The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-02-25 00:00:00

-.-7-

would it bold out to the world to say, that en an
thirsts of tire, they had adjourned a debate of shell
importance. Considering, therefore, it would
answer no good purpose, be should oppose die
adjour 1111 l era.
The Motion was at last withdrawn, by the con-
currence of both' aides of the House; and,
Mr. WINDHAM resumed the consideration of the
subject. Ile declared, that under the unforturfate
circumstance winch had just occurred, he should
endeuvour to confine himself as closely as possible
to the subject immediately before them, to which
he considered the Speech they had just heard as
having nothing whatever to the purpose, composed
as it was of as eulogium ou the Spaniards. audit
dissertation on Bonaparte. Anlfither topic of the
Right llonourable Gerstleutan's Speech was, the
hopes he entertained of the future successes,
that were to be expected from the contest ; these
he considered as coming tether awkward, tinder
the present eireitrustances. it certainly was ei-
ther ill-timed, ut the usoniesit when our troops
were withdraws), to say to the Spaniards, follow
your own course, and you must succeed ;
this was certainly au odd time fur reading to them
lectures upon fortitude. But he would go back is".
little to consider the plan pursued. It was agreed
on all hands that the crisis offered by Spain was
greater than any that hail ever before occurred : on
the other hand, there were never such means of-
fered of taking advantage of it, as the country
had put into the hands of the Government, and
this with one voice ; there was iso opposition, either
from within or without, but men of all deserip-
tions, however opposite their motives, had joined
in support Of the cause. The event of all this was
absolute and total discomfiture, and yet they &lyre
told there was no ground for condemnation. Now
whether our misfortunes were to be attributed to
mischance or mismanagement, would it be said
there was not ground tor iuryairy ? Lit them only
consisler the C•allUet amid the consetpieticess The
former consist el of too parts, the sending a force
into Port iti;tl, and the a:lvaiwing it flow thence
into `pain. Why, he would ask, when so fir hawk
as the second of Nlay, or even before, Ministers
knowing of ilte desires of the tioanisli maim' for
ussictaiwe, was no step tsken to ailvaitee the cause?
As under the then existing circumstances, a varie-
ty of expeilittints were at liberty for heimf
employed, if it was known, as it utast be, that
Junnt was, its a manner, from his situation, cut off
from all insistence, why 'list ti.ey press, as it were,
General Wellesley's expedition into Portugal ?
For his part, he could see no other inntive thus,
that of wavering glory for, the gallant (leiter:lL—.
He was of this op • at the time of' the expedi-
' troth and he then feared rather that he might go
ties .1/011 than too late. Ile should he glad to
know, did the Chancellor of the Exchequer Ilium
the elorious uncertainty of war, es well us that
of his own profession? because Junot had his choice
what course Ise should take, he chose to advance,
and he was sore of his faint., by having it its Isis
power ta sure :rider, as the worst that valid hap-
pen—but see what was the merit of Ministers ?
Junot might, if he had so pleased, hare retired
to-tole wit anis" and its doing AO, v mild not have
been got out until December, and thus ha, e pro-
tracted the war. so that los army could have been
ii•rinneed to the assistance of Spam. What them
lie *milt.' ask, under such au eveut would have hi gas
the use awn- 3u,non men, except its au SITIIII or oft-
serratio.l, to watch the A;sition• of slition ? and he
did not know whin Bouanarte could have wished
for inure. 'f ire ignorance, 'Aso, of Al inistersof what
was to he dune, served to delay our army mail
the i ith of October, which marshes' forward
only to retreat with prvipitation, awl by adept-
ing two lines of ID treh, tell into the .t lotion:cot
danger, (ruin the ignorance of the country disobsy-
ed by those who gent them; an ignorance %hitch
rCilected no di.gruee on our armies, but on the
militury eounst Is which directed there. With
respect to the retreat upon Cormina, it was
a lucre chance our ships were there to carry
(OF our men. This coustituted the whole of
their campingti in Sitails, tending only to daunt
the ardoer of the country, by flying at the mere
report of :111 eueiny, mill they are told to esi on
fighting like no!sle fellows, while we arc inakiiig
"Jr ewer ! But let tilts be as it may, he
contruiled, (het such a,ss the iniscooduct of
Ministers, that the consequences t In: the
Same under tier,. eireninstance.—Tha Honourable
Geritleman eonelutled with saying, how such mat-
ter, vs conducted; about(' not become so object of
inquiry he was at a loss to conceive.
111 v. iltrituaar said that the House and the
country had surely an right to call for some juror-
metion upon what ground ass enterprise like this ,
has beeu undertaken—in enterprise as distressing?
if trot as disgraceful, its this country was ever ea.
gaged in. Ile was at a loss to know what pro.
ventral our armies from pursuing their object.
Three months ago papers hail been nerved for of
the hist monism given to our-( generals—bat tw sec`
papers had appeated. He therefore contended that
we had a right to be informed with what view our
army had 'keen scut there, and upon what Wore
minion this 'measure was undertaken.
Lord CASTIASKAGH, its explanation, said that
the reason why the papers moved for, alluded to
by the Hou. Gentleman, were not prOduced, was
owing to their being extremely volsimitiouts.
Earl Peace said it was universally admitted,
that this army was the finest ever sent from this
country, and whether they had failed in their ob-
ject through the misguidance of their Generals, or
the inismanagemeut of Ministers, alike demanded
that the people of this country should hate the
best inform:mots upon the subj. et. Ile should
therefore vote for the original motion.
Mr. MUTCIIINAON only wished to ask one toes.
tiou of the Right Ilan. Gentleman opposite. vie.
whether Sir Joins Moore commenced his retreat in
consequence of' the letter he received from Mr.
Frere, or in consequence of' the intercepted letter ?
Mr. CANNING said, that Mr. ,Frere's remon-
strance was against the retreat. (Question ! pies-
tiun !,/
Mr. PONSONNY, in a most able reply, said, he
was at a loss to iimienstand what the Right Hon.
Oaastleaseis opposite could mean by the manner in
which they lied replied to his motion. The um-
tem he had submitted were 1 hat an inquiry
should be gone into." His motion hod uotbing to
do with the precise mode its which that inquiry-