The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-05-13 00:00:00

" The Cause for which HAMPDEN fell ix the Field, wed SYDNEY died ow the Scaffold !"

MA. OREAT PICTURE or LAZA-
RUS, which has been nearly three years on the
Easel, IS NOW OPEN, at the )Egyptian-Hall,
Ground floor to the right.—Admittance Is. Cato-
logues Bd.

EAST INDIA-HOUSE, Aprjk.3o, 1823.
THE Court of Directors of Me United Company of
Merchants of England trading to the East Indies,
do hereby give notice,
That a Special General Court of the said Company.
will be held at their house in Leadenhall-street, on Wednes-
day, the.l4th instant, at eleven o'clock in the forenoon,
for the purpose of laying before the Proprietors for their ap-
probation, • resolution of the Court of Directors of the
9th inst., granting Oxman of Sixty Thousand Pounds per ann.
tolls Majesty's Goverament, with a view of relieving the
finances of the country from the charge incurred for retiring
pay pensions, &c., on account of that part of his Majesty's
forces which is maintained in the East Indies from the 30th
April, 1822, to he paid oat of the Territorial Revenues of
India, on account of all retiring pay pensions, Ike., granted
on that, may be hereafter granted in respect of hls.hiejesty's
forces serving in the East
Copy of the said resolution now lies open at this House
for the perusal of the Proprietors.
Tim Court of Director/ do also give notice that the said
General Court Is further made special for the purpose of
submitting for confirmation the Resolution of the General
Court of the 19th March, approving the Resolution of the
Court of Directors of the 18. h December last, granting to
Major James Rivett Carnac, of the Madras Establishment,
the sum of Thirty Thousand Bombay Rupees, at the rate of
2s. 3d. per rupee upon the ground therein stated.
The Report required by the Bye-Law, esp. 0, sec. 20, to-
gether with the documents upon which the said Resolution
has been formed, 'reopen for the inspection of the Proprie-
tors at this house.
JOSEPH DART, Secretary.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
--so.—
DOUSE OF LORDS.—MonDA T.
The Royal Assent was given, by Commission. to the
Warehousing Bill, the Merchant Apprentices' Bill, and
the Edinburgh and Glasgow Union Canal Bill. The
Commissioners were the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of
Shaftesbury, and Lord Melville.
Earl GROSVENOR presented a petition from Shakes.
bury against the Insolvent Debtors' Act. He also pre-
sented another petition from the same place against Sla-
very in the West Indies.
The Marquess of LANSDOWN presented a petition to
the same effect from Annan, in Scotland.
The Earl of HARE WOOD presented a similar peti-
tion from Sheffield.
RELATIONS WITH FOREIGN POWERS.
On the order of the day being read for the Lords to be
summoned,
Earl GREY rose, to bring forward the motion, of
which he had given notice, for the production of addi-
tional Papers relative to the War between France and
Spain. When a war was going on in the Peninsula,
and while there existed a danger that threatened the
peace and tranquillity of all Europe, it was necessary
that Parliament should be in possession of every inform-
ation that could be given respecting the conduct of
France and the Allied Powers. The first subject on
clitcLute wished to be informed was one that bad caused
Lion Iselipis equator. He adverted to a re-
port tSpanlsli ship having Leen captured in the
West Indies by a French ship of war, before any declara-
tion of war had been issued against Spain, and before it
could be know n that any such declaration was intended.
His view in introducing this question was, to enable his
Majesty's Ministers to contradiet the fact, or to give each
an explanation respecting it as should satisfy the public
mind. This was particularly necessary, at a lime when
an unjust and odious attack was made upon Spain ;
and, under such tircutnstances, he did not think that
England should sit by in her neutrality, and abstain
from every kind of interference, while acts of robbery
and plunder were committed against an unoffending
nation. In this instance, a satisfactory explanation
might serve to remove a great deal of odium from the
French Government. The next point on which he
wished to be informed related to an act done subsequent
to the commencement of hostilities. He meant the Pro-
clamation issued by what was called the Provisional Go-
vernment of Spain, sPer the entry of the French army
into the Peninsula. By that Proclamation, all acts
done by the Government of Spain since the year 1520,
were declared to lie null and void. If such a declara-
tion as this was mails under the sanction of the Allied
Powers or of France, it would necesrarily follow, that
the engagements which Great Britain had entered into
with Spain since 1820, must be done away ; and that our
merchants could not expect to obtain that compensation
for their losses, which the Spanish Government bad
agreed that they were entitled to. It was necessary,
therefore, that information should be given as to this
point. The third point to which lie should call the at-
tgntion of the Noble Lord opposite, was one of consider-
able importance. It related to the situation in which
France stood at present with regard to the Allied So-
vereigns. He wished to be informed whether, during
the conferences at Verona, the Allies had given France
Any assurances of support in the war she was about to
undertake against Spain ; and whether those powers
were pledged to become parties in that war. At another
time lie should make some further inquiry on this point.
At present he should content himself with declaring as
his opinion, tbat the more lie reflected on the subject,
the more he felt convinced, that on no occasion were
the interests of the country so betrayed, or the country
itself so degraded, as during the conference of Verona.
On a former occasion, some allusions had been made to
opinions delivered by him several years ago.
when the British Government was about to send an
army to the assistance of the Spaniards ; and he
now felt it necessary to make a short explanation, in
order to show that there was no inconsistency be-
tween the opinions he had then delivered, and those
which he now entertained. It was necessary for
him to do so, in consequence of an attack made'
against him in another place by the Right Honourable
Gentleman, who now filled the °nice of Secretary for Fo-
reign Affairs. When Governient was about to send an
army to Span, in time year ISM, be (Lord Grey) certainly
did express it es his opinion, that in order to justify such an
interterence, it was necessary to be convinced that the inter-
ference was just ; also, that it was coniistent with the inte-
rests of the country ; and that we possessed the probable
means of acting with effect. • These were the principles he
had held forth on the occasion to which he al:uded. Here
the Noble Earl read several extracts from a book containing
a report of the speech which he then made, and which, he
said, contained the entire substance and spirit of whet he
had said.—(We u Aerstand that the speech in question was
reported by Mr. David Power.)—This speech related to the
armaments which Government was about to send into the
Peninsula at the period to which he alluded ; and the pur-
port of It was to show that the justification of such a mea-
sure depended on our means, on the policy of the proceed-
log, and the probabiliiy of success. These were the senti-
ments which he had thee uttered, and it was a misrepresen.
tation to state in any other place, or. even to losinuste that
he was against granting assistance to the Spaniards ; for his
opinion at the time sits, that the utmost possible assist-'

anee should be given to the Spaniards in the struggle
they were then carrying on. lie would appeal to
the 'speech he then made, than which ,no speech was
ever better reported, whether a single sentiment bad
been uttered by him that tended to disapprove of the
conduct of Government iu giving assistance to the Spaniards.
He certainly did throw out some censure on the Government
fur that part of their conduct which had led to the disaster of
Sir John Moore. But with regard to the assistance given
to Spain, ht. entirely concurred in the sentiments of the No-
ble Earl opposite. Minkters then received every thing
they asked for ; and every thing was granted them in sup-
port of the righteous cause In which they embarked. Of the
support he then gave the Government, his speech was a full
confirmation ; and the only point on which he differed relat-
ed merely to the modif of giving the assistance required.—
He had no difficulty in stating that et the time in question,
when reconsidered the situation of this country and of Eu-
rope, he did not think that the employment of the whole of
our military force was likely to secure us against the dan-
gers that impended over us at the time. In the year 1810.
the whole of Holland, time Netherlands, and a great part of
Germany, vere in the power of France. Sweden had just
received a French General for its Sovereign, and was array-
ed In hostility against us. Denmark was alienated from us,
in eousequence of that unjust, unprinelpd, and outrageous
attack, whiektermillated In the capture of her fleet, and the
bombardment of her capital. The power of Austria was
broken down, and had just entered into an allianee with
France, In conseqnence of the marriage of Bonaparte with
the Austrian Princess. Russia was at the same time at war
with us. Such was the situation of Europe at the period In
question, when the conquering armies of Napoleon threat-
ened the extinction of the last remains of Independence in
Spain. The Spanish armies were then dispersed ; the French
troops were in possession of all the passes leading into
Spain, and also of Madrid. This was not the case at pre-
sent ; for, notwithstanding all they had heard about the en-
trance of the French tro.-ips into Spain, they could not be
said as yet to have gained any success. There was, indeed,
a great deal said about the quietness of the people, and the
favourable reception which they gave the French in every
place ; and it was very remarkable, that the very same state-
ments were made by Soalt in 1810. But at that time the
French were in possession of almost every part of Spain,
except Cadiz and Tarragona. Under suchcircumstances, he
did not at that time think that a war carried on against
France in the Peniasela was likely to be successful ; but he
was afterwards happy tq find that he was disappointed. In
the war undertaken against Spain, Napoleon had deserted
from the principles on which lie had before been accustomed
to act ; his practice had been to finish one thing before he
began another ; and he (Lord Grey) did not thiuk that he
would have attacked Austria and Russia until he conquered
Spain. It was on that account he conceived that there
might be great danger in attacking him in Spain ; and, be-
sides, he could not at the time foresee the heroic resistance
made by the Spaniards. The attack of Napoleon on Spain
was unjust and unprincipled ; that of Louis was equally so ;
indeed it musttsppear worse to any one who considered how
much Louis owed to that country which he was now invad-
ing with a hostile army. The only opposition he had given
to the aid afforded to Spain in 1809, related merely to the
mode of affording and it, his opinion was sanctioned by
every military man of experience whom he consulted. The
opinions lie then gave were supported by the Noble
Lord now at the bead of the Government in Ireland, and
from that it would appear, with what justice an dttack
had been made against him in another place, on theground
of inconsistency. Here the Noble Lord procieded to read
other historical documents, to show how unfound•ia those
charges were. He should not now advert to the opposition
which the Noble Lord on the Woolsack had made to the
entrance of that Right Hon. Gentleman into office. on
the ground of his being favourable to the cause of the
Catholics; but the moment he (Lord Grey) read the
speech delivered at Liverpool, he said lie was cure that
Mr. Canning would not go to India. Here the Noble
Lord adverted to the overtures which had been some
rears ago made to himself and Lord Grenville to enter
into the Administration, and the failure of those over-
tures in consequence of the resistance made to the condi-
tions they proposed, that the Catholic Claims should be
attended to. He then proceeded to read over the corre-
spondence that had taken place when these overtures
were made; and he referred to the letter of Mr. Canning
to show how unfair the attack was which that Right
lion. Gent, lately made against him. The papers which.
lie now intended to move for, were such documents as
might show how far Austria and Russia intended to
tneke common cause with France in their attack against
Spain ; the Proclamation of the Provisional Government
of Spain; copies of any information received by Govern-
ment respecting a Russian army in the Vistula; and re-
specting Austrian troops in Piedmont. He wished to
know whether he was to consider the war against Spain
as a national war confined to France and Spain ; or whe-
ther it was one in which the other Powers intended to
take a part. In the whole of this business, there were
many things that excited surprise in his wind, particu-
larly as far as respected the correspondence between his
Majesty's Ministers and the Ministers of foreign Powers
respecting the affairs of Spain, in which it appeared that
our Ministers bad laboured under the greatest degree of
ignorance ; for they must have known that the object of
France was to compel Spain to change the form of tier
Government, and that it was the intention of the Allied
Powers to assist in producing that result. As to neutra-
lity on our part, it went fur nothing, unless we had the
neutrality of the Allies; and therefore it was necessary
to have it ascertained whether the Allies were to take a
part with France in the war against Spain. No joint
declaration was issued against Spain ; but the Allies did
agree to assist France in the war, as was evident from
the notes issued by the Ministers of Russia, Austria, and
Pritss'ta, at Madrid, and the withdrawing of those Minis-
ters from Spain, which was next door to a declaration of
war. They all concurred in one design, and the execu-
tion of it was left to France. He had no doubt of its
being the object of all those Governments to crush liberty
in every' part of the world. But that was not all. There
was evidently a secret view on the part of the Bourbon
Government—in the true Bourbon spirit—eventually col
attack and humble the power of this country. It was al
revival of the spirit of Louis XIV , and the hostile de-
signs of the French Government against us was manifest
from every act of theirs, and particularly from thefact of
their non forming a great naval depot and dock at Hun-
kirk. The whole was a joint measure on the part of the
Allies ; and the execution of it was left to the French
Government, whose secret hostility towards us at this
time was as manifest as any thing could be. The de-
claration of the Duke d'Angunleme on entering Spain
express.ly stated that the invasion was undertaken by the
concurrence of the Allied Sovereigns. No nun could
form any other opinion from the declaration in question,
bat that it was the intention of all the Allies to destroy
the existing state of things in Spain. It was also etc-
' dent, from questions which haul been put in another
place, ant the answers given, that there was a Russian
army on the Vistula; he- heard that army consisted of
120,000 men; from that it was evident that Russia in-
tended to take a part in the ear. There was also an '
Austrian army in Piedmont, fur the same purpose. And
he wished to know from the Noble Lord, whether there
was not a Prussian army on the borders of France. It'
was evident from every-thing that there was a lirect in-
tention to make common cause with France. No man
dreaded or depranted war more than himself; but when
he saw measnres of this kind going on, and the ilantlers
'that threatened the country, he was decidedly of