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

coe
occasion to male in t; ree of the evening, indeeci,
to do justice to the British Troops in every action they •
here en; was only to reflect lustre on the country;
v aged,
tee the present occasion too much could not be said
e' :lo:die:h.:line, valour and enthusiasm which had been
-evinced. In considering this question, he wishedto cons
sne his view to the distinct points to which it alone
sensse,i, namely, the actions of the 17th and 21st
AlgaSt, and he should cautiously abstain from every
topic that did net immediately advert to the brilliant
teenination of these two actions. His Lordship hay.
entered into a general view of the disposition of
14'sasely, and of the enc_ny, situated in strong posi-
t:oBc, with abundance of stores and provisions, in the
possession of the whole country, &c. &c.
narye as L. British troops laboured under all the disads
ti Intress of an invading foe—He proceeded to pass
'i4 tribute of applause upon the valour, skill, and
~,;eilnct of Sir Arthur Wellesley, than whom no in-
was more calculated for a vigorous discharge
ses duty, or one who could infuse more ardour
enthusiasm into the the troops he commanded.
1, -included by moving, " That the Thanks of this
-j-es be given to the Right Honourable Lieutenant
Gnsell Sir Arthur Wellesley, Knight of the Most
Noble Order of the Bath, for the distinguished va-
lour, ability, and conduct, displayed by him on the
17th and 'llst August, in Portugal, on the signal vie.
orr enteneel by the British army under his command
nine:le:a, most honourable and glorious to the Bri-
t:nation."
ADDINGTON urged his friendship for
Wellesley as an excuse for pressing forward
to csexii the motion. He ran no risk of weakening
tss eeiund upon which this motion stood, for if sub-
' enied to the whole nation, it weul be carried by
accientaien. He would abstain from trespassing cn
the inchilgence of the House by following the Noble
Lord minutely. Great actions spoke best for them-
elees ; and the splendid deeds for which the House
eras called upon to vote its thanks, far exceeded his
powers of descriptien. Sir A. Wellesley was at a
time of life when much might still be expected, and
the course of service so gloriously begun, and so bril-
liantly distinguished at Assye, promised a harvest ofi
laurels which would be reaped at the proper periods
_whether he was to be considered as the avenger of
our wrongs, or our defender either in Asia or Europe.
With the experience which Sir A. Wellesley had ac-
quired, amidst " bloody noses and cracked brows ;"
v:ith the prompt courage and coolness for which he
seas distinguished—what might not be expected from
these qualhies, when proper occasions offered for cal-
line them thrth ? He hoped that no extraneous mat-
ter would be intreducel into this discussion, however
much it might be regretted that the expected conse-
quences had not resulted from this victory.
Lord FOLKSTONE was sorry that he must
object to the motion. He disclaimed any feeling of
hostility or ave.rsion taSir A. Wellesley ; and in op-
posing the motion only acted up to a principle which
the House ought always to keep in view. The thanks
cf tie House ought not to be given except when par-
ticelar circumstances occur' ed—when some uncom-
reels brilliant exploit had been performed—(hear !
hrm !)—.lad when some good consequences had re-
sulted from it. From the documents in the hands of
the puhlic it appeared that both these requisites were'
here viaming. He was willing to allow the merit
of Sir As:hut-Wellesley in leading the army, and the
zeal and firmness of the troops ; but he could not in
this sec the extraordinary sort of merit which called
for the Thanks of the House. He admitted that the
rews of the victory had been heard with acclama-
tions—but then it appeared, froni subsequent docu-
ments, that these acclamations were not deserved.—
• Noble Lord had said that the British troops were
interior hi number to ti'e French. This was not the
case, for it appeared from the Report of the Board of
Injuiry, that the number of British troops in the
feld WAS from 16 to 17,000, exclusive of the Portu-
geese troops, while the French had only 13,000. No
sees good consequences followed the victory, and
thorn the blame had been attributed to Sir H. Bur-
tad for not advancing, yet it appeared by the Report
that he ceuld not be condemned on that ccsount.—
The exploit, therefore, was not of the brilliant nature
which the Noble Lord stated, and the immediate
consequence was an armistice, of which his Majesty
had in part repressed his disapprobation. He there•
Lure theught there should be no Motion of Thanks at
ril ; ea!, if there was, the name of Sir H. Burrard
oaget. to be inserted. He fully admitted every thing
esald Ise said in favour of the gallantry and cou-
free of the British troops ; but something more was
reisiere to cell for the Thanks of that Frouse. Free
q ee as the Thanks of that House had become they
world have been lurch more so, if bestowed forcvery
ineaece cf courage in the actions performed by the
my. The es:ploit fell short, both in its nature and
;,-as •ninnses, of what might be jastly entitled to the
:larks of 0.10. House, and he must therefore oppose
to treden.

FREEMANTLE cordially concurred in the
rnc4;',l. He gave the Noble Lord behind him credit
he said, that lie had no personal hostility to Sir
A. Wtliesley ; but he differed from him widely in •
crlriop on this subject ; for he believed that this vic-
'••••/ all the inrreclients which were calculated
li.)uour to the country, and to call for the unani-
ams th•lnxs of th- House. He would not speak of
z:,e ; but as to this victory, and the course that
it, there never was any thing more splendid and •
:Lad the House would be wanting in the feel-
trzs that ought to distinguish the British Parliament,
''lll('ss they marked their sense of gratitude by the
t,•.arm-st thanks. He stated, on public grounds, that
2:-(!rn the landing at Monde *o, to the victory of Vi-
Imerai the whole proceeding formed a splendid mo-
_uirnent el the military genius of Sir A.Vvellesley.
.'lit if he were to speak from private feeling he would
-1;•-, that ;hough from the commencement of his ca-
r:a. Sir A. Wellesley had deserved the applause, there
an cccasic,n when his military genius shone with
lu,,ti•e than the present. He agreed that what
A. Wellesley r.ad done, was the best promise of
fait he would do, and there was no man so young
:v.th such splendid and promising ability: •He was
11;ippy to be able to concur so completely in this mo-
iv'z, from the judicious course which the Noble Lord
Itd adopted, in confining it to the conduct of the
-;.:-er;11 and the Troops.
Mr. BLACHFORD expressed his eatrone regret
2vt, tLe treatment that highly-distinguished General,
" A. WelleAev, had met with on his return to this
c°44trY• Ile had attacked and beaten, whatever