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

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.. circumstances in which our army was placed ; but there was one circumstance which called for the attention of this House, that none of the Generals had ever received any communications from the Noble Lord, impressing on them the necessity of the absolute reduction of the Freuch force, which ought to have been the main oluect of the expedition. And hence the country had to lament that convention, which transferred a French army from Portugal into Spain, the principal scene of action; which made that efficient which was actually locked up ; 'whilst the usual expectations of the country were disappointed, and the honour of our military character was tarnished, by our agreeing to a Convention with an army that had been twice beaten, while we had 30,000 troops in the field. The Noble Lord then addressing the Speaker, observed, " You, Sir, in one of your eloquent ad dresses to the Officers who had distinguished themselves in Por tugal, said that their swords had not. been drawn in vain." It 'was true, that they had gained themselves distinguished honour. " But," said the Noble Lord, " I would ask of the people of Spain, of the people of Biscay, who have tracked the desolat tug footsteps of that very army which you released from Portu gal, to send it to the very scene of action, whether the British sword had been drawn in vain ? I would ask our countrymen, who lost their last blood at the battle of Corunna, who were the troops that followed up their retreat, and harrassed their march ? They would answer, the very army of Junut, which the Convention had released. I would ask the gallant regiment who took the only French General that was taken in the battle of Corunna, and they would tell me they had the misfortutie to find him a General released by that Convention. I would ask the people of Portugal, whoa) you are now compelled to aban don, or have already abandoned, whether, as to them at least, the British sword has not been dram' in vain. The Noble Lord then concluded a very able and brilliant speech by moving, as his first ResOlution, " Thai the Convention of Cintra had disappointed the just hopes and expectations of the If nose and of the Country." Lord CASTLEtt E.t expressed his high satisfaction that the moment was now arrived when 'his Majesty's Ministers would have an opportunity of explaining their motives, and justifying their conduct with respect to the late expedition to Portugal. It appeared that, small as the force was, under General Sir Arthur Wellesley, it might be - applied, in the mean time to some important object, and they therefore did not wait till the additional ten thousaad troops should be ready to join them; and he did not believe that the Noble Lord himself would have advised them to keep the force under Sir Arthur Wellesley, joined by the troops, as they were to he, from Gibraltar, under General Spencer, in a state of total inattivity, till this additi onal embarkation was ready, when there was such immediate and pressing demand for assistance, both in Spain and Portu gal. In such circumstances it was thought most advisable to allow the General some discretionary power, who would be best able to judge where his services might he most useful, from his vicinity to the scene of operations, and shifting every day, as that scene necessarily was, though at the same time the 'ob ject of the ex pedition was by no means left undefined. Govern ment knew well that there was a considerable movement in the North of Spain and in Portugal, similar movements had also been expected in the South of Spain, where Sir Arthur 11 el lesley might have been equally, if not more useful. In these expectations, however, they were disappointed, and it re mained for his gallant friend to follow up the first ob ject of the expedition, and to repair immediately to Portu gal. The Junta in Spain, instead of asking our assistance for themselves, in preference to Portugal, approved, on the contrary, of assisting the latter Power, and had given it as their opinion, that our force would be able to contribute more to the general cause by opposing the enemy in Portugal, and driving 'him out of that country,' than by any assistance that could be given to themselves in the circumstances they then were The Noble Lord then adverted at great length to the equipment of the expedition, and contended that in every respect it was perfectly adequateto the nature of the service for which it vvas designed. It had provisions for three mouths, besides provi sions for other two months on board the transports. The only difficulty to be experienced, was in procuring the means of car rying with them the necessary stores and provisions on landing, and this, from the very nature of the service, must have been trusted to the resources of the country that was to become the scene of their operations. nail horses been provided ..for ail thew necessary pniposes , anti formed a part of the equ ipme nt. his Lordship provCd, that, for any army of thirty thousand men, not less than fifteen thousand horses would have been necessary. The Noble Lord denied that any inconveniency had been expe rieuced from the want of heavy artillery, and concluded by moving the previous question, but stated, that he should after wards take the sense of the House on the propriety and prin.. ciple of the expedition. Sir Attrncu W R ILE' LEY thought that Administration who had resolved upon the expedition responsible for their resolution ; but that the otlicers who conducted it alone were responsible fur its operations. W hen he landed in ,Spain, (be Junta of Oviedo declined his services at that time in their own country, but re commended to him to go and expel the French from Portugal. It was his t;pinion, as well as that of officers under his orders, that the French would endeavour to cross the Tagus, and the plan of operations he had suggested, would have completely. counteracted that measure, as, had they been followed up in lime after fte battle of the '2lst, the project of crossing the river would have been impractittble. lie stated, that when he left town, he did not expect to remain long in the chief command, whatever kindness he might receive from his Noble Friend near him; but lie hoped Ministers would in future act with more con sideration in superseding an officer who may go on an expedition, in the. middle of his operations (Hear! hear!). Although his opinion was contrary to that of Sir 11. Burrard, he wished by. no means to be considered as the accuser of that Officer. (Hear! hear !). lie was always of opinion that the terms of the Conven tion were favourable to this country, and had the British Offseert not agreed to theta in September, they would have been glad to grant them in December. As to tin:, Court of Enquiry, before which he had been called, he trusted that it would be the last that would ever sit in this country, as its proceedings could never give satisfaction like a Court Martial. Mr. W it !THREAD said, that Ministers had received an attack during the debate which they could not effectually resist whit all their troops. At one time they had told the puhiic that the Treaty of (Intro bad disappointed the hopes of the nation, and they came forward, on cool reflection, to inform the Douse, that the disapprobation expre.sed against that treaty wits not well founded. A gallant General on the other side of the Douse had said, if his opinion had been followed, that the French would have been expelled front Portugal, yet he would not vote ag ainst the Treaty. The Noble Lord ( (' astiereegh) had acknowledgof that the treaty had met the displeasure of the country, and res. fused to vote ag ainst it, because the Noble lord knew that the blame must fall on 'Ministers. The mistakes and blunders of Ministers required explanation. The people of England had a right to be satisfied, and they ought to he satisfied. Ile concluded a most animated speech by censuring the general conduct of Ministers. Against the motion, 203—For the motion 153—Majority be: —Adjourned. Wednesday, Feb. 22. Sir John Newport presented a Petition against the Corn Dis: tillery Bill. THE DUKE OF YORK. - _ hcit Colonel Hamilton examined by Lord MILTON.—Q. W did Colonel Hamilton first learn that Captain Bosley Sandi) had the note produced before this House as the note of his Royal Ilighoess the Duke of York ? A. Captain H. *uion ittforioNl me, that such a note was in his possession immediately, or very shortly after, his arrival at l'ortsmouth.—Q. Did he give you this information before or after the Inquiry institutea in this II wise? A. It was after the Inquiry.—Q. Did he then show you any papers, and amongst them this note ? A. Yes, he did ; I had no suspicion at that time that it was a forgery.= Q. Did you, on seeing the note alluded to, desire Captaiu Sandon nut to destrOy it ? A. I did particularly desire Q. When was it then that Capt. uxley Sandon first told its} that the note was destroyed ? A. After I had seen ll r. Adam. —Q. Did you then converse about the note ? A. Yes; he said, " Col. Hamilton, I have destroyed the note; l am very sorry that in so doing , " 1 saw him again in Oxford-street, on tht morning of his examination in this House. lie then told nie that HE HAD NOT DE S TROYED TUE NOTE, but world nut pro duce it.---Q. Did he assign uo reason fur this reserve, this keep ing bark of the note ?A. None whatever.—Q. Whet' did you first hear of the note in question? A. The note was stated to me by Capt. Sandon to be in his poskiession, together with other papers, on our first eonversaSion at Portsmoufie T -The sum, to lie g iiru - for obtaining the permission to raise the levy .svas to be 6001„ This matter went on for soute.time, but tibrovit ehanue; it was negotiated, Capt. ) e sot,, J tthat it had been regular asid otlicial, mid Abe ausw erS were iu the lame way. Some time after this, tie had . 24 appiicalinti ipaislp to him re, spectiog , Capt. Thiry) promotiost for* ntakrity, (or ‘V.Liclt he was to give him SVO guiueis upon being satetteil. (41. To 031; I IliC .11151. 111,11CJ dllll L. peLIiLLIIIIIS ill lilt: 11 011!•C inn' tog Inc •_.trussu I .! • Lord CAsTLEtt E.t Gut expressed his high satisfaction that the founded. A gallant General on the other side of the House had moment was now arrived when 'his Majesty's Ministers would said, if his opinion had been followed, that the French would have an opportunity of explaining their motives, and justifying have been expelled front Portugal, yet he would not vote against their conduct with respect to the late expedition to Portugal. the Treaty. The Noble Lord (('astleree.gh) had acknovoledgof It appeared that, small as the force was, under General Sir that the treaty had met the displeasure of the country, and re , Arthur Wellesley, it might be - applied, in the mean time to fused to vote against it, because the Noble Lord knew that the tso ne important object, and they therefore did not wait till the blame must fall on Ministers. The mistakes and blunders of f additional ten thousaad troops should be ready to join them ; Ministers require d e xp lanatiou. The p eo p le of England had a i l said he did not believe that the Noble Lord himself would have right to be satisfied , and they oug ht to he satisfied. He concluded advised them to keep the force under Sir Arthur Wellesley, a most animated speech by ce nsurin g the g eneral conduct of joined by the troops, as they were to he, from Gibraltar, under Ministers. 4 General Spencer, in a state of total inattivity, till this additi- onal embarkation was ready, when there was such immediate and pressing demand for assistance, both in Spain and Portu- gal. In such circumstances it was thought most advisable to Wednesday, Feb. 22. allow the General some discretionary power, who would be Sir John Newport presented a Petition against the Corn Dig : best able to judge where his services might he most useful, from his vicinity to the scene of operations, and shifting every day, Tun DUKE OF YORK. as that scene necessarily was, though at the same time the 'ob- ject of the expedition was by no means left undefined. Govern- did Colonel Hamilton first learn that Captain H uxle y Sandi) ment knew well that there was a considerable movement in the North of Spain and in Portugal, similar movements had also been expected in the South of Spain, where Sir Arthur 11 . el- W*ollll 1 me, that such a note was in his possession immedia te ly, Lesley might have been equally, if not more useful. In these or very shortly after, his arrival at Portsmou th.— Q . Did h e expectations, however, they were disappointed, and it re- ii .A lAe g rdyj a o in ßu s ri t lai t c. h d e . motion, 203—__For file motion 153—Majority be: Colonel Hamilton exatnined by Lord MILTON . — Q . W It o had the nine produced before this House as the n ot e of his Royal Highness the Duke of York ? A. Capla i u H. *o nio n :4 give you this information before or after the Inquiry i nst i tute d ~..,, . I. 1 , 1 ! ' mained for his gallant friend to follow up the first object of the expedition, and to repair immediately to Portu- gal. The Junta in Spain, instead of asking our tusistance for themselves, in preference to Portugal, approved, on the contrary, of assisting the latter Power, and had given it as their him.- -Opinion, that our force would be able to contribute more to the E i t o ier o a u l t c i i o t f us t e h. lyopposing the enemy in Portugal, country,' than by any assistance given to themselves in the circumstances they then were that could be —Q. Did Noble Lord then adverted at great length to the equipment of the expedition, and contended that in every respect it was perfectly adequate-to the nature oldie service for which it was designed. It had provisions for three mouths , besides provi- sions for other two months on board the transports. The only j ug difficulty to be experienced, was in procuring the means of car- rying with them the necessary stores and provisions on landing, and this, from the very nature of the service, Must have been trusted to the resources of the country that was to become the scene of their operations. Ilad horses been provided -for ail these necessary pOrposes„ and formed a part of the equipment. his Lordship provPd, that, for any army of thirty thousand oleo , ill this llonse? A. It was after the Inquiry.—Q. t)id he then show you any papers, and amongst them this note? A. Yes, lie did ; I had no buspi c i o n at that time that it was a forgery.— (,), Did von, on seeing the note alluded to, desire Captaia 11. Sandon nut to destroy it ? A. I did particularly desire Q. When was it then that Capt. Iluxley Sandon first told 'yea and driving that the note was destroyed ? A. After I had seen Mr. Ad;puila you then converse about the note ? A. Yes; he said, The "Col. Hamilton, I have destroyed the note; I am very sorry that in so doing , " 1 saw him again in Oxford-street, on OF morning of his examination in this House. lie then told me * that Inn HAD NOT DETROY ED TuE NOTE, but would nut pen- designed. it.---Q. Did he assign no reason for this Tezerve, this keep- bark of the note ? A. None whatever.—Q. When did you first hear of the note in question? A. The note was stated to inc by Capt. Sandon to he in his powssion, together with other papers, on our first conversation at Portsmotah,s-,-The sum. to be gi o i-eil - foe obtaining the prrmission to raise ,tie leiey was to be 6001, This matter went on for s.ouie.time,_ bat iltrottgh Irina ehanuel it was negotiated, Capt. Saudou.s o aid.)le knew sot,, Wiat it Ekad been regular acid official, and Abe answerS iwere in the pine way, i ~ iA not less than fifteen thousand horses wonid have been necessary. Some time after this, lie had au apPlicafinn ii k slis to hins re, $ The Noble Lord denied that any inconveniency had been ex p e- spectiog Capt. Tonyn's promotion for* majoyity, (or vV.hixt" he . . _. rimed froth the want of heavy artillery, and concluded hl was to give him SVO g uineas upon being f o itiettcd. (41. 'fumy - 0 ;,; , FEB. 26. 133 r •' i I ~ff ~r