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would have been to place that country in a state of war with France, if the latter persisted in her decrees of blockade.

The Lord Chancellor and Lord Mulgrave asserted that Ministers had no design to inflame the misunderstanding with America; but that they would not deprecate her hostility, at the expence of our own dearest and most important rights. With regard to the other topics that had been adverted to, both the Noble Lords professed their readiness to enter into them in detail on a future day, in vindication of the conduct of themselves and their colleagues. The question on the address was then put and carried nem. diss.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.

Thursday, January 19. After the House had gone up to the House of Lords, and returned, the Clerk presented a bill for preventing clandestine outlawries, which was read a first time.

After the Speaker had read the speech, delivered in the Upper House by the Lords Commissioners, Mr Robinson rose, and, in his maiden speech, took a view of the circumstances in which this country stood in the present arduous contest with France. He alluded to that part of the speech where his Majesty calls upon the country for a vigorous prosecution of the war as the best and only means of obtaining a permanent and lasting peace. In his opinion there could be no doubt but that the people of this empire, who had so zealously supported the Spanish cause against the tyranny and rapacity of Bonaparte, would readily come forward in support of Ministers in the prosecution of this great cause. He thought a vigorous war preferable to temporizing measures. We were intimately allied to Spain, and we were pledged to her to resist the tyranny and infamy of the ruler of France, who had stolen away the King and his son Ferdinand. The despot of France was forging chains for Spain, which he trusted would be burst asunder by the energies of the Spaniards, aided by our Ministers, who had distinguished them selves for the promptitude they had evinced since the struggle began. After some further remarks, the Hon. Gentleman concluded by moving an address, which, as usual, was an echo of the speech.

Mr S. Lushington seconded the motion. He stated that he felt deeply the evils that would result from France subjecting Spain, and he relied on the generous principles of the Spaniards, for their complete emancipation from French degradation. The feelings of this country, he was happy to think, were congenial with those of Spain, and

there could be no question but that Spain would ever entertain high sentiments of gratitude for the interference of this country. Under these impressions, he felt Ministers were entitled to the gratitude and thanks of their country, for the fortitude they exhibited in sending assistance to Spain in the bold and independent manner they had done. The address proposed by his Hon. Friend met his most cordial approbation. He concluded by stating it as his opinion, that the best way of obtaining peace was by an offensive war against France, and by augmenting our military strength. The question was then put, when

Mr Ponsonby rose, and in a speech of some length took a review of the conduct of Administration. He said he must feel for the conduct of those men who had unfortunately been appointed to the Government of the country. In the course of the last year these men of vigour had entered into a treaty with the King of Sweden, by which they were to pay, as a subsidy to that Prince, 100,000l. a-month. In that treaty there was a private stipulation, specifying military aid by England. How far that military aid was supplied, might be known from Sir John Moore's expedition, which went to Gottenburgh, and returned without doing any thing. Ministers had since then very properly conferred on that gallant and meritorious officer the command of the army in Spain. Mr Ponsonby, as a fresh instance of the activity and superior intelligence of these men of vigour, said, that in the expedition against Denmark they had brought away no sailors; and that the Danes were at this very moment most actively employed in hostility to our mercantile trade in the Baltic; nay, more, the Danish navy was more active against our trade than the navy of any other power in Europe. The expedition to Sweden returned in a way disgraceful to the country that had sent it out. The attempt of Bonaparte at the subjugation of Spain, he would readily allow, had excited a most laudable spirit of enthusiasm in this country, highly honourable to its character. But he complained that the mode of warfare carried on by Ministers was not the proper mode, but was just the reverse. Instead of sending armies to Spain, Ministers ought to have supported the Spaniards with arms, and left them to themselves for a season, until they should ascertain the progress they had made in resisting the encroachments of Bonaparte. A vast quantity of blood and treasure had been sacrificed, and Spain was still liable to danger. They had sent Sir Arthur Wellesley to Portugal, with a sort of roving commission; they wished to deliver Portugal, the smaller kingdom, from the

French

French yoke; but Sir Arthur Wellesley's force was not large enough completely to produce that effect, or to keep the field against the French. General Wellesley had been ordered by Ministers to expel the French from Portugal, which he did, after consulting with the Junta of Gallicia. But what, he would ask, had been the conduct of ministers? Spain was safe; and ought, as being the greater country, to have been protected by Ministers: But no such thing was done. Portugal, the smaller country, was succoured, while Spain was left wholly unprotected by this country, and only defended by the zeal of her own inhabitants. He was happy to understand, from the speech delivered, that his Majesty disapproved of certain stipulations in the convention of Cintra; and if he was not greatly mistaken, that fact had been industriously concealed by Ministers till this very night. He confessed he knew little of the matters in Spain, Ministers being so very taciturn that they had kept all the intelligence they got to themselves, and doled it out in petty hints among their friends. This was not the way in which the people of England ought to be treated. They had generously come forward, and it was a bad return for the spontaneous effusion which burst forth throughout the whole empire. He then repeated that the expedition had failed from the want of cavalry and artillery, there being only 200 cavalry. The Noble Lord (Castlereagh,) he said, had, last year, with tears in his eyes, made many attacks on Mr Windham, and his military system. (A cry of Hear! from the Opposition.) Commanders in Chief succeeded each other like relays of post horses on a road. (A laugh.) The Hon. Gentleman concluded by saying that he did not mean to propose any amendment to the address; he should, however, give notice, that on an early day he should call the attention of the Honse to the convention of Cintra, and to the conduct of Ministers, in regard to the army they had sent to Spain. After some allusions to the reproof the corporation of London had received from Ministers, but not from the King, the Hon. Gentleman concluded by giving his support to the address.

Lord Castlereagh said, the speech of the Rt. Hon. Gentleman (Mr Ponsonby) was rather of a prudent cast, and not in that animated style in which another Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr Sheridan) had, in the last sessions, represented the aiding Spain as paramount to all other duties. The Right Hon. Gentleman who spoke this night, seemed to think it was very improper and imprudent for a British army to enter Spain, without having some cautionary towns and forts surrendered to us, to secure our re

treat in case of calamity. For his part, he knew of no town of that sort which could be surrendered, except Cadiz; for as to Ferrol, it was not a town capable of answering the object proposed, nor of protects ing the embarkation of the army. Now, as it was evident that if we were to make any operations at all, they must be in the North of Spain, he could not conceive that a proposal would be well received in that country for surrendering a town quite with out the line of our military operations. If we had made such a proposal to that generous and high-spirited nation, he could not conceive that we could have thrown a greater apple of discord. As to another disposition of the forces which had been mentioned, that of sending Sir Arthur Wellesley's force of 9000 men to the Pyrenees, to cut off the communication between the 60,000 French troops who were in Spain, and the rest of the 500,000 disposable troops of which the Right Honourable Gentleman stated their army to consist, the bare statement of such a plan must convince the House of its absurdity. He would venture to say, from the melancholy experience of the fate of General Blake's army, that if a British army had landed at St Andero, and scrambled as far as General Blake advanced, none of them would ever have come back. He was convinced that there was not a single military man who would support the idea of a campaign in the Pyrennees for a British army. The noble Lord spoke briefly to most of Mr Ponsonby's observations, and concluded, by remarking, that if the Right Honourable Gentleman had really no other advice to offer to the House and the Country, than what he had stated, he rejoiced that his Majesty's Go-: vernment had adopted other measures.

Mr Whitbread made an animated speech, and arraigned Ministers for having propagated the joyful news of the termination of the campaign in Portugal, and it was some weeks thereafter that the victory of Vimiera was gained by Sir Arthur. He trusted this session would be one of retrenchment and economy, and that a correction of all public abuses would take place. He wished to know why no mention was made of America in the King's Speech. Was America considered of too little consequence, or were there persons in this country who wished for an American war? He heard the same irritating language held out now respecting America, as there existed previous to the last war, which ended so disastrously. As to the orders in council, he wished to ask Ministers how their mighty predictions respecting the injury which those orders were to inflict on the enemy, had been fulfilled? The enemy were not

starved

starved, nor did their soldiers die for want of medicines. Bonaparte had an immense army beyond the Pyrennees, and not one man in the army was hungry. Yet after all these facts, Ministers would not give up their orders in council. The speech was equally silent respecting another country which was in a state of great commotion. It did not say one word as to what our relations were with Turkey. It was fit that the House should know whether it was likely that that country should fall into the jaws of France, and therefore he regretted no mention had been made of it in the Speech.

Mr Secretary Canning said he felt that a responsibility rested upon him as well as upon the other Ministers of his Majesty; but he did not consider himself in the situation of a person accused.--His object was to shew, that if any failure had occurred, such failure was not to be imputed as a fault to Ministers, but that they, on the contrary, had done their best for the interest of the nation at large. The principle on which the Government had acted was this:-The whole of the Spaniards had risen with a spontaneous enthusiasm, to resist an inva der and a tyrant. The consequence of this was, the creation of local authorities in the provinces, as it were by mere chance. These authorities had been watching each other by a kind of suspicion, lest one should gain the ascendancy. The deputations to this country had only come from two or three provinces at first. Looking therefore at the state those provinces were in, he asked, if it would be wise for government to have given an exclusive confidence to one in preference to another. It was impossible to have subsidised each province, Dor could this country stir, in a military point of view, until a general government was established. All, therefore, which the British Government could do, was to present pecuniary aid to each, but a British army could not have been hazarded, till a central government was formed.

As to

our troops having arrived at Corunna ten days before the order for their landing had come from the Central Junta, he asked if was proper to lose a fair wind when it offered? Every thing that could be done, was done by Government, and if the cause ultimately failed, it was imputable only to the dispensations of the Great Disposer of events. It could not, however, be said that the Spanish Government had shut their eyes against ideas of improvement; but they must have disliked those laws that should be dictated at the point of the sword. (Hear! Hear) As to the proper place of landing troops, he was convinced that the best made, as a first operation, was by mo

ving the French out of Portugal, which only formed a part of the whole peninsula. In Portugal we were received without jealousy, and still lived in harmony. As to America not being mentioned in the speech, he did not conceive it usual to make mention of any country, unless some individual act was done. But ministers had no objection to give every information on the subject of America that might be required. America was wrong, in always so far siding with France as to hold out the blockade as the aggression of England; whereas it was the aggression of France, and the retaliation of England. Independent of any idea of advantage, the honour of the country was concerned; and he would put it to the House, if this country could, consistently with its honour, submit to have her ships of war excluded from neutral ports, into which our enemy's ships were admitted. With respect to Turkey, he had just to state, that last autumn overtures of a friendly nature were received by our government from the Ottoman Porte; that Mr Adair was sent out to enter into amicable arrangements, and no accounts were yet received from him; and until such were received no mention could be made of the country. He assured the House that no engagement with the King of Sweden would ever preclude the adoption of any measure which might tend to the advantage of that Sovereign.

Mr Tierney deprecated the idea of any intention in his friends, to address ministers as if they were on their trial; if they were so, it must be a jury of their own packing; for nothing else could lead the Right Hon. Secretary into the vein of pleasantry which run through his speech. Whenever the Right Hon. Gentleman opened his mouth, the muscles of the House relaxed. He thought this country had a right to expect from the Spanish government an account of the application of the aids granted to them. He lamented the cold reception of our troops by the Spaniards, which appeared, he thought clearly, in General Baird's not being permitted to land at Corunna with his ten thousand men, till an order was sent for that purpose from the Supreme Junta. He asked how Lisbon was to be considered as a cautionary place, when it was well ascertained that our army, now on their retreat, could not reach it? he condemned in severe terms the liberty Minis ters had taken, in sending so much money out of the country, without the consent of Parliament.

After some observations from Lord Henry Petty, Mr Rose, juu and some other Members, the address was agreed to withqut a division.

136

Historical Affairs.

SPAIN.

THE campaign of the British army in Spain has terminated, not without honour to themselves, but without afford. ing those advantages to the cause of the Spaniards, that were reasonably looked for at its commencement. The successsive defeats unfortunately sustained by the Spanish armies, while the British were marching to their assistance, left the latter entirely to their own resour ces, and gave the enemy an opportunity of directing his whole force against them. It became therefore necessary for the British General to lose no time in securing his retreat ;-the more especially as the army stores were greatly exhausted, and the country destitute of all kinds of subsistence for man or beast. On the 30th of December, the army began to move in divisions from Astor ga, and on the 11th of Jan. the whole reached Corunna, after a very rapid but masterly retreat; but unfortunately the transports were detained by cross winds, and did not get round till the evening of the 13th, and every thing was prepared to begin the embarkation next day. A hundred more transports arrived on the 14th, and the rest on the 15th. Meanwhile the enemy, who, in consequence of this delay, had time to come up in force, were seen upon the heights making preparations to attack us, and on Sunday the 15th they sent forward their advanced guard to harrass us with skirmishes under the walls, and the whole of Sunday was one continued skirmish. Sir John Moore, aware of the intentions of the enemy, and convinced that the embarkation could not be completed without an action, prepared for it, and drew up his force under the walls fronting the enemy's po. sition. On Monday the 16th, the enemy having received very considerable reinforcements, descended from the heights to attack us. Their number is supposed to have been 30,000, while the British forces opposed to them did not exceed 13,000, or 14,000. The first attack was upon the British right wing,

consisting of the brigade of guards, the 4th, 43d, and soth regiments, under Lord William Bentinck. Here Sir John Moore and Sir David Baird were both in person. The enemy were repulsed, and disappointed likewise in their attempt to turn that wing. Sir David Baird was wounded, early in the action, in the left arm, and obliged to quit the field. Immediate amputation was necessary, but he is,doing well. Some time after, Sir John Moore was struck on the shoulder by an almost spent cannon-ball. He was immediately removed into the town, where he died about 12 o'clock at night. The command then devolved upon General Hope. The enemy, disappointed in their attempts upon the right wing, attacked the centre, but were equally repulsed in that quarter; their last attempt was upon the left, in which they also failed, Our troops then prepared to charge with their bayonets. But the French would not stand the charge, but instantly fled, and did not attempt to molest our army for 14 hours after. The embarkation then commenced, and all the troops were got on board the transports and the ships of war without any further loss. The artillery was also shipped, but most of the horses were slaughtered, and great part of the baggage left behind.

The following official dispatches on this subject were published in a London Gazette extraordinary of January 25.

Downing-Street, Jan, 24.

The Hon. Capt. Gordon arrived late last night with a dispatch from Lieut.Gen. Sir David Baird to Lord Viscount

Castlereagh, one of his Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, of which the following is a copy :—

His Majesty's ship Ville de Paris, at sea,
January 18.

MY LORD,

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attacked the British troops in the position they occupied in front of Corunna, at about two o'clock in the afternoon of that day.

A severe wound, which compelled me to quit the field a short time pre. vious to the fall of Sir John Moore, obliges me to refer your Lordship for the particulars of the action, which was long and obstinately contested, to the enclo sed report of Lieut. Gen. Hope, who succeeded to the command of the army, and to whose ability and exertions, in direction of the ardent zeal and unconquerable valour of his Majesty's troops, is to be attributed, under Providence, the success of the day, which terminated in the complete and entire repulse and defeat of the enemy at every point of attack.

The Hon. Capt. Gordon, my Aid-decamp, will have the honour of delivering this dispatch, and will be able to give your Lordship any further information which may be required.

I have the honour to be, &c.
D. BAIRD, Lieut.-Gen.

Letter Gen. HOPE TO SIR D. BAIRD
His Majesty's ship Audacions, off Corunna,
Jan. 18.

SIR,

In compliance with the desire contained in your communication of yesterday, I avail myself of the first moment I have been able to command, to detail to you the occurrences of the action which took place in front of Corunna on the 16th inst.

It will be in your recollection, that, about one in the afternoon of that day, the enemy, who had in the morning received reinforcements, and who had placed some guns in front of the right and left of his line, was observed to be moving troops towards his left flank, and forming various columns of attack at that extremity of the strong and commanding position which, on the morning of the 15th, he had taken in our immediate front.

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Commander of the forces, and by your. self, at the head of the 42d regiment, and the brigade under Major-Gen. Lord William Bentinck.-The village on your right became an object of obstinate con

test.

I lament to say, that soon after the severe wound which deprived the army of your services, Lieut.-Gen. Sir John Moore, who had just directed the most able dispositions, fell by a cannon-shot. The troops, though not unacquainted with the irreparable loss they had sustained, were not dismayed, but, by the most determined bravery, not only repelled every attempt of the enemy to gain ground, but actually forced him to retire, although he had brought up fresh troops in support of those originally engaged.

The enemy, finding himself foiled in every attempt to force the right of the position, endeavoured by numbers to turn it. A judicious and well-timed movement, which was made by MajorGeneral Paget with the reserve, which corps had moved out of its cantonments vigorous attack defeated this intention. to support the right of the army, by a The Major-General having pushed forward the 95th (rifle corps) and 1st battalion 52d regiment, drove the enemy before him, and in his rapid and judicious advance threatened the left of the enemy's position. This circumstance, with the position of Lieut. Gen. Fraser's division (calculated to give still further security to the right of the line), induced the enemy to relax his efforts in that quarter.

They were, however, more forcibly directed towards the centre, where they were again successfully resisted by the brigade under Major-General Manningham, forming the left of your division, and a part of that under Major-General Leith, forming the right of the division under my orders.-Upon the left, the enemy at first contented himself with an attack upon our piquets, which, however, in general maintained their ground. Finding, however, his efforts unavailing on the right and centre, he seemed determined to render the attack upon the left more serious, and had succeeded in obtaining possession of the village thro' which the great road to Madrid passes, and which was situated in front of that part of the line. From this post how

ever,

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