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London, England, 1809-02-25 00:00:00

to advance. I have temdltingitioadirepeasstr•
tufts from Mr. Frere of tNt. great etraigth tea.
Spaniards 'in the South of Spain, sod that if he, .1
in conjunction with the Spauish force,
.atitseked
the enemy there, the Spanish cause, then almost
lost, might still be retrieved. I have heard
that it was urged to Sir John Moore repeatedly,
that he should advance.' I know that this is true,
but still our geaeral ignorance demands an inquiry
into the veracity of these reports. On the 21st of
December Sir John Moore arrived at Selo, and
on the 22(1 of December the Emperor of the French
left Madrid with a great force. On the %utli of
that mouth, such were the efforts of this hot ad-
vance, that Sir John Moore felt it necessary to re-
treat again, and under such circunistences too,
that if he had remained for '24 hours longer, and
engaged Marshal Smiles corps, it was almost next
to certainty that not a single soldier could lime
returned home. I state this upon the autho-
rity of officers with whom I have conversed,
who gave me as their opinion, that if the British
army had engaged with Marshal Sault, it ne-
ver could have effected its retreat Hi it did.—
Sir, in order to account for these proceed.
lugs, it is necessary that this House should in-
stitute the fullest inquiry ; it is necessary to know
in what situation Sir David Baird mid Sir Joins
Moore found that country, when they ndranced
into it; whether that enthusiastic spirit which could
alone save them from destruction, actually existed ;•
it is necessary to know whether they were willing
and cordial io their assistance to the English army;
whether they received thei6 as deliverers, or as their
goests, with love or with jealousy and fear, and
to ascertain what they had to rely upon when they
found themselves in the presence of u great hostile
army. We must necessarily destitute this inquiry,
in order to determine whether it was wise or not
for His Majesty's Ministers thus to hazard, in the
heart of Spain, one of the best of armies
that has ever been sent out of the country. It
is necessary to know what military force
Sir John Moore found to co-operate and unite
with them, and whether he found may thing in
the field of battle, except time British and the
French soldiers. Perhaps it may be said by Mi-
nisters, that the Spauiards did not discover all that
cordiality and co-operation with us in that cause
in which we were mutually engaged, that was ex-
pected. ('an it be proper, or can it be admitted,
that Ministers shall say this after they have in-
volved the country in such -tt ruinous, unproduc-
tive, and inglorious struggle ? The retreat un-
der the mast inauspicious circumstances com-
menced, and what was the consequence of that
retreat ? In that retreat you lost all your amino.
nition, all your magazines, above 0000 horses,
and a much greater number of men, time the gal-
font General opposite (Gen. Stewart) thought pro-
per to state to the House, when lie said that they
unnoticed only to between 4000 and 5000. (Hear!)
Our loss was great in consequence of that disastrous
retreat, commenced under circumstances which
'thew that had we trusted to the prudence of the
Commander, might have been avoided. Is it not
true that a retreat had been previously ordered,
au advance was made, hind that a retreat was again
commanded to be made, and is it nut necessary fir
us to inquire whether this was owing to the mis-
conduct of those at the head of the army, or of
those at the head of His Majesty's Councils?—
Deeply as we must lasuent the loss of those gallant
officers and soldiers who have fallen upou this
occasion, and deeply as we may lament the
success of the enemy, it is not, perhaps, so ne-
Englishmen, as it
cessary in the eyes of
may be in regard to the Continental powers to free
ourselves from that injurious opinion. As to our
military character, which must float in their minds,
*ma these transactions, do not let us forget
that, that although we. have obtained nothing but
glory and renown, for our military bravery, Eng-
land has for ever lost its fame and character, as to
a military nation. Were you to propose to send
your soldiers again, us un esicouragement and aid
of other foreign puwers„ upon uny future occa-
sion, what would be the answer ? It would be
! No I your troops are good and brave ;
tour officers are skilful, intelligent, and courage-
ous; but there is something in tie: Councils of
Lagland, or iii the nature and manner of the appli-
rainii of her force, that renders it impossible ever
to place any reliance upon her military essistance."
We have seen already what passed iu the last war
with *France, when you appeared in Holland and
Germany as auxilaries, you fulled in your efforts;
bin true it is, that your force in these
Cases was comparatively small ; the problem is '
solved, hy what has lately passed in Spain. Yon
professed to send forth the largest army. that ever
went from England, for the purpose of meeting
the force of France; and what hes been the result ?
It has been nothing but a shameful retreat before
the armies of France, and a disgraceful escape
from the power you anxiously wished to assist.
Never eau we rely again upon the confi-
dence of any power of the continent in our mili-
tary exertions, however much they, and our.
selves may rely 011 our maritime efforts. This
campaign, I say, will have an influence upon the
character of England long after any of us shall
cease to live. As to the Pyrenean campaign which
the Noble Lord lately described, I am sure I do
not presutne to under-rate it, nor even to know the
purport of it, but the moot informed persons state
that it was in the North of Spain, somewhere near
St. Andero, our efforts were likely to be usefully
directed against the French force. The Noble
Lord calls this a Pyreue:lii campaign ; but does
he imagine that there is only one pass .favourable
for the encroachments of the French—there are 11/)
lest then thirty-four passes, and it is demonstrable
that it was utterly impossible to keep the French
army out of Spain, nod if this be true, bow
came he ever to think of sending an English
army into Spain—(Heer ! Hear ! Hear !) The
Fiends army at the outset was 50,000 strong, and
the "Spaniards found they were not able to drive
1" them into their own territory, nod they themselves
tell you this. If the Spaniards could net do that,
how was it possible that you could beat the three or
four hundred thousand uten.they might afterwards
have east tb meet you in that minify ? 1 have
convened with no military man upon the subject,
who has not declared, that from the beginning, it
was vain amid idk to hope for ultimate success in
such itcontest. If this root force of Prance could

77-7 '
stet be kept out of Spain, 1 desire to kr, cst r i.y Sr
John Moores army should. have been so ender'.
gered by the imprudent advance that was made.
—Was it merely that you could not bear the
danger of death, Cult ::us moat hamming of all
retreat* that ever was accomplished, took place.
Was your character so degraded, that it war twee.-
eery we should attempt to raise It by tuck th strut:-
tive menus, in the eyts of the world I %t'r never,
I believe, have wet the French upon. equel formes,
that we hive nut invariably sheen our superiority.
Are not the recollections of Maide, and of Egypt,
sufficient to conduce you and the world, of the
truth of this assertion ? Do not these thines
deserve insit:r! Is it not necesoury to know
how Mmitteor have conducted thera:lves in
nt.

this expedite'', to the Continent, to know on
what pritteiples they have (proceeded its e.
contqt u, which you entered pith so touch ope,
with so nAlt It heart and expectatioe t" a contest in
which every Inim almost implicitly relied upon
raisilig the power of Eneland, reducing the erg.
frandizennto of France, and delivering Europe
rom the grasp of tyranny ? Alec! how-have these
hopes been blasted, how grievoui ly have our
troops sittflred in their vain exertions, and
how mural have Ministtirs involved the whole traf;/«.
action in dankness and oloseurity. Is it not fleet:s-
uety to know why your army vim exposed to dan-
ger, and at the UMW lime to ?reduce welling that
was good or ordvantageous to the country ? The
soldier should always be prepared to die in hie
country's cause, and I doubt arm that Lritish
*oldie,* • are particularly impressed with that
feeling ; but is it thence to be inferred that
yon ore unneeersarily to expose them to dan-
gers, and to fruitless efforts, so us to bring ruin
on themselves, and disgrace upon the nation ?
—Other plans of campaign, I know, have been
mentioned, which• fn the opinion of some ware
likely to have been attended oitli great success;
end these are the employing of the troops of Eng-
land for the purpose of garrisoning some of the
strong posts en the continent, and particularly t
upon the sea coast of Spain. I presume not
to offer any advice upon that subject ; but I believe
that that would not have gi% eta tut great benefit. The
„Spaniards hate sheave us gra sit jealousy. At Cadiz
our reception wine not flattering; and at Ferrol,
not an alert was made in our favour. I have heard,
but r entmot vouch fee the troth of the report, that
even the force which iota Seal it little ago, from
i,Lislson to Cudiz, has not-twee pernitted to eater
'the harbour. I have beard this from au authority
,which I deem eery greet, and I shall totatime to
ibelieve it until it be contradicted. I ask the.
Neese dims to institute an inquiry for the nut-
'pose of discovering %that have been the motives
that led Illioistery so to dispose of the force of the
country, at first so full of confidence, and now ee
full of doubt rend uneertuility as to Iced to the hos
,lief that the cause of Spain is desperate. I Ball
upon the country to seek for this inquiry. in order
to ;hew bow much distress, difficulties, dung.tre,
trod perils unexampled, our gallant soldiers have
endured in this fruitless and inglorious struggle. Is
there an Englishman that could have Seel the exer-
tionsofsuell troops, and not rejoice in thim ? la there
a peasant in the bleakest mountains of Scotland, or
is tits !swarm bogs of Ireland, who is not proud of
their conduct, and desirous of emulating their ex.
• ample, and'of displaying equal courage and intre-
pidity ? I aver that all possess the same energy
and courageour sentiments, and that all are equally
ready to imitate their exam; le, and employ
their exertions in their country's cause, and the
more especially when they are convinced that
their exertions will be judi:eiously and prudently
applied. I call upon you, by the gratitude yost
owe to those who were thus shamefully suerimg
at Corunna, by that which you owe to their em.
panions in arms, who are still in etisteoce, and able
and willing to guard their country, and to be em-
ployed upon any ben ice ; I call upon you by the
interest you must take in those who yet remain to
institute this inquiry, in order that they may
not Lc sacrificed by a similar tuisconducas
spoil a future occasion. /Near! /Tear! Bede)
I call upon jou, as you value the g!ery of our
country, of our future power and reputation, as
well as our interest, by every thing that can excite
the exertion, of brave men, to institute this, iaves-
tigation for the satisfaction of all. The pmposi-
tiou I make to the Home is not for this er that
mode of inquiry. I care not whether you de it by
a Secret. a Select Committee, er a Committee of
the whole House, for either of these will satisfy me,
and will gain the object which the country Insist
have in view." The Hight llotsourable Gentleman
then coucluded his distinct and impressive state-
ment, by moving. 'FL at this House should ap-
point a Committee to inquire into the causes, con-
duct, and events of the late campaign in Spain."
Lord CATTLLREAGH rose to state as shortly as he
could his motives fur opposing the motion of the
lion. Gentleman ; he hoped, that the House would
not suppose that he bad been anxious to spread
obscurity over the conduct of the war, or to keep
the course of the events out of its view ; he could
not help thinkine that the Honourable Gentleman
come foreword with rather an awkwanl grace that
night to state the whole of his ignorance of the
transaction, and offer that ignorance as a reason for
inquiry. Had the Ron. Gentleman moved for the
papers which lie (Lord CASTLEREAGH) was willing,
and had declared himself willing to produce, he
thought it would bays furnished him with a more
rational ground on which to found his motion Ins
inquiry, than that ignorance of all informatien neut. •
which he had rested it that night. I-Is admitted ti
if there was a printofacie ground upon the face of t 1..-
transaction, it would be a good reason for inquiry •,;
but tie denied that there was such prima facie,
ground in the present instance. We had Helen
only as auxiliaries to another power in that great
cause. And the circumstances of success or &alum
were to depend Principally upon that power, and
tint upon its auxiliary ; at all events he was of 'oei-
Mon that inforniutien ought to have been called
for, before ass aetenipt was made to drag parliniumit
into a proceeding from which sods ismonveisieuce
was likely to result. Government, to justify their
a ts, should prove that they were dictated by wire
dons, end never was there a course more clearly
ascertained and marked out. than that en which
His Majesty's Ministers had acted its the con-
duct of the Spanish war. Every miehd,;ibre cast
to he afforded to Sprain, and, n had ltvtlt

dared in. hit Mejfisty's Sp!
heat semoorso,entt Iteinemsei
edited( tiny ut
relief of the emmitry ke wI
Renewable Madman had
suffered themselves to he
state of Spaiii.;' thut they
per measures to satisfy th
von of the country, of its
ty, and its military strength.
Hon. Gentleman would rear
of arriving at satisfactory i
points hr had no mewls of a
ever it was, he thought he we
in reconciling it with that
culeated by his rife of the
avoiding delay. He asked
for any man going to Gallia
provinces, to pronounce a
e abjures previous to the
rsounumeot with whom
Th. only question in hi
Spain was capable of m
et:fort as afforded rational
if this could be proved to
Reese, he felt that it would
.;tretify the conduct of the (3
before them. It had been I
*lnas of a people thetniel
efforts of regular military fo
WITT was a more energetic I
ple, than by thaw of Sail
emorplished every 'hula to
the attempt, and the justic
them ; 3 et they had borne
better than regular semis
thought it very little b
censure them in the hou
mid descend to the inja
tile national character. He
tack all that weight to ear
some gentlemen %bere silly
he thought that there were
the cow. of Spain to inspire
It we. k aowu that it was tb
the whole (votary. It was
jug upon another end procu
operation by degrees, b
rising at the same rootedl
and content' for its indeepea
the space of five or six I
had risen. Bet it was riot
that afforded hope; it also
coarse of a very few mon
an army in Andalusia, and
tory over the French. H
House, as a cirepanstanc
Arleasee of the Spaniards i
that when General Spe
to know whether he *ha
sistauce. they stated that
own strength, and recomi
the relief of Portugul. No
heal* they were to look ;
a picture of eocouragemt
Seen ; the Spaniards had
tagea, and would have
enemy. if they had had t
follow up their succeese
the Oppositiois benches.)
fairly with a philosophiesil
;fmriez hot were to en
Whet that eta
do, was easily inferred fir
when in the course of tw
driving 100.000 men fron
occupied. and confined. I
the Ebro. As to whethe
operation adopted by Ili§
the hest that could be
circumstances, he was.
were two extreme °pima]
which hr would shortly
himself an advocate for tl
niow had been thrown e
earnest, she had the elei
Within herself; and that
train, being an insular
taking any part in the cm
that would go more iota
of all her honours then
policy, or one that coal/
deney to sink her reputat
was another extreme mot
of thieconntry, though r
COOClliabk with sound pc
no medium between a la
effort, and recommender
be kept at home. Wi
of the effects that slid
dace at home, if it fa
grouted of objection to i
really impracticable. V
ing of troops abroad, the
stivens, even of this cote
fore, of the system, bey
they had ample kiddie
As to the extent of the
thesauri Speuish troop.
to fifty thousand. and he
our forces in the liletlite
al,istreace they could ;
anal troops were sent, t
ther ( invernutent had gi
The honourable Gent
Norte of Spain was the
to, stall had *eked why
A oak.° ? His Lord.hii
his seam wilding the
could nut commies a a
thus to the Pyrenees.
anon had asked why the
bet if he had only al
which hr (Lord Carden
would at least have he
questia. Though St.
good plater to have sent
inalitare man wonld the
tem her was past : the ft
limited port. end as
French troops opens th
a very expevel shatter
there were NO Silentah a
4orga en the Ifith of
nitelicatieso with the
appointed to inquiry
taken that course with
his iastructiont to ti

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