Star.
London, England, 1810-02-20 00:00:00

part, he thought itannrany npooromow.
••ter celerii i7ror his own
•*O-tiehtato have the preference of every other thing no mart on either illiikrAllr‘""Wirouse—conla have a
before the House. Another very important subject , doubt that Lord Mulgrrfewould have immediately
bed to submit to the House was, a Narrative communicated with Sir Richard Strachan upon the
Pe *I)
Ay under Lord Chatham in the late Expo{.subject of such a paper. The Right Hon. Gentleman
(Itherm which was presented by the Chancellor ! deprecated the idea of sanctioning such an act as this
dit.siTEalncliequr this day to the House. In his opi- 1 paper disclosed—for the precedent would be most
of Adocument ought not to be received by the1 mischievous. If Lord Chatham were allowed to
nine, mat
unt of its irregularity. It appeared make a direct appeal to his Majesty in a case of this
House'°n ac4°sented by Lord Chatham into his ! nature,'would not others be found to follow his ex-
it. leavebeen pre
own hands, instead of being regularly trans- ample, and what consequences must ensue ? The opi-
pitted
gaiestYLogb a Secretary of State, or the Corn- 1, onion of the King might be expressed before his Mi-
der in Clief. It was not authenticated, and who nisters were aware of the business, and the most inde-
inan *hie to the House for its contents cent, if not the most alarming, dissentions, might
vas to be responsible
it
was indeed presented by. the Chancellor of the Ex- 1 arise. Upon a subject of so difficult and delicate a
chequer,but the-House did not know how he came I nature, the, Right Hon. Gentleman expressed a wish
by i
He wished the House to take some measure ' to know the opinion of the Chair.
t.
aiSt
n the recurrence of a similar unconstitutional Mr. RYDER animadverted upon the observations
Pratherag of General Officers corresponding directly of the last Speaker, observing, that his proposed ap-
with the sovereign, instead of the Secretary for the peal to the Chair was easily accounted for. As a
war Department, as they were ordered in their in- forlorn hope, that Right Hon. Gentleman looked for
sun ctions. It was absurd and unjust, that an indi- something to sustain the argument which he felt him-
yi,loat should serve as an active General Officer, and , self unable to maintain.
then be permitted, in the capacity of a Privy Coun- i Mr. 'WHITBREAD asked how it should happen,
cillor, to give his account of his operations directly to that Ministers, in possession of such information as
the Sorenign, perhaps to the injury of other ofiicers. the paper before the House contained, could tell the
He wished to know where the Right Honourable city of London, in the King's answer to-its address,
Gentleman had got the Narrative ? It. was not in that his Westy saw no occasion to institute any in-
any of. •the Government Offices, and he thought he quiry as to the conduct of the naval or military corn-
must have got it in the King's Cabinet. manders engaged in the Expedition to the Scheldt. —,
yr, CANNING thought that Lord Chatham's For if this information were correct, the conduct
FArestive ought to have been addressed to the Secre- of Sir Richard Strachan surely called for inquiry.
tzy for the War Department, so as to render some How were Ministers to account for this business ?
er responsible for it. At present he thought the Either they did not make any inquiry of Lord Chat-
PH:muse ought not to let the Narrative be read, until ham before that answer, or that Noble Lord Audi-
they should determine whether they should receive it ously concealed the truth. Really if such conduct on
in evidence, as a knowledge of the contents would only the part of Ministers as every day seemed to disclose,
perplex, instead of simplifying the question. did not lead to impeachment and punishment, that
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER House could not 'be be regarded astbe representatives
said, that the Narrative was presented in consequence of a free, a*wise, or a just people.
iiin Address of the House, and that the piesent was Mr. RYDER explained.
nut the proper time to object to it. The motion for Mr. CANNING in explanation stated, that before
its production ought to have been opposed. He saw his retirement from Office, the intention was to apply
no irregularity in its appearing in the manner it did. for a narrative of the campaign both to the Naval and
It was delivered by Lord Chatham to his Ma- Military Commanders.
jesty on the 14th of February, and he had it of the #Sir HOME POPHAM could not help considering
Earl of Liverpool that morning to present it to the i the contents of this paper as a direct reflection upon
House. Lord Chatham was a Peer and a Privy the Commander in Chief of the Naval part of the ex-
Councillor, and as such entitled to present a Narra- pedition, who would, he was satisfied, be found fully
tire of his operations to his Majesty, and he was also I able to vindicate his conduct. As to the change which
as responsible for the contents of it, as the rest of his had taken place in the original plan of attack upon
Iflijesty's Ministers were fin the part which they took j Walcheren, he was enabled to state, that that change
in it. I was determined upon at Deal in consequence of in-
The Narrative was then read, but the substance of i formation there obtained, and the determination with
it has already been before the public. the causes which recommended it was communicated
Lord FOLKSTONE declared that the objetitions ito Lord Chatham, who fully approved of it. There-
which he felt to this paper, were considerably aggra- , fore, if there was any blame imputable to the change,
rated by a knowledge of its contents. It now appear- the Noble Lord must take his full share of it. The
sd to be a special address from the Commander of Honourable Officer dwelt upon the zeal, energy,
,sae part of the Expedition, appealing to the judgment and judgment displayed by Sir Richard Strachan,
of his Majesty without the intervention of any respon- i throughout the whole of the Expedition—upon his
sable Minister, and actually reflecting upon the con- i eagerness to consult, and his wishes to forward every
duct of his colleague in the common-a. He really did suggestion of the Noble Earl from whom this letter
not know how the House should proceed to get rid of proceeded. After such experience, he was surprised
such a paper; but it seemed highly desirable that it' and sorry now to wee the apple of discord thrown
should do so. To entertain such a document would down. But neither the Gallant Admiral, nor any
be not only inconsistent with the Constitution ; but, member of the profession to which he had the honour
in his opinion, with common justice. 1 to belong, could possibly allow such 'charges as this.
Mr.YORKE thought the discussion irregular, being paper contained to pass unanswered.
inelevantto the motion before the House. General LOFT t S disclaimed any intention, on the
The SPEAKER was of a different opinion. part of his Noble Friend (Chatham) to reflect upon
Vir. YORKE proceeded to comment upon the ob- I the Navy, whose c,:ertions he always applauded. But
serrations applied to the paper before the House, pro- ! the Address referred to, his Noble Friend was impel-
losing that he could not see any ground for the led to present, in consequence of the unfortunate lete
doubt and difficulty expressed by the Noble Lord on ter from Sir Richard Strachan, dated the 27th August;
the other side. This paper was, it ameared, Pro- (Crier of hear, hear.)
duced in consequence of an Order of the ouse, and After some observations from Mr. C. M. Wysistav
the original was presented personally to his Majesty sir „TORN Olen, Mr. G. JOHNSTONE, Mr. BATIIUR.STi
by the Noble Lord, whose signature it bore, at the and Mr. R. S. DUNDAS,
time when there was no Secretary at War in Office to I The SPEAKER declared his opinion, that there'
present it (what ! ols the 14th of February, exclaimed was no material irregularity in the form in which this
several voice; upon the Oppositiosi 'Peach! )—The Right , paper was brought before the House. Upon the sub-
Honourable G.u,tlA-to.o confesled his mistake. But stance of it the Right Honourable Gentleman declined
as to the assertion, that there was any thing_unconsti- I to express any opinion.
tutional connected with this paper, he could not sub- i It being understood that Lord CIIATIIANI,,WIIO is
scribe to it. He had devoted muck of his time to summoned as a witness, is to be examined upon the
examine into, and to understand the Constitution (a :1 subject of this paper, it was referred to the considera-
imiery of hear I hear !se the Opposition Benches.)-If, tion of the Committee of Inquiry, respecting the Ex-
tols' that Right Honourable Gentleman, that cry is pedition to the Scheldt.
meant to intimate that Ido not understand or rover- Upon the motion, that the House should resolve
ewe the Constitution, there is no expression of con- I into this Committee, strangers were excluded, at the
tempt or disdain too strong for my feelings, with sug,-.-stion of Mr. YORKE.—Adjourned.
regard to those who would cast the imputation.
Mr. TIERNEY disapproved of the paper under
discussion.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
contended, that there was no one circumstance con-
nected with this paper for which there was not an
adequate responsibility. If there was any thing cul-
pable in the character or construction of the paper,
was not Lord Chatham responsible for it ? and he was
responsible for the production of the copy to that
}louse. Why then, what mold be pointed out that
was in any degree unconstitutional in the whole pro-
ceedings ? Had not Lord Chatham or any other in-
dividual a right to lay a paper before his Majesty ?
hay, had not any Peer or Privy Councillor' a right to
demand an audience of his Majesty ? Then where
Was the unconstitutionality complained of in this
transaction ? As to the allusion a bleb the List speaker
had thought proper to make to impeachment, that he
regarded merely as a bye word. He could assure
*.he Right Hon. Gentleman and others, that neither
'n that House, nor out, would such allusions tend in
;Any degree to promote the object which they had in
view, in prosecuting this inquiry.
Mr. PONSONBY was decidedly of opinion, that
the proceeding under discussion was extremely un-
constitutional. (A laugh on the Ministerial Benches.}-
T;iis laugh, the Right Hon. Gentleman observed,
as perfectly natural from those who were every day
iu the habit of treating the Constitution with contempt.
Zut what could be conceived more unconstitutional or
It.efair, than that of a Military Commander going into
the King's closet, without the knowledge of any Mi-
nister, and presenting his Majesty a paper, justifica-
wrY of his own conduct, and criminatory of the con.
flact of his Naval Colleague I If such a paper had
'leen in the regular way resented to a responsible
Minister, it would be by him, as was his duty, sub-
'"itted to the consideration of his colleagues, who if
they did their duty would not present it to Iris Ma-
%cstY, at least, without apprising Sir Richard Stra-
cnan of its contents, and affording him an opportu-.
L') to defend himself. What, be would ask, was tlia

THE EV ENING STAR.

LONDON.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20.

PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK.
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Reduced 681}—Omnium 11 pre.—Escheq. Bills 2s. to 81. pre.
PRICE 01' STOCKS YESTERDAY.
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We have received Manikin-, to the 9th, and smaller
French papers to the 13th instant. 'the Moniteur
of the sth, in a supplement, gives Marshal SOULT'S
account of the passing of the Sierra Morena. The
perusal excites more of contempt than pity. If the
Spaniards could not avail themselves of such strong
natural defences, what can bit expected from them ?
Various letters have also been received from Cadiz,
some of them so late as the 6th inst. The consternation
of the inhabitants is represented as having subsided a
`little, and the preparations for defence as being in -a
state of great activity. Generals ALBUQUERQUE and
CASTANOS are both at Cadiz with 11,000 regular troops,
or according to other accounts 20,000. The former
General is idolized by the pee)ple, on account of his ra-
pid and extraordinary march totheirrelief, whichsaved
thetown from a surprise. All the young men of Cadiz
are enrolling themselves into corps, to defend the city.
The Spanish ships of war, as has been already stated,
have ben removed below the British ships, to be pre-
pared for the worst; and vessels of every description are
engaged to convey families from Cadiz to England,and
other places.—Oue important point is stated to have
been ascertained—that the supply of provisions was