Star.
London, England, 1809-04-12 00:00:00

THE EARL OF CLANCARTY.

In consequence of the examination of Mr. Reding, in which
your Lordship's name was mentioned frequently, I am desirous
In the first place to know when you became acquainted with Mr.
Reding ?—About the month of October, 1805.
On what occasion did you first become acquainted with that
person ?—With respect to obtaining a seat in Parliament;
Did you see him frequently upon that occasion ?—Three, four,
or five times, more than twice certainly.
Did he hold out that he had the power of procuring a seat in
Parliament ?—He did ; he represented that a friend of his in Par-
liament, a very respectable man, was desirous of retiring from
Parliament, but wished to make that retirement subservient to the
object of obtaining a situation for a young man, a relative of his,
either a son or a nephew, to the best of my recollection, and
stated that if a writership could be obtained for the party, he
would be willing to retire. Having no wish to save any expence
upon my part, and having no writership to dispose of, the nego-
elation at that time closed.

Was this negociation renewed with Mr. Reding, and upon
what occasion ?—lt was : having mentioned the circumstance to
my fricnd, Lord Castlereagh, and expressing great disappointment
that the seat could not be obtained, he told me that he had a
writership undisposed of, which, as far as he himself was con-
cerned, he should be very happy to give me the recommendation
to ; Eating at the same time the necessity of the most minute in-
quiry into the character of the party to be recommended ; after
various interviews with Mr. Reding, in order to obtain from hint
the name of the person who was to retire, as well as of the per-
son to be recommended, and not being able to obtain either, the
negociation altogether closed.

Did Mr. Reding, during any part of this negotiation, offer a
bond to your Lordship ?—No.
Did he at any time offer money for this appointment ? When
the negociation had closed as to the Writership, he asked whe-
ther 3,000 guineas, laid on Lady Clancarty's toilette, would in-
duce me to give him the Writership ? which 1 very indignantly
refuses : after which I never saw hint in my house once, nor any
where, except meeting him accidentally at Lord Sligo's.
Did any thing pass between your Lordship and Mr. Reding,
at Lord Sligo's ? Yes, Lady Clancarty, two or three days after I
had thus dismissed Mr. Reding, received a letter, signed I be-
lieve, Charlotte Johnson, offering her 3,0001. or guineas, for her
influence with me to procure a Writership, and appointing a shop
in the Strand to meet the party and receive the money; this let-
ter was, of course, put into the fire, without any notice being
taken of it ; but the sum tallying so exactly with that Mr. Reding
had offered, and coming so immmediately after Mr. Reding's pro-
posal of the same nature, when I met him at Lord Sligo's, I de-
sired hint to take care not to allow his friends to write any more
impertinent letters to Lady Clancarty : and when he was gone
out of the room, I apologized to Lord Sligo for having made use
of such language to a person in his house, and informed him of
the reasons for my so doing. Mr. Reding, however, denied having
any thing to say to the letter.
Did he ever give you to understand at whose disposal this seat
in Parliament was, which he offered you ?—No, never; it was
upon that that the negociation went off.
Did Lord Castlereagh otter you this appointment of a Writer-
ship for the purpose of facilitating your being returned to Parlia-
ment, if that could be obtained by this means ?—Certainly ; it
being always to be understood that the party was of sufficent re-
spectability to be eligible for the situation.
Did you communicate to Mr. Reding that you had a Writer-
ship at your disposal, which you were ready to give to his friend,
if the person recommended was perfectly eligible, provided the seat
in Parliament could be obtained ?—I certainly gave him to under-
stand that l had ; or that the thing might be procured.
Did you ever dispose of any Writership ?—Never in my life.
Do you recollect whether the name of Mrs. Grove was men-
tioned in any part of this transaction by Reding ?—No, never.
Did you ever bear from Reding the name of the Marquis tf
Sligo mentioned as connected with this transaction ?—Never.
Or the Marquis of Bath ?—Never ; I believe no name of auy
sort was mentioned to me.

Do you know to whom this Writership, offered to yourself,
was afterwards given by Lord Castlereagh ?—I have not the least
knowledge.

LORD VISCOUNT CASTLEREAGII.

How did your Lordship become acquainted with Mr. Reding?
—I believe it was in the latter end of the year 1805, that I received
a letter from Mr. Reding, which some days afterwards I sent to
Lord Clancarty ; I saw Mr. Reding between the receipt of that
letter and the communication of it to Lord Clancarty. With this
exception, I never had any knowledge whatever of, or intercourse
with, Mr. Reding.
What was the subject of Mr. Reding's letter to your Lordship ?
—I had vacated my Seat on the acceptance of the Seals of the Co-
lonial Department : tke object of Mr. Reding's letter was to say,
that be thought had the means of assisting me in coming into
Parliament, if I was not already provided with a seat.
_ _

.
Did any thing pass in your conversation with Mr. Reding re-
lating to a Writership ?—Nothing whatever : I told Mr. Reding
I did not want a seat in Parliament for myself, but that a friend
of mine did; I asked him to name the Gentleman who proposed
to vacate ; this he declined till the terms were settled; with which,
having nothing to do, I inclosed his letter to Lord Clancarty, and
never saw Mr. Reding afterwards, or had any communication
with him.

Had you any conversation with Lord Clancarty, as connected
with this transaction 'lt. Mr. Reding, in which a Writership was
offered to Lord Clancany'o nomination ?-1 think, some time after
I inclosed Mr. Reding's letter to Lord Clancarty, Lord Clancarty
told me he had a negotiation with Mr. Reding, with a view to
procure a Seat in Parliament, which, he said, had failed; inas-
much as the proposition he had made to Mr. Reding, which was
of a pecuniary nature, had been declined by the person who was
supposed to have the influence to procure the Seat in Parliament.
What passed between your Lordship and Lord Clancarty in
consequence of this ?—I should state, as preliminary to answering
that question, that nothing in point of fact ever arose out of the
communication I had with Lord Clahcarty, by which the disposal
of any V met ship was abetted, nor did the nomination to any

Writer hip take place in consequence of that communication.—
With reference to the question itself having been put to me by
the Committee, I feel it my duty to give an explicit answer to it ;
that I was induced to place a lVrittrship at Lord Clamarty's dispotal,
and Mat certainly the impression under which I did it, •rat, that Lord
Clancarty's coming into Parliament might he thereby facilitated. I
stated, however, to Lord Clancarty, that I did not feel that I
could recommend any person for a Writership in the East-India
Company's service, who was not individually, and in point of con-
nections, a proper object to receive a political favour of such a na-
ture from a Member •f the Government, and such a person in
point of character, as the Court of Directors were entitled to ex-
pect to be placed in their service, in consequence of any nomina-
tion they had placed at my disposal, on which point, my decision
must be reserved till I knew who the party was that solicited the
appointment.

Subject to those qualifications, was it your Lordship's intention
to have placed this nomination at Lord Clancarty's disposal, to be
given in consideration. for his being returned to Parliament ?—I
conceived Lord Clancarty, with these qualificationS, entitled to
call upon me for the Writership if it could be of use to bins, either
for that purpose or any other that he was interested about, and
which had no relation to a pecuniary transaction. I must ob-
serve, however, that my conversation with Lord Clancarty arose
out of a particular case stated, and, I believe, was never acted upon
by him otherwise than to ascertain whether that case lid any
existence in point of fact. I certainly did not conceive, in so
placing a Writership at Lord Clancarty's disposal, that it could
possibly become the subject either of sale for money, or general
barter for a seat in Parliament.

Do you recollect to whom this Writership was given ? I think
some time afterwards, Lord Clancarty told me that he had no
wish to dispose of the Writership, and that in consequence of that
intimation from aim, it was disposed of to the young man who
was in my contemplation for this appointment, if no communi-
cation of the nature described had taken place between Lord
Clancarty and myself ; and that, in point of fact, the name of the
individual appointed to that Writership will be found in the list
of the disposal of my patronage; but I cannot specify the name, as
there were two or three appointments of mine at that moment
not filled up ; and as it never proceeded to the longth of my doing
any act in furtherance of such a purpose, or to my giving any di-
rections to Mr. Meheux, the Assistant Secretary of the India
Board, to carry such an appointment into effect, I cannot state the
particular Writership that would have been su used if it had led
to any result ; but I can state that any Writership I could have so
used was, in point of fact, filled up by a friend of my own, per-
fectly unconnected with the transaction, and that his name stands
in the list before the Committee, probably in the appointments of
the subsequent year.
Was the name of Mrs. Grove ever mentioned to your Lord-
ship in this transaction ?--Never ; I never heard the name of
Mrs. Grove in my life, till it was mentioned to the in the House
of Commons, a few nights since, connected with a story which I
knew to be false, and which induced me to communicate to the
Chairman of the Committee the story itself, and to put him in
possession of all the means which occurred to me as best calcu-
lated to detect the falsehood, and to further the inquiries of the
Committee upon that subject.
Was the name of Mr. Davis mentioned to your Lordship in
this transaction ?—1 think it was on the same night that I heard
the above story in the House of Commons that I found a letter
on my table, when I returned home, from a man of the name of
Davis, stating that he had been summoned to give evidence before
this Committee, with respect to a Board of Controul Writership,
which was supposed to have been offered or actually sold through
Mrs. Grove's agency, and stating his general reluctance to be
called upon to give any evidence in which my name was con-
cerned. I immediately wrote an answer to Mr. Davis, to say,
that he could not do any service more grateful to me than atten-
ding the Committee, and giving them every assistance in his
power in executing the purposes of the inquiry, and in detecting
the falsehood to which his letter referred ; and I think on the fol-
lowing day I communicated Mr. Davis's letter to the Chairman
of the Committee ; I had no other knowledge of Mr. Davis, nor
ever saw him, and never heard of his name, except in that letter.
By the means of any other writership has your Lordship ever
endeavoured to facilitate any other person's coming into Parlia-
ment ?—Never in my life ; I never had any communication of
such a nature; nor have I ever had any interference, direct or
indirect, in the disposal of any writership, other than those a list
of which i. now before the Committee, the appointments towhich,
I apprehend, will speak for themselves.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, TUESDAY, APRIL 11.

Mr. FERGUSON presented a petition from Aberdeen, against
the Scotch Records Bill. Ordered to lie on the table.

• A new writ was ordered to be made out for the Borough of
Ayr, in the room of General John Campbell, deceased.
The Blackfriars Bridge Sunday Toll Bill was read a second time
and committed.

Mr. SHAW brought up a petition from the City of Dublin,
against the Bill for Paving and otherwise improving that City.
Campbell's Divorce Bill went through a Committee. Counsel
and witnesses were heard, and the Report ordered tobe received
to morrow.

Sir SAMUEL ROMILLY gave notice, that on Friday next he
would move that the House do resolve itself into a Committee on
the Bill for altering and amending the Bankrupt Laws.
Lord -FOLKSTONE gave notice, that he woti'd move to-mor-
row, that a copy of the information tiled by the Attorney-General
against Major Ogle, be laid before the House, and that the At-
torney-General should then report what proceedings had been
instituted against him. After which, he would move that all ap-
plications, lettera, &c. from Major Ogle, together with the an-
swers thereto, should be produced.
Lord FOLKSTONE gave notice that he would move to-mor-
row, that the Papers containing the account of the transaction in
which his Royal Highness the Duke of York had been concerned
with Kennett, the Bankrupt, should be restored to Mr. Duff, the
solicitor.

Mr. MARTIN gave notice, that he would move to-morrow,
that the gross amount of the Fee Fund for 1807 and 1808 should
be laid before the House, and the application thereof.
Mr. HUSKISSON gave notice that he should move to-morrow
for two Bills of Exchange given in during the late investigation,
should be restored, they being material with respect to an action
now depending. _ _ _

After a conversation between Sir JouN NEWPORT and Mr.
FosTER, with respect to the Pension I.ists, which Sir John New-
port wished brought forward,
A new writ was ordered to be made out for the Borough of Rye,
in the room of Mr. Henry Wellesley, who had accepted the Chil-
tern Hundreds.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then rose, pur-
suant to a notice he had given, to oppose the printing of certain
reports. The public money ought not to be expended in printing
voluminous reports, the one hundredth part of which could not
possibly be of use. When it was necessary to give any particular
information of unusual publicity, it was necessary and proper to
print the reports : but to print papers as a matter of course, when
short extracts from them would answer every purpose, was incur-
ring an unnecessary expence.
. _ .

. .
After some altercation, in a desultory conversation, in which
the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER' Sir CHARLES POOLE, Sir
JOHN NEWPORT, Mr. FOSTER, and Mr. lITZGERALD partici-
pated, the Reports were ordered to be printed without the ap-
pendix.
Lord PORCHESTER gave notice of a motion for leave to
bring in a Bill to prevent the granting of Offices in Reversion.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated, with re-
spect to the printing of the Report of the Commissioners of Na-
val Revision, that the Honourable Baronet, (Sir C. Pole) had con •
tented in the first instance, to confine his motion to the printing
of the Reports, without the Appendix to each.
Sir C. POLE confirmed this, and moved that the order upon
his former motion be discharged.
_ _

Sir JOHN NEWPORT adverted to a return on the table to
shew that the Grand Juries in Ireland had, on some occasions,
made presentments contrary to the Act. This was a very serious
subject, as £500,000 were raised by a land tax in this manner.—
Among the instances of which he complained were a suns to aug-
ment the stock purse of the Clare Militia ; sums to the Proprie-
tors of Newsp:pers in Dublin, for printing certain proceedings at
the Assizes ; a sum presented in the County uf Donegal for a bo;c
to hold the public money ; and sums beyond the rate allowed by
lam/ at the acquittal of prisoners at the Quarter Sessions.
Mr. FOSTER stated that the presentments were all certified
by the Judges, and it was very unlikely that they should be ille-
gal. The titles given to the particula: presentments might have
misled the Hon. Baronet.

Mr. PERCEVAL said a few words, after which the original
motion of Sir C. Pole was discharged, and the Reports ordered
to be printed without the appendices.
Mr. CANVING brought up certain papers relating to a cor-
gi,

respondence with Sir Charles Stuart, which were 0rd,r,.1 to L
on the table.

On the motion of Mr. C aoa x ER, the further consideration of the
Report of the Irish Militia Volunteering Bill, wes postponed til!
Thursday, and the second reading of the Irish Militia Recruku; g
Bill till Friday.
On the motion of the LORD ADVOCATE FOR SCOTLAND, tLe
Scotch Records Bill was ordered to be re-committed to-mormw
The Inn-keepers Bill was ordeaed to be read a third time un
morrow.

Sir JOHN NEWPORT gave notice, that he would move
morrow for the production of certain papers relating to ch.: ap-
pointment of a Mr. Vickers to he Inspector General of thc Exc.,.
in Ireland.

The further consideration of the Scotch Records and Irisll M.
litia Bills were severally poitponed.

. .
The Irish Sugar Spirits Dill was read a second time, and cum..
mitted.

The third reading of the Innkeepers' Allowance Bill we, p,.,
poned till to-morrow. _

Mr. CROAKER gave notice, that he would move to-nl'irrow
for certain papers relating to the recognizances of Ireland.
The Iribh Constable Bill was read a second time, and c.rr.m:..
ted.—Adjourned.

SPAIN.

SEVILLE, MARCH 9.

The Duke of Albuquerque has published the
lowing General Orders :

44 Soldiers !—The valour, firmness, and good orde:.
which, on the 22d February, covered you with glot
in the field of Consuegra, have struck the enemy
awe, and I know for certain that they acknowledge to
have lost the battle, although theydid not quit the fieli
of action.

" DIVINE PROVIDENCE has permitted our loss to be
inconsiderable, while that of the enemy exceeds 1.500
men, killed and wounded. All this you know, becaus..
you witnessed it, as I did ; but yuu are not aware t
the advantages produced by that action, nor the rea-
son why we marched horn this place to meet the ene.
my. Know then, that it was his intention to attack
with his whole force the army of Estremadura, and
that by the rapid movement we made against him, his
attention was drawn to that point in such a manner,
that many of the troops who were marching to that
province returned, whereby that army was enabled
to receive the suppl es and reinforcements it expected.
You have the satisfaction to have accomplished that
imprudent plan with such an inconsiderable !loss on
your part, while that of the enemy who attacked us
with 12,000 foot and 5,000 horse, was much greater.
Doubt not that availing myself of the advantages
which were then held forth to me, between the mood
which masked my infantry and the Heights of Rubra,
I should have expected the enemy, and provoked 111:n
to attack me in that position. But it was there I ie.
ec ived the orders of the Commander in Chief not 1,-,
engage in any action with the enemy, but to fall back
to this point, because the troops under my command
were wanted in another quarter, and had attained the
object which he had it view.

" As subordination is the first quality of a soldier,
and the basis of military discipline, of which I shat!
always set open the example, I immediately gave or-
ders to retreat, and this was effected with the order rtt
have witnessed, and which operated so forcibly on
the enemy, that notwithstanding his superiority in
numbers, he did not dare to pursue us.
To conclude, Soldiers, y our gallantry and your
subordination to your worthy- Commanders, will at
all times render you invincible to the armies of the
tyrant, your enemy, because if they respect you with
double your force, what had you a right to expect
when you meet on equal terms ? You are sure to beat
him, and your beloved country will be indebted to
you for its salvation.—Manzanares, March 1, 1809.
" The Duke of ALBUQUERQUE."

JAF.N, MARCH 8.
Though the intelligence from our head-quarters at
Valdepenas does not mention any very important move-
ment of our armies, it furnishes some idea of th.tit
position, and that of the enemy, who has not yet
found himself in a situation to attack us, excepting
when his forces have been triple in number to our
own. On the 26th ult. about noon, a French divi-
sion entered Toledo. They had before occupied Con-
suegra and Urda. Some of the enemy remained a!
Mascaraque.
On the 27th all the infantry and cavalry that were
at El Puente del Arzobispo, removed from that po-
sition, leaving only between two and three hundred
men to occupy it.
By accounts of the 28th, we know, that on the
25th several wounded passed through Talavera, and
among them a General Officer, in a berlin. Three
hundred of our troops enterd Valdelacasas, on the
same day, with 60 mules. Some artillery was also
brought up. Preparations were then making there
for the reception of 3AOO. An equal number or
French cavalry were expected at Puebla Nueva, trom
Toledo.

We are endeavouring to cover with more effect the
left of our army of La Mancha ; for this purpose,
the division of Count de Orgaz has been ordered to
Ciudal Real, and its vicinity. This division is cum-
posed of 4000 men and a squadron of cavalry.
The whole of the enemy's force between Toledo
and Tembleque is reduced to 17,000, and the garri-
son of Madrid consists of 23,000 men. In Estrema-
dura their force is considerably increased.
JENNA, MARCH I I. The French make frequent incur-
sions into La Mancha, towards Trembleque, Mora,
Urda, &c. and they have removed their head-quarters
from Toledo to Olias, without a doubt, to guard
against that surprize which they seem to dread on the
part of our troops. While the enemy are drawing our
attention towards La Mancha, General Cuesta re-
ceives fresh reinforcements every day, and his troops
are acquiring more order and discipline. The Gene-
ral has taught the French troops encamped at Oro-
pesa to respect him, particularly in consequence of
his routing a regiment of theirs, that were posted in
the vicinity of Almaraz.

In the village of Juan de Dios we had the sati,fac-
tion of defeating and killing several of the enemy%
cavalry, by firing upon them from the windows 314
the loop-holes, having first taken the precaution of
shutting the gates upon them. The enemy continued
a fruitless effort during three quarters of an how,
and they at length retired, leaving several dead, and
an Officer behind them.

The French force near the bridge of Talavera con-
sists of about 5000 infantry and cavalry. They
have planted some cannon, four-pounders, between
Las Tones de San Clemente. They have brought
into Almaraz a number of wounded, the result of tho
affairs which have occurred between.- them and C
neral Cuesta's advanced posts.

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PRIVATE LETTERS.
" Cadiz, March 20, 1809.

An Fnglish ship of war has arrived with a seasonable supply
of 50.01 C inusketc, and with ammunition and military cloathing,
~,:e been brought to Seville as a prisoner, with a young
ranh tried, Sandpniit i supposdeard, the Eitord
It will go har of the Bayonned
with the Paperm. ThOf
ey
,
t , .
;palt.,:ns in the interior, we have very imperfect informa-
N doubt is eniertained of the security of this fortress."
" Cadiz March 25.

seee-al .hips belonging to Sir John DUckworth's fleet have
it, water at this port. The arrival of intelligence, stating
ckair of the French Oeet in Basque R oads, has relieved the
P "sdi„,r3l from the anxiety he felt from their sailing, and their
.. oc being unknown. The Ville de Paris left us yesterday,
t'c, the rot, wi.h the exception of the Atlas and another, will
arm the
upon different services, tome of them to Lisbon to join
al Berkeley, and the others for the Mediterranean, taking
veer pro!ection about fifteen transports with a large proportion
of the French prisoners, who are soon to leave us. Some are to
It seer to Niahon, and about 3000 to l'entriffe, in three Spanish
thy; of the line, which are to bring us in exchange 3000 Spa-
?tiaras
All the Spanish ships which had been laid up in the Cameras
*refitted out, and are in the outer bay. Two of them have re-
ceived orders to proceed to South America, and take under their
pro!ection a number of vessels.
u We have been very active in putting Cadiz in the best possi•
lie state of defence, also the island, the Caraccas, &c. The same
evrtinni have been used at Seville. We have no doubt that our
*mks will be soon in a situation to meet the enemy in the field,
and that ir. two or three months we shall have nothing to dread
on that head. We are certainly in a better state for resistance
than at ;.ry period since the hostile entrance of the French into
Spin. There art new landing here 30,000 stand of arms, three
million' of ball cartridges, 20,000 sabres, 20,000 pikes, loathing
for 30,E men, and boots, shoes, &c. to a great amount. This
circumstance has diffused universal joy among the people."
A private letter, received by a mercantile house in
City, states the defeat of General Reding in the
lowing terms :
Valenea, March 11.

g, Since my last letter to yon, 1 am grieved to say that our af-
f::73 have taken an unfavourable turn in Catalonia. The French
paving received large reinforcements, attacked General Reding,
whose army was on a most respectable footing, and who had taken
an excellent predition. Two desperate engegements were fought
vith various success, but without compelling the gallant Reding
tareiire (rum his position. The enemy having received a fresh
reinforcement of 8000 men, renewed the attack a third time, and
after a most sanguinary battle, compelled Reding to retreat to
Tarragona. During the engagement he received five different
wounds, and his Aid-de-Camp, Read (son of our worthy friend),
was wounded and made prisoner."
" Lisbon, 24th March.

We are to be encamped at a few leagues distance from this
c:.y. In the event of proceeding into the interior, which is vet.
likely, we shall have great difficulties with respect to provisions ;
for we can obtain nothing from the country. The whole army
must he subsisted from the shipping on the coast. Such is the
destitute condition Of the inbabit.ints, that they have scarcely suf-
ficient for their own support. The weather !siren! fine, and vege-
tation is as forward as it is with you at Midsummer."

THE EVENING STAR.

LONDON.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 12.
FRICF 01 S POCKS Trilti DAY AT ONE o'ol ACK.

Consms, for money, 67+—Dicto for April 67+ 68.
Navy 5 per Cents. 983-olnnium 1 pr.
Exchequer Bills, 11$. 14s. prem.

By our letters from Plymouth, received this morn-
we learn that the French corvette from which
tne. Pixcbt; received the news of the surrender of,Fort
Bourbon, was not captured by the PH BE. She was
goair, to I-rance as a cartel, having the late Governer
M:irtinique on board. Some of the letters state,
th.! she had also an English offi.;er on b mrd, with
.'isp..i:ches for Government, and that he was received
eaard the PiiCEBE. if the latter circumstance be
c.r:ect, we may soon expect to have the official dis-
ia:.:hts communicated in the Gazette.