of the intended proceeding in time to be present at the University on the day appointed for its consideration.

Lord Holland observed, that the Petition did not express the sense of the University; the non-resident members not having had sufficient notice.

My

To

and that his conceptions were equally well calculated for the success of his own enprizes, as they were adapted to circumvent the enterprizes of the enemy. When his plau was formed for the reduction of Badajoz, of Ciudad Rodrigo, and Almeida, he had then determined upon raising the siege of Cadiz, and thereby compelling VOTE OF THANKS TO THE MARQUIS OF the French to evacuate Andalusia. WELLINGTON-VICTORY OF SALAMANCA.] lords, these objects were the first in lord Earl Bathurst rose, and addressed the Wellington's consideration, and for imporHouse to the following purport: My lords, tant reasons which pressed themselves in rising to address this House upon a sub- most forcibly upon his mind. From the ject of Thanks to our gallant and distin- very beginning of the campaign his operaguished general who gained the victory of tions pointed to the situation of the enemy Salamanca, I am confident there can be no in the south, and particularly to the prinno difference of opinion amongst your cipal army under Soult, as the capture of lordships, with respect to the motion I the invader's battering artillery at Ciudad mean to propose. But before I submit Rodrigo rendered it impracticable to unthis proposition, your lordships will, I trust, dertake any siege of consequence; or, at permit me to make a few observations that season of the year, to advance into upon the principles of military policy and Portugal with any considerable force. In motives which induced the marquis of carrying on the siege of Cadiz, the goWellington to pursue those measures which vernment of Spain had long been confined eventually brought forth a victory, not within its walls, its power was become only productive of fame to the commander, considerably restricted, its reputation but of additional glory to the national among the people had been somewhat decharacter. In doing this I shall advance graded, and its influence upon the Spanish nothing of speculation, but confine my-dependencies materially lessened. self to facts contained in documents al- free the government from this confineready before your lordships and the pub-ment, and thereby to give new life to the lic. When lord Wellington had planned the siege and reduction of Badajoz, his great mind suggested ulterior objects, which would ultimately affect the success of our cause in the peninsula. My lords, I am not disposed, at this time, to allude in any manner to the mode of conducting the campaign, further than to the ability with which the noble marquis has, at all times, and in all situations, employed the resources committed to his care. No general, my lords, was ever more careful of the troops entrusted to his command-no general ever more cautiously avoided the sacrifice of lives, when the object to be attained was not equal to the expenditure of so much blood. This disposition marks the career of his military success, and has been particularly manifested in the course of this campaign. From the documents I possess, and not those only which were transmitted after the effect was produced, but those which were written when the plan was conceived, the extent of his genius, and the wisdom of his undertakings are most strongly designated and incontrovertibly proved. They likewise shew how much superior he was to those able generals against whom he had to contend,

At

energies of the Spanish nation, was one
object of our general's forecast, and led
to the measures which he afterwards pur-
sued. For this purpose, after he had most
ably contrived the mode of assault, which
succeeded even beyond his own expecta-
tions, whereby Badajoz was taken, he had
in the first instance determined upon
marching into the province of Andalusia,
and oblige the evacuation of that province
by the French, which was another object
for which he concerted his plans.
this period it occurred to him, that the
possession of Andalusia was more impor-
tant than that of the other provinces. The
people had been for some time subject to
the power of the enemy, and had gradually
become less hostile to their presence, and
some danger existed of their forgetting
their connection with their legitimate go-
vernment. To drive the French from the
possession of such a province, would be
more conducive to the promotion of the
Spanish cause than to enter Castile. In
Castile the enemy's army were differently
situated: if they had troops stationed in a
village, that village was obliged to be
strongly fortified and if the distance
from one village to another was five or

six miles, such was the disposition of the approached the Douro, and the English Spanish people in that province, that the were advanced to the Guerena, I canFrench were under the necessity of form- not at this time refrain from noticing ing redoubts, for the purpose of prevent that disposition which has peculiarly ing their communication being intercepted. distinguished the character of lord WelThese were lord Wellington's first inten- lington. Lord Wellington had a fations, and these were the measures he pur-vourable opportunity of giving battle to posed to pursue; and although circum- Marmont, and he was confident the issue stances occurred which led him to change would have been successful; but he dehis plans, yet the object of them continued clined that opportunity, because he knew the same. General Marmont having come however brilliant the achievement, it would with an army from the north, and ad- cost more lives than would be compenvanced upon the Agueda, soon called sated by the object of victory. Let any forth the attention of our general, and one reflect on the different means which other circumstances having intervened, he he used for two days, to circumvent all was at length determined to change his the schemes of the French general. The intended course, and march into Castile. policy that each was pursuing became Marmont, in the mean time, used every distinctly different, on account of the efendeavour, but in vain, to relieve the for- fect they endeavoured to produce. Martress of Almeida, and at length posted mont was anxious to bring the English himself strongly upon the bridge of Al to a general engagement, upon ground marez, by which means he endeavoured, not actually unfavourable. Lord Welnot only to act in opposition to lord Wellington, on the other hand, wished to avoid lington, but to effect a communication an engagement, unless he could commence with the army of Soult. To your lord- it under favourable circumstances.-The ships is well known the promptitude and noble earl then took a view of the operaintrepidity with which the French were re-tions of the contending armies immediately moved from that position, and the communications cut off between the army of Portugal and the army under Soult in the southern provinces. Indeed, my lords, such were the skill and management of the noble marquis during this period of the campaign, that no words which I can use would be adequate to represent their value. It afterwards happened that a correspondence between the French generals was intercepted, and the papers fell into our hands. From these letters we were made acquainted with their sentiments on this subject; and perhaps no greater eulogium could possibly be bestowed upon lord Wellington than was contained in their observations. From these it appeared that no movement of the enemy could disappoint his plans or controvert his projects; while on their part no movement was concerted but it was anticipated-no expectation was raised but it ended in disappointment-no fear was entertained but it became realized. In one of these intercepted letters it is said," he must read our correspondence, or he must dive into our hearts, for no sooner do we form a design than he knows it, and forms measures to defeat it." Nothing, my lords, could equal the wisdom which marked all lord Wellington's movements previous to the battle of Salamanca. If we turn our attention to his manœuvres after Marmont

previous to the battle of Salamanca, and particularly adverted to the skill and gallantry displayed by sir Thomas Grahamn in executing one of the orders of his illustrious chief-an achievement which was performed within sight of the hostile armies. The object of gaining that post furnished another striking proof of the uniform unwillingness of our illustrious commander to commit the general safety of his armies, or unnecessarily to risque the lives of his soldiers. His lordship then noticed the circumstances of Marmont's receiving reinforcements from the northern army, and panegyrised the able retreat of the British commander, in consequence, without loss, and in such a way, as enabled the allied force in that quarter to form a junction. The manner in which lord Wellington passed the Tormes, and afterwards drew up in front of Marmont, who was extending his left to cut off his opponent from communicating with Salamanca and Ciudad Rodrigo, was a brilliant and admirable military manœuvre. In this situation it was not lord Wellington's intention to engage; and it was Marmont's policy to drive him to that measure. Lord Wellington cautiously watched the operations which were attempted to intercept him on one side, and force him to battle on the other, and at the same time he was not remiss in wait,

quence. Eulogium, my lords, when not chastened by the powers of eloquence and the judiciousness of taste, becomes unseemly and inflated, and induces a degrading representation of that character which it was intended to praise and recommend."

"That the Thanks of this House be given to Arthur, marquis of Wellington, K. B. for the great and unparalleled skill, gal. lantry, and conduct displayed by him in the command of the allied troops in Spain, during the whole of the late campaign. But more especially for the achievement of the signal and brilliant Victory over the French army under marshal Marmont at Salamanca, on the 22d of July last, thereby reflecting additional lustre on the Bri tish military character."

ing for an opportunity of advantage, | longs to those who are possessed of elowhence the retreat he had hitherto conducted might suddenly be changed into a contest for victory. Consider, my lords, what must have been the sensations and anxious reflections of this general at the time; these must have been moments of rack to his deliberative genius, when de--The noble earl concluded by moving, ciding upon the mode of action which should best tend to the success of his country's cause. Marmont, after gaining the heights opposite to those maintained by the marquis, suddenly weakened his left by the extension of his line, and no sooner was the error perceived by the brave and gallant general, than he exclaimed, "Now I have you." The felicitous, the long sought moment where a fair prospect of success presented itself, was instantaneously seized by the illustrious chief, and improved and followed up to a brilliant result of victory almost unprecedented in the annals of the country. The onset was made, the left of Marmont's army was completely turned, and the victory became decisive. Nothing shewed more the vast extent and range of his mind, or its scientific adroitness, than the ability which appeared at the time of seizing a favourable moment for disposing an army for immediate and decisive action, which but a few minutes before was prepared for retreat!-The noble earl proceeded to pass high encomiums upon general Le Marchant, who, very unfortunately for the service, fell in the battle, and also upon general Cotton, who distinguished himself on that occasion. "Not only," said earl Bathurst," had the noble marquis immortalized himself in an action like this, so transcendent and brilliant, but under all circumstances his mind has ever discovered itself capable of executing every project suitably to the reverses and the changes of affairs. The events which have now come to our knowledge, will, I am persuaded, afford equal proofs of his military foresight and conception.-wisely, skilfully, and successfully, as far My lords, I am not disposed to trespass longer upon your attention; there is nothing I can say will sufficiently speak the praises due to the marquis of Wellington, whose fame in all those accomplishments which constitute a consummate commander was established long before the brilliant achievement of Salamanca: and if I offer no panegyric in commendation of this hero, attribute it not to a want of anxious zeal, but to a conviction of my inability to perform the task, which be

The Marquis of Lansdowne said, it was with great and sincere satisfaction he had listened to the just, glowing, and eloquent eulogium which the noble earl had, from his heart, pronounced upon the illustrious subject of the present motion. No person who had the honour to be connected with the family of that illustrious individual who was at the head of our army on the peninsula, could be more anxious to support the proposition now submitted to their lordships than he was. That anxiety was not diminished by the recent unfavourable events which had taken place; for he perfectly agreed with the noble earl, that those circumstances in no degree tarnished or diminished the splendid military fame and character of the noble and gallant marquis, and ought to make no alteration as far as regarded the present proposition. The question was not now, as it was on a former night, and might be at a future period, whether the general had been sup plied by the government with proper means and resources? the question now was, whether the means with which the general had been entrusted, had been

as circumstances would permit, applied for the public service? Though unwilling to mix these topics with the present subject, yet this much he might be permitted to say, that if there were any persons who had seen the difficulties of the war in the peninsula in a stronger light than others,

who thought the means of carrying it on were very imperfect,-and who, though admiring the patriotism of the Spanish people, yet feared that the organization, civil and military, in that country, was