Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-05-09


II had been much the fashion TO load him
with oblouuy, he should be deprived of
all remedy, ami should not be allowed the
means even o.! refuting calumnl. This
was not necessary for the tranquility OF
Europe. lie recOllected, that he recon-
mended, when the Bill was in progress,
that Bonaparte should have the power of
bringing civil action, but the bill passed
without giving him that advantage. III
this restraint was Intended TO prevent his
giving an account of the events of his ex-
traordinarv life, the restraint was an in
jury not merely to him, but TO the pub
lie and to posteriiy; though, if it should
be proved that the restraint was ne
cessary for lis safe custody, that in
|. convenience must be submitted to.
He now came 20 another subject of
complaint, namely, the curtailing the cx-
might, perhaps, be said, DO you, who
retrenchment, complain Of the diminuti-
on of expense His answer was, that
he did not wish that sixpence should he
expended in this way. He disapproved
of the detention i'm this way altog ether
But the statement was, that the expense
was e 90 900, that this country should af-
ford no more than G 8, 900, and that Boz
naparte himself must find The other g 49,
GOO. 1t might be said, that 6 5000 was
amply sufficient; and so it probably would
be in any other situation; but al Saint
Helena, if the report was correct, even
6 10000 was hardly sufFi cient. And
hero he could not help just remarking,
that even while Bonaparte was at Elba,
the question whether he ought not TO be
sent 10 St. Helena was discussed at the
Congress of Vienna. That, however, was
beside his present purpose. But If an
extraordinary expense was necessary, it
should be kept lin view, that il was owing
to the place where Bonaparte was confin-
cd and it was unworthy of great coun-
try, first TO say, :" will place you in ST.
tuation where Il great expense is neceSsa-
ry;" and then come like a beggar, and
say, You must yourself be at the great
er part of that expense" He had been
astOnishcd when he saw this complaint
and had been inclined TO discredit it, as
he was now; but it came in SUCH shape,
that 1t was nece ssary TO mention it; and
ifit could he contradicted, that was
strong argument for his motion
In bringing these statements before
their lordslips. he did not mention them
as facts within his knowledge, or even as
statements which he believed to be true :;
but they had been laid before the public,
and, if not true, it was proper that they
should be contradicted for any harsbness
Of treatment, beyond what was necessary
for the safe custody of the person, would
be stain on the character Of the country
The best mode of proceeding would be
TO investigate the facts. When Glamour
wrs raised IN l79S or 1890. respecting our
treatment of prisoners ofWar, Mr.. Pitt
moved for a committee TO investigate the
facts, coptradicted the statements. and
eXtinguished that calumnious report
throughout all Europe. This was what
he now recommended. If the reports
were untrue, let them be coutradicted ::
if true, their lOrdships would express their
disapprObatlon of the conduct which had
been adopted, and apply the remedy
However they might now flatter them
selves by aspersiOns on Napoleon, the
Judgment of posterity might not be the
same on that subject. There could be
no doubt, that Mary, Queen of Scots,
was. in the time of Elizabeth, most dam
gerous TO the country and yet, who that
had heart alive to the dictates of huma-
nifty, did not wish TO obliterate from the
page OF history the cruel and harsh treat
ment OF that Queen Who was there,
with Just sense of the glory of the reign
of the liiustrlOus Elizabeth, that did not
lament, not the unjust, but the harsh and
uDgenerous treatment of Mary ? IT
would not be considered bv posteriiv
whether Bonaparte had been Justly pun
iShed for his crimes, but whether Great
Britain had acted in that generous maui
ner which became great country. These
were the views which they took OF the
past, and which would be the views
which history would take of their coun-
try.
Such then were the grounds of this mo-
ton. 1t was made for the purpose ofas-
cerialning how the facts really stood-to
give an opportunity for contradicting the
rumors winch had gone abroad, if they
were untounded; aud for applying the
proper remedy, if they were true. If
their Lordships would acquiesce in the
motion, and the reports should be contra
dicted, he should rejoice for the sake of
the house, for the sake of the country. of
Parliament, and even ofthe noble Lords
opposite, particularly the noble Earl at
the mead of tie Treasury for however
they might have differed on political ques-
tons, he sense of friendship was not by
That circumstance so deadened I'm his
breast, that he could see. without pain.
an immoral character fixed upon auv
administration of which he was AT The
head. He ought 70 apologize for having
taken up so much of their Lordships'
time, but he trusted that, in speaking
upon subject as To which misreprcsen.
tations were so likely to arise, if wonld
not be considered as improper in hint
10 have stated at some length the grounds
of his proceedings, and the motives bv
which he was actuated.-IIe concluded
by moving an address TO the Prince Re
a -