Star.
London, England, 1809-01-26 00:00:00

unfortunate situatioh lrl which onr troops
ed. When that inquirii should take place,
it would be proved that Onearrny did
Lisbon at the worst season of the yea
Spain where their serVices could be of
He regretted to have heard one expresstk
his Noble Friend (Lord Moira) that
country. He could not agree that this was a sinking
country, nor could it be so whilst we. had sack troops
to defend us as those which had achieved the victory,
for which they were now properly and justly called
upon to vote thanks ; whilst we had troops who had
now proved themselves superior to the Trench in in-
fantry, in cavalry, and artillery, in short, in all the
branches of service.
Lerd ERSKINE said, that whether the Noble
Lord (Earl Mob a) was out of order, in adverting to
the misconduct of Ministers in their plans of the cam-
paign, upon a motion to thank the Officers who had
terminated it so much beyond the expectation of the
public, was a question he was not particularly quali-
fied to determine. But of this he was sure, that his
observations were inseparable from every honeit or
rational feeling on the subject. Was it possible to
deplore the loss of friends whom we loved, and of
men whose lives were- precious to their country in a
most awful crisis, without lamenting in bitterness that
they were literally immolated by the ignorance 'and
folly of those who now wished to cover their own
disgrace, by the just and natural feelings of the pub-
lic, towards men who had died for their country ?
But for their immortal renown it would have been
better for them, certainly much better for their coun-
try, to have shbt them upon the Parade of St. James's
Park, than to have sent them, not to suffer the
noble risque of soldiers, and in a practicable cause,
but to endure insufferable, ignoble, and useless mi-
sery, in a march to the very centre of Spain, v2-.en
they who sent them knew that Bonaparte had -above
an hundred thousand men before them, so as to ren-
der attack not only impracticable, but retreat only
possible, by the noble unparalleled exertions they
were assembled to commemorate : and what sort of
a retreata retreat leaving upon the roads and in
the mountains of Spain from 8 to 9000 of our brave
men, dying of fatigue, without one act of courage to
sweeten the death of a soldier. What could then be
a more disgusting and humiliating spectacle than to
see the Government of this great Empire, in such a
fearful season, in the hands of men who seem not fit
to be a vestry in the smallest parish. He felt as much
forthefame •fthe immortal officer deceased, as ahy of

their Lordships possibly could. He knew him well.
He lived in terms of intimacy with his family, and
he admired his superior talents. He had another In-
terest in the fame of the victory. Though the two
countries were united so as to have long put an end
to all national prejudices, he might be forgiven if• he
felt pride and exultation that his smaller country had
more than contributed its quota to the glory of the
United Empire. He felt pride and exultation that
Sir John Moore was a native of Scotland; that Baird
was a native of Scotland ; that Hope was a native of
Scotland ; that Fraser and M,Kenzie were natives of,
Scotland ; that Anstruther was a native of Scotland ;
and that Ferguson was a native of Scotland. But
this national pride only increased his indignation, to
see such men and such sources utterly thrown away
and lAst, by the total want of capacity in those who
misdirected their efforts.
Lord GRENVILI.E also entirely concurred in
the motion, and praised in the highest terms the con-
duct of Sir John Moore. They were called upon, it
was true, to vote Thanks for a success, which was
followed by a retreat, but the success belonged to the
Army and its Commander, the retreat to those who
sent them, and whO placed them in such a situation,
that a safe retreat could alone be looked to ; for the
folly and incapacity which dictated such conduct, Mi-
nisters must answer to their country. It was, indeed,
a sinking country, if such mismanagement was suffered
to continue, situated as we were in the midst of perils
and difficulties unexampled in the history of the coun-
try. The hand of PROVIDENCE appeared to be on us ;
within three years we had lost two great Statesmen, in
whose talents the country reposed the greatest confi-
dence ; a great Naval Commander who had carried
the navy to a pre-eminence which it never before en-
joyed, and now a great Military Chieftain, whose
talents were of the first order, and than whom no one
possessed in a greater the skill and science of
an able Commander—deAreeetrusted that every tribute
of gratitude would be paid to Sir John Moore. The
last expression of that excellent Officer was a wish
that justice might be done to his memory, and he
trusted that that wish would be complied with and
i carried into effect, and that his last dispatches would
be published in order to do justice to his conduct.
The Earl of WESTMORLAND recalled to the
recollection of Noble Lords opposite, the Expedi-
tions to Alexandria, to Constantinople, and South
America, and expressed his surprise that they did
not at those periods state, that all the blame of unfa-
vourable military events was to be attributed to Mi-
nisters.
The motion was agreed to nem. Airs. as were also a
motion approving of and acknowledging the services
of the Non-Commissioned Officers and Soldiers, a
motion of Thanks to Rear-Admirals De Courcy and
Sir Samuel Hood, K. B. for their assistance, and
another, approving of, and acknowledging the ser-
vices of the Seamen and Marines upon that occasion.
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.

Lord AUCKLAND moved for an Account of
Exports and imports for three years ending the 10th
of October, 1808, and a similar account ending the
sth of January, 1809, as soon as they could respec-
tively be =damp, which, after a short conversation,
was ordered.
Adjourned till to-morrow (this day).

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
RELIEF OF DEBTORS.
Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY gave notice of a motion, for leave
to bring in a Bill to extend the benefit of an Act of the 39A1 Geo.
11. for the relief of debtors, to all persons confined for contempt
of Court in equity cases, not having paid money into Court pur-
suant to order.

DEPREDATIONS IN PLYMOUTH DOCL.
Mr. LYGON moved, that the House do go into a Committee
to consider the best mode of preventing depredations in Plymouth
Dock-yard, to-morrow (Thursday) sc'nnight.—Ordered.
DEBTORS IN KING'S BENCH PRISON.
1- Sir THOMAS TURTON said, that he held in his hand a Pe-
tition from persons confined in the King** Bench Prison (arnoun-
I ting in number to 367), for debt. The grievanoes suffered by the
petitioners were such as, he feared, were generally felt in the jails
throughout the kingdom ; and those grimaces were cot a little

of prodisloff• -
this matter before the House,
'it ca pp by a Noble Lord
_ then brought tigrand ordered
'Afftttlls OF AIX-I\bll,lN MB-
-:mkacr COMMISSIONERS.
Vont the. Site Chief Secretory et Ire-
land, presented at the Bar the 34th Report of the Conunlsuoners
of Accounts in Ireland; and also the 7th Report of the Commis-
sioners appointed to inquis..e -into and.EMolumenti
certain Offices in Ireland.—Ordered to fie on the table.
NEW WRIT FOR P-00EE, ETC.
Mr. Secretary CANNING said, -that, in consequence of the;
question put by a Noble Lord yesterday, relative to the appoint;
silent of an Honourable Member of that House to the. Cone
sul-Generalship of Portugal, he had • endeavoured to mak.,
himself more competent to satisfy the Noble Lord than either heir
or his Right Honourable Friend was yesterday. he appoint,!
mcnt had taken place, and he imagined that the. Gentleman in
question had, by that time, arrived at his destination.
Lord FOLKESTONE then gave notice, that he would to-mor-
row move for a New Writ for Poole.
A New Writ was moved for the 'Borough of Pembroke, in the
room of Mr. Barlow, deceased. .
NEGOTIATION PAPERS, -ETC. • • .•1
Mr. WHITBREAD seeing a Right Honourable Gentlematt in
his place, wished 'to ask, what was the nature of the overture
which it was said Sir James Saunter. z had made, on the part of
his Majesty to the Emperor of Russia?
Mr. Secretary CANNING replied, that the Paper alluded to
was nothing more than a letter wtitten by that gallant Officer to
the Emperor, filled with merely general assurances of the pacific
inclinations of his Majesty; but containing no direct proposal
from his Majesty's Government, nor written under any autho--
rity whatever from that Government. .
Mr. HENRY MARTIN asks-d an Honourable Gentleman on ,
the opposite Bench why certain Papers which he had moved for
in the course of last Session had not yet been laid upon the table ?
Mr, HUSKISSON replied, that they were in a state of fur- ,
wardncss, and would be produced as early as possible.
CONDUCT OF THE WAR IN OAFS. .
Mr. PONSONBY postponed his motion relative to the war in
Spain, front Thursday se'nnigbt to Monday fortnight.
THE BRITISH ARMY IN SPAIN.
Lord CASTLEREAGH—" Sir, I rise in pur-
suance of my notice of yesterday, to all the attention
of the House to a subject at once most afflicting, and.
most grateful, a subject which must appeal mcst.,
powerfully to the feelings of the House.—Seldome
indeed, has an occasion of any public gratulation oc-
curred but what it has been mixed with subjects of a
contrary nature—seldom have we had to congrAtu
late ourselves upon a victory which maintained* or
augmented the national glory, but that, at the same
time, we have had to lament the loss of, at leAs4.l.l2me
of those by whom such glory has been achieved. It
is -in this manner that nations participate the com-
mon lot of humanity, and that in our aggregate, as
in our individual capacity, unmixed good, unalloyed
prosperity, is not the lot of men. We have now to
Umbra an indiiidual, whO united all the qualities
which would either elide... - man to man, 'or the here
to his coantry.—One. coosoiation, however, is not
wanting, and this is tiO be found in the spk:.:dour of
the victory; in those btil4nt circumstances of liercian
and success which accompanied, and, as it were,
crowned his fate. It is in the nature of things, Sir,
that success is in some degree necessary to human
gory, and great as Sir John Moore might have been,
1g minus as might have been his fall, his glory would
h _Ave wanted its radiance, had not Fortune lent her
light—had not victory waved her angel wings, and
hovered over her dying child. I will not hesitate to.
say, that in the long annals of our country from its_
first civilization to the present moment, never has
there occurred an action, never has there been a Com-
mander, to whom the national gratitude was more
due. Wounded early in the action, and with the cer-
tainty of his approaching dissolution, he yet retained,
his native magnanimity of tnind,--be yet retained his
sense of duty; and like the illustrious Roman on re-
cord, who dying enrobed himself in his purple, that
he might die an Emperor, it may be said of our la-
mented General, that he died in command—died
with no other feelings than those of his duty as Com.
mander in Chief. If he were not able to accomplish
the deliverance of the country to which he had been
sent, let it not be imputed to him _(lkar him ! Ileac 1
him J—l know not what the H(g on. entlemen %Vivor
site may intend by these discordant shouts-,discordant
I call them, because in such a moment they most cen-
tainlyjar on my feelings. -But if they intend any implied
reflection on his Majesty.% Ministers, I should think ft t
would argue in ultra more decorous feelings to defer I
such expressions of their sentiments to another time.
The life of Sir J. Moore, though short in duration, was
ample
.enotigh. for his glory ; his country may have
cause to lament his early death, but he has lost no-
thing by it himself. He had filled up the circle of his
glory—he had traversed his splendid orbit. I will not 1
diminish the due effect of his splendid actions; Atisi
wearying the House with a detail of them ; hat the:Y-
ore one or two points to which I feel it my duty to
call more peculiar attention. the first point is, that.
after a march, the most arduous in history, the most
unparalleled in ancient or Modern annals, this illus.:
trious General assembled his army at Salamanca,
and assembled them in a manner, whether as to dis-
cipline, to equipment, to the health and spirits of hiri
men, which no one, possessed of all the circumstancesq
of that march, could have conceived to have been
possible. The army, then at Salamanca, to use his
own expressions„ more resembled an army on pa-
rade, than a body of men harassed by a long -mar*
through Countries totally unsuited either for the px()=l
gress or .subsistence of the army ; and, in justice to
others, I must here say, that the preference of thil
march to the conveyance by transports belonged to
Sir J. Moore himielf, and-was made by him, not from
any Want of transports, but from a due confidence in
himself and in his men—from a conviction that lie
could lead, and that they would 'follow him through '
greater difficulties and obstacles. It was likewise the
opinion of that lamented Commander, that the pur-
pose of the expedition would be forwarded by the
march through Portugal, and Ministers herein gave
way to his judgment. The second point is the retreat
he made, when retreat became necessary, and I will
'most absolutely take upon myself to say, that such it
retreat is without parallel. Recall, Sir, to your mind, 1
some of the circumstances its they are given in the 1
official -narrative , an army inferior in numbers, har-J
rassed throUgh a long line of march by the overwhel
ming squadrons of a. superior enemy, with not a mo-
ment of respite either from fighting or, marching, the
physical strength of our soldiers exhausted, and no-
thing remaining but their invincible 1-firmness Of,
mind.,-under these circumstances, - Sir, 'imagine our
army. to. haie arrived at COrlinna„ have,
gained .the point of embarkation, whini. the, .eneiriyl
poured down upon them; and dm, compelled
them to a convict under every possible cilcumstance


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lace, lie tru purtunity to bring thi
that it4iad
not march fro'
petition was thi
ar to a part 1;171, t, table.
no possible rise. 'PE •ET OF THE COM MISSIGNEES.
ession Lill from LAND, AND OF FEE AND EN1101.1:
at of a sinking Mr. JOHNSON, from the. Difice
. . . st the Ttar the 34th Ri