The National Register.
London, England, 1811-04-07 00:00:00

►NAL

jesty, to defray the expence of Ordnance for his Majesty's Lead
Forces for the present year.
Mr. Wasnasid, that he wa; anxious to take that opportunity
of saying every few words upon a subject, yielding to no other
in public inteaest, and which the nature of the resolution now-
before them brought fairly within their consideration. He
alluded to the late brilliant action fought upon the heights of
Barrosa. In the debate upon the proposition of thanks to Gen.
Graham, he was unwilling to divert for a moment the tide of
eurogium that was flowing in from all quarters upon the distin-•
guished merits of that day, by introducing any other subject
than that of the British General and his British army. But was
it to be endured, that "bile the British troops were performing
prodigies of valour in an unequal contest, that those allies, for
whose independence they-were fighting, should stand by the
•cold-blooded spectators of deeds, the bare recital of which
should have been enough to warm every man of them into a
hero ?—(Hear I hear 1) If, indeed, they had been so many
mercenaries. and bad been hired to fight for a foreign power
a behalf of a foreign cause ; if they had been so many
Swish Condottieri, in that case their breach of duty, however
nd-1%
culpab , would have been lea unaccountable, and perhaps more
excusable ; but here, where they were allies, bound to tbia
country iu obligationairmter thin ever before one nation owed
another—our brave Men lavishing those lives which their coun-
try had so muchbetter right to claim, in defence of that cause
in which those allies were principals-4n such a case, tamely to
look on while the contest between numbers and bravery hung
in doubtful issue, this did appear to him to betray an indiffence,
an apathy, which, if he could suppose it to prevail among the
Spaniards, must render In his mind, the cause of Spanish inde-
pendence altogether hopeless. (Here .Mr. Perceval betrayed
some symptoms of disapprobation.) He did not presume that
such was the general sentiment in Spain, but sure he was, that
what he had stated as to the conduct of the Spaniards in the
action of Barrosa, was the prevalent sentiment in the public
mind ; if that sentiment had been adopted 'upon false grounds,
what he had said then would have this good effect, if it had no
other, of giving the Right Hon. Gentleman an opportunity of
setting the public right in that respect. But to put it as a Ivies-
Ilion of policy, and not of gratitude, he should wish to know
from those Gentlemen who thought all along with Ministers
upon the question of the Spanish war, whether they continued
to hope For the cordial co-operation of the Spaniards ? At
Barrosa they were on Spanish ground—on the spot where they
might have won the rescue of their wives and children from the
bonds of a licentious enemy. When or wile e could they have
had stronger motives to behave like men ? And if they hung
back in such a moment, at what other could they be relied on ?
Gentlemen would not, he presumed, talk of any prospect of suc-
cess without the co-operation of the Spaniards themselves.—
They would not talk of this country conquering France in Spain
in spight of Spain herself. We did not wish to libel Spun--
(Hear ! hear ! from Minis Ap.) /fie repeated that he did not.
It was not of Spain as a people, I;ut of Spain as a Government,
he complained. He was not :o `il.nd to history, or tie lessons
affords as it to suppose a people Ns Da had produced a Pizarro, a
Gonzalvo' a Doke of Parma, Alva Dr a Berri, could voluntarily
submit to be slaves ; but their misfortunes were to be traced 5.,
their Government—a had Civil Government and a bad Religious
Government have been doing their bad work. Juntas—Juntas
without number---then we had Proviional Juntas, which who
were told were to do wonders. They, however, gave way to
the Central Juntas, and left the wonders to be done by them.-.
And lastly came the Cortes, as useless, inefficacious, and trou-
blesome as any of its predecessors, if not more so. They began
by fulminating an ostentatious decree against some French
words—excluding a few French words from their language,
while 900,000 Frenchmen were in possession of their country—
.and finally succeeding in driving from Spain one of her most
zealous, faithful, and active adherents, the late Duke of Alber-
querque. After some other observations, the Honourable
Gentleman concluded by asking, if it was to be endured; that
such men as General Graham and his army were to be sub-
ject to the command of such a mau as La Penas had shewn
himself to be. .

Mr. PERCEVAL admitted those reasons to be satisfactory.—
He agreed with the Honourable Gentleman as to the propriety
of forbearanee from any, discussion upon the late Vote of
Thanks. The dispatch of General Graham did not justify the
Honourable Gentleman in terming the two Spanish battalioi s
cold-blooded spectators. He saw no reason fur despair in the
' Spanish cause.

Mr. WHITBREAD observed, that the Right Honourable
Gentleman had spoken like the advocate of the Spaniards • they
must be defended at all events. No matter bow ! And yet
what was it that was attempted to be defended ? The English
army was OR the point of being sacrificed.—The Spaniards were
in sight of them, within 10 minutes quick march of thcm !—•
and yet whit did they t What were they t Why, Just what