Star.
London, England, 1814-11-16 00:00:00

either on his part, or the part of those with whom he
acted, any encouragement that might be rumoured
as afforded by Ministers to the recent proceedings in
Spain. Directly, or indirectly, he now gave to such
a charge the most unqualified denial.—(Hear, hear.)
If it were becoming • for the British Government to
interfere with the internal policy of any other, that
interference would have for its object, not the subju-
gation, but the amelioration of the condition of the
people. In the present instance, indeed, he should
certainly move the previous question, as papers were
about to be submitted to the House which must in a
great measure tend to elucidate the discussion then
in agitation.—[Here the Right Hon. Gentleman
(Mr. W. Pole) read an extract of a dispatch from
Lord Castlereagh, dated 30th July last, in answer to
an application by letter from Sir H.Wellesley, which
authorised the advance of certain sums in aid of the
Spanish Court.]
Mr. WHITBREAD observed, that he was by no
means satisfied with the extract thus furnished to the
House, and which seemed to be substituted tor in-
formation of a more decisive kind. But the contri-
bution on our part, be it what it might, in the cause
of Spain, was intended to facilitate the return of the
Spanish troops to their own country. Now, when
four of the Spanish armies were actually within the
Spanish frontier, where was the necessity for such an
application of our subsidy ? The fact was, that the
Spanish troops would many of them have been starv-
ed had it not been for the intervention of the English
Commissariat. What he wanted to know, therefore,,
was—whether, in fact, English money had not been
applied to induce the Spanish troops to march against
Madrid ? and, if so, whether this was the exact use
to which Parliament had designed it to be put ? It it
had not been for English money, money drawn from
the pockets of a free people, nothing could have been
done against those patriots who had fought for a So.
vereign so ungrateful to them. Was it a fact, as he
had been informed, that the English A mbassador
(Sir H. Wellesley) was with that very army put in
motion by our means ? After this, he suspected that
the Papers now promised by the Right Hon. Gentle-
man (Mr. W. Pole) would not afford the informa-
tion he wished for.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said, he had intended to have selected some papers
for the information of the House, and had hoped
that the extract he already had given from Lord
Castlereagh's dispatch would have satisfied every
reasonable expectation. Sir H. Wellesley had beet
called upon by the Spanish Government to advance
the sum of £lOO,OOO. This advance had been ac-
cordingly made, when, having no instruction to pra-
ceed any farther, he wrote home to that effect.—
There was, however, no subsidiary treaty, because
no dependence could be placed on the certainty of
Spain bringing armies to bear; and on this account
we were accustomed to advance sums from time to
time. It was not correct, however, that support was
extended in this way without the knowledge or cog.
nizance of Parliament, who were apprised, trom year
to year, of our being in the practice of supporting
Spain with money. Spain being unable to maintain
those troops, the character of their services made it
our duty to provide for them. He was now prepared
to tender some incidental explanation, as to the
giving up of certain persons by the Commander at
Gibraltar to the Government of Spain. May the.
16th, 1814, it appeared that the British Consul. at
Cadiz (Sir James Duff) informed the Governor of
Gibraltar (General Smith) that four persons had fled
thither from Andalusia, accused of sedition, and that,
one of these refugees was the fabricator of the false-
hoods that had been circulated respecting the beha-
viour of the British troops on the taking of St. Sebas-
tian ; and requesting, finally, that the offenders
should be given up to the Government whence they
had fled. At length two of those persons were dis-
covered, identified, and surrendered by General
Smith. Though the Government of this country
were in no ways concerned in this transaction, nor
disposed to defend it, yet the House should reflect
that it had been customary, from time immemorial,
when on terms with Spain, to deliver op any mal-
contents who sought to shelter themselves in Gibral-
tar; the proximity of that garrison to Spain would
otherwise be the occasion of serious evils to both.—
conceiving the two persons in question to be dan-
gerous both to the Governments of England and
Spain—(Near, hear)—General Smith had surrender-
ed them as reported. No sooner was Lord Bathurst
first apprised of this act on the part of General Smith,
in June last, than he expressed his dislike of the pro-
ceeding, and cautioned the General not to repeat it.
General Smith had acted by the instructions of Sir
James Duff, whose conduct he was far from defend.
ing. There had been no disposition strewn by us to
assist the progress of tyranny in Spain, the reports on
Otat head being wholly calumnious.—(Near, hear.)
He should have been happy to have produced Sir
H. Wellesley's letter, had it not been connected with
nsattersof subsidy still in progress.
Mr. TICRNEY and the CHANCELLOIt of the Exam.
QUER now explained ; when the former said he wished
to know only the dates of the papers now moved for.
Mr. W. POLE said, in explanation, there had
been nothing like an engagement ; but that attloo,ooo
h4s been advanced by way pf winding up.
Mr. WHITBREAD said, he should be sorry if
the House were to separate ender the impression of
his being at all satisfied with the explanation respect-
ing the conduct of General Smith. Lord Bathurst
was informed of the transaction on the 80th of June,
and, instead of strongly reprobating the affair as he
might have done, he contented himself with the sim-
ple exhortation of.--J, Go, and sin no more !"
(Hear, pear.) But, Sir James Duff, the British Con.
sul at Cadiz, what right had Sir James puff, who
was he ? to venture to instruct General Smith to in.
'erfere between the Spanish Government and the
Spanish Patriots, and cause the latter.to be delivered
up to their enemies l--(Hear. hear.) Suppose they
were libellers, they were entitled to be presumed in-
nocent till they were convicted. Here the Honour-
able Member (Mr. Whitbread) strongly reprobated
die measure taken'by General Smith : saying, that
the dispatch of Lord Bathurst ought to be produced,
as the ground of proceeding against that officer.
Mr.-B. BATHURST was not disposed to deny
that General Smith bad gone too far, qioce this evi.
diatly was the feeling pf the Secretary for the Home
Department by whose letter he stood cautioned and
I reproved. t was clear, at the same time, that the
Hojaaorable Gentleman biwself (Mr. laitbread),