The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-06-24 00:00:00

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IMPERIAL. PARLIAMENT.

AftioAi&

HOUSE OF LORDS, Jerre 23.
In a ("nominee ..f Privil.trr. pr.seeedong. were law) au the
.mgr,. of HriAport aiet steiresier.
The Idolater of the S.lory Bill writ' 'llrollfh a C• 414.
"Mlle. Sever. 1 1/,11 horodoectl atet it was or-
dered that the Bill %boob' hr printed.
TN/OMo TO THE BRITISH aRMY
Earl BATILURST not entering the llouse until
Ate, commeneed by apologizing for his elosence,—
D^obilost Polity Noble Lord was -impatient to dis-
charge the debt of gratitude imposed upon the crow.
`ry brihoee wholiad relieved it from a state of the
vnost anxious suapence. However sanguine we might
have been as to the ultimate result, reverses might
have been experienced, and the early events with
such an enemy were of the utmost importatore. The
campaign had now been opened by the emoted impe-
luoeity of Bonaparte, and that impetunsite htul•beeto
Arrested and defeated by the Duke of Wellington.
The French Leader had not on this occasion to tax
the elements, to complain of the inclemency of the
season, or to murmur at the rudeness of the climate;
he could not attribute his overthrow to the distal's.
inn of his troops, to the miscoodoct of his Gene. j
rats, or to the submitting of his better judgment to
the controul of others; he could now only blame'
himself for the malt ; he himself chose his time, his'
pipre, cud his adversary, and he was repulsed, de.
end routed--his genius shrunk before the as.
condenei eef the star of Wellington's glory. It was
ltnt Istorleary. (or him to trouble the Denise in detail
as to oper.atirons, of which every minute particu-
lar Was flsh stored in the minds of their Lordships,
but melding time of the peculiarities of the con-
geese be would ,make one or two observations. It
had beeresehl that in the early pert of his career the
Duke of Wellington had preferred defensive warfare,
and had always waited for Hoe attack of the enemy.
This assertion was undoubtedly true, and arose from
thidefidency of his physical power, as .sell as from
all opinion in the mind of that great General, that
it Was the fissions he best understood. in the year
1913, however, )se had acted upon a different plan,
as his numerical force was augmented, anti at the
battle of Vittoria in particular showed that he was
too less acqudinted with the science of attack than of
defence. In the last engagement, that from its un,
paralleled splendour seemed to cast a shade upon all
bifother Achievements, both these modes of warfare
were employed -for nine hours the Duke of Wel-
linkton had accomplished every thing that defence
could perform, arid far three hours he had acted with
all the energy and vigour of atta( k. With respect
to the engagement of the 16th of June, he wished 'o
make a few remarks, that full justice might be done
to the triumph that then had been obtained. It
peered, that during the whole of that day the Pros.
suites had valiantly maintained their post, though
with considerable loss ; mod the Duke of Wellingtion
hearing of the advance of the enemy, immediately
'WI a corps under the orders of General Pict en to
essikthem, and the contest was maintained until the
CleiO of the day. Vet the enemy was bold enough
to Claim a victory, not over the Prussians, het our
the English, on that nccesion ; the fact, however,
was, that the Prussians did not quit the position they
bad taken until tome time after the French had re-
tiered the struggle, nor did the enemy venture to or.
copy it until the ensuing morning. The
troops did not quit their ground at Quat re Bras toe,
the Middle of that day, and the enemy did not dare
to Molest them on retiring. It had been the design
of the Duke of Wellington to hate renewed the
battle on the next day (the 17th), but the Prussians
baling already lost 16.000. Marshal Blucher deemed
it den prudent to withdraw to W4irro, and the D (kr
if Wellington, in consequence, took op a position
it Waterloo. To this ground the British Commander
was no stranger, for in the course of the summer,
while in Flanders, he had taken a military survey of
the country, and it was a singular coincidence, that
be had then said, that if it should ewer he his fate to
bead an army for the defence of the city of Brussels,
Witerlon would be the position that he should think
best adapted to the purpose. The event had showed
heti well the Duke of Wellington had judged upon
the Wier,. It was at Waterloo that the enemy had
thniight fit to attack him with all the intrepidity that
characterised the nation ; the attack had been re-
pelled with equatlntrepidity, and sith a firmness and
resolution never to be rivalled. In the course of that
contest the Duke of Wellington had performed the
duties belonging to all ranks ; at one time he was
acting as Field-Marshal, directing and guiding the
grand operations—now he appeared as a General of
Division, or the Commander of a corps, and now he
beaded a regiment in a determined and impetuous
charge. At the close of the day the Emperor put
imself at the head of his Guards, and mode a vigorous
stack, which was met by the British Guards, who
("fortunately did net experience that panic which was
'oared against the Duke of %Vellitsgton and Mar-
ia' Blucher. The British Guards met, overthrew,
Ind completely routed the cholvest troops of the one.
ty. This defensive resistance continued for nine
lowa, when the Duke of Wellington finding that
to Po-elisions *ere really to assist him, like a lion
ti hung from his den, fell upon the French army,
(ere them from their firot,and from their 2d line, and
. length neomplished a defeat so perfect as to shatter
owl disperse every column. By dispatches which Iris
Lordship (Bathurst) had that day received. it tin-
kered that the effects of this victors' had been 5000
-prisoners brought into 13111“ PIS, 2000 more on the
rd, and others whose arrival might he daily expected.
The amount of artillery and baggage was already
:nova, hut nn intelligence had yet been received
if the reselt of the pursuit kept up by the Prussian
'my- It now remained for him to make a few oh-
irrtiirons upon the melancholy view of the subject,
indeed, any view of such a glorious achievement
tould be considered melancholy. It was not to be
expected that this mighty achievement should be ac-
complished without severe loss—it was wisely de.
creed by Providence that atomised joy or grief should
ienced ; every victory had its allay of
price that has purchased it, and in this
'‘ in a large proportion. Private and
in this case almost lest their quality
of the losses, and they were not
repaired to the service. Among the
leers killed was the name of the manly
Pirton„ and the firm but amiable
The fall of the Duke of Bruin.

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ds • • duties belonging
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grand operations.
i Division, or the
headed a regimen
l• • charge. At the c
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himself at the het
' attack, which wa
I fortunately did nr
charged against tl
.1 • shal Blucher. 'I
and completely rr
.Y•
any. TM% &fen,
hour*, when the
the Prussians ar
;' rushing from his
diet, them from t
at length 'vamp!
and disperse ewer
Lord,hip Batho
kered that the el
prisoner% brought
IlMd,snri others w
The minuet of
know°, hut no
4if the result of II
sway.. It now re
Serridions opOli t
if. indeed, ally at
\ could be consitlei
ex,I4PC tP d that thi
complished withi
treed by Provide
Pv r be ch. potion
regret for the prii
invenee it was in
peculiar Sorrows
from the extent
easily to be repo
principal, Officer.
anrl able General
Sic W. Ponsonby
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