The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-11-25 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN.

•
attention not to be exhausted by the laborious duties
or the office in question, and, Above .all, he would
add, a strict impartiality essentially necessary to se-
cure the universal confidence of the House. Neale,
rous as these qualifications were, others werestill re-
quisite. The Thanks of that House would want
much of their high value and (elect, if delivered
without an adequate arid corresponding dignity of
manner and expression ; and their censures would
Inc, part of their corrective force, unless they were
uttered with a demeanour and manner, firm and im-
pressive. In asserting the privileges of that House,
whist the encroachments of the other branches of
the Constitution; they should expect in their s;i:rat& '
a jud ment beyond controul, and an integrity beyond
uence. In transacting the private business of the
House, nothing was more desirable than urbanity of
disposition, an easiness of access, a courtesy of de-
meanour, and an indefatigable industry ill adjusting
conflicting claims, and a constant watchfulness ill pro-
tecting the rights of individuals. Nor would he wholly
passorerthatliberelanddigniliedhospitality which be-
came their Speaker, and which suited the reek:in(' sta-
tion of the most distinguished Commoner in the realm.
These appeared to him to be the most prominent qua.
lineations necessary to exist in the irdividral who
should have the'honour of filling that Chair ; and if,
in presuming to propeee a person fit for that high
office, it had heed necessary for him to resort to his
own private jedeentelit, of a persisn so qualified, he
hoped he should have known himself well enough, o
have shrunk from the task end left its performance
to some one better entitled ..tie 'the confidence of the
House. But he could not avoid congratulating him.
selfored be would venture to congratulate the Hepse
also, that it was not necessary on ne pre4 ot occo,-
s4m to select a Speaker on the hope and promise of
future excellence, and. of quelificatious to be de-
veloped by the Situation. Theilouse might fix its
choice on the secure liaris oferied excellence. Those
Members who were then present for the first time
might suppose, perhaps, that while ho had endea-
voured to deseribe--imperfectly he most willingly
adteittede—the qualities necessary stn be combined in
a person filling that Chair, he had been tracing
merely the outline e of a pictuie which: Oiled only
in hie own imagination ; but they Wha had sat in
the four preceding Parliaments tvoidd inih%ediniely
xecoguize the portrait of that highly-gifted indivi-
dual who had, during the whole of that period, pre-
sided over their proceediagee—Meeire hear !I—He
was sure he need not mention the game of Mr. Abe
bot.—[hear, hear .9—lt would be superfluous to
refer back to the early Parliamentary life of that
distinguished person, when he displayed sokh a firm
and upright conduct, as a Member of Parlianteatt,
and exhibited such a devoted attachineat to the prin-
ciples of the Constitution ; neither need he.nrefer to
those qualities whirls had originally rceernmetitied
him to the choice cf the House. But he wes aware
that he had to claim a very large portion'of their in- ,
dulgenee and candour for having presumed to aildiess
them titus on their first meeting : yet, he would
/Lankly confess he could not resist the opportunity
of thus publicly testifying those sentiments of esteem,
regard. rUneratien, and respect. which justly be-
longed to that Ceittleman, and which he very sin-
cerely felt toward, him. He anticipated with entire
confidence, the utnuttraous concurretice of the floisse,
in moving that the Right Honourable Charles Abbiet
do take the Chair 'on hat liouse.—[licer, hear!]
Mr. CA RTW RIG lIT, in rishig to second the
motion; felt how inadeqnate he was to do justice to
the aubjmt he had .nedertakete After, however,
the able enumeration by !be Right Ilon. and Lieartteti
'Gentleman who 'preceded hint, of the talents and
qtrelitientions which it was necessary for a Speaker
of that I fuse to possess, he did not conceive it ne-
cessary fur him to enter upon them:
-• were ill
,eminently united jn the pesou of Mr. Abbot. [Mar,
:Ave 1 Of him it might certainly be said, that if
he itils called to the first station which a Commoner
of this country could fill, his taleu(s and his virtues
were every way equal to that station. Before he
*filled the Chair of the House, the public had reaped
great benefits from his labours ; and his able and
meritorinue services in that Chair, rendered it die ,
to the House and the public that he should be agaiu
placed in it.
The call of " Chair," having become...general!
throughout the House, . n
Mr. ABBOT said, it Was impossible for hini net
tetfeel gratified with the very high tete*, in which
his Right lion. Friend, and the Then. Gentleman
who seconcled him, had mentioned his .nanieeand
the highly favourable and flattering manner with I
which what was delivered by these Gentlemen had i
been received by the Mouse. He begged leave to
assure the House, that if he was again called to their J
Chair, he would not undertake to discharge their- i
duous &ties attached to it, if he did not confide that ;
his future endeavours would Meet with the same in-
dulgence as his past. Some attention to the way in.!,
which business is carried on, and the forms of the
House, might have, perhaps, enabled hint to go
through their ordinary public and private business ;1
but these were by no means the main difficulties of
the office; for such were the many new and un-
looked-for otorrences which often suddenly sprung I
up in that House, that unless the House were pre- I
pared to support any one of their Members who might
sit in that Chair, all other considerations would be
superfluous. He only hoped that so lung as he fined.
the office no part of his conduct would ever be found•
detrimental to the interests or the honour of the.
House.—[hear, hear!]
Mr. Abbot having then been conducted to 'the
Chair in the usual manner, proceeded to address the
House from it. He entertained a deep sense of the
arduous duties which every person who filled that
Chair was called upon to fulfil ; 'and so long as hei
• dis?hereed these duties, to the best of his judgment'
end ability; he hoped he should receive the support
of the House. lie begged leave to assure the Home,
that he was entirely devoted to its service. [Hear
hear, hear n
Lord CASTLEREAGH conceived, that till the
choire of the Home had been communicated to his
Royal Highness the Prince Regent, for hgap b pro a.
tioll, to proceed to any other business would be irre-
gular. lie could not, however, help congratulating
the House on the choice which they had made. He
was sure that they must all feel it as a matter of in-
-- .•
eividual gratification, that the Orion was found re-
-toned to the Commons Hoist of Parliament, who

4

was again elevated to the high situation,in. which he
had already so eminently distinguished hltnself.—
There was no manner in which the proctjedings of
the House could have commenced more auspiciously;
and he trusted that they would terminate their
labours in it manner correeponding Urge' a cow-
nleneement. He did not wish to lake up more of.the
time of the House, and should conclude with mov-
ing, that the House do now• adjourn till to-morrow
(this dab
The House Was then adjourned.

.

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TICE. STATESMAN.

LONDON:
wrlvoz.ttt, NOtEMIXR 95) 111111.

We are still without any official intelligence frciet
Spain and Portugal, of a later date than what her
already appeared. It would be seen by our Fal-
mouth letter yesterday, that Lord WELLINGTON and
General Mu. had formed a junction, and .were re-
treating towards Portugal; but report says, that Lord
IVin.t.tN:Tosz had offered battle to the enemy on the
plains of Salamanca, which they declined. If any
credit can be attached to this report, his Lordship,
we must conclude, was compelled to the measure,
from being closely pursued by the French, against
whose superior force,-it is probable, the Allied Army
will not be able to make any effective stand, until
they arrive at the frontiers of Portugal; and, eves
then, be compelled to retire to their old quitters at
Torres Vedras.

R
We are in daily expectation of intelligence from
/Us4a, as the last accounts from Paris are silent re-
specting BOICAPARTE and the situation of the army.--
It is most probable that the next accounts frr,:n that
quarter wi!l atlnounr. the ari ;vat of the Grand Army
on tin! frontiers of Poland, ‘vhore it is likely they
will take up their winter quattrs.

Tsi•ottine• ,
er• ire believe, can exceed the painful sea- I
sation created in the public-Mind, by the present la-
moldable state of affairs in the Peninsula ; nor can
all the turning and twistings of the Morning Port
and Courier, nor the fulsome adulation of the WEL-
LPiLEYS, in the Times, divert the attention of the
• people from this most galling subject. We have no
doubt but BALLASTEGOS has ci•aducted himself upon 1
a principle, which actuates all the other popular Spa- ,
nish Generals, and indeed the whole of the real pa-1
triots of .that nation ; that,is to say, all those who
are not interested in the continuance of a Govern-
ment;swhich its advocates allow to .be
.detroid of
energy and talent, to say the least of it; and does
not it stand to reason that it should he so? Let us
put the case home to ourselves. Let us imagine, that
a Spanish auxiliary force came to this country to as-
sist us in the expulsion of au invader ; how would
our WELLE4LEYS, CIIATILINS, BURRARDS, &C. like I
to see Don ESPOZ Y MINA put in the chief com-
mand of the British Army ? flow would the Gentle-
men of the Guards (who do not like to be even
: under the command of Officers oat of their
own immediate corps), how would they relish
to obey a Spanish Chieftain ? And how much more
then must be the insult to the Spanish nation, in
' placing a British General at the head .of their army
--an army proverbial for its pride and high sense of
honour—in a nation also proverbial for the sums
feelings! Let us not hear the miserable cant of the
Timer, which yesterday was disgusting, even to the
meanest sycophant of Apsley-house, in its fulsome
lwaises of Lord WELLINGTON, who, in a panegyric,
as bombastic as it was ridiculous, was at last deified
into the divinity of Spain!!! We lament that the
prostituted • flatteries of the Titers oblige us to be
• thus plain:4.'4e not to take from the merit of
LOrdWETAINGTON: he has certainly been more in-
defatigable than any other General we have of late
possessed, and has deserved the laurels cast upon his
brow ; but helms been most brilliantly- rewarded ; and,if
the ambition of his family is to involve the great cause i
f the Peninsula, trembling as it now is, balanced
almost between the chance of salvation and irreparable
loss, it is our hottest duty to expoic the oil which
this family-ambition may bring upen us. We are
enabled to communicate to the nation the real secret
history of this appointment of Lord WeLzmosros to
the Geueralissimo of the Spanish Armies ; a measure
which, we are confident, will be destructive of the
I.barsnony which it is our interest to cultivate by every
' possible means between the two nations, and the
;adopting of which is pregnant with evil to the comb.
mon cause. •
During the period of Lord WELLESLEY'S Admit&
stration, Sir HENRY WOLLESLEY, our Ambassador
at Cadiz, was instructed to impress upon the Re-
gency, the wish of the British Government, that a
Commander in Chief of the whole Spanish Army
should be appointed, and this appointment; it was
very plainly hinted, it was expected that Lord WEI&
bisezox should receive. From that period up to
the latter end of July last, the Regency refused to

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• +- .

entertain even the question ; but, about that time,
Sir HENRY AVELLISLEY sent them a remonstrance,
couched in the strongest terms, which had the effect
of inducing them to send the question to the tortes,
for 'decision. But fresh difficulties arose In this
Assembly, and it was not until Sir HENRY had
made use of some very cogent British arguments
that he could succeed in getting the subject even to
lan argument. At last, after much management, on
the 19th .of last September, after an uninterrupted
debate of two days and nights, with closed doors, a
' Vote was obtained, conferring on Lord AVELLI VC.
TON the chief command of the Armies, which, iu the
I present state of that country, was, in fact, creating
!him IteceNT of the K tee Dom, and which can-'
not fail of being productive of the most serious
of cousequences.--But let us look at th%
i situation of affairs—the French Army is assuming a
!most imposing attitude—it threatens to overran
I again the whole of what we had a transient posses-
sion of—and will not this detach from us all those
who had submitted to our dominion, in the expecta-
tion of our remaining masters of the country ?—And
will not the examples which JOSEPH will make of
!what he will call treason to him, confirm the people
In this opinion ?—lt is useless cavilling about
words; JOSEPH considers himself a legitimate
1,
Monarch, and has 130,000 bayonets to confirm his
right. Nor do we see, in the present prospect of
affairs, any hope that we shall be enabled to dethrone
him. At all events, the system of destroying the
harmony existing between the United Armies, is not
the best method to be adopted for that purpose. We
much fear that BALLasernos's example will he fol-
I i lowed by other Officers, who, like him, command
i
i popular armies, who of course have great weight
with the Spanish soldiers, and whose opinions and
decisions have very considerable influence on the pub-
lic mind.

This is a most serious consideration; and we trust
our Ministers will look to it. Let us see nothing
again to remind us of the Walcheren Expedition—let.
us have no more retreats to Coruntia—the blood we
have caused to flow, and the treasure we have ex-
pended, extracted as it has been from a people suf-
fering at every pore, deserves a better return—and
we anxiously hope and trust that Divine Providence
may overt from us a repetition of those ,dreadful
evils !

The PRINCE RtaasT has signified his pleasure,
that he will not open the New Parliament with a
Speech from the Throne. His Speech will, therefore,
be delivered by Commissioners.

We call the attention of our Readers to a Letter
we have this day inserted from a Correspondent at
Nottingham, which emphatically points out the state
of wretchedness and distress that pervades that once
flourishing town and its neighbourhood ; if the suf-
ferings of the people be not, like the orbit of Gcor•-
gium Sidus, placed at so tremendous a distance from
the sun of Ministerial sympathy as scarcely to be
illumined by a feeble ray, we shall hear of some sa-
lutary relief being soon administered in that guar-
ter, to prevent the horrors of starvation.

Ills Royal Highness the PRINCE REGENT is ex-
pected in town this day from Suffolk. The Crown
was removed yesterday from the Tower, to the King's
Jeweller, to be cleaned and repaired, as in the event
of his Royal Highness's going to the House of Lords,
on Monday next, to open the Session of Parliament
in person, he is to be accompanied by the Crown,
carried on a velvet cushion. Lord G WIDIR, the
officiating Great Chamberlain of Ungland, arrived in
town yesterday, to be in readiness to attend his
Royal Highness. His Lordship exercises that office
in right of his wife, who is joint hereditary Great
Chamberlain with her two younger sisters, the
daughters and coheiresses of Pciixonise„ Duke of
ANCASTER.
Yesterday the New Parliament having met, Mr.
41eaoy was rechosen Speaker of the I louse of Com-
mons, and a number of Members took the oaths and
their seats. Au account of the proceidings will be
found in the preceding columns. The SPEAKER. will,
this day, be -presented to the Commissioners, and
will claim the privileges of the Commons' House in
the usual form.
The interval between this and Monday neat, will
be occupied in swearing in Members pabtlefy at the
-11Ouse, and in conversing with Members privately
at the Treasury Chambers.
Some people think that there will be no ether
business entered upon before Christmas but raising'
money. They may be mistaken. We think it highly:
probable, that before Christmas Mr. VAnsverilti
may be relieved from the trouble and ditticultty
raising the supplies for the year.
The House of Lords has been mush improved in
appearance since last Session. The seats have been
newly covered, new curtains put up, the throne
brightened, &c. fcc. Several improvements have
also been made in the passages and adjacent
hers, and the grand entrance is completing with the
'utmost dispatch, in order to be ready for ti,e. secep-
! don of the PRINCE REGENT on Monday ttext.-•.:2.
Should a demise of the Crown tab: place beferf a
Bill can be pasSed to make a dissolution not • neces-
sary, it would fall very hard upon those Gentlemen
I who have purchased voters they never saw before,
and who will be equally ready to sell themselves again
to any new candidate,
On the approaching +meeting the summonses have
4i
been unusually strict !--the paper all with lilac!:
edges too!--and not or single furlough, for love or
i money.—
.• Deskaartosne. Lktorihus Pic!"
Mr. Mintirm: IlowAnD is returne.l for three
! places, and, it is said, that as soon as he has made
his election, Sir S. ROMILIAI and Mr. Baoveuasf
iwill be returned for the two vacated seats, upon the
Duke of NoaroLa's itAlet4st.• • • • •