The Statesman.
London, England, 1812-03-26 00:00:00

dstablishment 0 the kingdom had been Warted
i tee controul of Lord William Bentinek, who
would he enabled, from the confidence that wits
reposed in him, and from the power with which he
was invested, not only to apply the various means he
possessed to tile protection of the island, but even
to suression upon the common enemy. It would
almost condescending too far to attempts by any
detail, to refute the foul calumny originated in
France, that Great Britain had imitated the conduct
of the Ruler of that country in their treatment of
the Government of Sicily ; that she had assumed all
the authority of tan independent State, for the pur-
pose of appropriating to herself the resources and
produce of the island of Sicily. The only design the
' British Minister had in view was to discharge with
strict fidelity the duties of an Ally, whose anxiety
was to stop the progress of an overwhelming tf.
twiny, which would sweep away in its progress every
vestige of liberty. With this design they did feel
themselves called upon, from circumstances of ut•
• sent necessity, for the protection not only of the in.
dependence of Sicily, but for the security of our
own army, to produce a change of the system of
Government ; and in consequence of the representa.
lion of the British Envoy for that purpose, every thing
that could be expected bad been conceded by the
King of that island. In future, therefore, we might
consider Sicily secure in itself, and as a spot from
whence could be drawn most important means of.au.
soyauce to .the common enemy. His Lordship con-
tluded by moving a Resolution for the grant of
• 400,0001. to enable his Majesty to make good the
Treaty entered into with his Sicilian Majesty.
Sir JOHN NEWPORT thought that a much
more satisfactory explanation was due from the
Noble Lord, on a matter of so much magnitude.—
He could scarcely believe that Ministers, who on
former occasions had thrust themselves forward as
the friends and supporters of existing establishments,
should now attempt to justify the subversion of that
of Sicily. Bid the Noble Lord mean to assert, that
it Was not true that by means of the British autho-1
et* the King had been induced to abdicate his •
throne itt favour of his Son? Uninformed as he was
• sipeo the subject, judging wily from appearances, he'
gbafessed that this proceeding did appear to him very '
similar to the - conduct of Bonaparte, who forced
Charles XIII. of Spain, to abdicate his throne in fa-
vour of his son Ferdinand, and then took advantage
of it to claim Spain as his own property. To whom '
*as this money now proposed to be voted, paid ? and
to what was it applied ? These were enquiries, in the
present condition of our finances, of much import.
ante ; but Wave all, the British Government should
take care to make it evident to all the world that its
conduct was not similar to that of our perfidious'
enemy, which Lad justly met with the reprobation of
all that dared to be impartial.
• Lord CASTLEREAGH replied, that if Parlia-
mentary enquiry were requisite, the [tight Honoura-
ble Baronet was too well acquainted with the forms
df die House to need information how complaints
were to be brought forward. If such a step should
be taken; his Lordship was prepared to meet the
most minute investigation. He was happy to assure
the Committee that there was not the slightest ground
V.r stating, teat it was even at the suggestion, much
less upon the demand of the British Minister, that the
King of Sicily was Induced to abdicate his throne in
favour of his von ;. how it could be called'an abdica-
tion he iris. at a loss to imagine, since it was merely
a.. temporary delegation of power, which might at
any time be resumed by his Majesty—on the mo-
tives to this act his Lordship would not give an opi-
nion, but certain it was that it was wholly voluntary.
—The only claim made by Lord William Ben-
thick was, that the King of Sicily should put his
Government upon such a footing as to make it com.
patible with the safety of the British army, that it
should remain in the island. As on her part Great
Britain was anxious to discharge her portion of the
treaty, so on the part of Sicily it was expected that
she should perform hers. With r-gard to the clues-
-lion, to whom the money was paid, and by whom it
was applied, it would ir sufficient to answer, that it
was delivered to the Kin; of Sicily, and administered
by his Government. If, as it seemed to be required,
a general explanation of the conduct and policy to-
wards our Ally were necessary, the transactions not
oaly of the last, but of mans preceding years, must
be referred to ; and ulthwigh nis Lordship did not
shrink from the investigation, he did not conceive
that the present win the fit opportunity for entering
upon it. By such a trial, he was confident that the
sterling metal of the national honour and character.
would ouly be reuderered more bright and pure. 'That
any comparison was to be drawn betwben the con-'
dqct of Great Britain and that of Fratice,- it was ri-
diculous 'to contend, since while tie-latter had go.l
verned by • lawless ambition,. the former had been
guided by unshaken fidelity. The steps taken by
t!terioyertipieut of this countr3s wens justified by
the paramount necessity of the case.
Sr 'JOHN NEWPORT again adverted to there.
• si•taifee give-by She Ministers to his suggestion on a
former occasion, that Skily should be governed by
British authorities. Immediately afterwards, how-
ever, the ikitish Government was detected intermed-
dling with the organization and proceedings of tbel
Spanish Ccrtes, and was now the declared pro-
moters of a revolution in Sicily. It was perfectly
obvious, without any assertion from the Noble Lord, i
tnat Ministers were anxious to shun enquiry, for if
it were courted, where could a time be found more
fit than the present for such a purpose. A full and
complete exposition of their motives and conduct
was due to the military, the pushy of whose national
chantcter wig sullied by an imputation of the -black.
ost kind, which it were the duty of the Government
lopne.liaktely to.remove. • I
Mr. WI FORCE pointed out the distincifoo
between the conduct of Bonaparte with regard' 41
_ .

LONDON:
THURSDAY, SEARCH 6, 1812.
Lisbon Pewit to the 3d, and Coranna to the 2d
of March, reached us this forenoon. The major part
the Allied Army is represent* to have reached
Abrantes, and General HILL is to.. 'be entrusted with
the seige of Badajos. MAnnosit4s head-quarters,
which were formerly at Salamanca, are now said to
be removed to Valladolid, in consequence of the fall
of Ciudad Rodrigo; and the Imperial Guard, it is re-
ported, has received orders to proceed to France.—
We do not, however, credit these rumours re-
verting the movements of the enemy, because
oar private letter, confidently state, that Gene-