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THE

ANNUAL REGISTER,

For the YEAR 1810.

THE

HISTORY

OF

EUROPE.

CHAP. I.

Changes in the British Ministry.-Meeting of Parliament.-King's Speech.-Addresses Moved in Reply in both Houses.-Amendments proposed. Debates thereon.-Involving particularly a Review of the War in Spain.-And the calamitous Expedition to the Scheldt.

HE British ministry, from

in our last volume, had fallen into so much contempt, that changes might have been expected, even if there had not been any bickerings and fighting, between Lord Castle reagh and Mr. Canning. On the resignation of these two secretaries, Mr. Perceval, who had become first lord of the treasury and prime minister, on the retirement of the Duke of Portland, set himself, to thin and weaken the ranks VOL. LII.

of opposition, and to consolidate

amalgamation with the Earl of Grey and Lord Grenville, men of great wealth, as well as eloquence, and no common share of abilities, both acquired and natural. They were considered by their adher ents, among whom were many persons of large property, and not a few also of great talents, since the death of Mr. Fox, as the chief leaders of what was still called the whig party. The project of Mr. B

Perceval

Perceval being rejected by the Lords Grenville and Grey, the Marquis of Wellesley, just return ed from Spain, was appointed secretary of state for foreign af fairs; the Earl of Liverpool secretary for the department of war and the colonies; and Mr. Ryder for the home department.*

for hoping for a speedy restoration of a friendly intercourse between this country and the United States of America---and his majesty's rehance on the zeal and loyalty of parliament for supplies.

The commissioners were commanded by his majesty to express his hope that the lords and comoners would resume, the consideration of the state of the inferior clergy; they had it further in command to state, that the accounts laid before them, of the revenue and trade of the country, would be found highly satisfactory. Whatever temporary and partial inconveniency might have resulted from the measures which were directed by France against those great resources of our prosperity. and strength, they had wholly failed of producing any permanent or general effect.+

The imperial parliament of Great Britain and Ireland assembled on the 23d of January. The session was opened by commission. The king's speech was read by the lord chancellor, one of the commis sioners. The three others were, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Earls of Camden, Aylesford, and Dartmouth. It turned, as usual, on the relations in which we stood to foreign states, the principal events, that had arisen out of these since the last prorogation of parliament; and the views that had dictated, or con- In the House of Lords, an adtinued to dictate, the conduct of dress was moved by the Earl of government---the expedition to the Glasgow, in answer to the speech Scheldt, and reduction of the Island from the throne: of which his of Walcheren, respecting which speech, as speeches always are on satisfactory documents and papers similar occasions, was an amplifi would be laid before the house--- cation, illustration, and confirma the situation of Sweden---the ex- tion. Lord Glasgow having taken pulsion of the French from Por- a brief review of the conduct of tugal---the glorious victory of Ta- his majesty's ministers, with rePavera- the resolution of the Spa gard to their foreign policy and nish government, in the name and various expeditions, maintained, by the authority of Ferdinand VII. that whatever might have been the to assemble the Cortes; a measure result, they were not only unde which, he trusted, would give fresh serving of censure, but entitled to vigour and animation to the coun- the thanks of the country. The ails and arms of Spain---and the motion for an address was secondConsiderations which recommended by the Lord Viscount Grimed continued support to the Spaniårds--the suspension, but grounds

stone; who, among other argu ments in support of the address,

For a complete list of his majesty's ministers, as it stood at the meeting of parfament in January 1810, see Appendix to Chronicle, p. 324.

* See the speech, State Papers, p. 430.

said, that although the expedition to wonder at the awful events

to the Scheldt had not succeeded in its main object, considerable advantages were derived, and our own security strengthened, by the demolition of the arsenal and docks of Flushing....

The address was opposed by the Earl of St. Vincent, who introduced himself to their lordships attention in the following impres sive manner :---" My lords, when, at the commencement of the last session of parliament, I addressed a few observations to your lord. ships, I thought my age and infirmities, would preclude me from ever again presenting myself to your consideration. But, my lords, such have been the untoward and calamitous events which have occurred since that period, that I am once more induced, if my strength will admit, to trouble your lordships with a few of my sentiments on the present occasion." Indeed, his lordship proceeded, "we have wonderfully extraordinary men in these days, who have ingenious ness enough to blazon with the finest colours, to sound with the trumpet and drum, in fact, to var nish over the greatest calamities of the country, and endeavour to prove that the greatest misfortunes ought to be considered as our greatest blessings. Such was their language after the disastrous convention of Cintra; and now, in his majesty's speech, they have converted another disaster into a new triumph. They talk of the glorious victory of Talavera! A victory which led to no advantage, and had all the consequence of a defeat." Lord St. Vincent having illustrated the truth of this posi tion, said, "there is no occasion

which have occurred; they are caused by the weakness, infatuation, and stupidity of ministers." After touching on the expedition to Copenhagen, which brought a country at peace with us into a state of inveterate and open hostility, and that to Walcheren; he insisted, warmly, on the madness of sending an army into the centre of Spain, unprovided with every requisite for such a dangerous march. If, said Lord St. Vincent, Sir John Moore had not acted according to his own judgment, in the perilous situation in which he had been wantonly exposed, every man of that army had been lost to the country. By his transcendent judgment, however, that army made one of the ablest retreats, recorded in the page of history. While he saved the remainder of his troops, his own life was sacrificed in the cause of Great Britain and Europe; and what tribute had his majesty's ministers paid to his valued memory? What reward conferred for such valuable services? Why, even in that place, insidious aspersions were cast upon his character, and people were employed in all parts of the town to calumniate his conduct. But, in spite of all the runners and dependents of administration, that general would be always revered as one of the ablest men of this country. The conduct of his majesty's ministers had led to the most frightful disasters. Lord St, Vincent, alluding particularly to the expedition to Walcheren, said, it was high time that parliament should adopt strong measures, or else the voice of the country would resound like thunder in their ears. B 2

Lord

Lord Grenville, on the subject of our expeditions, said, it was due to the memory of those who had bravely, but ingloriously, fallen à sacrifice to the ignorance, the incapacity, and the misconduct of minsters; it was due to a deluded and suffering people, who demanded it at their lordships hands, that they should institute a rigorous and effectual inquiry into the conduct of those ministers to whom those disasters were to be attributed. They found, in the speech of the king's commissioners, that ministers, from a sense of their guilty situation, glaring misconduct, and a fear of the consequences of that misconduct, had condescended to tell them that they would lay before parliament certain documents and papers relative to the disgraceful and calamitous expedition to Walcheren. But Lord Grenville cautioned their fordships not to be deluded by that shew of readiness for inquiry. The speech merely said, such papers and documents as should be deemed satisfactory to ministers themselves, should be laid before parliament. The address moved, did not contain any pledge to the country of an intention on the part of their lordships to institute an inquiry. It did not even declare the necessity of having all the papers and documents relative to the disastrous expedition laid before them; but consisted merely of a complimentary expression of thanks, that certain papers were intended to be produced. Their lordships would not, that night, do their duty, if they did not give a decided pledge to the country, that a vigorous and effectual inquiry should be instituted: and an

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explicit declaration of that pledge was the object of the amendment which it was his intention to move. He did not mean to condemn the conduct of the officers employed by ministers in their ill-planned expeditions. He was disposed to believe that the officers had done their duty, and that all the disastrous results were to be attributed to the want of information, the criminal improvidence, and the illdigested plans of his majesty's ministers. Their attention ought not to be drawn off from the misconduct of ministers, by any urfwarrantable attempt of theirs to throw blame from themselves upon the different officers employed, Their lordships must all remember the manner in which the blame of our former failure in Spain was attempted to be thrown on that gallant and able officer, Sir John Moore. It was insinuated that he had an unlimited discretion. But how did the real state of the case turn out? So far from having an unlimited discretion, Sir John Moore was fettered in the first instance by the plan of the secretary of state. That plan was essentially contrary to the dictates of his own better judgment; he be ing sent, not to the south of Spain, which was his plan, but to the north; and, when there, he was to receive directions from a diplomatic character, of whom Lord Grenville wished to say nothing now. But, by these directions Sir John Moore was completely fettered, and prevented from exercising his discretion or judgment, under those very difficult circumnstances where they might have been eminently useful. The work published by a near relation of

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that excellent officer, proved clearly and demonstrably the manner in which he had been treated by ministers. Yet these ministers were they who attempted to throw all the blame upon Sir John Moore, which, upon the fullest investigation, was found to rest entirely with themselves. Their lordships, therefore, ought not to countenance any public outcry against the officers employed in those expeditions, and the disastrous results of which such loud and general complaints were so justly made, but to point public indignation where alone it ought to rest; to those ministers who sent out, expeditions either to atchieve objects impracticable in themselves, or without atchieving any object useful or honourable to the country. If any circumstance should arise out of the inquiry, during its progress, tending to impeach the conduct of any officer employed, that would be a subject for future investigation. But there were blameable and disgraceful circumstances in the conduct of ministers, which were matters of publicity and notoriety, and which no inquiry could render plainer and clearer than they were at present. These circumstances Lord Grenville proceeded to point out in a review of their conduct respecting the war in Spain, Ger many, and Holland. In Spain, their promise of co-operation with Sir John Moore were found to be altogether silly, vain, and fruitless. They had not afforded that relief and aid to the brave Austrians in different ways in which it might have been afforded; and, as to the attempt of making a diver,

sion in favour of Austria on the Scheldt, instead of the vicinity of Trieste, or in the north of Germany, it was known to ministers that a war was likely to take place between France and Austria in September 1808, and yet the immense armament to the Scheldt did not sail until the latter end of July 1809. Before it sailed the armistice was signed, which led to the fatal treaty that prostrated the Austrian monarchy: and not only had this event taken place, but intelligence of the signature of that armistice had actually arrived in this country. But if by events not to be controuled, it was impossible to send this armament sooner, why send it all? The expedition sailed for this reason only

because his majesty's ministers were afraid to avow, that after all the expence which had been incurred, it had not actually sailed till its object was defeated, and success was impossible. Lord Grenville concluded with moving the introduction in the second paragraph of the address, the following amendment :

"That we have seen with the utinost sorrow and indignation the accumulated failures and disasters of the campaign, the unavailing waste of our national resources, and the loss of many thousands of our brave troops, whose distin guished and heroic valour has been unprofitably sacrificed in enterprises productive not of advantage, but of lasting injury to the country: in enterprises marked only by a repetition of former errors; tardy and uncombined; incapable in their success of aiding our ally, but exposing in their failure his majesty's

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