The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-02-18 00:00:00

~,

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

JIOUSE OF LOKIbt, Tuzanse, Fen. 17.
menu were resumed
_by Counsel this morning in the
lisbee•y cause. At 6 etWek their toedships met I but there
being nn business before them, the House immediately a/totalled.

I ;i

II

:~,.
~L

• •
- BOVA OF COMMONS, Terstinet, Frs. 17.
BANK N F.S.
A retaro of the Bank Naha add Post Bills fa clretilation was
laid upon the table.
Mr. KF,IIIP gave votive of a Bill fur building a chapel of cane
at Brighten.
v . CHANCERY.
Yaleada pares how the Deputy Register's Office, in the Court
of Illitatarery, were laid opal the table.

-- - .
CI MIA.
Maw' 14),!iiiffig at London presented a petition from the Lord '
teid Aldermen of the ('tty of toodon. in Comore t ;aural 1
let 'preying Tor the reduction the duty enemas.
Kit AMen W(Wil) lamented the absence of the Chancellor '
of the Exchequer When this Petition came before the House. lie
Was rare that it could never have been Mithin the contemplation of
the Hasse to lay on a tax upon coals, for the purpose of building
fifty churches, and be wished with having ten only seeded, and
what was harder OW, the lottery expenses were paid out of this
very tax. lie was sure thst the !tonne could never have intended
that Monty relied for one purpose should be applied to another ;
tt was peculiarly hard that the Citizens of London should be corn-
pelled to pay eight shillings the ehaldron foe coals, when the lobs-
bitaine of Liverpool and tither places were entirely exempt.
Three-fiftlis of the entire tax upon coals were paid by the people
of hoodoo. The tax also premed heavily upon the agricultural
counties where lime wreume for manure; the duty imposed upon
every acre of ground where lime was used amounted to eight Phil.
hugs and with this consideration he would appeal to the country
Hetulenen at the other side of the House, to use their ellisrts to
procure a repeal. Every poor man in London paid twenty-eight
shiliings for his condo, whilst the man in other places paid no-
thing; and it many places the crape were destroyed at the pits, be-
cause when carried to a distance, they could not pay the ditty.
There wee ere another ground of complaint; he meant the 45th
of the late !Ong, which prevented the carrying of coals in a rut.
tans direction to a greater distance than fifteen miles from London,
awl by this means competition was destroyed. There was also an-
other absurdity ; these east of the Holmes were free, whilst those
only twenty yenta west of this spot were obliged to nay the entire
duty. The Worthy Alderman contlitried by saying, that be was
aware no attention was paid to the remains made from his sale of
the Name, but he hoped the Country tin.tieinen, who were parti-
cularly interested in thespiestion, wuuuki press the matter upon the
attention of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, andolitain that re-I
lief which he could not hope to procure.
petition was ordered to lie on the tehle, and to be print 'J.

EMPIA)VaIIENT 01 THE POUR.
NOI.AN pare notice of motion tee Wettorrelay next, fur
as assenduirlit hi de: tees rrtspeuting the tug:layman of the puur.

('DAIS.

Olt T. A IirINP pre.entnipr•ti;ioTlll horn various parishes,
• paryiftg Fora r.pearol the 11.11 upon coals.
Mr. Altlctin.o IiItVPIiLS prt..t•lltili a similar petition Lunn
the Wont m Alitgate. lle complained of the partiality owl in.
jr aim of the tax, and of its ac.cre emit unmerited pressure upon
sheirdeithitants of the villages in the urunettiate vicinity of Loudon.
Ordered to tie on the table.
I NtriiIIIINITV.
Col. 11A V I •rmve notice of a motion on the 25th, fur the pro-
-4ustlou of cortsui powers, for the purpose of ascertaining how ye-
Silvia sums, taken hvm dm Indemnity Fund, were used.

NUILVEV OF IRELAND.
Xr. J. 8311711 gave notice of a matioa on ti.c lit of March,
far the Valuation and Survey of Ireland.

COM LS,

Mr. Alderman WOOD presented a Petition front the lulmbl-
tame of Cripplrgste, against the Duty on Coals.
Ordered to be en the table.
NAVY PIIDMOTTON4I,
Mt. 1111311: gave notice Mr the production of certain returns
• ...connected with the Navy, end having • vvference to bis motion of
• lot year upon the lame subjert. He wi.ihetl for a return of the
Alltbildpmen prinnot(ll to the rank of Lieutenants; of bieutaiiatga
rafted to the rank of Commanders; of Commanders to Post Cap-
•cdnit ; of Pat-Captains to Admirals; distinguishing thr name
iod length of service of each individual; also if promoted on Fe.
jein'or Hume Service, front January 111'23 to January INA. lie
alto requited a return of the Warrant Officers who were promoted
since the passing of the Orders in Council in the year 11011; also
Ira a Return and Statement of the Promotions which took place in
the Koy.il Marble Corps, front Jan. 11123 to January 1821.
Ordered.
11A31E LAWS. _ . _

Mr. M. 'WORTLEY rose for the purpose of miring for leave
to bring in a Rill for the attention of toe law as it stood at pea
bent fbr the penetration of game. He was well anise of %be most
important nature of the discussion which was that night to occupy
the attention of the House, in consequence of the minion to be
submitted by the Noble lard (Nugent). Hut he could neither re.
eoncile nor justify it to himself to pass the 'snaillike totally over,
sensible and convinced as he was that there was no quantal what.
ever of greater impotence, as it affected the morality and well.
'being of the country, than the question of the gamolawa (fleas.)
Foe kitneelf Ile was a matt of considerable property, and might,
Irma his rank and station In hfc, be styled a country gentleman,
'and was for many years a strict preserver of game; he resided
In t county where that preservation was • matter of extreme dill.
culty ; and the result of all his observation upon the subject was,
that ty a modification of the law, it would be in the power of
cointry gentlemen to preserve the game more completely, and in a
more eatistketory manner. and without exciting any of those pre-
)udkes which certainly did exist against them at present. (Heer.)
fhe course which lie would follow would be plain • the principle
fie would adopt would he simple. As matters stood at present,
game could nut be cameidereil in the exact light of property; it was
protected by certain laws, framed for the express purpose. !hies
printiple was, to look on game as mere property as much as it ass
possible to do so ; anti, as a coneequence of this principle, to give
the owner of the land tie which the game was found a permission
and right to do with that game what he thought proper. (Hear.)
It was evident from these admissions, that he would give to these
individuals the permission of dispesing of it in open rea.let. Ily
the law as It atund at present, the Wen' game was forbidden ;
but from the evidence which was given list year before the coat_
miter, it was clear that the markets were never more abundantly
supplied. After this manifest proof, he amid nut see how any de.,
Beaty of feeling could remain upon the subject. Ilia must respect-'
able friends, both in town and country, had supplied themselves
with gum in this manner ; they did wt still, and thud forbid they
should not. He could not see any bed consequence arising from
the owner of the land taking to the market the game found upon
that land. Ile would, however,. provide by a special ennctinent,
that no pram should sell game el the market unless he had • li.
tenet for the purpose. The next principle of this measure would
be to do away with every other qualification for the destroying of
game In the case of the owner of the land. Ile wished to make the
laws here rawnible those in Scotland upon the subject. 'l'he laws in
that co'utitry gave the right to the landholder, and also empowered
• him to give leave to other. to spurt upon his property. Ile also
wished that every tenon In this country gimbaled by the pones-
sion of land to kW game, should have the power to appoint as many
"persons as lie thought proper to preserve it. Icy the present law the
Lord of • Mawr alor.e was aid:nand to appoint gamekeepers,
'and lie could appoint one only for the purpose of' killing. If his
Yell acs carried into effect, he would punish voluntary amasses
upon the lands of inhere for the purpoac of destroying game, by
penalties to be levied in a summary manner before a Alegi,-
'rate. And if the trespasser, un being warned so the lands
second tone, did not retire, it would be lawful to take him
before • Magistrate; and if, upon being axle his name,
be gave a false one lie would be liable to a more severe penalty,
wits finally he hoped that stealing game would be coneidenal as
disreputable as stealing won:I or any other property. With respect
to that numerous chum of persons who pursued certain practices as a
regular occupation, and who went out by night for the purpose of
procuring game, he al Id increase the penalties of huts bill, and if
an e person should be convicted by a Jury of • third n4lenre of this
dtm. mthin, he would be Rehle to transportation ; and, on eonvic-
non for the tiro Wince, he would have the poitehr bound to
stain feint' auctt practices by recoemieances ; and this inea.ure ha
knew front experience had the cL'rt of checking poachers wiled
nothing doe would ; they detested from these pursuits when they
found they injured not themselves alone but their friends ale., who
were bound for them He would again remind the 'louse, that the
sale of game was the principle upon which his bill turned, 111•1 lie
would appeal to those who tuned hint, if, after all they had dune,
and all the imasiires they hind taken, it was not known to them ell
that poaching wax daily on the increase. This was the fart, after
law 101 l been male Neon law—after enactment had followal
eractnient. and eisch of a severer nature than the (elan, lie
knew it woe easy for Members to say as they did on the ('ono.
metre last year. that thee were ignorant of the facts ; they
,never bend of them belie; but lie won issuer Ilenourable Men..
hers that if they inquired with accuracy, they would discover
Much store; and he world take upon himself to state, that game
was never more plentiful in oho markets than last year. Ile would
not detain the House longer; dome; perhaps, he ought to
apologise to them for the motion which he would then eetnitit. 'rite
Honour:dile Alenewr then moved tin kave to brim; in a 11111, to
amend 3.1(1 alter the prevent laws tor the preservation of kune.'
4 limn the question h; mg real from the Thar, and enemies' by •
Member, whose name eve could no learn,
air J. tiIIIELLF3' rose, not for the purpose of Kiting a de-
cided opposition to the motion of his Honourable Frio eel, but sir
objerting to the principle on which it was Mislabel 4 if this principle
was carried into effect it would destiny tick' sports altogether. He
took the present opportunity of giving nonce that on the second
reading, he would take the scow of the House on the measure. He
hoped the diatesion would be postponed for sonic time, SS litany of
the marine neat airtime and intereetal in the matter were at pre-
sent in the country. The motion of the Honourable Member, if
carried. would destroy net only shooting but fox -hunting.
Mr. s. WORTLEY said, he was most 111410 US ii• have the
Gennep:a of ail die country gentlemen on the subject; but there was
another party—he meant the public, whose interest it concerned,
that Were should be as speedy a decision as poosible. lie hail,
however, no objections to put of the dissuasion for Jane time.
MOTION FOR THE PRODUCTION 4 eF"fliE IN.
STRUCTIONS TO SIR W. All4H JILT.
Lind Snell:NT, in rising to lay before the Home the grounds!
• the motion which he this night meant to submit, said_ 1' do not

'Mean to fnterfere in thd elightest degree with the vote which was
il to by a majority of this Boum, in &newel to the address
wtilegid majority
was reed • few evenings since; but with respect to that
of the Address which went to ripens approbation of the
stemt of policy pummel by 31inieters, with regard to lepain,_ I
cannot agree with it. I cannot 'but feel with toy colleagues the
difficulty of cqncurring in the purport of the Address, that the re-
milt of this policy Is a euhject of congratulation. I cannot help
thinking that it was an abandonment of the high tone which this
country might to pursue-1 monocle-1p thinking that the conduct of
the 31inieter was most insincere, and at variance with the principles
!he premed: conduct which I cannot bat think hese:poised us equally
1 to the reprnbetien of every friend bf liberty in die world, and to the
contempt ..f the powers who have tritimplied--conduet, the result of
whicli has been alike injurious to our interest., and prejudicial to
our honour as • nation. Spain has been allowed teetall without a
blow. not no much through the neutrality adopted by his Majesty's ,
Ministers as through the hollow professions in which she was in-1
ducal unhappily to enelide. If 1 should fail in making out my
case, and &should be refused the papers I mote for, I *died at least
have the satisfaction of 'tensing that I have failed in a motinn in
which, rren if I had succeeded, 1 should not in any respect have
persuaded the house to hare contradicted those wont% in the King's
/Speech, in which his Majtaty states, that " in the strict neutrality
which he determined to observe in that contest, he best consulted
the true interests of his people." lAN I shall spew that in the
course of the transactions of that contest we made oureelves parties
sonnet the Spanish people, and at the most critical juncture of
their affairs, when, considering the peculiar importance of the poet 1!
we had taken, and the general notoriety of our professed
amid-
ments, we, of all the Power' of Europe, were able to inflict the
moat serious Injury upon them. When the last Session of Parlia-
ment came to its close, we were unable to look fairly at the cha.
meter of the neutral policy adopted by the Government of this
country. Unanimous, as we were, in contlenining the unjust and
violent aggression meditated by France, it was inipmeible for us to
foresee the conduct by which his AI ajeates Government would give
effect to the meaenres they prop?sed to pursue. We were prepared
to agree that his Majesty's Ministers should decline to take part In
n foreign quarrel, though in it were involved questions of principle
essential to our own safety and the safety of all free Stettes--ques-
tines on which, indeed, the independence of every State rests—but
we were not prepared to sanction the gratuitous surrender of every
commerrial advantage and wanton breach of every principle of
political faith. If we did not espect his Majesty's Government to
have taken that more generous part, which to some persons ap.
peered more befitted to the ancient character and pulley of this
country, we did expect that his Mnjesty's Government would, at
learn not covertly, have becsmie the venous of France, against
whirr designs they had professed to have every wish and feeling.
The deigned lamentations of the Right lion. tientknian opposite
over the ereel fate of Spain, are but a poor palliative lot the evils
the contest 'ma brought upon her through their insincerity, awl a
flimsy pretext to despise from the British people the entisequences
of that insincerity by which, fur the benefit of the Allied l'owers,
they have consented to surrender the very foundations alinoet of
our safety and prosperity. It is nut my intention to advert to the
tranmethine flint took place best year at Verona, nor 141 the many
compliances, there ensile on the most important questions of prin.
ciple, nor to the abandonment of all the real effective means poss.
sensed by this Government of giving a support wprthy of England
to those rights of the Spaniel' people, and to that constitutional
system to which the British Government gave its solemn sanction
in 11112. I shall not ask now whether the tone might not have been
belt at Verona, by which Spain might have been saved without
intoning this country io war. I shall not inquire whether it was
lit or becoming for this 'fioverninent to be standing by, as it did at
Paris, as a patient spectator of the itieulent disregard with which
his :Met ("Winton Majmay treated our representations. All that
question was decided last year. Peace. at all event-.neutrality at
all sacrifices ; it was then coneidend by the; House, and, I am
willing to admit, by the great bulk of the English people, to be
the true policy of the country. I complain that that ground, low
and Inimbie as it was, has been since abandoned. What was fore-
see n at ‘'erona, as a possible ground for interference on our part,
has occurred. Vet we have not only nut taken part affainet France,
but have actually assisted her. In order to reader her that assist.
ante we have suffered the interests of our trade and the
honour of our flag to be violated with impunity, and as far
as I have heard, without remonstrance or complaint I It was eon.
templated at Verona as a radii!, ease, that the aggression on
Spun might take the shape of a war of aggrandisement ; and it
was declared that that would beeome an inevitable ground fee the
Interference of this country. By various acts and deelsiradane air
the French Government, I contend that the war assumed that Am
Tarter. No sooner was the Duke d'Angouleme swam of the in.
eremite, political difficulties of his situation in advancing lane
Spain—no sooner did he discover the vast and exorbitant potent
claimed by the Regency he had instituted at Madrid, than by one
envie act he transferred to himself, and his Lieutenants, the while
political power of the State. By the edict of Andujar, issued at
the beginning of August last, he declared the power of the Rm.
gency at an end, assumed the whole civil and military authority 4,
the kingdom, and required obedience to his commands. Do
blame him ? Certainly not : I consider the edict to have boa'
founded in justice and humanity, and called foe by absolute DOW
any. But it was oleo a declaration, an strong as terms could mike
it of the virtual annexation of Spain to the kingdom of Franc*.
NOT was it a vain slechustium lt was scarcely issued--it was 'net
lo general circulation, when, In point of fact, it was acted upon.
The French flag was hoisted on the walls of every town in their
possession. The llouse, perhaps, will recollect, that on crossing,
the Pyrenees, the Duke d'Angoulerne issued a proclamation, pro-
mising the Spanish nation that during the war no flag should be
seen waving over any Spanish town but the Spanish flag, and that
the Government should era) where be continued by the benne atm'
Uterine'. But no sooner was the decree of Andujar lamed than
the whole character and appearance, and the avowal objects of the
war, were (shelved. The Duke d'Augouleme took military pos-
er...ion of the territory tinder the French flag. The Ilsitieh Ca-
binet, in the famous note of inatructiou to the l)uke Of Wei-
linieton, of which we have all heard AO much, declared that
" come what would, his Majesty would never become a
party to the object+ of the war.' How has this declaration
ham kept ? On that issue I am willing to leave this question.
—" Costae what will" is a tolerably strong phrase; and I Per-
fectly well remember the cheers with which it wax received,
when it was ermposed in other terms as a part of the ad-
dress. In lees than a month after this declaration was made,
what must have been our surprise—what 'nun have been the sur-
prise of the poor sacrificed and betrayed Spaniards, to see the Bri-1
tislt Minister accredited to their Government, abandon it, and
throw hillock into the hands of the Duke d'Angouleme, after iteu-
ing a derlaretion, stating his grounds for proceeding to the French
heal-quarters to bean act done by the Spanish Cartes, in the ad-
ministration of the internal affairs of Spain. (Ilea, hear.) From
the moment Sir William A'Court withdrew from Seville, the Bri-
nell Government iu effect made a declaration of Motility against the
Onnatitutional Government of Spain. War indeed, was not de-
clared in form, but a slistinet feeling of hostility was avowed, in
the act of withdrawing its Minister. I will ask the Right lion.
Secretary, is or is not the withdrawal of a foreign Minister an in.
dication of hostile feeling on the ',art of the Power from whom he
te sent ? Did Sir Win. .t'Coun withdraw in coneequence of in-
struct' he received from honkie ? If he did not withdraw In con-
sequence of instructions, why was he not considering the effect
that melted from his withdrawal under such eircuinstantes, at
a period when the fate of Spain almost hinged on the con.
duet of this country ; wily, j ask, was not Sir Wm. A'Court
recalled ? 11' by was he not immediately suporeeded ? Sl'hy
was he not even inspinelied by his Majesty's Midst:re themselves?
It, however, he withdrew in emisequenceef their instructions, then I
my, in that act, contrary to all their protisshms, contrary to
all their engagements, contrary to their pledged faith, they, at the
must critical juncture throughout the context, manifested a hostile
feeling against the Spanish I /uvernment. I say they manifested a
battik feeling, brassier there can be no doubt that the Cortes were
in the !cleat exercise of their unquestionable authority in doing the
act to which Sir William A*Court objected. They declared the
King incapable of exercising the royal inectiens, for the special and
sole purpose of mooring the neat of government to OWLS, and ex-
pel:l..4y with the intention of restoring to hint the exercise of hie full
powers on hie arrival there. In this act the Cortes exercised only
their legal and misloubted aittliority. Are we, the British Parlia-
ment. the parties that shouhl question the legality of such an act ?
Did Sir William A'Court—do wo target the act of our own Par-
liament in 11110 ? In adverting, Sir, to the acts of our own Par-
liament. I feel the delicacy of the ground on which I am treading,
and God forbid, that for one moment I should think of introduc-
ing into the same sentence, or uttering with the same breath, the
name of our late revered Sovereign, who, so gefierolly and so justly
Wowed by all classes of Ins affeetienate people, was, at the close
cat' a long reign, struck with one of the heaviest calnnilties that can
althea human nature forbid, I my, that 1 ehould give utter-
mom in the smile sentence and with the same breath, to his name
and to deo of the wretch who still unfortunately lives and reigns
Shear, hear) the scourge of hie people, (hear. hear, hear), forgetting
nil they have Mule and all they have forhorne to do ; (hear, hear,)
the neat finished seetimen of all that is base and teen-hereon ; per-
fidious, bloody, and tyrannical ; (hem, hear, hear) andhere-
fere, and tbnefore alone, • tit object for the sympathies that were
recited in his favour, and by such appropriate means mans.
rested. (Ileer, hear, hear.) The circumstance% I admit, were
widely different, but the power exercised by the British Parliament
was the Millie- They appointed a regricy. Had not the Cones
the same power under the Cnnstitution ? Wass Sir Wm. A•Court
art judge of the discretion with which they exercised that power ?
Wes he warranted in withdrawing biotech' because he conceived
the Cetus not to have exercised a sound discretion ? If, in 18111,
the spanleh Minister had withdrawn from this country, alleging
the Regency Bill as hie viodication for such an art, and stating that
he was accredited to the King and not to the Regent, should we
me hare comitlered (hot lie hail received inerrumions from his Go-
' vertu:mit to act Imo Hely ? There was nu intention on the part of
the f "mem to establieh a permanent Regency. They only declared
the King temporarily incapacitated from exercising the royal time.
tote, fur the sole purr see of removing the seat of government, and,
in the very act ter time disability, providing eir his resumption of his
Covet notional pnwers on his arrival at Catlin Rut sir illiam
A'Court abandoned the Spanish flovemment immediately, follow-
ing in me memorably aloft a time the three famous notes of three
allied powers by • declaration as decidedly mischievous to the Spa-
nish teonetitutiocalists as either of those fatuous, or rather infamous,
documents. In so short a space Europe beheld England act-
ing upon principles she had disclaimed, and imitating can.
duet against whiclo she had protested, following in the train
of the High Allies, at a humble distance, but faithfully, with
servile fidelity in their tisane-pie %Viten I wituessed these
acts I could nut believe that his Mtiesty's Ministers could •u-
-tNrise them
; but we have not since seen sir W. ATOUT; TT.
called ma answer the charges that ought to have been inefened
against hint • and the question, therefore, 'seems rather to assume
the shape, whether his alajesty's Ministers themselves have not be-
haved with the hawse duplicity towards the Spaaish people ? But
1 do rot wish to enter more particularly into the conduct of Sir
IV. Al'uurt, as I trust a alder and better eppertunity will be

• L • . i
given to us of itseuseinglit by the prodoetion Of the erneeeporido,
once, for which lii moving, and which only can enable us to
I take a fair view of his conduct In then trinsactlons. I shall also
I abstain from making any statement of facts that tell within my
I own observation, ;because I feel that aoy thing I marinate will rest'
only on my own barn emertion, which, elhatever credit the House
might feel disposed to give it, ought not to be the ground of any
resolution while the official docunienta are In existet,ce. It might
otherwise be ahewn sadsfactorily, that towards the close of the con-
tra, full of profession*, as Sir W. A'(:ourt was, of his unabated de-
sire tomediate between the belligerents in a spirit friendly to
1
Spain, yet that he always contrived to place himself in a position
(ruin which he knew mediation to be impartible. He allowed the
time to pass away after he left Seville, until by the investment and
! blockade of Cadiz it became imFacticahle for him to let as me-
diator. Where washe after leav in the Constitutional Government
at Seville until the investment an blockade of Cadiz 'r Ile was at
Seville with the French army, the Army of the Faith, and the ser-
vile party, where he mutt have known his residence had the full
effect of giving the countenance of the British Government to the
servile party, and where, as an instance of the effect actually pro-
duced, violate extrirrn:rimiiryw a proposition was made to hint by an
infuriated and sae mob, headed by the priests, than that
he should consents to made Governor of the city, in the
name of the absolute King. I need scarcely state that Sir W.
A'Court declined the appointment. lie said, that if they were so
I mad as to repeat the proposition, he would leave Seville. But
' why did he remain a moment with the Army of the Faith, and with
the priests anti their mob 1 (Hear, hear.) Ile must have felt the
full effect of his midair, there, namely, to impress them with the
opinion that this country was taking a decided part against the
Constitutionalists of Spain. Yet this was what the British (io-
vernment called a state of strict neutrality ! This was the prac-
deal result of their professed intentions, inclinations, and wishes,
i at any moment to come forward with an offer of mediation in the
most friendly spirit ! Glean hear.) liVhat was the immediate ef-
feet of this conduct ? The effect of Sir W. A'Court's withdrawal,
I and the reasons assigned by him for that step, was that the hint
i thus opportunely and intelligibly given by him was taken by
France, and every traitor in Spain who was wavering between his
'ditty and the temptations held out to hint to desert it. Whatever
I doubts cc difficulties they felt before the appearance of this docu-
ment, vanished at once. The defection of Morino was Immediate;
and 1 beg the attrition of the House to this feet, that the grounds
stated by Sir William A'Court for leaving the Constitutional Go-
%velment of Seville, were quoted by this traitor in a public
proclamation, as a vindication fur Me own treason. (Hear, hear.)
Phis base wretch justified his treachery by the conduct pursued by
a foreign Minister professing neutrality. (Hear, bear.) To one
part of Sir William A'Coort's conduct I cannot bat advert, I am
bound to believe that he meant to net well—that he meant to ant
charitably and generously, in attempting more than once to per.
suade a member of the Spanish Government to withdraw himself
from the contest after the defection of Ballasteros and his army.
The impregnable fidelity of that gallant individual, it is above say
power of mine to praise ill becoming terms. I speak of thossual
Alava. What I am now about to state does not is any imam,
proceed, either directly or indirectly, from that gallant officer. I
have It as • matter of general notoriety ; as such I state it ; bat I
wish it to be understood that I fully believe it; and, as far ass man
cwt be said to know what he has not actually witnessed, I may my
I know it. General Alava was never very closely intimate with
the persons in power under the Constitutional System. Ile had'
never expressed any strong concurrence in the abstract form of the
Constitution; but he felt nobly and honestly, as a patriot, that
when his country was threatened with a foreign attack to com-
pel her to change her institutions, they became identified with
the independence of the nation, and the only question then was,
whether he should not take part to prevent the overthrow of the
independence of his country. With this feeling, he withstood all
the temptation held out to induce him to save his own valuable
life from the wreck of his wretched country. But who, (can it be
credited?) was the person that endeavoured to persuade him to
desert the cause of his country, and join secretly or tacitly with its
enemies? It was Sir William A'Court, who, I am bountt to be-
lieve, did an, from principlosof the purest generosity ; and, from
his ardent attachment to the person, his admiration oft he character,
and his knowledge of the value of this excellent Spaniard. But
Sir W. A'Caurt forgot—whoa Genend Alava did not forget—Sir
W. A'Coutt forgot that, to withdraw such a person from Cadis
at such &time, would produce effects highly dangerous, probably
destructive of all further resistance; that, at any rate, it would
have hasteued the fall of Spain, and subjected the character of
General Alava to the indelible infamy that has for ever blasted
these of /Wein° and liallareros. Sir W. A'Court's conduct in this
particular, may perhaps be referred to his zealous and generous
wish to save one of the best men that Spain bad produced; and
who, from his connection with British honours, bad become
peculiarly the object of Sir ll'. A'Court's sympathy. But, was it
?meaning, or within the duty of the representative of a neutral
power, to endeavour at such a period as that, to induce one of the
few defenders of his country to desert his poet ? Sir William
A'Court is a man, who, to say the least, had kept studiously
aloof from all co-operation with the Constitutional Government of
Spain. He was thus withdrawn to the distant, position of Gibraltar,
where, in sullen contempt, he was beholding the dying struggles of
Spanish independence. Was It for him, at such a moment, even
for the sake of such a man as General Alava, worthy, I admit, of
almost any sacrifice, to strike the last blow at the expiring liberties
of Spain, by inducing his desertion ? I am unwilling to trespass
on the intention of the House at an unnecessary length ; but there are
two circumstances deeply affecting my case, with which, I believe, the
House is not generally segmented. I assert, end I believe his Ala.
Jesty's Ministers will not oorradiet me, that overarm were made at
Madrid to Sir W.A'Court, es thepartindlo4lolllllolBd eaveylanin
ef Speen, to moan** Mffiependenee of Smith Adeline terms the
Most advantageous to this country. Will &till& Hon. Secretary
deny this assertion ? 1 repeat it t he will not contradict me. The
Ilti mill Government, however, it soma, Tatham:shred to risk all
the disputes that might occur, that may yet occur with a restored
and absolute King, and which, before twelve moths have passed,
may plunge us into awn with all Europe, than to make this arm-
cable and beneficial arrangement with the Constitutions/ Govern-
ment. I assert that the ('ones had repealed the ancient Spanish
laws of restriction upon foreign commerce. They had acknow-
ledged with frankness and liberality the claims of the 11 • • h
merchants, and had made a provision for their liquidation. In-
deed, we had tbe 11113117611 et of this fact, and a congratulation on the
subject from his Majesty, in his speech on the opening the last
session. We had thus an earnest of the desire of Spain to render
our mediation not only an object of humanity and justice, but of
indubitable advantage. His Majesty's Ministers haul neglected the
opportunity fur the sake of the mere important object of assisting
in gratifying the wishes of France and the Allies in restoring
Ferdinand to absolute power, and giving vent to those hellish
and murderous passions that were unkenneled when he was allowed
to leave Cadiz : (Hear, hear, hear,) and glut his revenge in the
ruin, expatriation, and murder of those whose crimes 0001i011111 in
giving a free constitution to their country, such es we emegaieed
in 1812, and who were also guilty of the weakness of negietelmg—
(The remainder of the sentence was inaudible, in Of
the Noble Lord's dropping his voice.) 'Phis was not cap that we
had conceded to France and the allied despots of Europe. We
had allowed a blockade to be constituted of such a nature as, In
the mid-day of our inuritime power, when this country was mistrem
of rights such as she never recognised in any foreign power,
we had never called on neturals to submit to; a blockade by whirl
not only was the whole of our commerce excluded, but our Minis-
ter was prevented from maintainingutsittoolitical relations with the
Spanish Government. This was a of power, such as we,
in the smith of our maritime sway, never attempted, but which we
now conceded to the more suet-eland navy of our ancient adversary, ,
France. The right of search was enforced under circumstances
such as could not be justified. English merchant vessels were
boarded, searched, and detained. In several Instances the Cap-
taina were kept primmer for some hours on the deck of the French
ships ; and these occurrences were not in the immediate neighboiu-
hood of Cattle, but in one degree of western longitude. English
I vessels, that had entered the poet long before the blockade, were
iyingtherc to the ruin of they owners, without any IMAM of apply-
mg toasty English authority. When they applied to the French
Admiral, they. were refused permission to depart, under every cir-
cumetance of incivility and insult. (Hear.) It may be asked, why
did they not make vepresentations to the proper authorities ? The
answer would be, because there were none resident at l'ul'u ; (hear)
becausedie British Ambassador, instead of protecting British in-
terests at Cadiz, the scat of the Government to which he was aeon-
, dited, was passing his autumn at Gibraltar; because Illr. Bracken-
bury, the British Consul, was passing his autumn in England;
because, in fact, there was nobody in Cadiz to whom representa-
tions could be made, (hart hear,) except an English merchant
acting as the V ice Consul of hngland, without any authority, inatnic.
thins, or means of interference. (Hear, hear.) I know not what the
House may feel, but I remember well what I felt myself at hearing
the circumstances I am about to relate. Knowing that sentiments
of disgust and shame at wimeming the degredat ion of one's country
are not unnatural in the heart of hun that feels keenly for the honour
1 of his country, 1 cannot hut avow the feelings of disgust and shame
1 with which I witnessed these transactions. Me Appleton, the Ame-
rieanchirreedVeuires, was prep:whose protest to the Duke d'Angou.
leme in the case of two American vessels detained by the blockading
I squadron. Two English captains, who had entered Cadiz before
the blockade, and taken in their cargoes, and were lying there to
the ruin of their owners, arcing no means of redress, no authorities
to whom to apply for relief, went to the American Minister, and
entreated hint to have the goodness to include their names in the re-
i 111011StriU1CO. here was the British his;; craving the protection of
! the American, to secure it against the Froich. (Hear, hear, hear.)
I %peek this in no envious spirit of national jealousy of the Ante.
ricans. Brothers an we are in our origin and feeliegs, I shall al-
i ways speak of them in terms of the warmest approbation. Linked
i in the bottle of amity. interest, and feeling, I trust the day will
come, when the liberties of the world will hod a resting-place in
s the union of the two nations. I have long hoped to: it, and I trust
it is not far distant. (Hear, hear.) 1 nay still espies:, sonic jea.
lousy at seeing the interests of the English flag abandon's, by our
I own Ministers, and compelled to claim protection from the Arne.
ricon. For the result of the inglorious policy of his Majesty's Mi-
-1 misters, we need now only look at the state of Spain : all her military
! strength and commercial advantages are in the hands of France. I am
I credibly informed, that Frond' vessels arc admitted duty free
Ito the Spanish ports, while ours are still liable to the ancient
heavy charges. Billma, Malaga, Cadiz, Barcelona, and Cairns-
! „omit. are garrisoned by French troops; nava and 3ladaga, long
the seats of It • • li factories ; Cadiz, the moat Immutable station
! in the world for a warlike navy ; Carthagene, proverbially the finest
'harbour in Spain—proverbially, I say, because there is actually an
old lipanish proverb that says, there are only three safe harbour' in
! spent, June, July. and (:artlusgena; Barcelona, the key of Spain,
! and advanced poet of France. thence Is Dow in possession of all
i that the blind and treasure of this country have been so °hen con-
aitleted cot to lure been spent in vain, to wrest from her. We shall
DOW have even that contraband trade cut off from Gibraltar, which
alone rendered it of any value in time of peace. We see that fa.
!idly compact, to prevent whirls we went through In one of our se.
taut contests, now restored) and cautioned by the most intimate:

ti object of the war of the 10T glathilously
*bend ery object of. the Isle war green sly Abandoned
'in like manner. Let the Spanish Constitution panshed ; let
Ferdinand have succeeded in expatriating and ruining whom he
pleased, and in gorging himself with the blood of the best men in
Spain; at least ft was our duty to have prevented Spain from becom-
, ing a province of the French empire, and to have vindicated our own
I national dignity and honour. It is, Sir, because in these transactions
I have seen our interests tisaifieed, our engagements violated. and
I our honour tarnished, that I move for these papers. There was A
doeument, I believe, presented to the Right Hon. Secretary,
I which is not included in the motion, a state paper sent during the
' last four days of the TRovernment at Cadiz, sent, before its dissolu.
tion, to Admiral Jabot, who laid it before the Right Hon. Gentle-
man (Mr. Canning), as a protest against the whole conduct of Sir
Wm. A'Court. That document the Right Hon. Gentleman will
perhaps conrider to come within the terms of the motion. lam
I not aware at present of having, in the course of my address,
spoken too warmly, but if I have in any degree exceeded the
proper. bounds of decorum, I beg the pardon of the House, and be-
seech it to lay my trespass entirely to the amount of my feelings.
( (dear, hear.) The Noble Lord concluded with moving, That an
humble address be presented to his Majesty, praying him to be
graciously 'teamed to direct copies of all instructions given to his
I Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of Spain, with a
I view to his conduct in the war between that country and France,
from the period of the entrance of the French army into Spain, to
the surrender of Cadiz, both inclusive : and also copies of all the
correspondence between his Majesty's Minister Plenipotentiary at
the Court of Spain, and his Majesty's Government, with respect to
the mediation of Great Britain during the same period.
The question having been put from the Chair,
Mr. Secretary CANNING rose.—l do not rise, a.id the Right
I Honourable Gentleman, to go into a speech on the question. At
I present, I shall confine myself to that part of the Noble Lord's
, I address, in which he alluded to Sir W. A'Court's departure from
Neville. Ile has asked me whether Sir W. A'Court was left to
set according to his discretion, or whether he acted by instructions
from home. To a cereals degree, he was In both those shun-
dons. IVe endeavoured to foresee all the cases that were likely
'lto arise, and instructed him how he was to sot in each. He was
also told, that, if a case should arise, not foreseen in his instructions,
I it was competent for him to act according to his own discretion.
If no entirely new a case should arise, that be t,dt perplexed to
decide for himself, he was advised that the safest course would
be for him to retire from the seat of government, and wait for
Instructions from home, or for the events that might follow.
Now, it happened. that of the eases traeseen, none occurred,
but a case did occur which undoubtedly the wit of man could
' nut have foreseen, that of the deposition of the King for a
I time to be limited, that is to say, to the end of their then
I nest journey. Sir William A'Court was not prepared with
any specific instructions as to this case, and it would hays
I been a high demand on the faculty of imagination to have fore-
seen It. Ile therefore waited for instructions at Seville. It is per-
' featly true, that while he continued there, one of the furious and
factious parties into which the country was divided, did attempt to
make I an instrument of their purposes, and the Noble lord
might have stated that Sir Wm. Al'ourt not only answered, that
i he would not become their instrument, but that, in consequence of
their application, he altered his intention of remaining at Seville,
and went off to embark at San Luear for Gibraltar, whither he
I weir, because he was determined to place himself as near as
he phytdailly could to the seat of the Spanish Government.
t There he determined on remaining until sufficient instructions
. should reach him from home, unless his presence in Cadiz might
prove of service to the King, and to whom, if again restored to the
, royal functions, he was to repair. instructions to this effect were
s sent to Sir Wm. A'Court, and I am ready to justify them when
I the proper occasion Occur' for me to do so. It would not have been
t fair or right for me to put the Representative of his Britannic Ma-
: jnsty into a plate in a state of blockade; and I Intently think
Sir Wm. A'Court must be exonerated for the part which he has
taken. At this period of the debate 1 thought it my duty merely
• to offer a trifling explanation, and reserve myself for such further
observations as circumstances may render necessary.
Mr. STURGES BOURNE said. he would not occupy muds
t of the time or attention of the Haase for he thought tie points
• made by the Noble Lord had very little weight in than, and
t could be answered satisfactorily in a few statements of fact. For
hisown part he thanked his Msjeaty's Ministers, for the wisdom of
the policy which they had pursued in the contest between France
r and Spam, a conduct which exhibited that strict neutrality on
which they had determined to act. If the Government of this
country had violated their pledged neutrality, he thought the suf-
ferers would have long since proclaimed time wrongs. This was
the gnu time he had heard such an imputation cast upon this Go.
'eminent, who are by no means deserving those singular epithets
by winch their conduct was described. He did not now mean to
enter Into the consideration of any. of those topics, which were or-
dinarily pressed into service, in debates like the present—
umbel ••, such as the prevention of war, and the contrast which
our Situation would afford now, when we were at peace with all
Europe, as compared with what it would be if Europe were in
array !against us. If England bad made common cause with
Spain; she must have acted as a principal or abettor • and who was
she to have acted with ?—with Generals Ahisbal, Ballasteros, and
Morillo ? Would Great Britain be satisfied to have her army' led
by such men into the field ? or would these men have obeyed the
orders of the Duke of We:Memo° ? They could best judge by facts
and circumstances which mewled before. In 1812, after the battle
of Salamanca, after the Duke of Wellington had delivered Portu-
gal. and while be was in that career of victory which brought •
under the walla of Toulouse, one okhmavettraillesals abendosed
the interests of his country, and Manisa Swat was enabled to win-
ter in Madrid. Such was the conduct of' Balbeteros. Did any
one then think that the defection of the Spanish Generals would
not take place now as on the occasion to which he alluded ? If
that were admitted, it must also be conceded that to set with them
on the recent occasion would have been highly disadvantageous to
us. Without dwelling further on this topic, he would conic to the
odsarmes brought by the Noble Lord against the Goverment and
A'Court, as containing )reaches of neutrality. The
first charge was, that Sir Win. Al.:nun did not proceed to Cadiz
with the King: but that could be answered in one word,--Sir Wm.
A'Court was accredited to the King at Seville ; which he expected
to have heard stated by his Right lion. Friend (Mr. Canning),
and the Sovereign was for a time deposed. Whether that act was
legal or illegal, wise or unwise, right or wrong, he would not now
say; but our Ambassador was accredited to the King at Seville :
there the King was deposed, and ioneprieel could have been more
wise in Sir Wm. A'Court thanproceeding to Gibraltar. The
second charge was, that Sir Wm. 'Court had given audience to
the Spanish General Alava; which having ended unfortunately,
the Noble Lord now converted into a breach of neutrality.
That advice, he would undertake to say, was only given as from one
private individual to another; and its success was no proof, one way
Of the other, of its being either wise or unwise, much less a proof
that it was a breach of our neutrality. The next and third charge
was, that this country allowed the blockade of Cadiz. He asked,
was aneutral power to prevent it? Was that the Noble Lord's no-
tion of neutrality ? M it in this House—was it in the British
House of Commons, that they were called upon to look lightly upon
the right of blockade? (cries of Hear.) The thrash Parliament
had declared for the right, had acted upon it, and they were now
called upon to act honourably and fairly. (cries of hear.) He,
never beard the right questioned, that one belligerent might
blockade another ; but here a distinction was attempted to be
made by the Noble Lord, namely, that Cadiz was the seat of Go-
vernment ; but was that a reason why we should have said to other
powers, " You shall not blockade it" ? This being the seat of
Government was use of the best reasons forresorting to such a mea-
sure. In short, the English were the last people who should ques-
tion the right of blockade. These, however, were the only
grounds laid by the Noble bard for demanding the instructions sent
by the Kingor England to his representative in Spain ; and if they
were to be produced in this house, they would of course be soon
j known to all the powers of Durope. If any breach of neutrality
i had been committed, ie would have been long since known, and
then, perhaps, these documents might be called for. llow did our
neutrality commence ? By his Right Honourable Friend's com-
munication to Spain of I.nglantre intention to maintains strict
, neutrality. Anil he would here add, that if the advice given to
the Spanish Govern: Toe had been followed, Spain would have
a freer constitution than she had at present. The offer of medi-
ation did not preclude this Government and Sir William A'Court
from again tendering their services ; but all their citrate were in
vain, and every one now knew the result. The Government of
this country was placed in a situation of great difficulty on that ques-
tion, in consequence of the very ardent feeling which generally
prevailed here in favour of the Spaniards. It was not easy for this
Government to hold equally the balance • and thence the more
caution was requisite on their parts. This Government was charged
with leaning. towards France, %bile he verily believed France was
but little satisfied with our conduct. lie thanked his Right Hon.
Friend, the Secretary fur Foreign Affairs, for the neutrality he
ladopted, and he hoped he would reap its reward in the approbation
of his country. Hear, hear.) Ile would now move, by way of
amendment, that all the words in the original motion, a:ter the
wont that" be omitted, for the purpose of inserting the follow.
ing---" That this lions,. is duly tensible of the advantages derived
to this country from the adoption of that neutrality recommended
by his Majesty, in the recent war between France and Spain, and
which the Itome declares to have been scrupulously and inviolably
maintained."
After the Speaker had put the amendment, the gallery was
ordered to be eleanil fur a dIVINIOO, but
land NUGENT rase to reply. Ile thought the charges he had
brought forward were by no means answered by the Right lion.
Gentleman who had just eat down ; nor were even his explanations
at all satisfactory. He still complainedof the violation of that
neutrality, which existed only in name, perhaps, for the French,
hot was actuatly welling short of hostility towards the Spaniards.
Other lieutlenien, however, seemed to differ with him on that
subject, and he was not inclined to quarrel with them for so doing.
I The mediation of Issi year was not friendly to Spain. The first
offer made to the Spanish Government was agreed to—its recoemi-
tion of the independence of South America, and Spain was pre-
pared to acknowledge it. The second the Spanish Government
could not agree to with honour, because it involved a charge of
which they were altogether innocent They were called upon to in-
SUM the protection of the King, when he was not even menaced. To
the third offer the British Government must know that of Spain could
not agree, inasmuch as she Linseed upon a pledge that another Parlia-
mentshosild modify thel!onstitution of her Cones. Now he put it to a
country like this—in short to any country having within it a deli-
lberseive assembly, whether the Goveniment of :pain could yield
to such • request ? Fur himself he had not a doubt upon the sub-
ject. When the offs was made by the factious bat Seville to
Sir Wm. A'Court, he went to San I,uca, and from thence to
Gibraltar. But three weeks after the Government left Seville
Sir ‘Vm.A'Coure remained at Madrid, with the French army and
the army of the Faith; and at the expiration of that time, he for
the tint time said the British Government could not interfere, as
the Spanish I iovermined was then invested. It appeared, in fact,
if he waited fir those difficulties which afterwards occurred.