing from the Treasury Beueb)—at least to an fair and lea. of Commissions for purchase ; 2dly, that she received sonable extent to which the proposition might he pecuniary considerations fer promotions ; and idly, thought necessary. The Honourable Gentleman had, that the Commander in Chief partook of the emo- in a very candid manner, brought forward facts of luments ; and this he could prove by the evidence of the most important kind, and in their consequence: five witnesses, including the executors of Mr. Purkis.— , most serious and weighty. He conceived the Hots:: The next fact he would adduce, was that of Colonel ' would readily acquiesce in going into an inquiry et Brooks, on the 25th of July, 1805, and which was i i the facts which had then been brought forward, 44 transacted through a Mr. Thynne, a medical gentle- ; any other facts which the Honourable Gentlerreie man of high respectability. It was agreed between him might still intend to produce hereafter ; but, to a and Mrs. Clarke, that she should receive ,13201:11on his general inquiry into the conduct of the commander exchange being gazetted : the Lady was extremely in Chief, he would not agree. He was certain that anxious, and said she could have an opportunity of illustrious Personage was ready to go into a full iii getting 4200 without calling on the Commander in vestigation of these charges. As to the half-pay list, Chief, and on the Saturday following the promotion . he had already stated on former occcasions, that it was gazetted. He should be able to produce Lieute- i had been most materially and • extensively benefited nant-Colonel Brook and Lieut.. Colonel Knight ; and ' by the Commander in Chief, who had voluntarily re he would be the last person in that House to bring signed a very extensive patronage, in order that the forward such charges without competent evidence. sale of the Commissions might be brought in aid of He should now state a case by way of contrast to the 1 the Compassionate Fund, by which that Fund had last, and for the purpose of shewing that such permis- : been greatly increased.. With respect to the Barrack sions to exchange were not easily obtained from the Department, he thought it proper just to state, that Duke of York. It was the case of Major M‘Donnell it was not within the patronage of his Royal high and Major Sinclair, of the first Regiment of Foot. j ness the Duke of York. He wished also to observe, Major Sinclair had been a considerable time in the ! that the manner in which the Army had been fated West Indies • the climate perfectly agreed with his ; out which was late l y sent to Portu g al, was a ver y health, and Indies; he was desirous of going upon striking mark of the superior military talents of the that service, and applied to the Commander in Chief ; ' Duke of York, and a strong proof of his great ance Major McDonnell, who was in a puny state of health, 1 tion to and regard for that army, and of course mi; . - earnestly applied to the Commander in Chief for leave ; tated against the truth of charges, which, if founded to decline that service, apprehensive of the danger of 1 in truth, must strike at ii. discipline, and; through the' climate, and wishing to remain in England. But: that, at its very existence. His Right Honourable Major Sinclair was refused permission to go, and Ma- I Friend near him, (Sir Arthur Wellesley), who had jor M'Donnell was refused permission to remain, and so lately commanded that Army, would readily tell I was ordered to the West Indies ; and both Gentlemen the state in which he found it ; and, great as his Right I fell victims - to the arrangement, for they soon died. Honourable Friend's talents were for inspiring -hie But they offered no bribe to the military patroness, soldiers with . ..courage, spirit, and activity, ke could whose influence could have prevailed in their ; cases.— I not speedily have instilled into them the noble ener- The next was the case of Major Shaw, appointed De- I t pies of which they had given such unequivocal and puty-Barrack-Master-General at the Cape of Good brilliant proofs, it they had previously been under Hope. It appeared that the Commander in Chief bad such inattention to and neglect of discipline as these no faVourahle opinion of Major Shaw ; but Mrs Clarke charges held out. The spirit of promotion, wilid.. i—h I interposes e consents to pay her £lOOO. Of this had been infused-into the army by the Commander in money, he immediately paid £`2oo; shortly after he `Chief, and which throve so well under his auspice., paid her £3OO ; when she, finding he was backward and nourishments, together with the extreme regula. in payment, sent to demand the remainder ; but, city, order, and arrangement, which he had intro• finding no chance of receiving it, she complains to duced into every military department, had done every the Commander in Chief, who immediately put Ma- thing for. the army, and evinced that he had eve: jor Shaw upon the half-pay list. The Hon. Gen- been actuated by the greatest zeal and anxiety for its Itleman said, he had a letter from Major Shaw himself, honour and its interests—whereas the charges, if true, stating the fact, and he never knew but one other would make him one of its most inveterate enemies instance of an officer being thus put on the half-pay/ He thought it necessary to make these few observe list. Here then was further proof, to shew that Mrs. tions as to what he knew of the conduct cf the illus. Clarke's influence extended to the army in general, trious Personage in question : and, having done se, and that it operated to put any officer on the hallpay would not trespass further on the time of the House list, and that the Commander in Chief was a direct than to say, he was very happy the Honourable Gen party in her authority. The next case to which lie tleman had brought them forward, as he was sure the should advert of the lady's influence, was that of Co. Commander in Chief wished nothing more earnestly lonel French, of the Horse Guards. This Gentle- than that they might be fairly and fully investigated. man wis appointed to a commission for raising new Sir ARTHUR WELL ES LE Y said, he rejoiced levies in. 1804., and the business was set on foot by sincerely that the HonourableGentleman had brought Mrs. Clarke. He was introduced to her by Captain forward certain facts on which a Committee might Huxley Sanden, and she was to have a certain sum be able to judge. His Right Honourable Friend had out of the bounty to every recruit raised, and a cer- said that he was able to speak as to his knowledge el fain portion of patronage in the nomination of the the army he had so lately commanded, with respect to officers. She was waited on by Colonel French, of its discipline, and also as to the character and Co to officers. first troop of Horse Guards, and as the levy went duct of the Commander in Chief. He could truly on, she received various sums of money by Colonel answer that it had fallen to his lot to know particle French, Captain Huxley Sanden, Mr. Corry, and larly how promotions were made, and that such an Mr. Cockayne, the Attorney of Lyon's Inn, in advancement in the army never took place without the following rates, viz.—for a Majority, 9001. ; the names being produced, by whom recommended , Captaincy, 7001. ; Lieutenancy, 4001. ; and Ensign- and the sums ascertained which were paid for the cy, 2001. whereas the regular prices were respectively same. There was also a correspondence, shewing 26001. 15001. 5501. and 4.001. ; and consequently all j how the nillhey was brought in that was intended for this money was lost to the Half-pay CompaSsionare the half-pay. Fund, and what sums went out of it. Fund, to put money into Mrs. Clarke's pocket. The 1 He rejoiced,- therefore, at the statement of facts next instance was one in which the Commander in alledged , and the n bro ug ht forward. With respect to. Chief himself was a direct partaker in the advantages the removal of the Deputy Barrack-Master-Genere of this traffic, by a loan to be furnished through Co- at the Cape of Good Hope, he believed, and indeed lonel French, the writings for which were drawn by knew, it was a case that frequently occurred , and that a Mr. Grant, an eminent Solicitor of Barnard's-Inn, Staff-Officers, not on full pay at the time they wc-: for the purpose of raising 30001.; but he did not re- appointed, must go on half-pay ; those who liarl' " i ceive it, because there was 30001. due from Govern- to be on full pry at tie time appointed, remained cn merit to Colonel French. Bence tken it was obvious I full pay ; but those only on half pay must remain se that Mrs. Clarke exercised an influence in raising the He did nut know that this was the cese in the instance military force of the country, in disposing of corn- then alluded to by the Honourabre Gentleman, bet mands in that farce, and in converting the purchase he m entioned these circumstances because it might of Conimissions to her own private advantage. Hay- j happen to be so : and if it were, the visage of the see ing said now enough of Mrs. Clarke, he would next i vice would account for it, and shew that it was no proceed to the case of Captain Maling, of the Royal loin nor partiality in the Commander in Chief. Ac . African corps. He meant no reflection upon that to the case of the two Officers in the West Ind::s. officer. He was appointed to an Ensigncy on No- ( Major Mac Donnell and Major Sinclair) to whom ti,..! vember 28, 1806 ; some time after, he was made I Honourable gentleman had alluded, he thought it Lieutenant. He badenill the good fortune to remain would be putting the Commander in Chief 111t0 a a clerk at the desk of Mr. Greenwood, Army Agent. very eNere and invidious predicament indeed, if, be . On the 15th of April, 1808, he was employed by cause he would not consent to any particular es theDuke of York, and before the end of the year he change which might have suited the private conse• was raised to a Captain in the Royal African Corps, idence or interests of those two individuals, that he the third year after his first appointment, and with- ; should, therefore, be liable to the charge o f their out seeing service ; thus p r omoted over the heads of deaths. This would be carrying his responsibili t y all the subalterns of the army, without any regard to for events not depending on himself a great lensill their long services and wounds in their country's indeed, and never could be thought r asonable. cause, though' any of them had lodged this money indeed , general charges were to be brou g ht fore-e., to pay the differences on promotion. Whether the and countenanced against persons fi llin g so high AO' II 2 P. ll rievc he % T hicl real to yon the thy& or this turketfup this subject on ligl name of the Patlianient whisk he should state was eat Britain and Ireland, if the 48th regiment, whc I for the splendid victo- as a Captain on the 2d of il French army in Jortu= moted to -a Majority in thi of August, 1808, so ho• 1804. He meant no reflecti GENERAL STEWART. General GROSVENOR adverting to the signal instance of bravery evinced by a gallant relation of the Noble Lord opposite to him at Benevente, where, at the head of some picquets of British cavalry, he attacked and defeated a body of the enemy's horse, wished to know if so signal an exploit was not de serving of particular mention in the Thanks of the House? Lord CASTLE RE4GH said, that however bril liant the conduct of his pliant relation had been upon the affair to which the Honourable General alluded, it would be departing frcim the uniform usage of Par liament to thank individual Officers for actions with detachments. THE CONUANTJEE lar einsF. Mr. WARDLE now rose to' submit to the House his promised motion, respecting certain abuses which had obtained in the disposal of Commissions in the British army. In doing this, he said, he should make no assertion in which he was not supported by posi tive facts. The power of disposing of Commissions in the military service of this empire had been placed in the hands of a person of high birth, power, and influence; and he was sorry to observe, that this power had been exercised to the worst of purposes. Bat notwithstanding the high authority and powerful in fluence which the Commander in Chief of this country possessed, no respect to either should induce him to swerve from his duty as a Member of that House, or operate with him as a motive to screen his Royal Highness, in any misuse of his power or authority, from that public justice which was • called for by the v,ice of the people. No other motive impelled bim this day than a sense of his public duty ; for if cor ' ruption were not attacked in a quarter where it was so formidable, the army and the country must fall the victims of its influence. It was necessary, in the first instance, to put the House in possession of the true purposes for which the disposal of Commissions in the Array was placed in the hands of the Comman der in Chief. It was for the purpose of defraying the charges of the Half-pay List for the support of veteran Officers, and increasing- the Compassionate Fund, for the aid of officers' widows and orphans ; and, therefore, anv Commissions which fell by deaths or promotions, the Commander in Chief had no right to sell or dispcse of for his own private emolument, nor to appropriate for the like purpose any difference arising from the change' or reduction of Officers from full to half-pit:. He had thus explained, he be lieved, the nature of the power vested in the hands of the Commander in Chief; but he could bring po sitive proofs that such Commissions had been sold, and the money applied to very different purposes from the legitimate ones required by the military usages and establishments of the country. If he could prove that those purposes were, in a variety of instances, abandoned by the Commander in Chief ; that Offi cers had been reduced to the half-pay list Without receiving the usual difference in such cases • and if he could substantiate such a violation of the rights of Military Officers, it was a duty he owed to his constituents and his country so to do. In the year MS, his Royal Highness set up a very handsome establishment, in a fashionable quarter of the town, consisting of a superb house and elegant carriages of various descriptions, for a favourite lady of the name of Mrs. Clarke. Of the lady's name he should have (occasion to make frequent mention in the course of his speech, in connection with a number of names and facts, to chew the House that he had not -•J~