The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1809-01-24 00:00:00

. . , daa dram that Awe' Is the ellanivailave v had performed metilations soviet" far their trE But it was Weenie*. aft mewed. W " That an Atldtps be presented to Ss Moiesty.re.' questing His Majesty to be pleased to lay beam, the House all the correspondelice which best paraisli between this and the Aitrerican Goveninient, rela tive to the Orders in Council. and the Embargo, particularly the letters which pinned between the British Government and Mr. Pinckney urn those measures." He trusted that no objection could possibly he taken to 'Ovum the information desired. otherwise he should have pootpooed bringing this subject forward till to-inorrow. In the mean time hegave notiee, that it was his Noble Friend's in tention to make a motion in that Ilouse, Oil this day fortnight. fel , a repeal of the Orders in Council. The Earl of LirtnrooL had no objection what ever that the correspondence between the two Go vernments, which had been laid before tha s Congress of. Amencs.should ulso he laid heron- their Lordships. Bat there were circumstances ah,ca rendered it in convenient to produrc every part of the correspond vile? ; and the information *tumid not go far flier than what he hwd already stated, otiltrwi se he should wish the Noble Lord to postpone Ins motion to anoth-r dar. Lord %vc Lawn felt himself satistied with what had been stated by the Not,l Earl, for no other communication wits sought for. hot that which immediately affected the Embargo an I time Orders in Omitted. The Earl of Etvr.arnot. cons:Jere(' it advisable, as the words of the motion included all correspond ence I oetween the two Governments, that the motion should be deferred till to-morrow. Lord Easesan said, he was certain that the papers which had been laid before the Government of the United States. respecting their Embargo and our Orders in Council, would answer every purpose tar which the motion wee made. lie still could not refrain from making oat observation, in respect to the situation of the two countries, that he had not the smallest doubt, on the contrary, he was sure, as of his existence, that if the proposal made by America were agreed to by this county, there would within a mouth from tins time be war be tween the United States and France. After some further conversation with the Earl of LIVERPOOL, Lord AUCKLAWD agreed to defer his motion till to-morrow. MISREPRESENTATION. The Berl of BeCKINONIAMSHIKE was sorry to sire at this particular time, when business of im patience presented itself to the consideration of I the House. He could not, however; pass over lin. Danced It i nisreoresoatation of what he had stated before their Lordships on Friday night, and which appeared is a newspaper called The Morning Chia aisle, of Friday last, wherein sentimeats were at triboted to him, at which he was surprised, and which he was confident he never uttered. It was stated in that paper, that he had said the Conven tion of Ciotra met with his approbation ; but it, was impossible that any octets proceeding from him in his speech. could be so far misnntlerstood ; for, in the whole of his observations, be never made isae, not even the slightest allusion, as to the Con vention of Ciiitni. Whether such misrepresenta tion were .wilful or not, he did not presume .to know. but he thought it his duty to mention the subject before the, House, and should satisfy him self at piesent by declaring', that the statemeot was not only a imisrepreseutstion, but a direct falsehood. VOTE OF THANES TO SIR ARTIOTA WELLESLEY. Llison the Order of the Day being rood, . The Earl of Ltvearoot, sp‘ke to the following effect t—" My Lords,ll rise for the purpose of es pressing a few observations upbts the subject which I have now the honour of subinitting to the atten tion of the !louse. It is my duty to call upon your Lordships to vote your thanks to that gallant General and his troops who gained the victory of Vintierw, on the .2 I it'of August, and thereby over came the enemies of their country, and added fresh glory to the British arms. I shall purposely ab staiu from every topic which may in the least dis turb the minds of those who Call have RO reluct ance upon this question to concur is the necessity I of such a vote. From the time Sir Arthur :Vet lesiey landed in llondegn Bay, to the period he en countered the French army. Ie it:inducted every measure and every movement with the greatest skill as a Gettertil. Too ouch praise cannot he bestowed upon the manlier in which lie foretil the enemy to abandon his situation, after he had ail yawed and occupied one of the strongest positions amongst the mountains. linlee‘l, the battle which succeeded was nue. than iu witirh ticvi.r gmater snore astonishing bravery, and iorleCitigitlilq perse verance sere ma tifesteri ; it was fought with diet' tie spirit of British talmtq and ended in a victory glon - one to the British arms. Oa that miry the French were completely overcome, stud lost two-thirds of their artillery. The einem:miler in Bach an engagement is well worthy of the greatest applause ; he 'e ell titled to the in miration, the coniiileece, and af. fection of his c ou ntry. From his exert io ns we ob. tsinerl at the time all the success that entild be looked for, independent of his having sheen to the world a glorious example of British valour. It is not my intention to call into trirAtino the chars, t ee of another person, who wits at that time enjoyine the chief eortonand ; I should be sorry if it ei,uild h iinagiued that I meant the smallest imputetion t , other brave mete for 1 am ready to say, that the Columeader-in-Chief is an excellent and brave officer. But in proposing this vote of thanks to those who were actually etiopleyed on that day, I nm indoc-d to do in, because it not only sneers to my TDl:kt a correct luethed, but also comes recommentled by ..evend examples, winch your Lordships must bear its reeullectinn. As an e xemple rif the thanks of Parliament b e i ng voted to the "ecnnti in Command, I weak' instance the battle of the Nile, where Loni NI:ISOR commanded in a mtg.:foolery enelieity ; smother is that of Ric Richard 1-ttraches.; and in the case of C ov em bige , may be et-jovial the principle upon which no: present voi.tioet is goided, for there it may he said Sir Wile Perker had the disposition of the flee', but I.nrd Nelson certainly had the. execution. Now th e t a r .... sent % rite of' Thanks medics to a n Offic er , s h o , though not firer i n onnunisiiil. had both the thspo sitioa and execution .4 all that was achiere.l on that day." The Nolde Earl having professed - • il~lto trot !II digUset ea , by " husime e lbt conduct. eltiktbisligisuki er br returssit ' !AllelburWelleslq, for thstdisfmraisbed brarmy *ad ability disAsyW by ibiurisgesest the Freitak sway, or die 210 V( August. at the battle of Vimiera." Earl Kithira . said, that he wished to express his seutimmits alum this particulur rubject; about which he bad lately bee,' invests , ' with • mast iar portent ogee, for the purpose of making every in quiry into the eetiduet of those officers alluded to by the Noble Earl. He fat himself culled upon - by the most cogent reasons to state his opinion; be cause he conceived that the duty before imposed upon him would not he completely dischanrd were he to remain silent upon this occasion. That every praise and reward should attend those who, as soldiers. exhibited their courage and skill in battle, against the enemies of their country, could not be objected by any man. But he did think that the vote of thanks, if given by the House. ought to have been extended to Sir Harry Bur rani, who took and posameed the command of our army on the very day when the battle of V imiera was fought. It was not his wish. in naming Sir Harry Burrard, by any means to *match the laurels from the brow of Sir Arthur Wellesley. After having so seriously examined into the conduct of both these officets, upon a late occasion, he was ready to de( ;we what he thought of the conduct of Sir Merry Burrard, after be took the command, and he would assure their Lordships. that hail they known all the citconistances which had fallen under his notice, they would not have felt them selves warranted in blaming that officer, fur, in his opinion, it was not injudicious. flow would this case, appear if that engagement had been disastrous, and attended with such circumstances us to induce suspicion that the Commander had not done his duty? Sir Harry Burrard was forced, in the course of things, to take the com mand. Ile had notice of Sir Arthur's landing, and when he arrives at the place, the tiring had begun; during the battle lie hastens to Vimiera, meets with Sir Arthur, and is present during the rest of the engagement, when absolute victory is ob tained. There can be no doubt, if disasters hail befallen our army, Sir Harry liurrard would have been intim-at liable ; amid why should he be re- spottaible in the one case, if no prairie is due to I him in the other? If he were judicious enough to perceive, that the measures adopted by Sir Arthur were the best, there was a degree of merit in him on that account. The Noble Earl thought that a Vote of Thanks to Sir Arthur only, would be injustice to Sir Harry, and e'er. taiuly would tend to disparage his character. He should feel it his duty to propose anfernendutent, ‘• That the name of Sir Harry Burrard be add ed to that of Sir Arthur Wellesley ;" although he must, before be sat down, observe, the thanks of Parliament ought not to be mine too common, but granted only on important occasions, when the achievement and success efour armies were such as produced some permanent good to the country. Lord HAILIWITST did not conceive, by the pre sent Vote of Thanks to Sir Arthur 11'ellesley, any, even the slightest stignia;t could be attached to the conduct of any other. 011441. He did not agree with the Noble Earl (Moire) in the propriety of his observation,' concerning the necessity of success subsetiment to that at the precise time of victory. But victory had been already obtained at the pe rind of General Burrard's landing • he saw so alter initials necessary, nor did he inte rfere: with any of the measures of Sir Arthur Wellesley. (Here his Lordship read the letter of General Burford, went home with other dispatches. and coutaioing an cc conutof bis motives for sot Mknig upon him tattled time the toiimaadd He observed, he could not quote better authority than the letter he had read. for it was most satisfactory. Sir Harry himself had de- dined to share any part of iie glory obtained pro. views to his arrival. Such conduct was highly ho nourable in him, end folly announced ever, reason why his name should not lair included in the pre , sent Vote of Thanks. Viscount Stomoirre declared. it was with regret that lie felt himself obliged to oppose the motion of his Noble Friend (Alarm), who wished to in clude Sir Harry Burrard by his proposed amend ment. He should hove been laid under the great est &Sanity and embarrassment in agreeing to the motion of the Noble Earl, if it had been possible that the slightest intimate u on cosh) have been cast upon Sir Harry Burrard. But yet he had no shire in the general trans , me•ion; he himself makes no such professions. nor ever intimated that he had coetrihnted towards any_ thing done on that day. His Lordship wou ld deny, that from the present Vote of '1 hanks the smallest stain coidd be attached to the character of General 1311.7.11"11. Whatever consequences may 61111 re sultcd in that part of Etitope, and no man could 41, pier.' them with more grief than the Noble Vis count, yet he should consider himself devoid of every ray of patriotism, he should be mid and un feeling in the greatest degree. if he were not most warm in the expression of his sincere thanks to those svho hob fought, in such a gallant manner, at time battle of Vimeira. When we reflected on Spain and Portugal, there were recent events to which it was painful to advert, and which he did not wish to mix with the subject uow under discussion. As to himself, he was induced to give an uuqua lined atm] unmixed Vote of Thanks to the valiant General Sir Arthur Wellesley, who led on with skill and valour our troops to victory, and crowned our army with additional fame and lustre. His Lnolship concluded a very eloquent speech in fa solar of the original motion. Lord Elt•IIINy, in offering himself to the con It.rittion of their Lordship', begged to premise tint lie ens altogether unacquainted with Sir Harry lioreirti or lois tmaiily, and that he did not even Istrow the lie had ever seen his person; at the value Now! he was tr.ltly to give the highest possible praise te Sir Arthur Wellesley, which his warmest and most entiote,.!astie admirers could devise, and to tacknosdedge he had eminently conducted hien -44-If. wit may un :lir present oraasinti, button every support tijuit than had offered itself ; but he ln'g lo•avt• to ask one plain question—Waal Sir Harry Burrard in the chief command on the el st August or not ? If he were, he was entitled to the teliniretion of hie country, and the thanks of their Lormlithies, for having embraced those Orin, and adopted these measures, chick he found 1 spautsiter in AU pdgitsit of. Tor Ins wt. jet, Pad event the curlier per( of his le till so:. Ace, end was sioquwinlnCwith its inks. end his Lordship thought. the vrever wWit usid skilful previous plans might 'hat. been found, yetis" the moment of action much might &prod upon the scents afesing from the r•ritioits of iniliviluubi. whether from skill or accident. In the nuvv. fur instance. when the Command , r-in-Chief luul ar ranged his plan.. awl rushed into the-battle, ill the midst of smoke soil confusion, much of the success Might be fairly attributable to the 4ffnrtt of a Captain, or even the hardy intrepidity of a common seinnan ; and yet, he lwliered it had never occurred to any one, that the Commander war the less deserving of his tribute of praise.— Ti►tts, if their Lordships should agree to the atnendinent proposed by his Noble Friend, the world would do ample justice, by apportioa ing to each of the gallant Commanders his due share of praise; to the one for the wisdom of his plsns and the gallantry of their esectition. and to the other for his magnanimity a:al good setsr iii, played its their adoption. for instance, :luring the course of an engagesisetit, au officer, solairslialte is economic!, hail 'tie gins for tone to perceive. sisal bar skill to vaibrace, time op portunity of snaking such a wo.eirse.st a- to be inn. Jowl tee of signal advantage. in .lecni . n,. ; Ilse fortune of the slay, were their lorclslo4 prepared to s.y that the Costsmasstler-iu4hiel should cot restive those thanks which the victory deserved ? 1;pool the subject of the vote of thsaks to Sir Ilerr) Burrard, his Lordship profes.siel himself at a tined loss to conceive what could be the objec tion to it. Would any Nub!e Lord slate, that the gallant General himself ii, or that he had 'awaited his inditrzrchee to their iniprintei thin ?If such an avowal as this ol Id be made, he for one should rest eatisfied: and feel relieved from all embarrassment on the subject. Money, he believ ed, was an object of desire with most men ; he was sure soldiers and sailors loved to acquire it ; but to them in particular was not praise an object of the most ardent desire ? With respect, therefore, to Sir Harry Burrard, as it could not be deuied that he held the chief command during the engagement of the 21st August. he would put to the feeling* and honour of their Lordships, whether, when lie approved and adopted the arrangements previously made, he was not entitled to praise and whether, as • Commander-in-Chief. he might not, had he thought proper, have disapproved of there arrange meats, and have substituted others in their room? and, therefore, heeling all the responsibility, whe ther he was not eminently entitled to their Lordships thanks?? Impressed with three senti ments, his Lordship felt himself bound to support the proposed amendment. Earl MUMS, for the purpose of preventing, if possible, any difference among their Lonlohips on the subject, proposed to withdraw his amend ment, in order to make it the subject of a separate motion. • Lord Muumeava had conceived t kat the business, as it originally stood, would hate been a mere Vote of Thanks, unmixed withotber matter, mid, as such, nut liable to the *lightest opposition ; but the Amendment proposed by the Noble Earl bad given rive to a question, how far the silence of the Vote of Thanks to Sir Arthur Vi'ellesley, with re gard to Sir Harry Burrard, toured to stigmatise the latter ? His Lordellip (bedewed, that if it had the Slightest tendency in his mind to any such conclu sion, he would he the (rat man to agree to or adopt it. Bat his Lordship would ask. did it do so, when it mast I.in acknowledged, on all hands, that the ser vices of the latter. were at all events less brilliant than those of the former ? A Noble and Learned Lord (Erskine) had declared he was wholly unac quainted with Sir Harry Burrard; but his Lord ship knew him well, and also his sentiments on the subject ; and be knew that the gallant General ut terly disclaimed all right to thanks, which 1w felt he had not earned. Their Lordships hail heard of the Court of Inquiry, and the sentiments arising thereon; hut the proceedings of that Court were nut before their Lordship*. and they could form no opinion therefrom ; but there was a theliment which their Lordships were hound to know, and that was The Casettes. What did they say ? In them Sir Harry declares be saw no necessity for in terfering in the arrangements he found made by *it Arthur Wellesley, and the% therefore he had directed him to proceed in completing the work which he had so happily begun. Did their Lord shipsimagine that the gallant General would take to himself thanks for merely acting thus ? la adopting such measures, he had not only evinced the most scrupulous honour, hat the soundest discretion, by declining to interfere when be saw the 'measures taken were wisely taken • here, therefore, wins a clear and convincing proof that he disclaim ed: all praise en the subject. It had been said that Sir Harry was present during the action. as Commander-ioeChief, but did lie make the report of the proceedings? In the ordi nary course of proceedings, if he hud conceived himself as acting on that occasion in that capacity, he should have &sae so • but be disdained it, and, with a delicacy which r eflected the highest honour on him, he caused the man who had rendered the service, to make the report of that service; he knew be had done nothing to deserve it ; and his Lord ship was sure he would only be stung. at the thought of thanks bestowed when he was conscious of net having earned them. Their I..ortlehips had now to decide whether arty thanks at all were to lie given ? end to determine that question, lie ivenla boldly ask, is Sir Arthur Welleoley'o victory found wanting in the scale when compared with tiny the most brilliant achievement to be found i,i military reading ? Ills Lordship saw in it every thing that was dignified and trensceudant, uniting together at once the soundest judgment with the sown prompt decision; collecting as it were by Enagie the IlleilliS of irommeuciiig his (carets to meet tine eoelo)• ; carrying with hint the confidence of the evinitry in his progress; reaching that enemy, posted in a superior and difficult situation ; and, lastly, in the short space of twituty-one dayo, bringing to imam that greet queetionn, which is snore likely to suetesel, attack or defence tie tweets coutendiug armee.' ? lisys n g in the attack made by hint on the 17th, met the defence of the 21st August. proved himself ropineOlv I . nyrrinr in both. It was the glory of Sir Ilarry bernoll of hating duly admired dud done justice tit these eia- vices; and outlaw gretlnds his Lordship wus od 711onhe to to them together in the same vote. The Earl of -Buenteunsmsniaz m.o. Hot to odd by any thing he could say to tie. thanks he conceived Sir Arthur Wellesley deserted at then. Lord:hips' hands, Out Inertly to put a quvhitutt to the Noble Lori Ploiraj who bald propo.eti . . the umetsdment, ■etuuted . h 1• the iutere;t 1.. s Lordship tnok in what C1311:!erlItli that General. liis Lordship war ciinwit,us th.it tie victory was to be at►ril,uteti to his a rt ; and that if Aiihiwtai up. as he had iidviimia, innch snore .night have het:ln done. Iw st4iii 4 thin, his Lordship did hut wean to throw the s l ig ht e ,r i m p t iratinn un Sir !Lary hug Lurd.hi l , had his upthinh, that the come. yienees bare heel' tar ititfereat frr.in wh•st they turned ntu. The Noble F..trl had stated it •s ism till:lion that So 11.:rry i.l diciolpAiy 114 n1414)410 . 4 the fJtII I 1 ; 111.1 t 'at, !intl. the h.tille 11112e 4 Kl%rai it at III" IIIII111(111, 1,1•4 L curate jwizoneut on tint lnn..t enuH a .ly Lr foruar.f by thn...l •who wee t'ar vot. 6.44. %ho,loftl to for sofor :o•ti (.I'o3 0: thoft. wI a viere actuullv mt:t l .B '•11 le the Board I,l' Inquiry/ . iii 3 011.tsc7 t 3 • H:lNtly Cr to thIS to Lie due to Ile c:).auctei t 4 711. LI r. Ear; \Lite.% stlted, th.tt ( - I:•errni i'ert.!ii. , ::ll 11,1.1 I.;itesa •1 11111/1 , 411.r , t! penult heti bn a m3,:t at tlot tromicet of %.; tot,. we , might prolstlily .4:i a pu. t . of the t. t!TIV ‘ i force. Griwrai Si it:a. er. "Li tile 4,111.-: L 4, . F. 4.1 stated, that at tlat:iinst• Arthur \Velie.tvy hail advised making por, , nit. :1 lerahhl ho Cy of the enemy, nearly tL shah of their left hail regularly funned, about three aches iu oar front. Sir flurry Burrard nas present on tiw st.t, rradv fur the purpose of iuterferui amp co:.- trolling the operations ; his Lordship, forming the hest opinion he could 011 the clue. conceived that General had acted wisely and prudently in not. advancing. liecati.e, from the ene:ny having formed as stunt!. a forward movement must have liven hitzanious i;t the least. If surcess were to be hoped for, it must have been fruut the contiilenee to he placed in the known gallantry of the Britian troops; lett aftor the 3etere and deria.xl repulse, which the enemy had just sn,teiued, mid the ex pected landing of the reinfortements until r nets! Moore, the attempt heroine unnecessary, •as the total expulsion of tne Freimli berme, by theme means, a tuatter of certainty, in the course of a very few days. These were the grounds upon which his Lordship had formed his judgureat upon the subject. Earl LitrosvF.NOß declaied that he certainly had. been of opinion, that too early :oil opportunity too id not have be.n embraced of expiessiug, by their Lordships' 'Planks, their sen-e of the gallant ser vices which had been rendered to the country; hut on reflection, auil locating w hat had passed, his Lordship was decidedly? of opinion, that it would have been better to have paused in the first instance, I arid that it would have brew more prudent not to have proposed the present Vote, if the elide hu siuess was not brought forward, while ei.cuinstances so important remained to be discussed in the first instance. But after every matter woos fairly before their Lordships, and maturely and deliberately weighed, then, and then only, could Thanks be properly given, where hanks wooild be found to be properly due. It lied been stated that Ste /ferry Burnord had token no port whatever in the transaction ; if not, stieli modesty was certainlyhigh ly praise-worthy ;--un the other baud, a Noble Earl (Moira) had asserted that the gallant Gerard had taken the whole responsibility upou himself. In this contrariety of assertion, should not their Lordships have every possible information before thern s and then they could fairly say whether lie was entitled to their or not It had been imagined by some persons that the enemy's force could not have been correctly stated ; because, if it were, it was impos sible such a Convention could have been entered into. All these were reasons colliug on their Loolships to pause before they decided. His Lordship confessed he felt considerable regret at any opposition he was obliged to give, as wearing an appearance isotnewliat hostile to the Thanks proposed; but he had the cousolatiou of knowing that the Vote itself would come with a better grave, if, after due investigation, it should be found free from every objeetion. Lord AUCKLAND expressed his expectations that there would have been no difference of opinion among their Lordships upon the present oe eaviou. Ills Lordship agreed in the 'raiment that thanks ought not to be given without investigation ; but be conceived that here the matter mass:liar and decisive ; and that the conduct of Sir /lorry Bur rard ass distinguished by e nobleness of mind. that could not be sufficiently admired. in giving all the credit where it was due. Their Lordships' thanks, lie soiggestod, ought to be given in the present hist:tore by • sort ofarclamation, approach ing to unanimity. and that the Nob!, Earl (Moira) might at a future dot make his moti.ou separate from it. The LORD CMANCILLOR Staten the motion be fore their Lordskips in point of loom was, that they do adjourn the debate upon the gist inotioto, in order to introduce the motion for a Vote of Thai.ke to Sir [lorry Burrard. This ttttt tion was accordingly put by his Lord. ship. when it was negatived without a division- Ilis Lordship then put the original motion, which was agreed tq. 'l'hc E.rl of Id vearoob then made a similar mo tion of thaisko to the General Officers commanding, under Sir Artlior Wellesley on the above day, which was iesreed to ; us also a N ote of Thank" to. the other Officers and Privates composing the army on the stone occasion ; MINI that the same be colo ur • surd at the heads of their respective regi ments; which was likewise ordered. The Earl of Data Lev moved, .4 That sit humble Address be presented to His Miiiesti, praying that 111• may be graciously plesaed to e -der Copies of the Iteport of the Court of Inquily, relating to the Convention of Ciotre, sod of any proceedings had thereon, to beheld before the House. ' Agreed to. Lvrd Acclit.AND moved for the production of Copies or Extracts of such Currespoodente as has taken place between His Majesty's Govesinnent and the United State.; of America, since the Ist of Januar), Mae... Agreed to. Adjourned.