Star. — London, England, 1812-04-28 00:00:00

pertasce, in the estimation of the enemy, we have seen by their collecting their whale force id order to oblige the British army to raise the siege. Feeling the essential importance of the acquisition, the illus trious Commander of the allied troops pressed on the Investment of the fortress—your Lordships are in formed with respect to the circumstances of the great and unparalleled display of bravery and fortitude on the occasior. Your are aware of the great and ex traordinary efforts of resistance made by the French Commander for the salvation of the place. But such was the nature, the vigour, the energy,. and the per sever:thee of the attacks and the operations against it that in the period of twenty days, from the opening of the trenches, the place was in the possession of the British army. From a view of the whole cir cumstances of this glorious exploit, we cannot but feel our breasts glow with admiration at the conduct of the brave officers and gallant troops who were en gaged—( Hear, hear.) 'the conduct of those gallant ' officers who led the various attacks was in this, as 'upon all the other occaions in which they were em ployed, such as excited fie utmost spirit and confi dence in their troops ; their conduct on the memorable night of the Gth of April was such, as cannot fail to excite admiration in the minds of all who knew it. —Hear, hear.) On that day three practicable breaches were effected--but let us look to the means of the exertions made by the enemy with a view to effectual resistance.— I speak, my Lords, on the authority of an eve-witness, that these exertions were Pp among the most formidable efforts of the kind ever seen ; and this, indeed, we may well judge from their effects not liable to be deterred from action. We leant their descriptions from the nature and effects • of those gallant attacks made under General Picton, and under General Leith, though more immediately led on by General Walker, and which succeeded by escalade at the different places of attack. It is im possible to contemplate the latter of these without peculiar admiration, when what was originally in tended as a species of feint, was, instantaneously, as the occasion presented itself, converted into a real attack. It was impossible to consider she circum stanees under which General. Walker escaladed a strong and formidable bastion, w ithout feeling those sensations excited by the conduct of that gallant and respectable Officer, on so arduous and critical an oc casion. (Hear.) Not only on this, but on the occasion of the memorable battle of Vimiera, under the same illustrious Commander, did this Officer lead on suc cessfully the Fifteenth Regiment against a French force of five times its number. Such admiration did his conduct excite, that the French General who was then taken prisoner, particularly requested to be in troduced to the company of the individual Officer who had so gallantly and conspicuously distinguished himself. It would be superfluous, my Lords, to enter into a detailed narrative, as to other particulars, of this brilliant and important action in its several parts. —Those who led on the troops are entitled to the greatest respective praise. The conduct of Major- General Colville, General Kemp, and other General Officers, are equally entitled to your Lordships' ap. probation : the conduct of Lieutenant-Colonel Bar. nard and his division particularly calls for the high est eulogium. Another point of view, in which we may contemplate these operations with conscious sa titiaction is, that we have a race of Officers, about the rank of the gallant Officer i have just mentioned, rising up, who, I behest!, bid as fair to render them selves essentially serviceable in fighting the battles, or in defending their country v as were ever known to belong to any country, even the most military na tions, at any period whatever. (Hear, hear.) It is impossible not to consider without feelings of regret the great loss we have experienced in achieving this important exploit. They have fallen in a cause glo rious indeed, and under a Commander to whom they all looked up with an admiration bordering upon enthusiasm.—(Hear, hear.)—ln no point of view can the conduct of the great and noble Officer in question be considered to more advantage, than the anxiety - he has always manifested for the lives of those whom he commanded. It is a ruling principle in his con duct never to gain by a battle, that which may be gained without one.—( Hear, hear.) —During the whole of the last campaign, this principle govern ed his conduct. At Torres Vedras, particulaily, it was proposed over and over again to attack the enemy, and rep esented that he may do it succes sively. His apswer was, " I think 1 can carry my ob ject without such a risk." (Hear, het r.)—This prin ciple, my. Lords, founded upon the purest ones of hu inanity, perhaps aught more especially to prevail with reference to a British army. This principle eminent ly guided the conduct of this great Commander, in the case before us ; his pressing the operations and bringing the conflict to a speedy issue, proceeded from a view to the eventual saving of life. We must also, my Lords, contemplate with satisfaction the great accession of (military character this country has i obtained, and her assuming more and mole of a military character within the last twenty years.— This is more especially necessary in the present state of the world, when no country can safely build its security but on its own intrinsic strength ; and this ' country cannot sufficiently confide in the native valour of her troops and officers unless the necessary • talent,art,and science of war be superadded ; and these we are every day of late years progressively acquiring, especially in that part of such peculiar importance in the Continental warfare in which we are now enga ged, namely, the carrying and occupation of places. This, your Lordships are aware, is to be acquired by experience alone, and this to no small extent yoe , have the satisfaction of seeing, in the cases particu. larly of Ciudad R':drigo and Badajoz, has been ac gutted by, our willies. The military skill and science to befound in the British armies is daily appearing more commensurate to their bravery and valour.— From what we have seen the most auspicious results may be looked fur with respect to the war in the Pe ninsula, and in other points of view the creation of new sources of military strength to Great Britain, when necessary to be exerted in any line of opera tion which circumstances may call for, either on the part of this nation or her allies. I have, id some points of view, I fear, unnecessarily detained your .Lordships ; but the occasion is such, that I could not refrain from offering those observations with which I have troubled you."—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Secretary then proposed, in the usual form and lin guage, their Lordships' thanks to General Arthur Earl of Wellington, K.B. for the great military skill, bravery, &c. displayed by him in the command or the allied troops employed in the siege and capture of Badajoz.-0a the question being put; Lord HOLLAND begged leave to add his tri bute of applause.to what.had been so eloquently ex pressed by the Noble Lord, and was so justly due to the great military character who formed the subject of the present motion. It was to him they were to look for what hope still remained of rescuing Spain from the grasp of France. He must say at all events that the great skill and judgment displayed, both as to the time and the mode, in that important capture, well deserved the thanks of that House ; and he must add, that on signal occasions, either by storm or on the field, the loss experienced was more apparent than it was is reality extensive—( Hear, hear.) He could not sufficiently pm:se the promptitude with which the operations were followed up to the capture, before it became necessary to risk an action with Soult. They should be cautious, however, not too confidently to indulge hopes as to the general event of the war; .on casual brilliant successes of this kind. Other circum stances were more to be considered. It was certain that from some cause or other France did not now seem able to make those exertions which were neces sary to execute her project upon Spain, and he hoped that those favourable expectations which were enter tained of the new Government cf Spain would be realized by that Government's avoiding the errors of its predecessors, and by maintaining a system of cor diality and confidence with respect to its allies, and of ccnciliation with respect to America. Deeming as he did of the Noble and gallant Officer in ques tion in every point of view, he most cordially con curred in the motion. It was then put and carried, as well as the subse quent customary votes of thanks to the subordinate Genergl and other Officers, and to the whole of the Allied Army employed in the siege and capture of Badajoz, nemine dissentiente, and the same were voted to be communicated by the Lord Chancellor, as usual. INSOLVENT DEBTOR R. The House resolved itself into a Committee on the Insolvent Debtors' Bill. Lord REDESDALE proposed several amend ments, chiefly verbal, and one to give a discretionary power to the Court respecting reversionary property, to which a debtor might have a title, In order that an immediate and disadvantageous sale of such pro perty might not be compelled. Some conversation took place between the Mar quis of LANSDOWNE, the Earl of MOIRA, Lord Hot- LAND, Lord REDESDALE, the LORD CHANCELLOR and Lord GRANTLEY in the course of which the Earl . of Moira, in reply to a suggestion of the Marquis of Lansdowne, stated his intention to propuse a Bill for the relief of Insolvent Debtors in Ireland ; and Lord Holland suggested the expediency of extend ing the provisions of an Insolvent Debtcrs' Bill to Bengal, Madras, and Bombay. The Bill was reported by Lord WALSINGHAU and ordered to be printed as amended. The Bills upon _the table were then respectively forwarded.—Adjourned till to-morrow (this day). HOUSE OF COMMONS. Petitions were presented from Wigan, Lancister, and Stock port, against the ri.newal of the Charter ot the East India Company, An A•:count was ordered to be Lid before the House of the quantity of woo! imported into Great Britain, in the last 10 years, including 1 at I—and distirguishing each year. Mr. ABERCItuM postponed from Wednesday next, until the same day in the succeeding week, Mr. Horner'a notice re garding the situation held by Colonel M'Mahon. - In aCommittee upon the Stamp Act, Mr. WHARTON pro posed a resolution to allow a drawback to individuals who should take plate abroad with tlwm for private use. Mr. WHARI ON brought up the Report on the Woo'met Forest Bill, which was ordered to be recommitted to-morrow. He also brought in two Bills—lst. To amend the Acts for collectirg the Assessed Taxts on Property in Scotland.-2d. 7 o alter the mode of paying Superannuated Allowances in the De partment of the Costoms in Scotland. They were read a first t.me, and it was ordered that they be read a second time to. morrow. Goldfinid's Estate Bill was read a third time and passed, on the motion of Mr. BARING. Mr. M. A. TAYLOR gave notice of, a motion respecting the Suitors in Chancery for Wednesday sennight, fotinded upon what passed in the Committee. Mr. HUSKI&ON ailed whether the Right Hon. the Chan- 1 cellor of the Exchequer intended to propose any measure for re. pressing the circulation of Local Tokens, which were now be come too prevalent in the country ? if not, be should bring the subject forward, though he confessed it woutd be much better in the hands of Government. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied, that he Intended to submit a measure for checking the circulation. Mr. LY rI'LETON postponed his motion respecting the polls taken at elections, till Tuesday the 12th of May. On the motion of Mr. BENNEI'T, accounts of the exports to India, whether gold or merchandize, from 1757 to 1793, and the imports from them, &c. was oftlered to be laid before the House. 1 he Report of the Resolutions of Supply, wick revect to the Barrack Estimate, was postponed till Thursday. DEFAULTERS. The House then proceeded to call over the names of the de. faulters %ince the last call of the House. Several Members, who now appeared hi their places were excused. On the name of Mr. W. Ftrzoaamm being called, and not appearing, Mr. WYNNE moved that be be taken into custody. - - This produced some conversation, in which Mr. W. POLE stated that the Honourable Member was in Ireland, and pro posed that he should be excused on account of his being de taiued, perhaps, through unavoidable causes. In this proposition be was supported by Mr. R. WARD and Mr. HURIZILT, and o►. posed by Mr. J. WARD and Mr. Ba ASi D. On the question being put, the Honourable Member was ordered into custody. 'COMMERCIAL DISTRESSES. General GASCOYNE said, that he was instruct ed by his constituents to present to the House a Pe tition, signed by 6560 most respectable individuals of the Town of Liverpool, who, in the space of only four days, had stepped forward so affix their signa tures, for the purpose of praying the repeal of the Or ders in Council as the cause of the commercial distress which affects not that place merely, but the country in general. The majority of the persons whose names now appeared at the foot of the petition, were those who upona former occasion had complained to the House of the burden of calamities from which no steps had been taken to relieve them, and which had since continued to press upon them with increased se verity. The melancholy statement of the actual con dition of Liverpool, which was inserted in the Peti tion► was unwillingly obtruded upon the feelings of the House, in consequence of the contradiction given upon this subjet.t to the information which one of its Members (Mr. Creevy) bad deemed it right to af ford. Upon the general question he would now say nothing, but merely move that the Petition be I brought up. The question having been put, Mr. CREEVY referred to the 6560 witnesses who bore ample testimony of the perfect truth of the ;f• sertions he bad made regarding the real miseries of the inhabitants of Liverpool General TARLETON observed, that the accounts I be had obtained, and which he had communicated to Parliament on a former occasion, in opposition to the allegations of Mr. Creevy, were derived from the most respectable authority. Mr. WHARTON bore testimony to the deference due to the quarter to which the Honourable General (Tarleton) was indebted for his intelligence, and sta ted that he had himself received letters corroborat ing the facts formerly brought before the House. The Petition was then brought up and read.—lt asserted, that nearly 16,000 poor had been relieved by !Abbe subscription in one week, and that in the whole about one.sixth part of the population of Li verpool bad obtained charitable donations, rendered necessary by the unparalleled distresses of the times. Numbers of once indu s t r i ous mec h an i cs a i mid obtain no employment, and were reduced to the hard ne cessity of begging in the streets. It was as impious as it was unjust to at t ribut e an y o f .these evils to-the I visitations of Providence. The Petitioners added, 44 that they had heard with real alarm, that a highl and confidential servant of the Crown did lately make use of lanaliage which appeared to develope more satisfactorily, the views and intentions of Ministers, than thousands of State Papers, and which sheaved that they are prepared to risk the very existence the country, rather than remove the Orders in Colin. cil, the cause of the augmented calamities endured." After reprobating the system of Licences, they pray. ed that the Orders in Council might be withdrawn, since their effect had been found to be, to diminish the revenue of Great Britain, to ruin her mu-chants, and to encourage neutrals to depend upon their own resource: for manufactures, they had before derived from this country. Mr. ROSE said, that he felt it incumbent upon him to give the most posit;ve contradiction to one paragraph in the Petition which referred immediately to himself, and which was founded on the grossest misrepresentation. Mr. TIERNEY said, that the question was not whether the Right Hon. Gentleman was insensible to the miseries presented to his view, but whether he had employed the unfortunate expression referred to? He did not understand that the fact was denied that he (Mr. Rose) had said that the two countries were in the situation of two men whose heads were in a bucket of water, and the struggle was, which of the two could remain longest in that situation without suffocation. Mr. ROSE.—I assert again that I have no recol lection of having used such an expression, and I am certain that it was not addressed to any of the Gen tlemen who waited upon me. Ido not undertake to deny it. positively—it might have been said by me.— (Hear, hear.) All I can undertake to state positively is, that no suctidihrase was used by me to the De. putition • but whether I said it to any other indivi. dual I will not pretend to determine. I deny too that if I used it, it proceeded from any want of feeling on my part for the distresses complained of. Lord STANLEY said, theta few days afterwards he met some of the Gentlemen of the Deputation, who repeated to him the words referred to in the Pe tition, and certainly it was considered by them as shewing a great j legree of insensibility on the p ar t of the Right Hon. Gentleman. • Mr. WARD remarked, that the expression had been repeated se him by a Member of the House a day or two after it had been used. After a few words from General GASCOYNE the Petition was laid upon the table. Lord G. L. GOWER presented a petition from the Borough of Walsall, complaining of the depres sion of trade, and praying the repeal of the Orders in Council as the cause of it. It was ;aid upon the table. Mr. BROUGHAM, after the conversation that had just occurred, felt it right to say a f ew wor d s be fore he presented to the House a petition from certain inhabitants of Liverpool, which had been committed to his charge. The names to it would have been far more numerous had it lain for signatures more than an hour, which was impossible, in consequence of its being sent,to London by the same express that con veyed the petition presented by the Hon. Member for that town. The individuals who had signed it, had heard of the extraordinary expression employed by the Right Hon. Gentleman—(A laugh)—and, how ever it might be matter of merriment to others, it was a subject of a most melancholy nature to them, be cause it shut a door by which even hope was exclu. ded, and they were unwillingly compelled to believe, not only that Ministers would not remove the cause of their complaint, but that :hey would not even listen to the proposition of enquiry. (Hear, hear) Neither he nor they meant to accuse Government of levity, or even of indifference : the melancholy state of affairs would render such a charge ridiculous, but they felt it was high time to appeal to Parliament from their decision, which was, that each country was to try an experiment like two men with their heads in a bucket of water I The application of the peti tioners was not that the Orders in Council should be repealed, but that certain sinecure places should be abolished, held, by individuals who were fattening upon the war, while the rest of the country were starving. The indignation felt, had led them into personalities and indelicacies towards individuals, but . their languageto the House was respe c tf u l an d de corous. Upon the whole, the numerous addresses presented, however they might differ in their objects, proved irrefragably, that great distresses prevailed, and it was the duty of the House to enquire into their causes, and to endeavour as speedily a t pcssible to afford relief. Mr. Brougham was of opinion, that the only adequate remedy was, to lay the axe t. 4 the root by the abandonment of the present system of commercial warfare. On the question being put, that the petition by brought up, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER reprobated the discussion'of a question now which could be fully debated at its proper time to-morrow. He felt himself called upon to say a few words with regard to the expre ss i on so muc h talked of, which WAS said to have dropped from his Right Honourable Friend. He never was more surprised than when he beard that as injurious impression had been left upon the minds of some individuals present at the inter view, for the Deputation from Birmingham appeared perfecdy satisfied with the reception afforded them. Taxing his own memory, he had not the least trace ' of buch a phate as had hum 03 often alluded to, though it might have been uttered out of his hearing, or iftdeed within his hearing, he might not have n o . ticed it. He positively denied that it coull justify any such mischievous impression as that to wNeh had been distorted.—(Afar, /seer.) Mr. TIE RNEY said, the most correct way would be p to avoid misapprehension, fir the Right Honour. able Gentleman to state what he really did say.... (Rear, &ear, and No, no, from many.) Mr. ROSE again repeated, tim.t he had no reeol. lection of the words. Certain he was that there wu at the time no feeling in his mind that could disrespect to the deputation. Such an imputation must once again utterly deny.-iii-(Heer, hear.) Mr. BROUGHAM again assured the Right Ho. nourable Gentleman that he did not charge the words as having been spoken disrespectfully, but they most certainly afforded to the Petitioners the cont. mental which they had put upon them. Mr. A. BARING trusted that one good wou ld arise from the Petitions, namely, an inquiry into t h e subject of the Orders in Council. Mr. LYTTLETON said, one of the Deputati on who waited on the Chancellor of the Exchequer, tole him, that the Right Hon. Gentleman did use the figurative expression in question. Lord MILTON said, he had heard the same thing. What the Deputation complained of was. that the words were a commentary on the system pursued by our Government.—The Petition was then brought up, re.td, and laid on the table. TUANICi TO TIIR EARL OF WRI.I.INOTOW. The C H A NC E LI.O R of the EXC HEQUER had Ii: - .^n, and was about to address the Speaker, when 1.(,3 d MILTON suggested that Monday was one of the days on which, according to the regulation made by the llouse at the commencement of the Session, Orders of the day ought to have the prece dence of Notices. The SPEAKER observed, that in all cases Votes of Thanks preceded every other description of busi ness ; and more epecially, he was persuaded that on the present occasion the House would not conde scend to pay any attention to any other question until 'they had disposed of the motion which was on the point of being submitted to them—(lfear, hear.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then spoke to the following effect r—o Sir, from the opportunity which on former occasions I have hadof collecting the sentiments of the House on the coarse of proceeding with respect to questions similar to that which I am about to submit to their considera tion, I agree with you, Sir, that the House will al. ways be dispose.l to give to them an undoubted pri. ority. It gratifies me, however, to be enabled to assure the Noble Lord, that, in my view of the pre sent subject, it will not be necessary for me to Jana the House at any considerable length ; anticipating as I do the unanimous concurrence of all who hear me, in the motion widi which I shall have the honour to conclude.—(Hear, hear, hear.) Sir, I have so frequently, during the short period of the last eigh teen months, had the happiness to submit to this House a motion sim I.ir to the present, that Ism justified, from my experience on thus: occasices, in confidently expecting that not a single dissenting yoke will be raised against my present proposition.-. Hear, hear.) We may differ in opinion, Sir, endue Near, hear.) question of the manner in which the war 44 e Peninsula has been conducted—we may even dif• 1 fe r in opinion on the probable effect of the late, or d 'au ) other splendid achievement of our brave troops-. but it is impossible that we shoulclififirer in °Odom' the able conduct of our General, and on tar: galbs• try of our officers Rod men, with reference to then. cent occurrence, in which these qualities have bee so successfully and so gloriously exhibited—(flan, hear.) The House will recollect that at no . great die ranee of time, antecedent to the late distinguished achievement, the capture of Ciudad Rodrigo'took place. Immediately after that capture, Lord Wel. linotcrn meditated the direction of his forces towards that fortress, the acquisition of which it is now out otject to acknowledge. The arrangements for that purpose were made with greatexpedition by the Noble and Gallant Lord, during the time he kept his head. quarters ; and so completely were the enemy deceived by the celerity and the secrecy of those arrangements, that they were evidently unapprised of the intended movement until it was too late for them to enteitaia any hope that they might be able to collect a forte adequate to the defeat of the.object which the British army had in view. As soon as his preparations were complete, Lord Wellington proceeded to Badajos. He arrived at Elvas on the I lth of March. On the 16th he invested Badajoz. On the 17th he broke ground, and pushed forward his operations with all the rapidity which the utmost exertions of the offi cers and soldiers of his brave army enabled him to do. The House are in possession of the details im mediately subsequent, from the pen of the Noble and gallant Officer himself ; and I am sure that any attempt of mine to re-state them, will but ttnd to weaken the effect which they are calculated to pro• duce. It appears, however, that the fire from the second parallel open ej on the 3 lst of March; sad ,• that practicable bleaches having of the bastions of the fortress, on the 6th a t night, Lfsed Wellington gave orders to proceed to the storm.-_ The plan on that occasion was, that Lieutenant Ge neral Picton should attack the Castle by escalade been effected in two with the Sd division—that Major Wilson, with a guard from the fourth division, should attack then. • velin of St. Roque ; and that the Hon. blajorZete: ral Colville at the head of the 4th division, and the light division under Lieut.-Colonel Barnard, 'D' attack the breaches in the bastions. Lieut. , Leith, with the left brigade of the division under ow' Jur-General Walker, was to make a false attack tiro two of the out-works. This feigned attack wayh expected to take effect, but directions were gle . eT l turn it into a real attack, if circumstances got! prove favourable. At ten o'clock at night. dig" tack commenced. The amnions of the tiO 611/ L .,.. j... that occasion were never exceeded.—(liegri w i t They had to contend against an able Gener4 J commanded the powerful gatrisoe not clam; by the casualties and privations of a long siegl_,__:, capable of making a determined resistance t 0 tool assailants, and prepared by every means toil! that resistance the best chance of success. lac s__L filet continued for above two hours, dur in uM period the enemy resisted with a gallant Inif due to them to say was as glorious as tha t assailants. It is undoubtedly true that dlia."'''' i au sta CIL vii al. mi