The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1809-01-28 00:00:00

4 hien thanks for the Woo?, ability, and conJnct es owed by hint in the battles of the 17th and 2lst of August, on the latter Of which days he had achieved so splendid a victors. Sir AMTlicit Wind.esuir la 'tressed his acknow. ledgenents for the high hosiour they had done hint iii noticing his conduct owl that occioluii, unit which he considered as the highest object of ens am bition. The Spoalter's Address was ordered to be enter ed on the Journals of the House. Sir Jona A.rlaTitutarm, adverting to the services and death of General Austruther, who had Allele a voctim to the exertions and fatigue he had under gone during the late retreat through Spaiu, sug gested the propriety, Nub in justice to hos charac ter, an 1 as a consolation to his family, to pay the trithite of a ruo.minent to his Memory, and not leave Moo the only officer unchitingionhed by the gratitude of the tonutry. Lord Casrtinte ion paid the tribute due to his sere cm, beet conceived it iouposseible to depart iron the practice of only noticing, by such tucks, those who had fallen in the field of battle. Sir AlTritle WEILLESLP.v also bore testimony to the seal, activity, and abilities, displayed by the gallatit Geucraiovaile lie served muter hint in Por tugal. DEBTOR::. Sir SAMUEL. ItOMlLtir bruoglit in a Bill for antimiling the Act commonly called the Lord's Act, fur the relief of Debtors. THE DUKE OF YORK. ARMY PROMOTWNe. Colonel WARDtI.I.-- 0 I rise, in room:l:tee of a former notice, to sii!iittit to the nous:: a mama relative to the proinotioeir in our army. Fully aware or tbe great Mi l iortance of the striyart which 1 am tee hying forward. I must say I really feel mesa somewhat iundequeto to the tick, and wish it food falleu into abler hoods ; but the ardent joist I cotenant for the service of the coontry, support...l by facts incoatrovertible, may enable ine to rescue toe military s.:rviee frum the Liaiieful ieifluetice of corrupt practices. To stand forth the public ac cuser of a man of 1111 , 11 high rank as the Coen uninder-in-Citief, may Ise deemed as arebious amid porsutnpoions unlertaleng; however arduous WWI resnettptumm it may be,T unithiag shall.divet t me fraro the oerforinatic... of 'my ditty; artil I trust he will feel that, however high be may Amid in point of rank or itelluence, the yak* of the people, . taated through their repotientaticos, grid pievail over corroptioa, and that ju.tiss will be dune to a nation. 1 can assure the House I twee • tees other ono ise'in view thau the honest one nt ren dering to our country a service : Feeling Ns I do, that, iii matters Ilke this, unless corruption be at ticke.l, and attacked strongly too, Ono country well fall au easy prey to an inveterate enemy. I he; leave in the tinet instance to call the attention of die douse to CIF! emaht:shitient of the prescut t:ononaader-iii-Cleef. The hall-psiy fund :noses I.moi Cie sit!' ! of die commissiolis of those Offirers, a :io are au: theins:::ve , permitted to sett them, and or those white are alis also:4 from the service. The power a Inch he has thereby aeouirod is that of re warding any mentanons Officers, either by gi-ing them tally of those commissions. or appl:iog the produce of them to the reduction of the haff-pay I.st, or in aid al the comoassieisate food. These believe ate all the posers wilielo 4 CCll!U4lltitr•ill Cilier has ever been premitiol to tmastiw over tie we fluids. If then I cams prove that commissioes so becoming vacmit have !wen sold, avid the money applied to very different purviews, 1 'hall thee' usta blirli this one fart, at least, that the plan upon which this Neel had originated, has been totaq alasiolotied. It is evident that in cases such as those I shall imam, merit hiss wit recemil its re ward ; that the hall-pay list 1,54 MA beta rem dueed, and that the compazaarimite fuld has not been eiiiidneted on its original footing. However much Imay feel repopant.ut taking any (totem of the abusers of this power, ley such a high tudividuisl, yet it is absolutely nee...sari that I should state particular lets, in order to lay the matter town fur investiptioa. Tine establishment to a loch I allude took place in the year leso3. when his Royal Highness the Commander-in-Chiel took a hand some house, art up a full retinue of servants aial horses, and also a lady of the name of Clarke. I trust the I louse will exense me fur stating such fat ts its these, and also for mentioning a variety of oaitase of parties concerned in each of them, m y barman' him;;, that it shall he tttt t tossitile for any imheidnal to say, that I ions taken up this sootier oet slight grounds. The first instance I shall state is that 61 . Calltaill 'renal', of the toth Regiment, who NAN promoted to the majority of the 31st Rs± giment, on the c.l of August, 104, and whom I tieliere to be a very meritorious officer, and one a. deserrilig of promotion us any man whatever. 1. mean to throw nut no reflectioti on individuals lost merely tee state eft.ele a' they have been stated to ,rte. Commie Term) is flaring remained a ;palimony • ears withost ttttt imttoo. thougli no man had better claim to it, he bean; the seen of a very expe rieticed General, have joirehooed u coni sio,rioi., had he ileo elit props r ; but it see that this Cmitain 'inapt was in troduced by Captain, hamlets, of the Royal waggons train, to ills Mrs. Clarke, and it appears it was agreed, 'that, upon his being promoted to the• majority of the 31st regiment, Its should pay her Shol. In transactions of this nature, from inquiries 1 have made, I find it was usual for the money to be paid into the hands of tethiril party, and mask payable to the order of the party who was ulti mately •to receive it. The agent, in this instance, was a Mr. Donovan, surgeon, in Charles-street, St. Jameshosoteare ; and, as I ;hall have occasion to take particular notice of this individual. I shall take the liberty of stating who and what he was. I find. that in the year IEIO2, lie was appointed • Lieutenant, in the 4th Royal Garrison Battalion, end afterwards removed and promoted to smother of the garrison battalions. Sir, I have coleu s-mired to field out what military services this Gen tleman performed, that mould entitle hint to hold say such commission, but have beret able to find none. It is an extraordinary circumstance that from his first appointment down to this present hour, it appears he has never been near his regi ment, but that he has ie perpetual leave of aloe licence. When the House knows the . reason for this person being resident in London, they will not be at all surprised at his beilig allowed • [I emitting leave of obscure ; betides this. it appears that during the American war he inlayed as ap pointment upon the Medical Staff, aunt still con tinues to form a part of it. The 5001. which I hare tnentimied to have been lodged with this Mr. Donovan, by Capt. Standen, was paid by him to Mrs. Clarke. The slidertaiee between a ceat patty cud a majority is I,UnN. ; this lady received only 5001. while the half-pay fund lost the whole sans, tor the 'purpose of puttoig 5001. into the pot:. ket of Mrs. Clarke. This Snul. I shall he able to prove was paid by Mrs. Clarke to Mr. Perkins, a a silversmith, mu pert payment fur a service of plate, that the C aaaaa inander-in-Chiel made good the remainder, and that time goods were sent to his house in Gloucester-pluee. From tins I infer, first. that Mrs. Clarke pliVir3.l.'S she 'soave' of mili tary lirannutioss ; sacoudly, that she received a pe cuniary consider/Aims for such promotion ; end ti tinily, that the Cuatintisisler-s a-Chief was a partaker lea the benefit arising nasal soya tasiosaef la ibis ease there are us. less than Site differ. tit persons who call be called as utt ucw.es, viz. Major Tulip', Mrs. Clarke, Mr. Donovan, Captain San den, and the kixectstor of Parkiiiit, the siker :nu:di. The next itostaisert I shall give, are those of Lientmtuat Colebrot.ke, of the salt Regiment, :tad Lieutenant iiiiight. of flue Dragooo Guards. A :‘lr. Tuck, a medical gentleman, it appears, was concerned tu the first of these ft:visitations, for it viis agreed itativetis I mod Mr-. Cisu ke, that she should receive 2001 lslam Lieutenant Colebraiike's, mune appre lii 7'ht Gasznate tOr protuotion. At that moment, it appears. tams Lady wigs auximis to go on an exetirvihit into :he country, and to his ;loyal ilighnesr, t•tat she had an opt urbanity of getting "2000. to dettay the cc lotuses of it, without applying to I • . Tins was stated upon a Tours:lay. mead on the Saturday fol lowing this Officer's name appea.:eli e.s Ti„' Ga zette, mid he was accordingly protaated, upon which Mr. Tuck waited ou the Lea) . mid paid i.cr the money. To this trams:xi:don, therefore, can call as witnesses. Lieutenant Colelatioke, Mr. Tuck, anal Mrs. Clarke Without suiting the particular* of the other case I have alluded to, I shall content myself with men tiosting one of ar. ry dab:rent nature. whit n ot s. curtest within these eight or less months, and that I d.. it fur tlse purpose of *hewing how very difficult it we., its many itustances, for officers of the highest anent to Ise allowed the moodiest imlulgence in re gard to change. Two officers or die tat Hegiinesit of Foot. Major Illactlonsld and Major Sinclair, who Are generally sit kmcsoledged to be officers of omen. liappe • g to he both in a bad state of health, Major Nlacilimalil was ordered to jails his regiment a the West ; but being aetisible that the climate would prove iujisrions to I• ; and Major Sinclair having been in die Wee Etches, when lir had eajoyed his health much better than here, they touttualy tweed to tipply for au ex cite Applit atimi was arcordiimly i!.ade to the Cominand-r-in-1 kW, and it was weed as strongly ar peaoble evtay thing was atottipted, but so vain ; the Commander-to-Chief ordered Major Macdonald to go to the West Italics, where he soon fell a victim to the climate ; and he limed Major Sinclair to remain at home. where his health became worse, and lie died. These Akers, it as s. prated, had offered an bribe of gad. and therefo:c they ware obliged to combat stations, which cases al the terminate') of their existence. The neat in stance is that of Mejor John Shaw. who wee- 'tame the toll oey in Champary's Regitnent. He applied for the office of Deputy Rerrack-Me-ter-Gent ral,ut the Cape of Good I lope, Ike. ail, 1 Miti, and its that uppointment, Mrs. Clarke's iuterferenee will be stersuely exemplified. The Cotintrainler-ito('hiet had no favourable opinion of this Mtjor Shaw ; but sse find that Officer consented to give Mrs. Clarke 1,0001.f0r this ;App ointment. anallhe was accordingly Gazed...al April 3. 1807 ; soon after that it appear% that this Genaleasan, in compliance with leis obli gation to pay that bribe, sent several 551i151 of 5..0-ally ally to Mrs. Clarke. amounting in all to sad. — She applied in vain for the remainder ; w owing to some emisarrassustaits, he was not able punctually to pay. When she found that he was not competent to faltil his en : pages:tent, she c - plaited bitterly of t h is breach of contract to the t.'ortanantier-in-Chief, who, feeliter for her situa tints, was much enraged, and • ediately, for this breach of elostract, put Major Shaw upon half-pay. I have in my possession a letter from Major Shaw, complaining violently of this conduct, mid there are also several fetters written by Mrs. Shaw (litawite) to this hlr , .Clarke, threatening her, and the Comosinder.in-Chiet, me itis a public exposure. I believe the staff, in Americo, are sill in the same preilivainetit ; and, salved, I know but of o to instruct of any Officer having been put ou fall l acy. 1 think this sheers that Mrs. C Lakes influelice extended to the staff abroad. is, to the army at house. and that the Cons- Icoontenanred this intlividoul, and rendered himself a direct Party to her tarn-actions, by cutting ass f Hiker on half-pay, for breach of his bargain with her. The next case relates to a levy made under the direction of Col. French, in the years lent, and 1R0.% this levy was set ou foot by this state lady, Mrs. Clarke. Colonel Fiend' was introduced to her by Captain Satiden, anal it was agreed between her and that Colonel, that she s:muld have a glean sum out of the boiim.sy on each man rai.ed,besidestfw lattionitgo of a certain number of Officers. in consideration of the assistattiat she was to afford Colonel French in his promotion. This agreement she made known to the Commander and afterwards sent the Colonel to the Horse Guards. end he obtained his object. As this boy proceeded, she received several sums of money through the hands of Francis, Sandra and a Mr. Marry. also one of her agent., all of ohous eau be brought as witnesses to t h is transac tion. There was one sum of 5001. which she re ceived from Mr. Burry, and which was 'and through the hands of another agent. a Nlr. Cock ayne, a Solicitor, to Lyon's lino Mr. Donovan. whom I have mentioned as a Lieutenant of the Royal Garrison Muslim>, was the agent who gave. is writing, to the partiea applying for pro motion, a statement of the price* which Mrs. Clarke asked for whit she lied to sell. The half-pay prices appear to hare (seen for a ma jority 9001. ; a company 7nol. ; a lieutennutcy 4001. ; and on ensigney enrol. The full-pay prices were, for a majority 2,6001.; a (eta- petty, 1,5001.; s lieutenantry, 5501. ; and an en. sigiacy, 4001. Thus far it appeitis that 'Airs. Clarke was interested and concerned in aruty pioniotion.. I ton now to come to those transactions of it suurrur nature, wherein the Connuander-iii-Chief apeears to have betel alone concerned. 1 am prepared to prove that the Commander-in-Chief was to have a loan from Colonel French, through Mr. Oren', of Barnard's Ina, on account of his promising to use his influence to procure a considerable stun of ruo isey which was due to that officer. That the Com mander-in-Chief did use his influence to get pay retest of these arrears is evident ; but it is also evi dent that he did not succeed, and, therchire, lie did not receive the loan promised. There was no less than 30001. due to Colonel French from Govern ment. from these bases I think it will plaiialy appear, that not only did Mrs. Clarke possess influence to procure promotions. to effect ex changes, the power of augmenting the military ea:ilea:aliment of the country, and that elle was a - Weed to reeeive pecuniary remunerations tor her interference ; but also, that the Comm: nder-in- CMet' enaleaveured to priwure pecuniary re seurces to himself, both in conjunction with, us well as indepeudently of, Mrs. Clarke. I Shall now allude to another case. namely, that of Cap tain' Mating, of the 734 regiment. kle was ap pointed a Captain in the Hord African Corps upon the 15th of January, item ; that corps being com mutated by Col. (hardest, the Duke of Yule's Secre tary. I believe. that Captain Alaling is a perfectly 'Defile • %officer ; I have not the honour of know ing him. but I timer heard him highly spokes' of. I utelerstand he lead the good fortune to t Idn lint co • • a Ittela. when he was a clerk in .Mr. Greenwood's Office, without one home:: rervice, and soot" afterwards was appointed to a company in Ireland. In the spare of three years be has been put over the heads of all the subalterns in the tinny, many hundredb of %%Isom, in addition to their lons service, and the wumido they have received in their coati try 'e cause. had actually lodged their money fur promotion. Whether this is doing justice to the nalitary service of the nation, I leave to Gen tlemen to judge; but I trust I have stated a suf ficient her of cases, to i:iduce the House to give me permiesion to appoint a Committee, for seeptitiug into such gross and stimalalaus abuses. llyture concluding, howei see I may advert to this other very extraurtlieary circumstance, that I can tell Gentleman, that, of my own knowledge, at this very hour there is a public office in the city, where commis...ons we still offered at the rieluced prices which Mrs. Clarke chooses to exact for them. Tlx agents there have dec li ned to me, that they are now emploesse by the piercer jitewl , ire, Mrs. Carey. They ;lave tint only declared lois :is rela tive to military rominissinii., belt they have carried it meal farther; for, iii :addition to aum- Mist:eons iii the urine, plaices of all descriptions. both 1 Cneitcl: •Sti STATE, are tntiometed at their Office; and terse sexists do not hesitate to give it snider their nun that they are employed by mime of the first Officers His Majesty's ser vree. To conclude. I trust, that after the etate. meat I have made, no man who has heard me will think that 1 have taken up this matter lightly. I have pressed it upon sure grouirdat. and am pre.a panel to prove these assertions ; and in order that they may be investireilted and inquired into, I be; leave to inane " That a Committee be appointed to isivesti;ate the coialtiet of his Hord Flightless the Duke of York . in his captivity hiCostatuander iii-Chivf. with regard to nppotntmenta, promotions. exchanges, the raising of eew levies, and the ge neral State of the army." Sir FitANcla IkaDKTI seconded ills. motion. S.r JAMES PCIALKEY---"lito not rise for the pur poor of opposing the motion which has been merle by the Iluatourable Goat. opposite ; hut, on the I contrary, to express toy hope trait the House will regitlarly go into the inquir : unit called for, if they think it necessary, and it will not be listened to merely upon the groonds which he has laid down. , I am 'fully persuaded that hoe Itghtiess is nerfectly ready to meet the charges upon the broad - I est priticiples, as they are entirely without . the'. I was ignorant of the einAtinstances a hich the Hon.' Geutletnee has @tette!, and therefore am totally unable to . give any answer to thesis; but my firm conviction is. that such 1 1 unertions CalittOt be correct. It will appear. ul - the contrary. that the Conimaieler-iiieChier has given up a great part of his own ititereet for the public good. As to the instance of the appointment of the Deputy Barrack-Master Ge neral sit the Case of Good I knew that that is one which is 110 t tinder the alive l ieu of His Roy at Highness. I shall not bat: up the time of the House, as I caiitiot &alit they will agree to the matter living examined into by a Com mittee. The naanintous applause that has so lately been given to the army bent to the Conti nent, nin.t.l think. reflect iiit;!ily to the honour of the Illustrious under wluwe enntmul the slaty is placed. 1 itin sure lay eallatit friend near the (allitaing to Sir Arthur IVeliesley ), melits atial exertions , ' have been so justly minimal vi•rted anon and applauded this night. f' the Chair, will tell you whet sort of au army he had to e ttttt e know already that lie did efiectu ally obtain the 11116116 tttt ue etfectiims of the men lie had under him ; we know lie had not the time, to austere those sentiments, and therefore we must conclude, that aura," he haul found their minds previnteile funned by their strict discipline, teal proper atk conscientious management, he could not oedema' have so easily gained welt active anal spirited exertions:" Sir Antiiva Weeeestee--er I rejoice that the lion. (heathen - um oppnsite has brought forward such certain specific liturgist, upon ahirliaCommittre. to he appointed miller a vote of the !louse, can direct distinct iuquiry to be made; and d particularly re joice, that, by so eating, the character of the Com mander-in-Chief will not hr e xposed to fl e e ne e.iw of titans iut that takes place upon general :moil ries, and upon !general complaints 'nude to this !louse. It has fallen to my lot to. know ;what of the meaner upon elite!' promotions have been regulated, and l pledge my honour to the House. that there is not a single promotion that (laws not go through the °Mice of the Conimander-in-Chiee sad that it is not there recorded who recommended the to lie promoted. The papers upon which each promotion takes place lie at the effia ti. and the Committee will therefore have an ocipor tuility of hieing every individual prom:ilium that has take.' piece, and they will also find ut tlint office every sum that hes beau added to the half pity fund, together wan all the correspondence tiett has passed as to every awn that has been issued Out of that Neil. It is therefore my hope that the Committee will go into these facts, and inuke a rennet teem the subject. As to the case of exchange that has been alluded to, 1 spy, that it is hard to make a charge ripen the Coll}. mander.io-Chief, merely because be will - nor OM. sent to an e‘eliminge sioggested oetweeu two (!!!leers for their private convenience. or probably for their private benefit. Is it just, therefore, that he should he branded with conninn!ity in being the cutlee of their death ? If that is to be the way fu ashen{t generel charges ere to be dealt out aersitist pmasues occupying high situations in the state, low be c.:itected that persoits or a proper demieription, in peon of cliguity . and thrill, will be Mood to undertake the business, which can alotie be conducted by each individuals ? 11 a tied the 00000 asander-in-Chief, in many ;ablatives, re fusing to wave thut inoney for his (mu pocket, whim It be is authorised ea to appropriate, bone the commie -6241111i lie hes sold ; su fa truism having sold them ink merely, 1 shall oily s:), that the Committee wait bud the reverse* be use *se, when they have the papas relative to the tialf-pay before hies,. The Commandetuia.Chief leaf a right to appropriate the motley arising from the sale of corntoiaatios; hut in order to contribute to the public goad, the Commander-in-Chief in a great measure gave op that right, us also his right of patronage, which he could have employed us he thought proper. Ile has thereby saved to the peldie immense sums of money arising; fecal the sale of those conenissmits. It if clear, therefore, if lie had had his {IA LI inter. at iii vice, he would have iiothing to to but not its have allowed these commissions to be at all dispoved of, and act another 1.0 11111 l enders in chi. hail dour be fore him. A; to thestate of discipline or the arm i, I must say, that there never was, in any instance, an army sent out in such a high state of discipline as that under my coneuand hist simmer. It coasisteal of corps every way complete ill their establishment. officers perfectly competent to their duty, mita a Staff perfectly arranged ; and indeed the whole or the men in a state well adapted to perform any service that could be required of them. If they lord not performed those cervices as required, it would not have been the fault cf the Coinmatider-liChief, but it would have been mine ; for the gallantry of the army was truly equal to its efficiency. l'pon the whole, I perfeetly agree that u Committee should be uppointed." Yimettn—O I am glad, Sir, that we are at last able to conic at theme charges in some% nal or tasigible shape. They are such its we have seen ter smite tinir past in the shape of what J may call li bels, and propagated too with an assiduity and per. tiencity that I hardly ever remember to have funnel iii the history of this country. So fir from object iog to the maim', which the Hoomirable Ca 'air mail has ncolr, I have to thank hint fur hail iog brought it forward, in a mode that enables us to get at the real fact ; and I hope lint the inquiry eill be isueli se will not only atstafe the Mouse and the .country, Itut aloe the Illustrious Mouse of Bransaiek. Be tfie charges what they may, I trust we shall hit able low to trace the matter to the hot toin. Should they turn salt to be false, the Horionrable Gentleman biltierlf may be freed from Maine, bee•slise• he may have Imam iroposed upon ; for I thiek .there hes been a conspiracy ui the mast atrocious and most abominable kola, fitaidr al irpoo those principles of *obtained spirit not evinced all formerly) that up - pcareil it the commencement of the late reiolittion --a spirit. which, being mice rutted 'la the breast of certain 111(12VidUtilS, ua the iinauortal Pitt s a id, is never to be quelled. I caciaut conceive any mode of skewing itself so effectually, me: that of writing . dean, and talking down, the most Illustrious Per *muses of the maim'. Let us trace it in all its' bearimp, and we will tied, that although it Appears to be personally duelled av;utiat his Royal High. nese, it is equally directed rigtniist the whole Go v aliment of the &votary, the army, and even the Maya( Family themselves. All this es Attempted to be done by the pub'ication of the most abominable and atrocious libels issoilig from the press, the liber ty' of which is the greateit bulwark and support of the freedom Of this eonotry ; lint its corruption its of itself not 014 a detriment to good Governments bet a diStllletien to liberty. N% herever blenie does attach, there let it fall ; hilt I must beg to pro. flounce en opinion coticeriiiiig the person against whom these charger have beeu made, his near con nection with the Government, and his eminent Net. vices performed. There are many persons who einniot have forgotteu the state of the army when his Royal Highness the Doke of 'Yolk took the el ,a of it : it thou barfly deserved the items of MI army; and I believe that it rill be acktiow. !Mate', that it hat Iws'it found, by eapeiientee now to be the hest army that is upon the tee or the earth. I do not thick we can do justice to the sul;rcts of the emilittl. or to his Royal Ilightirss Wu - let-If. through this House, unless we pass an Act to em power the examination oral. the persons connected with these b.:neon:tim% upon oath—(ear! hear ! hear!) This ghouls! tic done by- a prelhoinury eionmission„ iii order to discover the real author:; of these libels, tied the real conspirators egaiost the Government." Ns' FRANCIS 11,121tVETT--." I cannot he supposed. Sir, to have •iecturlemi this motion with ally utha r view than that which has been stated by the 11Ille. Gentlemen opposite, who have just now spoken, ua sly, the great importance of these matters be ing inquired into. for the public interest, and with an earnest desire that it may tread tai the eaculpa limes of his Royal Highness the Duke of York front the charges which have be circulated sigaiitAt him. It .:an hardly, I think, lie euppniceml ye :Bible that any Gentlersum can entertain any other feeble; upon the sttbjeet. I with only In state my opin as to what has been stated by the Ila n . laretlemea who is hest sat down. He has told us of I' vino Iremird v 6111.5115 *trries going aloes id as liliellons cur tare. To these, whether he gores his assent or nut. I do think it was a duty illel3llllWlli 1111011 1.1 000 0 on every account, to bring( the misuse's unifier lee eon sideretion of the fln'ise; I, therethre, it re:m.4l , e eolith-red at that I, wan knew a:.; :he nietten of the Geutiemaa who actually irio...i it, esteet