The National Register. — London, England, 1809-02-26 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. Highness would have availed himself of this occasion for the ultimate display of his ability and patriotism. His coun try, it is now palpable, gained nothing by resisting his laudable ambition. It is small consolation to reflect, that, in opposing the appointment of our Commander in Chief over the Expedition to Portugal, we procured for ourselves the Convention of Cintra t Nothing could have happened worse than what has really ensued. Valour has not added one unfailing; laurel to our brows ; and royalty has been denied the noblest opportunity that occurred for the exer tion of its highest duties, and the display of its brightest effulgence. 1 feel more satisfaction, however, in adverting. to the official domestic regulations of the present Com mander in Chief. Certainly, whatever immaterial inaccu racies may he imagined to have existed in the military de partment of the government, his Ho. al Highness has essen tially ameliorated, and constitutionally improved, the con dition of our land forces. Disaffection has disappeared from among the soldiery, and discipline superseded insub ordination. The very documents, it should be observed, adduced against him, and which were supposed to criminate his character in other respects, evidence, beyond con:ra diction, his attention to his professional avocations. lie could not nabosam himself, even to the confidant of his sentiments, without alluding, at the same time, to the higher objects of his pursuit. Where was otherwise the necessity for his mingling, with his amatory intercourse, an account of his " visiting the works at Dover, of his reviewing,; the troops there, and exemining the coast as far as Sandgate and of his setting off immediately to along the coast to Hastings, reviewing the different corps" as he passed, which would again occupy him, at least, " thirteen hours ?" This does not seem to be the confi dential letter-writing of one who is neglectful of his public duties. A man may have incautiously erred, when there is no reason to believe that he has wilfully sinned. He ;nay have been wrongly practicable, without being any thing like seriously criminal. Assuming it as granted, however, that the Duke of York feels himself perfectly free from the charges which have recently been preferred against him, I consider him rather misadvised in the formation of the Letter communi cated from him to the House of Commons. He therein concedes too much respecting himself, but too little as it affects his country. Instead of intimating the " hope that the House of Commons will not, upon such evidence as they have heard, adopt any proceeding prejudicial to" his own " honour and character," and submitting himself to the ordinary forms of jurisprudence, observed as to similar impeachments, only " if, on such testimony as has been, adduced against" him, " the House of Commons can think" his " innocence questionable" instead of this line of conduct, which more than insinuates the utter falsity of his accusers, and seems to petition the clemency of his present judges, how truly would it become his Royal Highness,. whether as it refers to the honour of his country or the welfare of his family, to step boldly' forward, and, be the vote of the Commons what it may, still demand an open trial before his Peers ! It is here, therefore, that he acts as if he was not strictly admonished to consult the opinion of the country. With respect to his private amours, he has conceded more than any rational person could have desired. While his Royal Highness did " observe, with the deepest con cern," his " name coupled with transactions the most criminal and disgraceful." there yet appeared no absolute necessity for him so publicly to " regret and lament that a connection should ever have existed which has thus ex posed" his " character and honour to public animadver sion." No man thus exacted from him the part of the repenting Efrodigal. His own personal dignity seems to have been attended to as little as the satisfaction of be public. It is to the Horse-Guards, and not to Glorcester place, that the attention of the public is anxiously di rected. Whoever assures the present Duke of York other wise, is, however uuwittingly, his greatest enemy. .tx* 131 .-• The people of this country, distinguished as they are for national probity, still abhor the individual attecta. Lion of being " righteous - ovtirmuch." It is not so much good men, as wise men, that existiug stances unhappily demand. Having long appreciated the morality of monarchy, men begin to wish for the abi lity of monarchy also. This is now the great political desideratum. I regret, therefore, let me repeat it, that, instead of being detained at home to meet the charges of courtesans, the Commander in Chief was not sent abroad to encounter the enemies of his country. The present Duke of York will, I trust, be some day autho-. rised to emulate the conduct or one of the greatest modem Generals.—" Being constantly busy, he (Prince Eugene) held the passion of love cheap ; as - a in amtuntnent, that served only to enlarge the power of women, and to abridge that of man. He was accus:vmed to sly lean amourenx scut dans la sotieles cc que les fanatiques sonl en religion." Why shonld,not his .Royal *Highness derive as much sa lutary instruction by his military errors, as by his amatory mistakes? He has already reformed the latter, and may. live amply to repair.the former. There is some reason to indulge this opinion, when, as it confessedly appears, we reflect that to amatory mistakes we must impute Hiany of our military errors. February '25, 1809. 01VRSIMUS. A MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF SIR RALPH ABERCROMI3IE, From the masterly Chisel by W ESTM ACOTT. and beantifally engraved byWoo LNOTH, will he published, by special prmis sion, in Le Bean Mantle Magazine on Wednesday next, The Friends of the deceased Ilero, and the Army, will encourage this tribute to a man whose deeds and life shed au immortal lustre on his country and its arms. Immediate Orders should be given for Le Beau Monde Maga zine, to secure early Impressions of the Plate, at the Office s No. 11, Catherine-street, Strand. IMPERIAL PAWAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS. Monday, Feb. 20. The Malt and Pension Duties Bills. and the two Exchequer Bills Bills, as Avell as the Equity DAtor's Bills, were severally passed through Committees of the whole House, and reported without any amendment. The Earl of I.lvruroor. moved the second reading of the Militia Enlistment Bill. The Bill was ordered to be read a second time.—Adjourned. Wednesda.u, Feb. 22. The Royal Assent was given. by comtnission, to the Malt Duty ~ Bill, the Pension Bill, and the two Exchequer Bills Bills. The Cumberland Fishery Bill was read for the first time. The Equity Debtors Bill went through a third reading, and passed.—Adjourned. Thursday, Feb. 23. STATE OF PORTUGAL: The Earl of BucatNGTIAMSIIIR relse to mention the notice he had given on a former day of a motion on the state of Portu gal. The Earl of DA RN LEY vri6hed to know whether the informa tion to be laid before the House would relate to the army alter it left Portugal, to join Sir John Moore. The Earl of LAYER root; assured the Noble Earl, that the in. formation would embrace every object necessary to afford satis factory enquiry respecting the affairs of Portugal. The Militia Inlisting Bill was read the third time and passo. —Adjourned. Friday, Feb. 24. Three private Bilis from the Commons were presented; and the Irish Enlistmegt Militia Bill read for Alse first time.—•..id. :owned. ■ ■ ID I= ME 1 t \ IP 6 t" h r. 14, . . , . duties. A man may have incautiously erred, when - there this tribute to a man whose deeds and tine sued au immortal 1 1 is no reason to believe that he has wilfully sinned. lie lustre on his countr y and its arms. may have been wrongly practicable, without being any , • Immediate Orders should be given for Le Beau Montle Maga- / thing like seriously criminal. Assuming it as granted, however, that the Dille off No. 11, Catherine-street, Strand. zine, to secure early impressions of the Plate, at the Offices 1 York feels himself perfectly free from the charges which ~ ,'' • have recently been preferred against him, I consider him IMPERIAL PAIiLIA MEN T. l l . rather misadyised in the formation of the Letter communi- — us , cated from him to the House of Commons. He therein HOUSE OF LORDS. concedes too much respecting himself, but too little as it Monday, Feb. 20. allects his country. Instead of intimating the " hope that The Malt and Pension Duties Bills. and the two Exchequer , 1 .' • the House of Commons will not, upon such evidence as Bills Bills, as AM! as the Equity DAtor's Bills, were severally they have heard, adopt any proceeding prejudicial to" his passed through Committees of the whole House, and reported own " honour and character," and suhmitting himself to without any amendment. the ordinary forms of jurisprudence, observed as to similar impeachments, only 64 if, on such testimony as has been, adduced against" m, hi "the House of Commons can think" . T h e M i l i t ia i h te e Ka rl impeachments, nlistment Bill. of Lty en root, moved the second reading of the r Bill was ordered to be read a second time. — Adjourned. 1. . , his " innocence questionable" instead of this line of , conduct, which mote than insinuates the utter falsity of his , Wednesday, Feb. 22. . ~ accusers, and seems to petition the clemency of his present The Royal Assent was given, by commission, to the Malt Duty ~.. *Highness, , Bill, the Pension Bill, and the two Exchequer Bills Bills. i judges, how truly would it become his Royal The Cumberland Fishery Bill was read for the first time. 4 i whether as it refers to the honour of his country or the The Equity Debtors Bill went through a third reading, and welfare of his family, to step boldly'forward, and, be the passed.—Adjourned. vote of the Commons what It may, still demand an open ..---. trial before his Peers ! It is here, therefore, that he acts as Thursday, Feb. 2S. if he was not strictly admonished to consult the opinion of STATE OF PORTVGAL: the country. I With respect to his private amours, he has conceded The Earl of BucKiNGTIAMSIIIR F. rase to mention the notice ',. more than any rational person could have desired. While he i !tad given on a former day of a motion on the state o f Portu- i . his Royal Highness did " observe, with the deepest con- ga The Earl OrDARNLET wished to know whether the informa- cern," his " name coupled with transactions the most tion to be laid before the House would relate to the a rm y after criminal and disgraceful." there yet appeared no absolute it left Portugal, to join Sir John Moore. necessity for hint so publicly to "regret and lament that The Earl of Liv ER root; assured the Nob le E arl, that the ill. a connection should ever have existed which has thus ex- formation would embrace every olject necessary to afford satis- posed" his " character and honour to public animadver- factory enquiry respecting the affairs of Por tugal. swn." No man thus exacted from him the part of the The Militia Uniting Bill was read the third time turd passed. —Adjourned. repenting Etrodigal. His own personal dignity seems to • . . , . am.••••••••••..~. have been attended to as little as the satisfaction of be . Friday, Feb. 24. public. It is to the Horse-Guards, and not to Gloucester- x oust di place, that the attention of the public is an. i .y .. therrhl7 private ~ Bills from the Commons were presented; and Irish Enlistment Militia Bill read for' be first time. —•• Ad. rected. Whoever assures the present Duke of York other- .. , • mot d. wise, is, however unwittingly, his greatest enemy. ~ . , • 1 • 1 . . , • . . ! FEB. -...... Of; •