Star. — London, England, 1810-03-30 00:00:00

- raise of success, either for our own objects or for the assistance of our allies. But on arguing on the policy of the Expedition, great stress was laid on the opi nion of Colonel Gordon, who had made use of the word desperate. They relied as much on this word as if it had been deliberately weighed by that Offi cer, as if it comprised every moral and political dif ficulty—in short, as if it were utterly hopeless.— Colonel Gordon appeared to have risen most rapidly is the good opinion of Gentlemen on the other side ; they attached a degreeof authority to his opinion which they Llened to th tt of other officers, and which even be was not so fortunate as to obtain on a former inquiry.— By what miracle had this sudden conversion in that Which he had not the same means . of had of the policy of the expedition. ceive, however, ,that motives might exist great efforts to retain a position. commanding depot of the first magnitude and a great - port ; so great that the receipt of CUstoms was in the proportion of two to one, to that in all the other ports of Flanders. There was, titere, i fore,. stacient ground to hesitate respecting the era. cuatiQn of Walcheren. Other motives might also' exist to justify the retention ; but he much doubted the policy of retaining it upon the grounds suggested' by Austria. He felt strongly the necessity of making l a sacrifice to serve an Ally; but great sacrifices were the- Ge ntleman's favour been operated ? He suspected _where ':not IQ he 'made th. expected advantages-were i t was owing to the circumstance of his opinion being, rifling, and at best. equivocal. • Austria grounded ~ I:ttle in their favour. They endeavoured to de- her recommendation on that disposition which she preciate the opinions on the other side. That of Ge- : presumed to prevail in the inlaaksitants of Holland l ie:.:1 brownrigg was quite intolerable to them. Now -1 an d Fl an d ers; a disposition never calculated upon, if there was an officer in the British army whose opi- ' for...the reasons he stated, by this -Government , and ni , n he should have thought entitled to particular t which, after the failure of the attack against Antwerp, respect, it was precisely that of General Brownrigg. it would have been idle to expect, and wicked to encou- H e was the man, above all others, whose advice and rage. That was not the precise moment toendeavourto canioas were to be attended to, on account of the excite a rising in favour of Austria, when she consen rni:aary situation he held. But it seems the opinions ted to abandon the Tyrolese. The destruction of the of General Brownrigg were nothing in the esti- works, however, he could not consider an object suf :nation of Gentlemen on the other side. They called ficient to justify the retention, particularly when the for the authorit;es on which he rented those opinions, troops were pressed by sickness, if not determined on and the authorities by which those authorities were for other reasons. But it should be recollected, that supported, and so on, ad infinitum, in the hope that at that time. Ministers were otherwise employed ; they might arrive at last at some authority of no va- ( Hear ! from the oAnosition side) ; they were employed hue;—like the ignorant Indian's idea of the system, in considering how it could, be retained with the least who conceived that the globe was supported by alt loss and inconvenience. He-thought no just blame elephant, the elephant-by ,a tortoise, and the tortoise -could be imputed to them onahis point. On these by he knew hot what. .But ott-this.opinion.they had groun d s h e wou l d vote against both resolutions ; not gone farther than the e1e.014Pk,40 Wq.6 General., giving Ministers a cordial acquittal, both on the policy Brownrigg. Much reliance ,bactislso been pliced -on of the expedition, and the, retention of Walcheren.— the circumstance of no forzttalopipion in favour of ~ Te the last resolution, however, he would propose an the Expedition having.. been given by Lord Cha. i atnenchnent, the object of which washot to censure sham. Now he could take upon himself to assert Genterntneat o butto take away from those who differed that Lord Chatham had been repeatedly core : ' moopinitutlespecting the last resolution, any possible suited on the Expedition-4t was impossible .that; grodna for inflicting punishment, or even opprobrium, he should not ; that, he approved of it ; an 4 uperuhale concerned in the planning or conduct of that he entertained the most sanguine expectations • the. expedition. , .. . ' . _ of its success. He recollected a story which was for- Mr. .WHITBREAti said, 'much as he had been merly told in that House, which was very opposite to surprised at many things ; which had been uttered in the conduct of Lord Chatham on this occasion, and his speech by the Right Honourable Gentleman who which would shew what opinion he entertained of the had just sat down, he was still more surprised at one Expedition. It was of two Generals, one of whom omis.sion, which that Right Honourable . Gentleman always addressed his troops, " dillez ines enfant," the had made. To supply that omission, he had a right other, " ./Illon: mes enfant;" frOm whence he interred to:call ups* that Right Honourable Gentleman, on that the men must naturally have more confidence in the part of . that House and of the country. He the General who said 44 Allow nits entails," because %looked upon him as a man more responsible than the he, of course, must have shared in their danger. Now Noble Lord (Castlereagh) for the failure of the Ex there could be no doubt of, Lord Chatham's hieing pedition ; he considered hiM as deeply responsible for confidence in the Expedition, for this reason,. that be having done that which, in the history of the country, went with it himself. But it was contended that there' noother man could be found to have done. That never could have been any-well founded expectation Right Honourable Gentleman, knowing what the in of carrying Antwerp by a eontli-do-main, or by a vigo- . terest of the country required—knowing too all those rous bombardment. It,wasin.voin that theourrender: measures which were in contemplation, and going on, of Copenhagen was instanced. . Oh ! but, say they, : and having information of the Expedition which was Copenhagen was taken too much ,by surprise. The lin preparation, did; on the 16th day of April last, go indignation of the inhabitams at the atrocity of the ; and declare to the Duke of Portland, then at the head attack, combined with the decisive nature of it, to i•of the Government, that the Minister who was to have produce a surrender. Now thin--was the veerfeeling tale conduct of that Expedition wasnat competent to his that, to his mind, was beecealenlateetap,eacite a nu. i situation ; that the man on whom that duty devolved, merous population to a determined and protracied re- [however he might esteem him in private, however he sistance. But were there no other instances besides 1 utight value him for his good qualities arid virtues, was that of Copenhagen, in which fortified towns had not competent to his public situation (hear, hear), that been intimidated into surrender 't Did Gentlemen I the man with whom he Was in habits of friendship recollect Dumourier's campaign in the war that broke ! and confidential intercourse was so unfit for his office out after the French Revolution ? Breda, Bergen-op- :asto be incapable of conducting the Expedition. Not Zoom, Bois-le-Duc—hrfact a e'ery town on the iron- i satisfied with this, the Right Honourable Gentleman tiers of Holland, bat WilCamstadt, surrendered to in- I went to his Majesty to make the same communica timidation, or to a short bombardment. If he went tion, for fear of any mistake. But to the Noble Lord farther back, he found that Prague was taken after a himself he never communicated his opinion, that he bombardment of seven days ; that Schweidnitz, in 'thought him incapable of performing the duties of the course of the same war, was thrice taken and re -'.his situation, but suffered him to originate and con - taken, by surprise, or a short bombardment. There liact to a close that Expedition which had terminated , were even instances in which towns had held out 'iso disgracefully for the country—( Loud cries of hear, against regular seiges, and were afterwards carried I hear.) The Noble Lord, on a former occasion, in a by a short and sudden attack. Such was that of i speech which was said to have produced much im- Lerida, in Catalonia, which successfully resisted pression and effect, but which had certainly produced the Great Conde, and was taken afterwards by the/ no impression on his mind, used an expression, as ap- Duke of Orleans in a few days. He was aware . plied to the Government, which he should have oc that most plausible arguments might be advancedicasion to notice by and by. In that instance, the against the possibility of the success- of many operas ; Noble Lord had stated, : that the - Administration tines ; but the re s ult o ft en sheaved the fallacy of ' was f oun d e d upon a rock—(.Hear, hear.) Little did these conclusions: 1 The failure of the Expedition ! the Noble Lord, on that occasion, suspect that the to the Scheldt, arose, not from insurmountable dif- I rock was mined—( Hear, hear, hear.) Little did he ficulties in the plan,. bit: from ac . cidents, that could I think that he was in danger of being blown aloft in nut be controuled (front .the unfortunate circumstance the springing of the mine. But, as it often hap of the fleets and transports being driven into the i pens to him who kindles' the train, the Right Room -pot., Had -the attach npon,.Cadsand taken I Honourable Gentleman who laid it was also blown place and succeeded, and •-lbs .. armi e sone up the up with hire. It was the wish of the Right Hon. Scheldt, die most sae roe hope might ,have been Gentleman to place the Noble Lord in another situa entertained of the complete- sacceseof use Expedition. tion,a change which thegenerousfcelingsof that Noble Some Gentlemen were. in the habit of viewing the Lord, and he was ready to give him every credit for policy and conduct off-their sown Government in -a dif f . those generous feelings, could net be brought to brook . ferent manne r f rom t h at in which they saw duct of th e enem y. He ii?e Pn", or submit to. It was not his intention to impute im liadatever heard apy,,person proper motives to the Might Hon. Gentleman; but he stigmatize the attack on Acre under the circumstances was sure that he was bound, both as a public man, a that it was un d erta k en, as a ras h an d d esperate at- Minister, and a Statesman, to preserve his character tempt. He had never heard Bonaparte's embarrass...iifree from such imputations. If it appeared from his ments in the Me of Labatt,. in ,mthiell his fortunes,: , tory, that men frequently engaged in wars with a view ex were put to the greatest hazardiabat Over they were a s preserve their situations ; if they were told of Lou r- posed to, .censured in, the 4iikitest -degree. But . , . ! .. vois, that when he incurred the anger of Louis XIV. whenever any military attempt • 11%..111liade by. their, induced his master to embark in a war which was own country,..involvai ß in4e .6 0 loss riscitte or di . _7- 5 7, oto bring destruction upon thousands of the human sully, they immediately let bat against atisinFtne :' race, t a x: . e instances should be a warning to the Right fury of their invective. • - Were the, tOecetistire.d i.lionourable Gentleman, and make him careful how because they aimed tbo. greatest _bit*. at France it ,__ I he should suffer himself to be influenced by similar could have received; at- ei. time Yoltan the fate of taw] motives. He was not disposed to enter into the con man who ruled was in rsissiti!si.sretall island in the :s4deration of the personal feelings and circumstances banobe ? i t tth persictelet naive of - the climao '--.ef the transaction between the Right Hon. Gentle of.Waltheren WasoirgeatligAnat the prudence of the i man and the Noble Lord. But the Right Hon. Gen attempt upon it; and in support - of this, a book writ- , tleman had twice appealed to the public, and once ten by an eminestAysician, who had been in that ag ain by his friends, As one of the public, he, leaving ftp isla n d some, fi*arslign, was quoted. Why, if bo th the Noble Lord and-the Right Hon. Gentleman any weight was allowed to this atlthority, an Expedi- tut the thresholds of their offices, and passing over non would hardly .be sent any "there._: I i_proved too every thing private or personal in. the case , had a much ; itivould' prove th at a BTitisb , Away should „ r i g h t , u pon public grounds, to demand from the never have been sent to Flanders.: Now it. happened: ' Right Hon. Gentleman some satisfactory explanation. I that thi s very country was above all other*, the Pe- :With regard to this whole proceeding, he professed hill er and distinguished theatre of British- valour. -o• , himself to be the partizan of the No* Lord, and not The opinion of the learned physician would go partio 1 the abettoi-of the Right Hon. Gentleman. (Hear, cabs 1y to the condemnation ; of the whole policy of hear,) So far as regarded .the public, he would ask tha . t War to which his observations applied; -a :Ppliar I the Right Hon. Gentleman how he Could answer the tlidt h d , ibeen pursued and acted upon for twp centu- question which , he then called upow him to answer, t'eF• During th a t t i me , -Walcheren was idmiffs Abe. and. which had been put to him before, a month since, object of British desire, frequently of -British _a.t7o:without obtaining any reply ? He would ask the Right tack, and sometimes of British ' d the ~f l -1 snow; And on. Gentleman how. he could answer to his So when that island was one thousand. titnes.ltss imp -Tereign, how to .that House, how,. to the country 1' tam than it is at present. Gentleman had , had on that acelw Th.. ~.,.r.: h... 7.4,,.... • ie „a The Right Hon. . . .. iiis s . n which J ti ... second set of Resolution's rated to, the reten : Mt of Walther T 1 en. iat was a past - gulls case upon - con oral ciotnmunications/with overetg , be had concealed fro lir his colleagues. Afg? lie bad 7 • commenications, was not intelligible to him. It would remain, therefore, -for that Right Hon. Gentleman to shew in what that distinction con sisted, if the question could be reduced to a shape in which they could touch it, Had not the Right Hon. Gentleman ,pronounced a Noble Person guilty for making an official communication to his M ijesty with a request of secrecy, and in what did the case of the Right- Honourable Gentkrtian differ from that ? The Right Hon. Gentleman had told them that they never found fault with Bonaparte. He had told them that they had often found fault with his Majesty's Ministers, and asked whether they had ever, in any in stance, blamed the conduct of Bonaparte for having been foiled and defeated at Acre ? But what had that House to do with'Bonaparte ? Their business was not with Bonaparte; his projects, or his failures, but with the Right Honourable Gentleman and the Nohlp t i Lord; but, above all, with the Right Honourable Gentleman, for the manner in which he had sonduc. ted himself, in leaving the management of thq,cata 4 - paign in the hands of,a person whomhe had die as incapable. The Noble Lord had und conducted the Expedition, supposing himself, comps-: . tent to it : the Right Honourable,Gentleman, media contrary, suffered a person to undertake a measure of so much importance to the interests and honottiof the nation, whom he looked upon as incompetent...,- (Hear, hear.)—The Noble Lord was responsible for the failure of the Expedition ; the Right Honourable Gentleman was responsible for having suffered it to, be conducted by one whom he thought incapable, and in whose management it had ultimately The Right Honourable Gentleman had entered into a long and fanciful detail of observations respecting the balance of power in Europe, a system which had altogether vanished from the political world. There was no longer any possibility of such a combination 'in Europe, as in these times could be looked to with any gool prospect of restoring the lost equilibrium. After ridiculing in unqualified terms the idea of an Expedition directed to the Adriatic and Trieste, and bestowing nearly equal ridicule on the notion of an Expedition to the North of Germany, the Right Ho nourable Gentleman then took credit to himself, and the Government of which he had been a Member, for their humanity and forbearance in not exciting or encouraging an insurrection in any part of the Conti nent, which they had not the means of supporting; as if any such considerations had influenced their con duct in abstaining from such a proceeding. Oh! those tender lambs of Copenhagen ! Oh those humane and merciful souls, who shrunk from the cruelty of ex, citing to insurtection those unfortunate persons who may have been disposed to rise against their rulers, but who could not rise with effect ! What an overflow of human kindness it must have been which could make them abstain from the atrocity of stirring up to ' fruitless efforts an unruly population, even though for an object which they themselves looked upon as im portant ? It could - not be denied that the moment was favourable for an attack upon Bonaparte, at a time when his forces had been withdrawn from the coast and the interior, and when his fortune had been balanced, and his fate suspended on tfle Danube.— Both the Noble Lord and the Honourable General opposite (Craufurd) had asserted, that the people in the North of Germany would rise ; they had also stated, that Bonapare had lost 50,000 men at- the battle of Asperne. Could it be doubted, that if an army of 40,000 British troops had been landed in the North of Germany, it would have turned the fortune of the campaign, if there was any ground for expec ting an insurrection in the North—an expectation which he never entertained ? But if there had been any reason to calculate on such an insurrection, he would ask whether a British army of forty thousand mei:4,41144. at that . period, in that quar ter, would not;ltairii ,airorded the bast prospect of overturning the fortu le" and power of Bonaparte ? —The Noble Lord hal talked in a strain of boasting, of his projects, and the operations which had been in contemplation. . But after the evidence they had' iheard, they be rnust sensible that it was their poverty alone that kept, their forces at .home. To this fact they had the conclusive evidence of Mr. Fluskisson---; evidence to which he begged to call the most serious attention of the House, but which the Right Hon. Gentleman from the nature of . his observations, seemed neither to have heard nor read. It was of no signification whether they had 100,000 disposea ble troops or not ; whether an opportunity piesented itself for employing them with effect on -the Ciro „ nent or not; whatevel opinion might lis,eptertai? . of the practicability of particular ophi want of money was an insuperable bar: Vt: 7 r4 , by the Right Roo. Gentleman, thatitlie, bers of the Government, of which he jjacr,, n Member, had considered the relative circunisfances, advantages, and prospects of an operation-in Italy, hr the North, or elsewhere, before the fiat ltarl.heen ;issu ed for directing it to - the Scheldt. ' Wit,,lie _Jlpt~sj con tend, that before the war had broken out be . oveon Bo naparte and Austria, the Expedition .to .tbe'SOeldt had been .decided upon. . Arnongst Ather-faeis pro duced. by the Right lion. Gentleman, he-W alluded to a speech. delivered. by a near and , dear re 14 0 .0 of his (Earl Grey), A .s.hort time after be-q u itted 'offieet,l in which his relative recommended :to the eckiidera tion of the:Ministers who suc - Feeliecl Ikipo.hisiippor tance of . the, Scheldt. an4.444vierp f Whether the Right Hon. 'Gentleman whit' up. the idea. :before or r after. his .Isitible relation )iad„heen . said to 'live Sag: gested it to Nut, he..tlid i ppt know; bni.:014.4 ould well recollectqline,tii, , speech of ..bat Right lion ltleinan a - 'r he came into office, he of policy was re predecessors in office, ...,steps, it would be a il a the same track.— A ouse,, however, tb 'former occasion bay .) upon the subject J state that the same .upied the attention of of Lord Sidmouth, cceeding administra ; and that after the idea of ph attempt Ibandoned (Hear, hrar,J . ' ' . . _1 __ • ... upon upon this ...amity upon who • had declared to the tinke of Portland, and afterwards, - for fear of mistake, had gene to declare to the King, that the Minister entrusted with its conduct was in competent to his situation. The Right Honourable Gentleman had favoured them with an explanation of the vote which he intended to give, and taken cre dit to himself for voting against the resolution censu ring the policy of the Expedition to the Scheldt.— : But where was the merit in that ? Was not the Right Honourable Gentleman, in giving th, , t vote, pro- . moting his own defence, he having been one of the 1 prime movers and abetters of the Expedition ? B a tt should never be forgotten, that on the day when the intelligence of Lord Ch sham having abandoned the 1 further prosecution of the ulterior objects of the Ex i-pedition had been received—on the day when the ac. I counts were l brought of the retreat of Lord Welling ton's a amore, t hat, notwithstanding the battle of Talaeoes, al t oonl4 . not maintain its position--on the Ave wheel we were informed of the result of the filio)ishonnd enprofitable Expedition against Ischia and.Psucida, - e result Which any man of sense must , have anticipated—on 'that day, when the Cabinet. i,was overwhelmed with an accumulation of disastrous intelligenceoindlerleeonsly perplexed about the best means of ektricaung the country from the difficulties in which ie-was.involved—..en that-very day -the-Right Hon. Gentlemart.called epon the Duke of Portland To fulfil his promise respecting the removal of the Noble Lord, offering the alternative of his own resignation. At a time when the R kin Pon. Gentleman must have been aware that the Noble Lord who had planned and conducted the Expedition, must be the most .proper person to eeperintend the measures necessafy respect.. . ing the retreat and security of the army, one might - have supposed that the Right Hon. Gentleman would have some regard to the situation of his colleagues and of_the country. But no—the Right Hon. Gen tleman had no mercy for colleagues : in the pursuit of - - his own views of ambition, he cared not what embar rassment he brought upon them or uponehe country— " Hot, cold, wet, and, dry, " All contend for mastery ; " But he threw Chaos in !" The Right Hon. Gentleman sought the highest offi cial station in the Administration, in which he was disappointed; and the intrigues that followed brought the Marquis Wellesley into the office which' that. Right Hon. Gentleman held at the time when lie wished to introduce that Noble Lord into another.-- When the Right Hon. Gentleman had sp conducted himself, he was not surprised at the vote which ire* meant to give. On the contrary, he should have been much surprised if he could have been tempted to vote against his former colleagues. The Right Honoura ble Gentleman had quoted some passages from the Moniteur, to shew that Antwerp was not in a state of defence at the time the Expedition sailed. He had also told them, that this town was the darling object of Bonaparte's attention ; that it had been made by him a grand emporium of commerce, and a great naval depot ; and then winding himself o an hyper bole, the Right Hon. Gentleman asserted that one third of the Customs duties of France were collected in the port of Antwerp ; that so much support was derived to the tyranny of France from that city, was it credible then that Bonaparte would- have left so important a place without adequate means of de fence ? Antwerp - had been acknowledged by the Hon. General, the Noble Lord, and the Right Ho nourable Gentleman, to have been the best object for the Expeditioh ; and yet the Right 'Hon. Gentleman had stated, that the Antwerpers were, perhaps, the only people in the dominions of France that had most. reason to bless the accidental circumstances that made them prosper under the government of France. —lt had been contended that the Expedition had ef. - fected a powerful diversion in favour of Austria ; yet the evidence strewed that it could never have led to protracted operations. The evidence of Mr. Huskis son proved clearly that the Expedition could not haye 'been sent to Germany or Italy for want of money.— .So that after all it was only Antwerp, and the arse ,uals there and in Walcheren, including, perhaps the ...retention of Walcheren, that could have been the ob jects of the Expedition. What diversion could arise ,from such operations in support of Austria? • The Right Honourable Gentleman had asserted, that we were,:hot bound to give assistance to Austria ; but svibeff,that !sewer had determined to make an effort against' France , it was clear that she ought to h av e been suppo r ted. it ~ no, the Right Hon. Gentleman 'Still ictipg upon thiielfish policy, would direct the force l igEtiguisa for British objects to the Scheldt, 'white diver ion could be effected in favour of Aus- T43 l ,lneA r tfie l hanble of the sceptre, and the milit ar y TorCe4triiiiii, had been wielded by Frederick the Great; diet' were' successful in every part of Europe, and it.:'was.riot. the fault of the Prussian soldiers, bet the want of mind to command them against Bona parte, that caused the annihilation of the Prussian army, 'The British troops, the brave British army, would also prove i bauble, if badly commanded. Let the Right Honourable Gentleman then abstain frotn calaineiating the brave soldiers, but attribfite, as he ooght, all the sufferings of the Prussian Monarchy to the incapacity of their Rulers and Commanders. r -The Right Honourable Gentleman had quoted tome passages from 'a speech of his extracted from a London print into the Moniteur, as if some terrible pueishment should be inflicted by the French Ruler 'on his subjects in consequence. The Honourable 'Gentleman need not be apprehensive, Bonaparte- had "acted, and v.lll continue to do what he pleased, with out That Right Honourable Gentleman being consul. ~ 'ted: In the irruption of the French, under Dumourier, 'into Holland, all the towns 'alluded to had opened their gates, except Williamstadt. Both the Noble 'Lord and the Right Honourable Gentleman had said, that they had not expected so much resistance as had been encountered. He was sorry to conple the Noble Lord with the Right Honourable Gentleman, but in .answering an argument urged by both, however rt. luctantly, he was obliged to - couple them: The Hon. Gentleman then showed that the progress of the Ex. pedition had not been retarded by the whole.having been blown into the Roompot, as - the di*hion a. the Martinis of Huntly was to attack Cndsand, end was prevented by the want of boats. - The- Ho. nurable Member then took a vie* tir itte ay.— judging. as he .eonfessect l theit Abr jiis s ingq .he had• condionanerl rthelbyeach-itutil theilindinatolutionorthe administration He could con- liecret tta of 'written communications to his., of the Duke of Portland. The Expedition thus un- exist to ,justify . Majestyosow leas the Right Hon. Gentleman -ts de-1 dertaken had failed, an d h%therefore had to call upon landing a naval ftnd &s own conduct in that i nstance ? He wa,as,,ware! the House of Commons to avenge the public upon eat commercial that the Tight Hon. Gentleman had on the former those Ministers who had subjected the nation to this ustoms thereat night attempted to put a distinction between ergland • calamity ;• but, above all, upon that individual who • Portland_ ~vs.. A • :o that collected written commanicationi, which was not inte ll igible. had declared to the Duke of A r Gentleinan 4,4hi0 time alter he declared,, that *fieneyer a rgeasu. commended to him by his pie whererer he could' trace ,alien, s warning tp him , riQt,to :f9Uow.ip In c,allpg 04 e t Fpnciss ihe - 1 what ha/ bled 'Aitici on Oka Lori aortic k ; fa:o3o, Zail, Gay: of WAl : etgo*ti - PlaSVOigot to 1 subioct,. rieeeisiTer,f, octopi( the , qpflrp,oo.3, of .154 ?S!:ig4# l, ,ma o :tihe Pc ma; vl , , well as, the ) present most vuiwe cOnside4tion, all upon Virtheren ban L: