Star.
London, England, 1812-12-04 00:00:00

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_ . .
trusted, had Awed wisely, skilfully, and succeufully,
as far as circumstances would permit, applieif fo? the
_public serviee? Though unwilling tßpiir these to pies
r.. Vail the Preterit sithjeti, ytk this rimaLlit might e .
,-*•.:Perili,4,l•o,, sic 'that if -there 410$1asittY persons who
had Seen the difficulties of th., war on the Peninsula
in at atroogg liglipAan others,--.-who. thought the
' .- Xiteitno of c.triin&jt of wer.e very„fisperfect,and
1:
i ivboil4o4llllo,histihk the pathotiphiNOt ;111 Spanish
pei,,,.yellreisred34t,, alit. olganizacion, civil and.
.raaterY, ~in this country, WA not itucbas. affprded
~
• i.,
eecieity:for,effecknal coopekttionr—the greater they.
-felt theite'difficulties to Ise, inthat proportmo must be
•.. their admiration of the talents. f the •Geaeral who
had .met, and,• in many instance.st. glei:iouky sur-
rnouete,i, these difficuipes.; The s,ainpaign; indeed,
, onset be characterized its" one of.varitiot fortune': yet
out of chi, very Circenistae•cli there, arfae a display
of military talentS, in the. Commander Which would
not otheswiae hive appeared. It. Sp:peered that,
~
..whether the General pursued the ttiutrphs gained by
himself, or experier.ceeldijappointment from extrane-
ous circumstances, he was no less capable, by his rare
~: ,talents, of alleviating Misiortune,' than of improving
i; .;1116CeSO. 14 reviewing the military transactions on
' • the,Peninsula for these.three years, if he were quali-
fied to decide q. alLoit'ille *subject, those which he
' would risk upon witktlie highest admiration, _would
. be =Ali as ctccntrecramder the , circumstances when
, . Lord Wellington tea's' forced to retreat before a su-
• perior force of the.enenky. :„However unfavourable
the circumstances, he had always, on these °este-
, sions, preserved his army and its resources entire,
and, fit for attack when the prdper moment for attack
should arrive. Such was the retreat of the Marquis.
of Wellington to, his lines at Torres Vedras,—such
leas his retreat before the battle of Salamanca,—a ye-'
treat converted in a moment into a brilliant victory,
where a superior enemy was checked, and forced to
retrace his steps. Such, too, was the present retreat
to tho frontiers of Portugal,—all of them evincing the
greatest military genius in the Commander. Hair-
- ins said thus much as to the merits of the Marquis
of Wellington, there was another subject of congratu-,
Lakin to their Lordships and the country, which he
wished to touch up:in although it could not well be
qmbodied in any resolution of the House. No man
who bad attentively watched the conduct of the Mar-
quis of Wellington and the officers under his corn-
*and, could tail to have observed, that a military
school existed on the Peninsula, in which a race of
officers were forming, on whom the country might'
rely w,lll confidence in the future military career,
which, in all: pn .b ahi lity, it !kat'_ yet to run. Such a
school could not, indeed, be formed without great
. sacrifices; such, for ;nstance, ,as those which were
Made in the siege of Burgos, where, besides regret
for the failure of the object, one could not• help feel-
lug an additional pang at the fall of many brave offi-
ce,rs, and especially Colonel Somers, who, if he had
. lived, promised,to have added to the other glories of
that illestrious name, that of the highest military
fame and glory. No:withstanding such losses, many
officers must be formed by the Marquis of Welling
bog, who, having the advantage of his example before
*them, must be capable of rendering the highest air-
"'ices to their country. He thought it right to ad.
vent to this circumstance, as it appeared to ,be a fa.'
vourite object with the Marqui; of Wellington, who,
in the intervals ef war, kept several of the officers
about him, who bad thus an opportunity of improv-
ing themselves, by his instruction and example, in
military science. There yeas still another point to
which he was desirqus of calling their Lordships' at.
tention. No perssai who heard him would think that
he was disposed to censure the advice given to his
Royal Highness the Prince Regent, to advance the
Marquis of Wellington in the Peerage after the hat-
tle of Salaonanca: but he did think that there' then
. existed ail opporttmity of granting to the Marquis of
Wellington promotion* of a 'different nature, more
eonnected with the service to which he was devoted';
and, therefore, likely to be more useful to his coon-
. try, (alluding probably to the dignity of Field 'Mar.
‘ , shal.) If that promotion had -been conferred, it
... would no doubt have met with the applause of the
..e.runtry and of the army ; and it would have been ap-
' proved by none, more than by the 'many gallant Ge-
nerals, who, by such a 'Measure, would have been
enabled to share his glory. While we were urging the
Spaniards to 'give way ih every penctilio, and to
think only of the best' means of promoting the great
cause in which they were engaged, it would have
. been wise in us to shew them the example. Such
r was the feeling which he had the trine, and which
.• be-still had, and there lire thought it 'right to state
• • It ; but in doing so, it Was not his intentichi to 'object
.1. 4o any other honours Which were conferred on :the
Marquis of Wellington. If any donbt could have
existed as to the propriety of conferring such IM-
. movrs, that doubt must have been tenioved bt ebie
.• review taken by the Noble Earl opposite of the griat
• 4alents displayed. by .the Marquis ,of Weliington„.in
every situation where the exertion .of great talents
was required. The Marquis of Wellington had, in
reality, distinguished himself for the judgment. and
temper with which he conducted himself in regard to
the Government of Spain, nip liis than 'by Ins mili-
tary genius and 'valour. ' i . .
Lord SOMERS did not rile to trouble the Ho
at any. length, for it was hardly possible to add td
what had been already said on the great merits of
• the Marquis of Wellington ; but feeling 13articelai:
Obligation to the Marquis of Wellington, he • <Old'
not help expressing his sincere concurrence in the pro-1
.to
of. the Noble Earl opposite, and his desire
le adatasaltich as was in hii power to • the' well-ear:'
tied honours of that great Man. There was a trait!
In hisscharatter which' had not yet been noticed, but
Which. was well worth ••niehtiiming7jhe Meant the *6.1
ientioevrlgeh.the gallaneGeneral; though obctapiec4
Li hi -Enlist be, widr his ' eat plans,' had paid ib the
cOmfotts of those under • command '
who had falleq ,
%
flan ilflitalta front.the fbours Of their tituation.-r
• He View tliat such'attentian bad been paid to a deaf
relative of his,.who hadnU:titlY died front fat_ igue•
• r.e battle a Satainanci;. inCsvcaildlueve "ad tb . *
+. ' Lad not becoldr thilfiendlf Care.Ortheitttt
alai
' of Wellington, ,which 'saved 2 'Alit !wig& ttera
life wilich was•sSon alter lose ill: the. pe i 1
kiiVile "d'iliyr"rhii ficehF thartglltAt iffth- • ' •
ang ; and he fully agreed with the Noble Earl %Po-
• site,ahat.there•never was a General less dispreea to
Iticifice the lives of Ili•stldiersieteept When the set.,
II sc;i4.: .... ii%-t. 'i .: ~,:0..,-, le!. 1,;--;,.... titt a ~5