The National Register.
London, England, 1811-04-14 00:00:00

THE NAtIONALR,EGISTER-.

r2rN

fluence on the ComMittee. It would be right that Portugal and
the world should know the superiority of the British character
aver the character of that enemy that unceasingly calunmiates
this country. As to the calumnies which that enemy had, vi p-
tured to throw out with respect to the military chOracter of the
•eoutitry, those had been sufficiently removed by the Many glo-
rious victories. which had been gained over him by land as well
Ss by sea. I he enemy, however, ventured to aceuse this nation
of barbarity, andto speak of his own humane and merciful con-
duct to those nations which were committed to his sway. lb
the addres.s. published by Massena at Ciudad Rodrigo, there are
the following assertions; 66 England deceives you respecting the
issue of a campaign in which she seems determined to run no
risk. The great Napoleon bas sent his armies to relieve you.—
The powerful Sovereign, whose laws, strength, and genius, re-
ceive the grateful praises of so many nations, wishes to establish
your prosperity. Put yourselves under his protection. Remain
quiet ars your habitations; attend to your domestic affairs : and
consider those only as your enemies, who excite you Ito a
war, by every event of which your country must soften"—
The Portuguese have already sufficiently experienced the
humanity of Massena and his army ; and it was nothing but
right that they should perceive the great difference of national
character between their allies and their invaders. How often
had the Maniteur held out to Europe, "that the English were
good for nothing as allies to any country—that they laid waste
all the districts which they occupied; while, on the contrary,
in all those countries which were occupied by French troops,
the warehouses were secure, and the'shops were open as in
times of prof3und peace." Such was the contrast which the
41Ioniteur was pleased to draw of the characters of the two
nations. The statement of the French General Foy, as inserted
ih the Manitear, says, " the conduct of the English is incon-
ceivable : they have entirely laid waste, burnt, and destroyed,
seventy leagues of territory; a circumstance Bich chews to
the Continent—the fate it would experience, if they should ever
obtain any infltu there. Por: ugal has been treated like Ben-
gal, after the Indian fashion." Such were the accusations that
the enemy ventured to make against us; but he tnisted that the
Portuguese nation were already firmly convinced of the false-
hood Of those assertions; and that they would have still farther
cause to saupreciate. I be superiority of our character and conduct.
As to .the conduct of the French upop their retreat, it has
been deadribed,liy Lord Wellington.ip • the following manner :
" I am concerned to be obliged to state, that their conduct
throughout this retreat has been marked. by a barbarity seldom
equalled, and never surpassed. Even in the towns of Torn s
Novas and Thomat, in which the head-quarters of some of the
corps had been for some months, and in which the inba'sitants
had been induced by promises of good treatment to remain,
they were plundered, and many of their houses destroyed, on
the night the enemy removed from their position. The con-
vent of Alcobara was burnt by orders from the French head-
quarters. The Bishop's palace, and the whole town of Leyria,
ih which General Drouit Ifad his hea&quarters, shared the
settle fate; and. there is not an inhabitant in the country of any
class or description who had any dealings or communication
with the French army, who had slot reason to repent it and
complain of them. This is the mode in
have
the promises have
been perforated, and the assurances have been fulfilled, which
were held out in, the proclamation of the French Commander
in Chief, in which lie told the inhabitants of Portugal, that he
was nut come to make war upon them, but with a powerful
army of 110,000 men to drive the English into the sea. It is to
be hoped, that the example of what has occurred in this coon-
try, will teach the-people of this and of every other nation, what.
value they ought to place on such promises and assurances."
Such wiiittheboaiited humanity of the enemy. The humanity
of the British nation, however, should lie shewn, not in pro-
fessions, but in affording relief. He conceived, that whatever
might be the result of the military operations now carrAig on
in the Penittsula, whether (as he hoped) the retreat of the
French army from Portugal was final, and the independente of
that country now perfectly assured, or whether France should
he AO to retie7W thi invasion, and deluge that country with
htindreds of thousands, in either case he thought it would not
only be right, but for the interest of this country and of Eu-
rope, that the superior generosity of the British national cha-
racter should be perfectly known and , duly appreciated, in or-
der that other nations may repose in this country that eonhdence
to which she is entitled. There was also another point of view
in which it apppeared to him that we should agree to Rlns grant.
It would be right tO express the gratitude we feel to that saper-
iatending Providence which had lately bestowed signal suc-
cess on our arms. Without presumption, he thought we might
conceive that an act of national benevolence, such as this, would
be pleasing hi his sight; to whoise support we trust for the final
success of• our exertions-in delivering our allies from the dread-
ful yoke which the enemy is preparing for them, apd foram
sting security and huppitiest of our country. With all these

considerations pressing on hip mind, he thonght the only cen-
sure he should expo,e LiniselE to iu thi motion he had to sub-
mit, was from the grant he had to propose appettring.too strait
19r the exigency, and fox the sympathy which this country tkelo
for the distresses which Portugal is now suffering from hor tkle•
lity to the common cause. It was neceisary, however, to take
all the circ,unstances of this country as well as of Portugal into
the Most serious and ttinperate consideration; and when the
great expenditure of the country was taken into vie.v, wiieb
must make ua feel the full value of every additional sum which
we grant, he hoped there would he no opposition to the resolu-
tion which he' had to propose, " that a sum not riceetling one
hundred thousand pounds, should be granted to his Majesty,
for the purpose of affording relief to the inhabitants of certaih
districts in Portugal."—After the Chancellor of tlie Exchequar
had finished, t :ere were loud cries of hear / hair ! from all
parts of the House.
Mr. PONSONTIr rose to second the motion. In most of the
observations which had been mac!t. by the ktight. honourable
Gentleman he entirelyacretd, and in the proposed grant.he
most cheerfully concurred. it was due to the spirit of Portu-
gal, to the magnanimity of Grrat Britain, and tErtbepermanent;
inter,•Sts of Great 13ritain, and els the permanent interests of
both countries. The•unly this:,; which he .had to regrvt was,
that from the great expenditure of the country, the grant WlB
necessarily limited to so small a sum.
The resolution was then passed nem-con. and the report of
the Committee of Supply was or-deiced to be received to-mor-
row.

The CitANcer.toit of the Rxci►rquiß then moved, that an
Address abouh.l b►• presented to the Plinee Regt•ut, praying
him to order a copy of the letter of I.urd Wetimr:c•i of the
27th of October, to be laid bef)rc the House, %ilich was or•
tiered accordingly.--Adjourned.

• --"7"
TlltmsDAY, APRIL 11. .‘
The Distillery Pill was read, a third time, anapassed.
Mr. Hog N it rose for the put-pose it putting the House in
possession of the nature of the resolutimis hr should propose on.
the discussion of the Bullion Report. The order which appeared
to him to be most advio•ah:r was this: first, to the law and
custom as to the standard yak': of money ; second, the Oevia-
tions from that law which had taken place; third, the czuses of
these deviations. He shoull then propufir two resolutions,
of fact, and another of opihion, Ls ta what appeared to the Com-
mitter, last Session, to be the state of the foreign exchange; anti
he should next propose the remedy, which• was the resumption
of payments in gold or silver, according to the ratesviix',4l by Act
of Parliament ur by Proclamation, within the period of two
years, as recommended in the Million Report.

DOLLARS.
Mr. MANNING rose to state. that the Pan% were now stamp-
ing a very considerable number of dAlars, which would be
issued in about a lt•rtnight, at U. ed. each. Those- persons.
therefore, 'would find theiwelves much nlistakeu who expected
to gain any thing by withholding .doUars fryni
.circulation. He
thought it right to state it i!ow, that a wrong impression should
not remain ori.the.public mind during the recess.—Adjuurnedto
Monday se'nnight.
• • •
REPORT OF THE QUEENS COUNCIL.
Mr. RYD k R presented at the liar of the House a Copy.of *ls
Communication road • Dv her Majesty's Council to the Presicleut
of his Maje.-ty'y Privy Council, respectitrg the state of his Ma-
jesty's health. •
The Report was then read. It was to the following pur- •
pOrt

Queen's Lodge:Windsor, April 0, 1811.

• raxstrrr, ,
Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Eldon,
Archbishop of York, I.ord Ellenborough,
Earl of \l'inchelsoa, Sir I'Vrn. Grant,
Earl of .AylestOssi,
(The Duke of Montrose being absent ou account of indispo-
sition).
We, the Members of the Commit here present, appointed to
assist her Majesty in the execut;on of the•truit comniitted to
her Majesty, by virtue of the Statute passed in the 5l st year of
his Majesty's Reign, intituled " An Act to provide for the Ad-
' ministration of the Royal Authority, and for the care of his Ma;
j:•sty's Royal Person (luring the continuance of his Majesty's,
illness, and for ..the resunivtion of the exercise of the Royal
Authority by his Majesty,' having called before us, and exa-
mined on oath the Physicians, and othe: persons attendant coin
his Majesty, and having ascertained the state of his Malesty's
Health by such other ways and means as appeared to us to b.
necessary for that purpose—do hereby declare the State of his
Majesty s Hea'th at the time of this our meeting as follows, viz.
1 hat the indirpoyslticon with which his Majesty was afflicted at
the time of the passing of the siid Act, does still so far exist.