The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-04-18
How Gid Ibis doctrine accord with tie idea

OF the contest in which Cor the last fifteen
Years, we had been engaged with the
French. simply because they chose to alter
their Internal form of government Instead
OF monument to the memory of the minis
ter who involved US in such a war, he de-
served to have lost his head on the scaifold
in addition to the other losses our armies
in Spain had sustained, he thought that the
life of the gallant officer, who commanded
the expedition. to have been too dearly sold
tor Ferdinand the With. IF he was right
informed. there were Bulletins in town, in
which Notwithstanding the acrimony of the
French ruler, he does ample justice to the
bravery OF our army and its gallant COM
mantler. He could not believe that men who
like present ministers, could see no me-
rit in an enemy, were fit to rule over se-
nervous people. He begged. however, to
disclaim the idea of being the advocate of
Bonapartc. As to the general state of the
war in Spain, unless ministers proceeded on
the fact of tue known enthusiasm of the
country--if they presumed to take that in
formation on light grounds. they had been
guilty of crime of the deepest magnitude.
being Course calculated above all others to
produce the greatest calamities. In addition
to accurate information on this subject, they
should have been able to see that there
would be SOC, 900 men in arms-that all the
passes were secured-and that they would
be able tight with every advantage, not sub
Ject to want of food, and that they would
only have to fall, if they did fall in the field
OF glory. If these things could not be ensu-
red, then their duty was not to have landed
single man, but to have supplied the Spa
niards with arms and other necessaries.
which might have produced prolongation
OF the war. These were the only two ra-
nf r
ministers had contentcd themselves with
sending only such body of men as was suf-
hcient to prevent disgrace to our arms, which
the vaior of our army could itself effect, but
not enough to save the nation from an aching
heart. They presumed, too, to trust the
British character and honor on the rotten
plank of this Spanish government, not ex-
ceptng even the Inquisition. They had no
right to do so there was no necessity for
doingit.
With respect tc the sending money to the
opaniards. it would have well become minis
ters, before they called for supply from the
exhausted pockets of the people, to have re-
stored the millions OF which Spain had oe en-
some years ago ,iujustly pillaged by tho go
vernment of this country 6 which had gone to
his majesty under the name of Droits of the
Admiralty. This would only have been
restitution of their own property, and while
II aided the 81 aniards, would have cleared
the character of this country, and confirmed
our former assertion, that we had seized on
their money principally to prevent its going
into the hands OF Bonaparte. He confessed
that be would prefer to the amendment now
proposed an address to his majesty, reoues
ting that he would order an inquiry into the
grievances OF which the public had to COM
PLAIN, and that as an earnest of the reforma-
OF abuses q would
ministers from his presence and councils
lhe House was called on for an address of
thanks. He, for one, had no thanks to be
stow-klngs were too much exposed to have
adniaton poured into their ear 1t was the
cause OF the overthrow of too manv of the
thrones of Europe. We had not heard that
any of the kings who had of late years fallen
under the dominion of Bonaparte, were in
want OF courtiers. 1t was fit that the king of
England should occasionally near the truth
from his Commons, and no better opportunity
than the present could possibly. present itself
Inc Secretary of State had objected to the
idea of this being a sinking country. He
(Mr. Canning) might be rising, but the coun
try was sinking. He (Sir Francis Burdett)
was OF that opinion, and there was too much
ground to believe it would sink still lower. if a
reform did not speedily take place.
MT. Whitbrcad replied to Mr. Canning,
ana after conversation, in which several
other members spoke, the address was a
greed to, and was ordered to be presented
to his majesty by such of the members as are
OF his majesty's most honorable priyy coun-
cil.-Adjourned.
House OF LoRDs-Feb..
The Earl of Liverpool laid on the table
the papers relative to the negotiation with
the American Ministers.