The National Register.
London, England, 1811-04-28 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL RF,GISTER.

Ministers had stated to my Lord Wellington the amenity of st-
turinz, Portugal, but this direction was substantial,/ lirdited. to
the strength .and fastnesses of Lisbon, where, tiiseiltt al/NJ:mud. •
her salvation. His Lordship, accordingly ventured flu further
than the frontier of Portugal, waiting to take advantak,se.4if any
occasion favourable to his views; and yet, while he was eniploy-
ed in dettending the banks of the Coa, he was not km assiducius*
in strengthening the banks of the Tagus. When he retired to
astron, it was done in order to compel the enemy to eLhatist
the country upon the produce of which they had designed to
subsist ; the enemy chose not to attack him there. Casualty, as
connected with the success of my Lord Wellington, was the
most untast species of criticism that could be made upon that
Noble Lord, whose plans had been formed from
in the first—
and formed actual contemplation of the experienced re-
sult. [Mime the Right Honourable Gentleman referred to
extracts from certain dispatches from Lord Wellington, cor-
roborative of this portion of his epeech. j Ministers were told
to thank their stars and be quiet; but he, for one, while he
thanked his stars—it he was to thank them, and while he
thanked God, since him he did thank--must still proclaim the
merits of the distinguished Commander who had bets' the means
of working out this deliverance!—(Hear, hear, kear!)—Let
them revert to the advantages accruing from it, as affectiug our
.alhes, the result of the campaign afforded the chance of at least
another year's struggle for their liberty-. as to ourselves, we
had the satisfation of reflecting that Britain, after a long and
::rdous contest with France, never stood higher in mili•ary esti-
mation. Our Generals, who had out-generalled those of France,
and troops, %Aso had subdued her's, were now ready, should
die worst come, to repel the invader from our shores. Nur
would the lesson he lost on France, though time alone could
disclose its effects :—still it was not possible that the world could
last long under the tyranny of its ruler; and we, by assisting the
Peninsula, might, under Divine Providence., be the means of
t:upporting that spot where France would receive her death-
wound, if not find her grave. This was the feelieg and the
lanp,uage which we were not unauthorised to cherish and to
hold; and he therefore called upon the House to give its thanks
to those who had placed us in circumstances which emboldened
es to talk sush language, and to feel such feelings.—(Hear, hear,
Lear!)—.. Ile character of Lord Wellington would be embalmed
in the memory of posterity; it was a character to which no de-
s,:ription of his could render justice; it was one which the his-
torian would delight to trace, in better and happier times, and
which it would be his ambition adequately to delineate, and
extensively to perpetuate.—The Right Hon. Gentleman (kir.
Perceval) concluded by moving. the Thanks of the House to
General Lord Viscount Wellington; and to the Officers, and the
Army, serving in Portugal.
Mr. CANN! NO (thsequestion of Thanks being put) rose, ex-
pressing the pleasure which he had anticipated in having the
honour and happiness to second the motion of his Right Hon.
Friend (Mr. Perceval), yet he was in doubt wht the: he had not
better leave the question with the mover. Cases occurred in
which it was equally difficult to speak or to be silent. If, not-
withstanding, he still felt inclined to trouble the House, he was
induced to do this in consideration of the means by which the
country had been raised to its present high elevation. He beg-
ged, therefore, to observe to the House,that it was not any single
campaign for which they were called upon to vote Thanks;—it
was the consummation of two years of indefatigable application,
and, this, too, under discouragements from th ,se who might at
least have suotained his spirits.—(Hear, hetfr, hear !)--W hen
Portugal was originally selected for the theatre of our military
struggle with France, it was owned that great difficulties lay in
the way of our success; and that, in proportion to the magnitude
of those dilicultlee, would be the honour of a auccessful reault. It
was natural to picture the situation of my Lord Wellington, who,
after the fatigues of the day, harr.sed by the enemy, yet looking
home for sources of consolation, and meeting there with nothing
but calculations as to his miscarriage and prognostics of defeat!
One could not help imagining him saying, in the solitude of
night,—"l will not use words, but my deeds shall speak for
me." If there was in history any character to be a imired,
it
was this description of character.—( Hear, hear, hear!)-phis
struggle had been made, inui made successfully, and had com-
pletely counteracted the hitherto too prevalent notion, whether
some eternal fatality had not, as to us, separated the trident
from the sword.—(Hear, hear, hear! 2—lt was not merely the
salvation of Portugal, but the exaltation of Great Britain, that
had been effected. NVith our command over the resources of
Portugal, and our present ascendancy over the spirits of itsin-
habitants, we had every thing to hope tor. Great diversity of
opinion had existed as to the mode in which it was best to assist
the Peninsula: some were for aiding with money and supplies,
though others going turther, yet nut far enough, were valiant
enough to make demonstrations, or diversions, on its coasts.
Coast expeditions he understood when undertaken against an
enemy. but he tlought them ridiculous ‘‘ ben meant for the

261 .

assistance of friends, on whose shores we were permitted to
and encouraged to fight.—lt was of infinite i!'iportance.,
indeed,
had, in tin, struggle, perfected cm- military
character; laid that, i:: doing this, we bad given to the enemy
a sample ut what his ti• ?pa might hereafterkripect itt our ha'tds
—a sample that was not likely to encourage them in their
famous project of invading this land. The sal, • that
our arms had accomplished for our allies was also of ousider-
. able moment. He wishe.,!, utv, rtheles.•. that otner woggles
should not be unadvisedly undertakeil to Holland).
since premature resistance was likely to terminste only
in perpetual shivery. . Too sudden r ~•••istance to Lire des.
putism of France was' in such a case to asVadirig
to more dreadful results. It was better fee -plc to res,Arv.e
themselves in that moat Hopeless state 6.1 things, for a more fa-
vourable opportunity. He trusted that the noble conduct top
Lord Wellington would be held up as a Model.worrhy of imita- •
tion tothe other quarters of Eurcpe, which were treVenbeiow
the despotism of France. That tenipz-Lance of valour, that pm-
dent forbearance, that conciliatory andthat humanity
of warfare, were lessons to the Continent ; and glorious war-
rants for ourselver, that wherever we should have occasion to
send my Lord W,iidigr.ou, the like bright success weuld follow
on the Sal'.` ry.tem of warfare. They promiat us that when-
ever we :..ay carry our arms, either to the assistance ofdiatressed
kingdoms, or in the closer cause of our country, we shall find
ourselves iinfrovid Dy-the example of a Wellington. •
General .7 arletoti. general Fur;olson, Lord George Gren-
ville, and j.lr. eonsonby, -said a-few wores. After which the
Motion was put and agreed to, aniid loud and repeated cries of
—(Hear, hear !),..from all sides of the House.
The. CLIAN C &WAR also moved.
" That the Thanks of the House be presoate'd to the Por-
tuguese Troops, o!Ecera and Men, ;il-vii,L; in the Army of Gen.
Beresfielr,whicli w.is agreed to•ntet..criit.
The Vote of Thanks was ordered to be drawn o'it and cent-
munic;Aed to my 1 Wellingtota, and to the Of:cera and Sol-
diers under his command.
'1 he Army Extraorditl-ries were then voted, and,. after some
routine business, the elm's:: adjourned.