The National Register. — London, England, 1808-10-30 00:00:00

r OCT. 30. of so much vital importance should not be treated with levity, but considered seriously and deliberately. The country was woefully destitute of the tkupecior'talents which ought to rule the state in its unprecedented cireutnstances. On farmer occa cions, Ministers used to drag the people into wild and extrava gant projects by every artifice; but the Spanish cause had ex cited the national Indit i' , unaninwasly, and the people dragged Ministers to perform their duty. He concluded ith hoping, that the motions he bad the, honour ofmaking s ould he ac • celled to unanidtously. The question was put, and the original motion carried by a great hi:l66ly . Mr. Waithman then rose. and said, that the Court ought to proceed mock further than they had done, and to examine the foundatioo of the disasters which had lately befallen the coun try. lie proposed tq address the Sovereign on the subject of militarx appointments, mid to pray fiir the speedy assembling of Parliament, that they might advise on the measures to be taken In support Of Our Allies. • Mr. Box, Mr. Dixon, and 'several other Members opposed the latter propositions of Mr. Waithman, on the ground that the Court were not apprised of hitv Intention to bring , them for ward. • .. . _ .. Mr. Birch said, that all military. appointments were tbe.pre ragative of his Majesty, and that the people had no right to eall fur a dislivsure;of the tireurastatties which iuducctl the Sovereign to make them. Mr. Waithman agreed to withdraw the dam relating to mi litary appointment; and a Committee was appointed to draw up an Address, conformably to his original 'notion. COUNTY OF ESSEX MEETING. Friday there was a numerous meeting of Freeholders at eheltosford, in consequence of a politic notice from the Sheriff, to consider of an Address to his Majesty ou the lute Convention to Portage!. The hall was completely filled at twelve o'clock, which was the hour appointed for the Meeting. The High Sheriff read the requisition, in compliance with which he had convened the County. The Earl of St. Vincent then came forward end said, that it bad been assigned td him to state to the Freeholders what were the grounds and objects of the requisition, and the nature of the Address which was to be submitted to their consideration. lie should,in the first instance, both in his own name and in the name of those who juined with him in the requisition, entirely-disclaim the idea of casting any censure on the conduct of any particular Officers. The Officers employed on the Expedition to Portugal had enjoyed au unblemished reputation before their arrival in that country, and lie knew that some of them bad previously acquired a high character. Without, however, considering who were the individuals on whom the criminality attached in the present instance, he mast say that he felt that so foul a stain had never been east on the military character of the country, since the days of the tyrannical and detestable reign of the family of the Stuarts. This most isiglor)otts Convention of Cintra had lower ed the just pride of England . among the nations of the earth, and had roused the most unanimous feelings of indignation against its authors, not only in this country, but in the minds or our allies, and of all Europe. It was the duty of hisllajesty's subjects to approach his throne with dutiful and loyal addresses, praying him to cause a strict and effectual inquiry to be made into the canoes of that transaction, which had, to use his Majesty's own words, " disappointed the hopes and cxpections of the nation." It certainly was not his ohject, nor the wish of those who joined him in the requisition, to prejudge any thing, or impute crinii• nality to any particular individual. if he were allowed to ex press himself by a strong but homely proverb, what he wanted was, " that the't k addle should be put upon the right horse." It appeared to hint that the Ministers themselves were liable to great suspicion. It had been said, by many officers who were employed upon the expedition to Portugal, that the preparations were most wretchedly deficient in many points ; that the army had not been properly supplied with what the French call "munitions de :were et bouche," or, as we would call it, amino nition and provisions. It was said, that with the great army which sailed to Portugal, there was not artillery enough cent to reduce even the few miserable forts about Lisbon. He called them miserable forts, becan'e he had himself seen them, and examined their strength. If Ministers had been so very deficient iii their preparatiow, it became the duty of the people of Eng -1 v o i to call upou his Majesty for the fullest inquiry into the ;4- THE NATIONAL REGISTER. 701 cumstances ; and if they did not call for an inquiry, they would be acting unworthy of their ancestors. If ever the right of ad dressing his ;Majesty could properly he exercised upon any occa sion, he thought it could most properly be exercbe , l tin the prot sent occasion, in which the hohour of his Majesty's arms atm Of the country were so deeply Involved. It was to be observed that while such shameful events were occurring the means of corrup tion were increasing in the hands of the Ministers. A fir r further observations, his Lordship concluded by moving an Address to hit Nlajesty, expressive of their loyalty and attachmeat to his per. son and Covernment, and, at the bailie time, of their strung teas iog for the honour of his Alt%jesty's arms and the character of the Country, and' praying him to institute smelt an Inquiry its s‘oni4 lead to the discovery of the real ca u ses and authors of the Coo vention in Portugal. Mr. Western read the Address, u Writ was to be submitted I, their coteldrration. Mr. 1)u Cane warmly supported the motion of the Nohle Lord. Ile agreed with the universal sentiment in reprobatin• the Convention - 4f rintra, as a most disgracefhl transaction, un3 in thinking, that the right of petitioning the Throne could hardly be ever exercised on a more important or proper occasion. It had been said, that such an interference would be e rejud g in g the case of individuals. lie could Dot see the justiccof web as ob servation' ant did he see bow the nation mild avoid , fatming ad opinion that guilt or misconduct attached somewheres wileu they compared the Gazette which had announced a glorious victory over the whole of the French army, with that I - % rmistice and Convention by which we eng aged to send the French home in British ships. It appeared to him very important that the sense of the nation should he distinctly pronounced upon this Convention, as that might vi ipe away, in, some degree s -the stain which our character had received, of being wanting in good faith to our sillies, and of being careless Of their interest% Mr. Burgoyne moved the adjournment from the Mil to the open air, which wit: , put and carried, The Meeting then adjourned, and the Petitioa was again read and supported by Mr. Du Cane, with argumelits similar to what he hind before adduced, Mr. Convers ( who was on horseback) then addressed the Meeting. lie said, that he felt as much as any man fur the honour of the country, awl %soakd do as much to support it. lie, there fore. congratulated the country on their feelin b w with respect It. the Convention, but did not think it proper ordet eta to address his Majesty for an inquiry when his Majesty had pledged him self to the nation that lie would institute an inquiry. lie thought Gentlemen should at least treat his Majesty with as much re spect as they trea•ed one another, and not net towards bitu iu a way that one private gentleman could not with impunity act to another. Ile thought, that in bringing forward tuts tpiestiou,, there was something of party motives, and that lie saw a snake in the grass. A great canvass had been made to induce the Free holders to support it; and it had been said, that the Iliad of Essex and the Marquis of Buckiegham approved of it. Lle bad the honour of personal friendship with tiw Earl of Essex, but on the present occasioli lie would not ask what was the opinion of the Earl of Essex. but wlint was the opinion of the Ftec - holders of Essex. As to the Marquis of Buckingham, he con sidered him ns the most successful political speculator in the country, lie had got more places and pensions for himself and his family than any other mart in the kingdom.. II is family still bear 6' blushing honours thick upon them," although in oppo sition to his Majesty's Ministers, and would certainly not be sorry to have their great talents called again into employment, and receive still farther rewards, N ut meaning to express an opi nion fitourahle to tile Convention, and at the same time wish ing to avoid any personal disrespect to his Majesty, he moved that the meeting should adjoam. Mr. Bramston seconded the motion for adjournment. He con ceived any Address to his Majesty, in the present ! , tage of the business, as being unnecessary and unjust. it was unnecessary, iu as far as his Majesty had already declared, that an inquiry into the transactions in question was to take place ; and to doubt his Majesty's declaration On this head, was to treat him with disrespect and suspicion. On considering the Articles of the Convention, he confessed that he could not contend that they were tint in sonic respects reprehensible; but, at the same time, he could not admit them, comparatively speaking, so decidedly calamitous as they *ere generally represented. They bore in many respects, and that too in their most objectionable features, a great similarity to the conclusion of one of the most gallant and brilliant campaigns in which this country had been engaged •in modern times.—lle meant the campaign in Egypt, fur which the gallant Officer who commanded is it had been rewarded wi:„1 rip ,