The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-01-20 00:00:00

HOUSE OF CUMMO?!S.

• The Chair was taken shortly oftcr two o'cl.sx:k.
The Set Alma informed the House, that he had,
diving the prorogation, isstiod. by virtue of the
statute, two writs for the •return of Nlembers to
serve in Parliament; the one for the enttuty of
Southampton, ih the rhino of Sir H. P. St. Jakm
Milthisa3-, Bart. deceased; the other for .the ho-
-cough of Ilussiney, in the ?toms of Lord' Rendle-
sham, deceased. 'lie also ailuainted the House,
that in pursuance of the powers vested in him by
the statute, he had directed the Irish Caminito-Ls%
appointed to try the merits of contested elections,
to re-assemble as follows Committee for the
county of Donegal, on the 7th of February ; that
for the county of Wesfoid on the 9th of February;
and the Committee for the borough of Newry on
the lith of February.—Two new Members took
the usual oaths and their seats. _

l'he AKER also acquainted the House, that, ac-
cording to cuptoeu at the opening of a Seiaion, Cr."!
Clerk of the House had 'prepared a Pill for pre-
venting of clandeatine outhiwrier; whicci, upon
tumoral, was read a first time, and ordered to be
vead a areond time. _ _ _

i4r. Li rut moved, " That the Siwalter do issue
his r rit for the election of a Member to serve in
Parliament for the borough of St. .111ont's. in the
room of Mr. (;rim tour, who had succeedud to
the title of flaroc. Furruiter."—t)rdcred.

1

ik

Shortly after three o'clock, tht Stack Rod
peered m the Itiotise, and &live red, M M V 0114164. re.'
quinng the ottendance of that noose itt the House
of Peers, by virtue of His Mitiesty's:Commi,,i,,,,,
to hear Ili, Siiijcst, Sirterlt alum :he opening or
..the Session.—The Speaker, accordingly, vitterm4, d
by a number of the Members, proceeded to the
Upper Lionise.

Upon his return he acquainted the House, that,.
to avoid niiiitakee, lie had procured a copy of His
Majesty's must gracious Speech, which he
pnweeded to read to the House.—(i•ior the Specck,
we Me liosw of Lords.)
The lion. Mr. Rom nsow then rose to move the
customary Address, in *mower, to His Majesty. He
commeneed by Mowing the House, he wee slut the
man who was williug to detain them any great
length of time in the delivery of his sentiments, or
disposed to abuse that indulgelice they were so
ready tuts/rd those who offered themselvee to their
attention ; without further preface, therefore, se'
apology, he should proceed briefly upstate those
seutiments and opinimis which occurred to him.'
upon 'the different points contained in His Majeir'
ty's Speech, and he would begin by rietforiarig
eutire conviction and belief that that House would
cordially and unstirmonsly concur in the necessity
expressed by His Majesty fur proms:wing the war
with vigour, towards the attaitimetat of is lade and
honourstile peace. Prom the view a latch that
House had of the events which had successively
taken place, and the efforts which His Majesty's
Ministers had made to terminate the contest with
safety and honour. it would Ix wholly it.consistesit
in them now to alnutdon the measures hitherto ;Pur-
sued, and to refuse their support in a crisis so
awful as the present. si the Hon. Mover made
a roma/lend/le pause, arising from hesitation ; at
length he resuuted)—The Ivadiug topic wh.eh al-
tered itself to coutui.leratiou in His Majesty's Speech
was that -whim referred to the state of Spain, and
whoever looked to the situation of that uutottusate
country, both past and (,resent, and vatemively
kconsdered the circumstanets. hkb had led to our
roma...ill/in with it. would inevitably see the mem-
sity .0l prosecuting the war there with vigour cad el-
feet. mini would think with-hint, that active warring
wilt the only cataum Intmmaf Of obtaining sure add
lasting rave; und that we were humid, by every seer
tiasent of honour and principle of pelf-preservation,
to assist. to the very utmost of our ;oars, that in-
sulted. but gallant mut struAgling nation. The
Ruler of Frauce lied avowed hie determissatinn to
destroy and root out the meigning fatuity of Spaie,
and to subjugate that peoeie, who had iieretofree
*Lewis thenc-elves his census., and decided friends
by every species of trend and falselioml. This his
deterinenition was oskaly set forth in his kte
proclamation ; mid he would advise such tuitions of
Lisrope, asset reiuMued unconquered, to look to
the former part of that proclamation,. and this
couut.y to consider well• the latter pest.. In the
first lie avows his determination of prevididg for
his bristlier eh:ea here, in the eveet of his being ua-
able lo establish him on the Spouish Throne ; tat
the second he holds out hie.threat of puoishmg.
such as dare to interfere iu his designs. Whim we
fsee the zeal and aatinatiou displeyed by the whole
Spanish nation, in resisting
,the iv/swim/bus yoke
attempted to be imposteh„. can ;re wonder aA tike
anxiety in generally manifested for her in every
coiner of this kingdom ? Some indeed may have
differed in their opinions as to what alight linae
been the wisest met/urea for the Spanish Councils
to hare pursued; but for his pert it did not appear
to him that the atteohinent they had so landalily
manifested to their legithoute hovereiwt, wits in
the slightest degree, incompatible with their real tn-
terents ; butt, at tall CSVI.I.S, there was one common.
sentiment in which all colicuried, namely. thut we
had the steepest interest in her welfare—that she
was still strong, and that we were bi)nnd by every
`tie to support her to her last struggle. Under tin-
ressions such us these, it was easy to emaceire
chat were '.l:ajt.bt).lll b:eliegs when be %311
sculled on to alsandod the cause as • preli-
minary to nerociation for veace,an act so disgrace-
fill, as would, lie was bold to say, if cow-
' pact with. brand our muses with infamy to
the • latest posterity. Whets he heard of the
concert:lkea at Erfurtb, and the proposals made
to this country. he had entertained no hope
whatever of any good resulting from then, ; tine
did lie Believe that the Emperors themselves ex-
pected any such ; as they, in common with the rest
Pattie world, must have known, that we, of all na-
tions, were least likely to abundou the cause of our
allies, while our assistaum could avail. For Isis
part, he had not seen the papers alliiiled to; but
of this should appear from the documents, ahem
laid before the House, he should be clearly of
opinion Ibis Majesty had no alternative in the rejec-
tion he felt himself bound to make of the over-
tures. or the treaty declared to have. been con-
cluded with the Spanish Government, he felt it
premature to speak at present; but he trusted it
would he found. when laid before them, conform-
able to the nature of the circumstances under which
ar were places!. The contest in which we were en-
geged was arduous, but should not be considered as
hopetess; if it were. wernight better have sat down at
the be inning, without effort or resistance; but he
trusted confidently, that, although that gallant
people whose cause we had espoused were 'trap
gling with a variety of diliieulties. they may still
hold up to the world a gi.560,111 FM1171111" ts erupt..
huh resistance to the tyranny and (yr, ssion w with
which they are attempted to he enslaved. lb,
next topic that drew lit. attention was the awes.
than of the late campaign in Portugal. fie hoped
he might be allowed to paitieipsne in the autishic-
lion so generally felt ul our successes in that
comitry. be no fortner instance wus there exhi-
bited greater proofs of courage nr of skill and On
-
lily in our Commanders. Upon this head be should
not make further obeervatiousas he felt lie hod been
anticipated by the concurring sense of this soon-
•tre. even sous to be disappointed at the ropticluitinn,
which they considered as not being answerable to
that brilliatitiinceess whieli had preceded it. 'on-
meted with this, stood next nu- connexion with
Sweden. That Al/march, the' inifiritinate, was en-
titled to our highest admiration ; and after his fol-
lowing onrexample, iu refusing to treat will tyr
chudiug Spain io the asegeinatime wr were hound
to afford him every possible svi!iport ; hat an ibp-
pcateure of indifference on our illt• nit.”rt
his friendslup into heatitit. Although boot evvy