The Sun.
London, England, 1838-08-05 00:00:00

J

he had gained. That there was a deficiency of cavalry in the army
is undeniable, but it seems to have been the opinion of most of the
competent judges, that the French might have been pursued with ad-
vantage at the close of the battle of Vimiera, when a positive veto,
independently of Sir Arthur Wellesley was put upon that proceed-
ing. However it might have been the opinion of Sir Arthur Wel-
lesley at that time, that under the circumstances—his victory not
having been followed, and the French having retained their posi-
tion at Torres Vedras, it was prudent to gain that advantage by
negociation which could not be commanded by the sword. It must
not be assumed that Sir Arthur concurred in the details of that nego-
ciation and in the consequent Convention, for it is notorious that
the Convention was drawn up and settled without appeal to his judg-
ment; and when he was called in to put his signature to it; he did
so, and immediately passed the instrument across the table towards
his superior officer, who, upon this occurrence, said to Sir Arthur,
" Have you read the document ?" To which he replied, " I have,
and a most extraordinary document I think it is ?" If it be said, why
then did Sir Arthur sign it ? Let those who ask that question consider,
whether, under the extraordinary supersession of Sir Arthur 'Wel-
lesley by Sir Harry Burrard on one day, and of Sir Harry Burrard
by Sir Hew Dalrymple on the next day—both equally setting
aside the commander in whom the troops had, even at that early
period, by far the stronger confidence, the discipline and subordina-
tion of the army would not have been greatly endangered, if there had
been any appearance of disagreement or collision between Sir Arthur
Wellesley and those other Generals. Here then appears to have
bean a remarkable instance of cautious discretion, self-command,
and devotedness to the interests. of, his country in this great and
distinguished man. Leaving these facts and considerations, how-
ever, to speak for themselves, we 'must observe that the Conven-
tion produced great dissatisfaction in the public mind, while the
victory gave a great stimulus to hope, for it had been obtained
by English soldiers exclusively over the arrayed legions of
Bonaparte. The spell was from that moment broken which
had bound the mind and arm of Europe, and Bonaparte was
made to feel that he must recover the Peninsula and chase away
the English, or fight for his own throne.
Sir Arthur Wellesley was ordered home to attend the inves-
tigation on the Convention of Cintra, and Sir John Moore pro-
ceeded from Lisbon, on October 26, 1808, on that fatal expe-
dition into ' Spain which' ended by the remains of the English
force embarking at Corunna, after the death of that gallant
Officer. . Probably Sir Arthur regretted that he was not a sharer
in that campaign; but Providence reserved for him an undeviat-
ing career of success, and we may thank the Convention of
Cintra for preventing Sir Arthur from being a sharer in the
unfortunate expedition, under the able and gallant Sir John Moore,
for relieving him from the fetters of authority, • which, had he con-
tinued subject to, must have cramped and neutralised the exer-
cise of his energies and his talents. How far he would have been
obnoxious to the jealousy, envy, and malignity of those above him
in command, and to what degree the pulic service might have

suffered from undue control, had the investigation on the Con-
vention of Cintra not oocurred, may, in some degree, be estimated
by the following extraordinary fact; namely, that on the arrival
of one of Sir Arthur , Wellesley's superior officers, in Portugal, he,
as was hi; duty, immediately laid before that officer an explanation
of the relative positions of the two armies, stating that it had been
his intention to attack the French at day-break on the following
morning, and submitting that he still considered it desirable that
the attack should be made ; a peremptory veto, however, was put
upon the propcsed attack, by authority which it would not havek
become him to resist ; and Sir Arthur, after a short interval, took
his leave. Scarcely had he quitted the presence of the
exclaimedunder whose o mandate
t;tl
Captain
s attackor
the
Britishwas
was
thatas
p:oe.ffis.ecre.t,r;
" D—n that fellow ; I think I have put a spoke in his wheelt's'ini
These word needs no comment, they show at once the patriositc..
wisdom, and justice, which dictated them, and are more than tno,,
cient to shield the fame of Sir Arthur Wellesley from all share
et
responsibility for any errors committed in the operations o.t. !"
army, or of its supreme Commanders, between the time of his first
supersession, and the recal of himself and others to
investigation into the Convention of Cintra. Many of the friends
,
of Sir Arthur were of opinion that he ought; and they strongly
urged him, to bring this extraordinary act to light before the Board
of Officers at Chelsea, appointed to try the merits of the Cintra
whom the
question, but he declined, although the. Naval officer to
above exclamation had been made, remained a week or more in Lon
don, on leave of absence from the Board of Admiralty, for the ex
of Inquiry' press purpose of giving evidence before the Courtattend the
this effect. When we consider how large a share • of bam:Y:o
s,
at the time, cast upon Sir Arthur for his supposed participation in
all that related to the Convention of Cintra,' how deeply his in-
terests through life were likely to be affected by such imputations,
however unfounded, and that it was imossible for bins to know,
at that time, that he would ever have], an' o ortunity of rising
above those disadvantages, it is difficult to imagine any motive for
his conduct, which does not reflect the, highest honour on his for-
bearance,' his magnanimity, and his paramount regard for the public
interests, which might have been severely injured by an open avowal
of all these exculpatory matters.
Till he returned to Lisbon after the Convention of Cintra,
through the period of his absence at Copenhagen and in Portugal
the first time, Sir Arthur Wellesley continued to hold the situation
of Chief Secretary for Ireland. Such an unexampled circumstance
led to inquiries in the House of Commons ; and Sir Arthur stated
that he continued to hold the office at the 'express desire of the Duke
of Richmond. On his return both from Copenhagen and Lisbon
he resumed hi; duties, and took no inactive part, as Secretary
for Ireland, in the business of the House of Commons in 1809.
At the same time it must be remarked, as the only instance we
know of his receiving any portion of the public money with the
least appearance of impropriety, that he' continued to receive the
salary of the office during his absence, but he justly alleged that

hOldinig the office he.. was obliged to be at the expense of keeping
up the whole establishment. He was certainly neither an idle
nor an inefficient Chief Secretary, when in England; and the
Dublin police, with some other useful establishments, attest his
activity and discernment.
In the spring of 1809 Sir Arthur returned to Lisbon and as-
sumed the chief command of the British troops, never afterwards
to lay it down, and never again to quit the Peninsula, till he
entered France at the head of his victorious troops, and saw
the signatures to the general peace appended at Paris. There
now intervened five arduous but glorious years. Greatly assisted
during the first by the enthusiasm of the Spaniards, who harrassed
and occupied the French armies, rather than by the' skill of the
Spanish Generals, who Here vain, ignorant, and obstinate, Sir
Arthur was enabled to act on the offensive, and setting out from
Lisbon for the north, he assailed and defeated Marshal Soult at
Oporto, and then turned to the south and assailed and defeated
Marshal Victor at Talavera. The latter was a hard fought and
bloody field; and nobly did Sir Arthur deserve the title of Viscount
Wellington, the thanks of Parliament, and the pension which were then
accorded him. The defeat of the English under Sir John Moore in
the north of Spain at the beginning of the year was amply revenged by
the triumphs of Wellington before its close.
At the commencement of 1810, however, Buonaparte, by his
alliance with Austria and the German States, being completely
secure in that quarter, was quite at liberty, till the contest with
Russia began in 1811 and 1812, to bend all his efforts' to subdue
the Spaniards, and drive the English from the Peninsula.
s,
Ac-
cordingly, Marshal Massena, at the head of 70,000 well-appointed
troop entered Portugal in June, 1810. Then began on the part
of the Duke of Wellington, who had previously fortified the lines
of Torres Vedras, forming, with the British troops to defend
them, an impassable rampart, those cautious and Fabian tactics,
which proved that the impetuous victor of Assaye, and the rapid
militaryupards
of
five
v e genius.
assailant of Soult and Victor, could, when his art demanded it, be
as phlegmatic and resolute as a Dutchman, determined to die in
his last ditch. If Lord Wellington gained immense honour by
his offensive operations in 1809, his defensive tactics in 1810-11
were, in the opinion of good judges, a still higher proof of his
was
completely baffled, and after occupying a strong position in front
of Lord Wellington's entrenchments, unable to penetrate them, for
months, Massena
Massena, with his mighty force,
Massena finally broke up, and retreated in
T the beginning of March, 1811. Thus was Portugal defended by
British arms ; and from the mountains of Torres Vedras sallied
forth those bands of veterans which soon afterwards drove the
French out of Spain.
In 1811 it was again Lord Wellington's turn to become the
assailant. Though his means, compared to the immense power of
England, were unworthy of her, and though he was feebly sup-
ported by the Spaniards and Portuguese, his commanding skill
and undaunted spirit overcame all obstacles. We cannot, how-
ever, follow him in his brilliant career; alternately opposed to

Marshals Massena, Soult, Marmont, and Victor, and alternately
triumphing over them all. We can do no more than natice that
in 1811 and in 1812, he captured, after long and severe sieges.
Almeida, Cuidad Rodrigo, and Badajos ; that he gained a corn.
plete victory at Salamanca; while his Generals, under his direc-
tions, were successful in a great multitude of lesser battles. In
1813 he took the field with increased advantages. Ile defeated
the French at Vittoria, encamped on the Pyrenees, and caused his
old antagonist, Marshal Soult, to be sent expressly from Ger-
many to oppose him. Lord Wellington then carried St. Sebastian
by storm, compelled Pampeluna to surrender, and crossed into
France. The winter suspended operations, though in the midst of
its intense severity both parties again took the field, and General
(now Lord) Hill obtained a brilliant victory at Bayonne, on De-
cember 12. Till February after this both armies remained in their
cantonments. Then they were put in motion, and the battles of
Orthez and of Toulouse finally closed the murderous but successful
comblts, which, on the side of Spain aiding the successes of the Allies
on the side of Germany, compelled Buonaparte to resign the throne
and take refuge in Elba, and established the short peace of 1814.
The rewards which the nation usually bestows followed the
victories of Viscount Wellington. He had been created successively
in 1812 Earl and Marquis, and in 1814 Duke of Wellington ;
and successively be had annuities of one, four, two, and thirteen
thousand, or a round sum of four hundred thousand pounds con-
ferred on him, while it was intended that • the nation should
establish another Blenheim, to transmit the memory of his deeds
and its gratitude to the latest posterity. ,He had been succes-
sively raised to the rank of Lieutenant-General, Full General,
and Field Marshal, uniting in his own person the highest civil
and military rank which it was in the power of the Crown to
bestow. Spain had raised him to a Grandee of the first class; he
was a Captain-General of her armies and Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo.
In Portugal he had been created Duke of Vittoria, Marquis of Torres
Vedras, and Count of Vimiera. He was also Marshal General of
her armies. Loaded with all these honours, he returned to
England in June 1814, after an absence of five years. On June
28th, he took his seat in the House of Lords for the first time ; and
his various patents of creation were all then read. ' He bad left
--
England a Commoner-ho returned equal or superior to all but
the very highest in the land. Great as must have been his triumph
and his pleasure on that day, yet there was one persondw o
wit-
nessed his reception, ' whose pleasure, wholly unalloyte n proba-
bly surpassed his own. His mother, Lady Mornidnuguod, heard
to the
her son's patents of nobility read, and saw him introduced
There was
Peers by the Dukes of Beaufort and Richmond.
another lady also present who should have been equally delighted ;
but it is understood, though she shared his
like blighted and
honours, that the
Duchess of Wellington mourned oversomething
neglected affection. She was the third daughter of the Earl of
Longford, and married to the Duke
_i in t;. The story runs that
they were mutually attached in early but from prudential
motives postponed their union, till a long absence had killed affec-
.