Star.
London, England, 1809-03-17 00:00:00

SPANISH DOCUMENTS.

Earl GREY adverted to the papers relatiie to tlie
Campaign in Spain and Portugal. These were, ge-
nerally, of two descriptions, Ist, instructions sent
out by his Majesty's Ministers to the Officers com-
manding in, these countries; 2dly, of the correspon-
dence which took place with these Officers. These
he did not think sufficient for the necessary considera-
tion of the House, on an occasion of such great ma-
terial importance • they went but little to- illustrate
the grounds of policy or expediency upon which his
Majesty's Ministers acted. In this view one particular
document struck him as essential, vii. the communi-

cation made by Mr. Frere, his Majesty's accredited
Minister at' Madrid, to Sir John Moore, and which
led to such important results with respect to the Bri-
tish army. Communications also which passed be-
tween his Majesty's Government and that of Spain,
should be laid before the House by Ministers who

professed to give the fullest information pulite sub-
ker.. It would be also important to know, whether
applications had not been made for the landing of a
British force at other points besides Corunna ? The
Noble Lord also referred to other points, on which
he contended it was necessary their cases should be
referred, .to enable them to form a correct idea of the
subject they would have to discuss. From the na-
ture of the information laid by trmisters on the table,
as well as with reference to what may yet be com-
municated upon those points, it was difficult to fix
on any precise day for bringing forward the discus-
sion. But with reference to what may yet be commu-
nicated upon those points, it was difficult to Ex on
an? precise day for bringing forward the discus-
sion. But with reference to such an intention on
the part of Noble Lords with whom he had the ho-
nour to act, he would move, that the Lords be sum-
moned for to-morrow se'nnight.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL, in answer to what
had fallen from the Noble Earl, adverted to what he
had more than once stated when that Noble Lord was
not in his place ; first, with respect to the communi-
cation made by Mr. Frere to Sir John Moore, it was,',
in fact, a private letter—it had never been trar.smit-
ted to his Majesty's Government—and in consequence
of that communication, no important movement of
the British army had taken place. He repeated his
declaration, it was the defence of Ministers to give
every possible information, which, consistent with their
duty, they could publicly communicate; and he ex-
pressed his s....tisfaction, that the period was likely to
be so confined on which Ministers could justify Their
conduct on the subject in question, and the more that
conduct was investigated, the more worthy, he trust-
ed, it would be found of the approbation of the House
and of the Country. Much of the information allu-
ded to by the Noble Earl wodd be found in the do-
cuments upon the table ; and there was nothing with-
held; save what considerations of obvious duty dicta-
ted, should not be rendered puirlic. •
Earl GREY spoke in explanation, and expressed
his opinion that the letter of Mr. Frere, the accredited
Minister at Madrid, to the Commander of the British
Forces in Spain, could not be considered as a private
letter.

The Earl of DARNLF.Y said some words in sup.
port of what had fallen from,j)is Noble Friend • and,
after a short reply from the Noble Secretary of State,
'the question was put, and the Lords ordered to be
summoned for to-morrow se'nnight.
PORTUGUESE REGENCY.

The Earl of BUCKINGHAMSHIRE adverted
to what had been said on a former evening respecting
the Regency in Portugal, and observed, that it ap-
peared by the narrative of Sir Hew Dalrymple that
had received a dispatch on the '2d of September,
dated the 19th of August, containing instructions for
,the formation of the Regency. He-thought it of con-'.
siderable importance that this letter should be pro-
duced, in order 'that the House might be aware of
the nature of those instructions, and of the mo-
tives which influenced therm It had been said .by
the Noble Secretary of St-te on a former evening, that
Portugal must follow the fate of the Peninsula, but
surely much might have been done in Portugal to in-
fluence the fate of Spain, if measures had been
adopted in that country satisfactory to the people, and
calculated to rouse their patriotism and military
ardour, in defence, of the common cause. He also
wished to have produced the correspondence with the
Portuguese Minister, and that it might be ascertained
whether the measures adapted in Portugal were with
his consent, or contrary to his wish ? His Lordship
concluded by moving for the letter to Sir Hew Dal-
rymple, containing instructions for forming the Re-
gency.
- 'The Earl of LIVERPOOL admitted that such in-
structions were sent to Sir H. Dalrymple4- there must
of course, in the execution of such a measure, be
something left to his discretion, but Ministers were
responsible for the measure. He could not, however,
consent to the•proclaction of the dispatch alluded to.
There were.mcessatily it, allusions to the conduct
Of individuals, and particular instructions founded
upon those comments, whi'ch. it would be impropar
to make public—upon another, ground also, be

i • • .

'toed toit, r Havisteritonquered Portugal for ow
;clent ally, it was the object of his Maje ay's Go,
ment to reestablish, as far as possible, the Go,
meat which had been established there by the lc
mate authority of the Sovereign. The Regent'
therefore been formed, as a provisonal Govern.
Until the decision of the Prince Regent of Pori
should be known ution the subject, information of
had been done having been sent to Rio Janeiro.
determination respecting it had yet been received
the Portuguese Government_at the Brazils ; ar
therefore, upon this and the other ground wh
had stated, objected to the production of the 1
which, at the same time, there was no- IfICCCS!
produce.
The Earl of ROSSI,YN thought that Mii
very ill supported the wish they had expressed,
the information upon this subject should '
before the. House, when they refused the doci
now moved for, and which it was of great impoi
should be.in the possession of their Lordships.
Lord Viscount SIDMOUTH protested agail
principle. set up by the Noble- Secretary of Stan
an admission of the fact stated, should serve
of the document wished for, which contained ti
•
tives and circumstances of the transaction. If ti
triotism and ardour of the Portuguese was le!
played than it had been in an earlier period
contest, was it not of importance the House
have the means of ascertaining, if this was to
tributed to any measure of our own Govern:
which had been unsatisfactory to the people ?
Lord HARROWBY contended, that no sui
ground had been bid for the production
paper, acrd that the admission of his Noble 1.
(the Earl of Liverpool), would answer every pi
that could be answered by the pmduction of
extract of the document, as it might be deem
visable to produce, and which would probably VIII
to nothing more than to what his Noble Vrier
stated.

Earl GREY
.urgetl the necessity of havii
paper before the House. It would indeed be •
short work of their proceedings, if they. were to
the admission of a Minister instead of the panel
cidating the facts. They tiay we admit the ar
that was not enough, we. must know the 7
that led to the act, and the grounds on which it
and thus be enabled to jude of the proceeding,
it was impossible they could do from the mere
sion of the Noble Secretary of State.
Lord MULGRAVE opposed the productioi
paper, observing, that it would be an extra°,
proceeding to doubt the veracity of his Noble
and that there might be considerable awkwari
the House of L'ords should disapprove of the R
which the Governrntot of Pvtagal should alt
approve. •
Lord ERSKINE denied that there was
tempt to doubt the veracity of the Noble Seal
State; the unfitness of the paper to be produc(
its containing matter that ought not to b ma(
lic, was a matter of opinion, and not a matter
He was decidedly of opinion, that Ate paper 01
be produced for the information of the House.
The Earl of BUCKINGHAMSHIRE wa;
to admit the force of the objection, that thi
contained matter that ought pot to be made
but could not admit that which rested upon th.
ciency of the admission of the fact by the Nobl
The question was put and the motion negat
• Adjourned till to-morrow (this day).

HOUSE OF COMMONS.
Mr. SHAW presented a Petition front the Debtors
la the Marshal** Priso.., praying relief. Ordercd to'
tablt.

A Person from Greenwich Hospital presented a cop
Supplemental Charter of that institution, puisuant to an
that House.—Ordered to be printed.
The Tobacco General Importation Bill was read a
and ordered for a second reading to-morrow.
Mr. ASHLEY COOPER brought up the Report oft.
leg Laws Bill, which was ordered to be tee a third
morrow.

The Jamaica Free Port till and North America Fishi
went through a Committee.
The Committal of the Irish Malt and Spirit Bill was
on the motion of Mr. Foster, until Tuesday next.
The Resolutions of the Committee for Inquiring into
tivation of Flax Seed in Ireland, were read a second time•
Bill ordered accordingly.
A message from the Lords announced their agreement to the
Scots Child Murder, the Sugar Drawback and Bounty Bills, and
Indemnity Bills, without any amendments.
The Cape of Good Elope Trade Bill was read a third time and
passed.
General GASCOIGNE presented a petition from the Mer•
chants Trading to Africa,
,praying public aid.—Ordered to lie tot
the table.

The Bermuda Spirits Bill was read 7 third time and passed.
• The committal of the Irish Militia Bill w. s, after some obwr-
vations from Sir John Newport and Sir A. Wellesley, postponed
until Thursday next.
The Newfoundland Judicature Bill was committed, and the
report ordered to be brought up to-morrow.
Mr. HUSKISSON brought up the Land Tax Commissioners
Names Bill. It was then read a first time, and ordered for a se-
cond reading to-morrow. 'llse Honourable Mover then stated,
that in order to afford Members the fullest time to consider its
provisions, it was his intention to postpone the committal uct:l
the first onday after the Holidays.
• On the motion of Mr. Bankes an Account was ordered to be
laid on the table of that House, of all Bank Notes issued from
the Bank of England and Irish National Bardt, under the sum of
I Five Poubds, from the mouth of February 1808, to February
1809. • He aio moved for an Account of the amount of the Ex-
emptions allowed to Foreigners, on the Dividends of the different
Public Funds, under the Property Tax, for the same period.—
, Ordered.

ROYAL MARINE MUTINY BILL.
Mr. ROBERT WARD moved the order of the
day for the committal of the Royal Marine Mutiny
Bill. He requested permission to avail himself of
that opportunity to afford an Honourable Baronet,
(Sir C. Pole) some explanations, whi6 he presumed
wauld-covrect some misconceptions contiected with
this branch of service, under which that worthy Baro!
net laboured. His first observation was, that tat
Board of Admiralty did not mean to increase the.ap-
pointments of thp pay Captains of ti.,e Marine Forces.
And their determination 'proceeded upon the know-
ledge that the present was fully commensurate with
the dmies cf Officers who never went afloat, ar.d
whose onlyactive employment was upon Courts Mar-
tial, when there was a deficiency of Officers at head-
quarters. Another point in which the worthy.l3.iro.
net was mistaken, arose from his construction of the
Order in Council of 1755, in which it seemed to be
inferred that the Marine • Service contributed a 5.-
milarportioti of their pay, as the Land Forces, to the
establishment of He had to inform him,th.l:
no stoppages of the pay of the privates for that par.
Cdid take place : and though the Officers of the
raws did contribute, it was to be recollected thafr

AL all- iii
overn. 01
;overn. hi
le lti-
tYAd
[Huy:a tb
Di %Ida, Ii
ro,
ed frog,
and he,ktl
Lich
paper, bj
!ssity
linisters
Q, that ti
I be laid st
lcument
airtalict
II
iinst Cie
ite, that
instead
theanc,
the pa.
less dis.
of the
should
:o he at-
rnment,
,ufficient 1
a of the
c Friend •
purpose
of such 1
med '4,1-
! &Mown 1
ierid had
ring the 1
! 1
to accept
pers elu
act, htt
motives
it rested, • 1
'g,
rn acr.i.;•
ion cf the
lordh ark a
e Friend
rcine,s if
Regency
1; i-svarcis
s any at.
cretary of
iced frcm
lade ptl>
• 1
er of fact.
ought to J
igs
a.; willirg,
he paper
le public,
the suffi!
Ale Earl.
;ativecic--7
pr confined
to lie on the
copy
an oroder of tie
a qrat time,
!the Expir-
lint 41115 to-
Fishery Bill,
poitponedi
nto the Ct::1
time, and}
=tent to the
ty Bills, and
•
rd tune and
the /vier.
red 'to lie a
passed.
surne obwr-
r, postponed
ted, and the
•
immissioners
Ted for a ss
tli.n state,
consider its
militia until
irdered to be
issued from
T the sum of