The Lord Chancellor then proposed the motion from the woolsack, which was agreed to nem. diss. HOUSE OF COMMONS. Thursday, December 3. THE PRINCE REGENT'S ANSWER TO THE ADDRESS.] The Speaker reported to the House, that the House attended his royal highness the Prince Regent yesterday with their Address; to which his Royal Highness was pleased to give this most gracious Answer : "Gentlemen; "I thank you for this loyal Address. Your warm and affectionate expressions respecting his Majesty are peculiarly grateful to my feelings. "It affords me the utmost satisfaction to find that you concur with me in the representation I have laid before you respecting the state of the contest in which we are engaged, and that you cordially rejoice with me in the improved prospects which have resulted to this country and to Europe, as well from the brilliant achievements of his Majesty's forces and try, and in the highest degree just to the exalted object of it. He would offer no apology to their lordships for presenting himself to them on the present occasion; he was satisfied they all felt nearly the same sentiments as himself; for, (if he might use so bold an expression) they were all attached to the noble general by blood; they all, perhaps, had relations under his command, and they had heard the testimony of a father's heart as to the parental tenderness shewn by lord Wellington to the flower of the British army. If the merits of the great general could have a higher and more eloquent eulogium than that pronounced by the noble Secretary of State, it would be that bestowed by the noble peer (lord Somers) near him. There could have been but one feeling in the House, when that noble person spoke. His praise of the British general was most valuable. He spoke like a patriot. He had sustained a deep and bitter loss, but he had sustained it with the honourable and manly feeling of one who had given up a dear son for his country. That noble lord had praised the humanity and almost parental kindness of lord Wellington to his officers :-he be-those of his allies in the peninsula as from stowed a panegyric above all other. On the general subject of the motion, it could. scarcely be supposed, that he (lord Wellesley) should offer any objections. One thing only he had to observe: the noble Secretary had alluded to the display of the British general's talents in the pressure of retreat. For my part, said marquis Wellesley, if I were called on to give my impartial testimony of the merits of your great general, I confess, before Heaven, I would not select his victories, brilliant as they have been; I should mention the very circumstances (though unfortunate in some particulars) which your lordships have seen recorded this day-I would go to the moments when difficulties pressed and crowded upon him,-when he had but the choice of extremities,-when he was overhung by superior strength. It is to his retreats that I would go for the proudest and most undoubted evidence of his ability. It is not my intention to dilate upon these matters, there is but one feeling with respect to them among us. The speech of the noble mover was sufficient; but, if its chasteness, tastefulness, and truth could have a want, it was more than compensated by the admirable speech of the noble marquis who had followed him in the debate. (VOL. XXIV.) the heroic exertions of Russia in the north. "From your determination to give a firm and generous support to the great cause in which his Majesty and his allies are engaged, I derive a confident hope that all the efforts of our enemies will be finally frustrated, and the security of the British dominions established by a solid and honourable peace." WEYMOUTH AND MELCOMBE REGIS ELECTION-PETITION OF VOTERS.] A Petition of John Herbert Browne, of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, in the county of Dorset, esq.; Edward Balston, of Winterborne St. Martin, in the said county of Dorset, esq., and Robert Penny the younger, of Warwick Court, in the city of Westminster, gentleman, who claimed a right to vote, and did vote at the last election for the borough and town of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis, was delivered in and read; setting forth, "That, at the last election for members to serve for the said borough and town; sir John Murray, bart., the right hon. Thomas Wallace, John Broadhurst, Henry Trail, William Williams, and Richard Augustus Tucker Steward, esquires, were candidates, when the said sir J. Murray, T. Wallace, J. Broadhurst, and H. Trail, (L) were returned as members to serve in parliament for the borough and town; that the poll upon the said election commenced upon the 10th of October, 1812, and ended on the 27th of the said month; that William Weston esq., the mayor and returning officer for the same, received divers illegal votes in favour of the said T. Wallace, J. Broadhurst, and H. Trail, and refused divers legal votes tendered in favour of the said W. Williams and R. A. T. Steward; and that, at the said election, the said W. Weston did, during the first twelve days of the poll, indifferently receive the different voters for the several candidates as they presented themselves at the poll; that at the close of the poll, on the said twelfth day, there was an illegal majority of votes in favour of the members returned to serve in parliament; that many voters during the poll on the thirteenth day at tended for the purpose of giving their votes in behalf of the said W. Williams and R. A. T. Steward; and the said W. Weston, contrary to his duty as returning officer, and in defiance of the rights of the electors of Weymouth and Melcombe Regis aforesaid, would not permit them to give their votes as they presented themselves to him for that purpose, but insisted that a voter should be permitted to vote for the said sir J. Murray, T. Wallace, J. Broadhurst, and H. Trail, and that a voter should be permitted to vote for the said W. Williams and R., A. T. Steward in regular order and successively, thereby preventing many persons, who had a right to vote, from giving their votes to the said W. Williams and R. A. T. Steward, which they would otherwise have done; that the said W. Weston did, on the said thirteenth and following days, refuse to receive several votes for the said W. Williams and R. A. T. Steward, the same being tendered after a former vote for them, and waited for long spaces of time until the agents for the said sir J. Murray, T. Wallace, J. Broadhurst, and H. Trail procured votes for them; that, in consequence of such conduct, large numbers of votes were wholly lost to the said W. Williams and R. A. T. Steward, and the voters were prevented from exercising their elective franchise; that the conduct of the returning officer was, in many other respects, partial and illegal; and that, before and at the last election, several peers of parliament illegally interfered in the said election, in order to procure the return of the said T. Wallace, J. Broadhurst, and H. Trail, contrary to the resolution of this House, and in direct violation of the laws and constitution of the realm; and that, before and at the said election, divers persons, holding offices under the crown, did, by themselves and their agents, interfere in the said election, in order to procure the return of the said T. Wallace, J. Broadhurst, and H. Trail, contrary to the established law of the land, and in direct violation of the privileges of this House; and that the said T. Wallace, J. Broadhurst, and H. Trail, by themselves and himself, their and his agents, did, after the teste and issuing out of the writ of election, and before and at the said election, give to persons claiming a right to vote, and voting at the said election, meat and drink, and also make other presents, gifts and rewards to such persons, in order that the said T. Wallace, J. Broadhurst, and H. Trail, might be returned to serve in parliament for the said borough and town, contrary to and in defiance of the standing order of this House, and contrary to the statute in that case made and provided; and that the said T. Wallace, J. Broadhurst, and H. Trail, by themselves and himself, their and his agents, did, after the teste and issuing out of the said writ of election, give and advance to persons having vote in such election, divers sums of money, in order to be returned as aforesaid, contrary to law and the constitution of the realm; and that certain persons, not being qualified to vote at the said election, claimed to vote, and were permitted to vote at the said election by the said W. Weston, in prejudice of the legal voters of the said borough and town, and contrary to the rights of the said borough and town; and that, at the said election, the said W. Williams and R. A. T. Steward had a majority of legal votes on the poll, and ought to have been returned; and praying, that the House will take the premises into their consideration, and grant the petitioners such relief as to the House shall seem meet." Ordered to be taken into consideration upon the 9th of February next. BATH ELECTION-PETITION OF MR. ALLEN AND MR. COLLETON.] A Petition of John Allen, of the city of Bath, and of Samuel Colleton Graves, of Hembury Fort, in the county of Devon, esquires, was delivered in and read; setting forth, "That at the last election of two citizens to represent the city of Bath in this present parliament, the petitioners; the right hon. John Thynne esq. commonly called lord John Thynne, and Charles Palmer, esq. were candidates; and that the notice of the said election was not in pursuance to the sheriff's precept, and that Joseph Phillott, the then mayor and returning officer, acted with gross partiality, and refused to admit the petitioners as candidates, though duly qualified by law to be so, and legally proposed at the said election; and that the said Joseph Phillott, the returning officer, with 21 others, self-appointed, claiming to be freemen, were exclusively proceeding to elect two members of parliament in the Guildhall, the doors of which were closed on the freemen and citizens of the said city, at the hour appointed for the election to commence, being also guarded by above 30 ruffians called bludgeon-men, who were protected in all their gross outrages and violence on the freemen and citizens of the said city, contrary to the freedom of election, the express law of the land, and the privileges of the House, and so continued till the Guildhall was thrown open with some violence from without; and that the Durham Act was not read, though repeatedly required; and that on trivial pretences, and without any justifiable reason, a large military force was introduced into the said city, during the election, to disperse a portion of the freemen legally assembled, and to prevent the exercise of their elective franchise contrary to their rights and the privileges of the House; and that the said Joseph Phillott, as returning officer, refused to admit a majority of the freemen of the said city to vote for the petitioners, and admitted to vote at the said election only 22 persons, styling themselves the mayor, aldermen, common council and freemen of the city of Bath, most of whom have been illegally admitted to the freedom of the said city, and most of whom are also honorary freemen not qualified to vote, thereby giving to 22 self-appointed individuals the exclusive right of choosing two representatives for a city containing a population of 35,000 persons, and excluding the whole body of the freemen who have legally and constitutionally obtained the right of freedom in the said city, and who have voted in the election of members to represent the city of Bath in parliament from time immemorial, till they were illegally deprived of the same by the admission of a new order of persons styl ing themselves freemen, who purchase the same at 250/. each, and which sum is never accounted for to the legal freemen, though they are entitled to partake of the receipts of the estates belonging to the freemen of the said city, and that the right of electing two members to represent the city of Bath has been usurped by 30 individuals, many of whom do not ever reside in the said city, and others hold sinecure places and pensions to a great amount in the court of Exchequer, Lottery Office, Stamp Office, and other situations under government, and that the said Joseph Phillott, as mayor and returning officer, refused to admit a majority of legal votes who desired to vote for the petitioners, and received others who had not been duly admitted to their freedom to vote for the sitting members, whereby a colourable majority was obtained for lord John Thynne and Charles Palmer esq., who were not duly qualified to represent the said city as the law directs; and praying such relief as to the House shall appear meet." Ordered to be taken into consideration upon the 11th of February next. VOTE OF THANKS TO THE MARQUIS OF WELLINGTON VICTORY OF SALA MANCA.] Lord Castlereagh rose, pursuant to the notice he had given on a former day, to call the attention of the House to the services rendered to their country by that gallant officer, general the marquis of Wellington, and the brave army under his command during the last campaign in Spain, and particularly to those by which they had signalised themselves in the glorious and ever-memorable battle of Sa lamanca. He was sure he should forget his duty to the House, the country, and to that illustrious officer and his army, if on this occasion he were to introduce into the discussion any matter that might cause a controversial feeling respecting the policy of the war in the peninsula, and more especially if he were to offer any thing respecting the conduct of his Majesty's ministers in connection with the subject of the motion he was about to submit to the House. Any charges that might be preferred against them for the mode in which that war had been conducted, they would be happy to meet on a future day. On this, they hoped it would not be ne cessary, as it was their wish to bring forward nothing that might divide the feelings of the House and the public, and abstract them from that subject, on which all de. lighted to dwell with admiration and gra- that he was enabled to reduce this fortress titude. At the same time, however, while (which was one of a most respectable. dehe wished to guard against the introduc- cription) before marshal Marmont was tion of any matter on which a difference of able to call his troops from their winter opinion might exist; he thought it would cantonments, and advance further than not be just to the army, and more parti- Salamanca. Lord Wellington having got cularly, he thought, it would not be just possession of Ciudad Rodrigo, meditated to the marquis of Wellington, if he were an advance on Badajoz, and his arrangeto confine himself to the feelings excited ments consequent on this design were by that great transaction, considered as an made with so much expedition and se insulated affair, brilliant as it was in itself, crecy, that marshal Marmont believed the and great and glorious as it was, and a English army to be still at Ciudad Romore glorious action had never adorned drigo, when seven of eight divisions had the annals of this or any other great mili- arrived at Badajoz. He attacked this fortary power: for he was proud to say, this tress, which was stronger and of more imcountry had become a great military portance than that of Ciudad Rodrigo, power, though formerly looked to princi- early in the month of March, and carried pally as a naval one by the other nations on the works with such vigour and alaof Europe. But still he contended, it crity, that the French armies of the north would be to let down and to undervalue and of Portugal, under Soult and Marthe victory of Salamanca, if it were to be mont, were unable to relieve it, and it was brought before the House unconnected even confessed by Soult, an officer of great with other considerations, and not as it ability, in explaining to the war minister stood, connected on the grand scale of the of France the causes of the loss of Ba military operations of which it formed so dejoz-it was admitted in his dispatches to pre-eminent a part. This was not a victory Berthier, which were intercepted, that lord which had been thrown in the way of lord Wellington had taken Badajoz in the face Wellington, which he had been able to ac- of two armies, each of which in strength complish, and gloriously accomplish, on was equal to his own. It was stated by the instant; but it was a transaction which Soult that the army under lord Wellington wound up a military object, the result of was not superior to that under his comlong preparation and of foresight, in which mand, nor to that commanded by Marthe application of just principles was so mont; but he stated the difficulty of asinterwoven with various circumstances,sembling troops to be so great, and the rathat he should fail in his duty to the army, and to the marquis of Wellington, if he were not shortly and generally to describe the causes which had led to the Victory of Salamanca, and its consequent advantages. The House would recollect, that at the close of the former, and at the commencement of the present campaign, lord Wellington, after dispossessing Massena of Portugal, had made himself master of Almeida, but Ciudad Rodrigo and Badajoz were still in the hands of the enemy. Both armies had retired into winter quarters, and remained for some time in inactivity on account of the season; but such vigorous preparations for renewing hostilities were made by the marquis of Wellington so early as January, (a period at which, even in that clime, armies have seldom been occupied in preparing to take the field) that in that month he was enabled to lay siege to Ciudad Rodrigo. Nothing higher to the praise of the mar quis of Wellington could be said, than that he had completed his preparations for this operation with such activity and secrecy, pidity of lord Wellington's movements to be so extraordinary (an admission · most honourable to the gallant marquis, more particularly as it came from an enemy), his operations carried on with such celerity, the siege pressed with such vigour, and the assault made with such gallantry, as to exceed all his calculations: so that he had only reached Albuera with his army, on his way to relieve the fortress, when he received intelligence that it had fallen. These services then, it would be seen, lord Wellington had accomplished under circumstances of great difficulty. He had taken two important fortresses, in the presence of two armies, respectively equal in numbers to his own, and in such a way as to extort from the French commanders an acknowledgment, that all their preparations were rendered useless, and all their efforts foiled. Lord Wellington having done these services, which of themselves would have appeared most splendid in the career of an individual less illustrious than himself, and completed that task which had been the glorious ob ject of a former campaign, and expelled into Andalusia, this will be my object." the enemy from the country of an ally al- When lord Wellington had reduced Ba ways wound up in the interest and affec- dajos, in consequence, certainly, of a cirtions of England-Portugal. After this cumstance for which he was not respon he had still a great object before him; it sible, the delay on the part of the Spawas for him to direct his force so as to niards to revictual Ciudad Rodrigo, be effect what he might be capable of doing was obliged to march to protect that for the interest of Spain, with a view to fortress, and secure that interesting frontier repel the invading army. Lord Welling- of Portugal. The noble lord afterwards ton had now to compare his army with stated, that he did not altogether regret that of the enemy, and to deliberate on that circumstances had caused him to diwhat would be the probable result of the rect an operation in the north instead of the campaign. Though the army under him south, as he had intended; and he hoped, was certainly both respectable and im- as he found himself at the head of an portant, yet when he compared it with army to which he could look with confithe means of the enemy, a very grave dence for success in an action with Marprospect appeared before him, and he mont, he might in that quarter, more parcertainly could not flatter himself with a ticularly if Castile were thrown open, be result like that which had crowned his able to do that which would deliver Andameasures. The French armies were so lusia more completely than if, as he had strong, though the successes of lord Wel- first intended after the capture of Badajoz, lington had caused their strength to be he had advanced against the French in frequently under-rated in this country, and that province itself. The climate also he indeed by the world at large; that the found more favourable to his soldiers, and gallant marquis did not expect to be en- he advanced with a perfect confidence in abled with his means to drive them out of the moral qualities and physical force of Spain, (as many sanguine persons did), his army. He (lord C.) begged the House but he felt that he might force them to to bear this in mind. Lord Wellington abandon the military hold they had at that did make an irruption into Castile. He time; that grasp of the country, on which drove the French from Salamanca, and alone the French must ground their hopes advanced upon the line of the Douro. of ultimate success. These, unless they Though at the commencement of these could now retain, he would venture to say operations, his army was such that he they were farther off the consummation could court a general action with Marof their hopes, than at any period of the mont, when he arrived upon the line of four years during which the war had been the Douro, this was no longer the case. continued in the peninsula. He would The French, as was their practice, sacrirepeat it, unless the moral subjugation of ficed all the hold they had of the country, the people could be effected, which the by withdrawing their troops from the semilitary possession of the country could veral fortresses they had previously occualone secure, the French were further from pied, to make head against lord Wellingthe end they had in view than at any pe- ton. Before the battle of Salamanca, riod of the last four years. The noble Marmont was reinforced from Leon and lord did not look at that time to the com- Estremadura, from the army of Cafplete expulsion of the enemy from Spain, farelli, and from the army of Madrid. and this he distinctly stated in his commu- From that moment lord Wellington said, nications with his government; he (lord "I am not prepared to risk a general Castlereagh) did not speak of what he battle, unless I find that upon military might have written to individuals; but to grounds I engage you with a prospect of those under whom he served, the language success." This lord Wellington laid down of lord Wellington was this: "If I can re- as the principle on which he would act-a duce the two fortresses (Ciudad Rodrigo principle in every respect correct, and conand Badajoz), and place Portugal under sistent with his genius. It was not for us their protection, my next operation shall to court general engagements in the abbe, directed to the south of Spain, to de-stract. The French might wish to do so; prive the enemy of the resources they possess in Seville; or if I oblige them to collect an army to defend them, I shall then compel them to raise the siege of Cadiz. If from Badajoz I can advance but lord Wellington felt, that while he remained in Spain with such an army, the country never could be conquered; and it was his object to make the French abandon all but the ground on which they |
