صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

land, Malta, Gibraltar, Minorca, the Weft-Indies, and elfewhere. Gentlemen had affumed that the army to which the letter alluded was the fame army that was fent to Holland, and then they inferred that that army could not have been in a fit ftate to be fent to Holland.

He maintained, that fuppofing the force fent to Holland was that alluded to in the duke of York's letter, and had been in the moft perfect ftate, which it was not, ftill the fame army could not have been in a state for fervice on the 28th of February. Gentlemen were very fond of comparing the army of the French republic with that of this country, and commented on the great exertions of the army of referve. But it fhould be remembered that means had been ufed in France to give energy to their exertions, which in this country would be feverely cenfured. However, the army of referve of the great hero, who was the conftant object of adulation, could not commence its operations till a later time than that at which it was flated in the letter our forces would be ready. But the chancellor of the exchequer had proved, that the army mentioned by his royal highnefs was a force widely different from that fent to Hol

land. The expedition was fent for three important objects to this country. First, to annihilate the remains of the Dutch marine; fecondly, to effect a divertion in favour of our allies; and latily, to affift an ancient ally of this country to rescue itself from its oppreffions. The laft object alone failed. But the magnitude of the object warranted the hazard incurred. The time of year when the troops were fent to Holland rendered a long campaign impoffible; the difficulties attending new troops

arofe not from their want of valour but of experience. The danger to be apprehended was, not that they would fail to act bravely in battle, but that they could not contend with the feverity of the season. Their conduct in Holland was a proof of the affertion. They were found in the field fully equal to the veteran troops of France, to whom they were oppofed, and fuperior to those with whom they were moft likely to have contended. That our troops fhould not be ready for fervice, after a fevere winter, at an earlier period than those in the more fouthern and warmer parts of Europe, was a matter of criticifm which might furprize him, if he could be furprised at any thing coming from that quarter. He wished that the ftatements of gentlemen on the other fide, aṭ different times, were compared together. At one period it was faid that we had deftroyed a whole army in Holland; but that statement was given up when we obtained accounts of the killed and wounded: but now the loffes of that army were forgotten, and it was contended that it ought to furnifh a greater number of men, after a fevere campaign, than it had before contained. So that the ftatements

of thefe gentlemen

made completely against themfelves. He concluded by objecting to the grant of a paper without parliamentary ground for its production; and if the crimination of the late minifters was the object, he faid that, the fact they wanted being admitted, they could not defire further evidence.

Mr. Grey faid, that the right honourable gentleman food charged with grofs public misconduct, and wifhed to draw off the attention of the houfe by attacking those who had oppofed him, and was now for

making an inquiry into their conduct. He indeed challenged inquiry in a high tone; but when ever it was moved for he fruftrated it. It had been faid that no parliamentary ground had been hown for the motion. This he would advert to afterwards. The right honourable gentleman had anticipated the charge, and entered into a defence of the expedition to Holland. In judging of that expedition, the objects ought to be diftinguished, of getting poffeffion of the Dutch fleet, creating a diverfion in favour of our allies, and affifting the Dutch to throw off the French yoke. If, after the Dutch fleet was overpowered under fir Ralph Abercromby, the expedition had stopped there, he would have owned it fuccessful, and that the planners were entitled to public thanks. But afterwards, a new armament was fent to co-operate with the Dutch, and to create a diverfion. This totally failed. This diverfion was a proof of the incapacity of the late minifters. It was fent late in the year to a narrow peninfula, where a few troops fufficed to check its progrefs. In a diverfion againft an enemy, the beft method was to occupy as much of the country as poffible with few troops; but the very reverfe of this was adopted; and a large force was fent to a neck of land where they could not act, and where the enemy could oppose them with a handful of men. As to co-operation from the Dutch, how could we expect it, unlefs we could have given them protection? which was impoffible until they had repeatedly repulfed the oppofing force, till when they were entirely feparated from thofe with whom they were to co-operate. It was afferted that the lofs

was fmall. He wished that this could have been proved. The force fent 'on that expedition amounted at least to 25,000 men, and had been declared to be one of the finest that had ever failed from this country. Yet, three months after its return, the commander in chief ftated, that two months would be requifite to get 20,000 men into a proper ftate of difcipline for a foreign expedition. Thus, Mr. Grey contended that the criminality of minifters was fully proved on their own grounds. Why did they come to the house year after year, to afk an increase of the military force of the kingdom? Was it not that a difpofable force might be ready for every exigency? He would contend that it was unparliamentary to read extracts from papers not before the houfe, to juftify minifters. But Mr. Dundas repelled a charge against him, by reading part of a letter from fir Ralph Abercromby after the taking of the Helder, in which that general defcribed the men drafted from the militia as a fuperior race: this proved then, that to deny there were men drafted from the militia in that embarkation was falfe, and that they were not fo unfit for military operations as they were reprefented. That there was no parliamentary ground for the motion, as had been afferted, was not true. The right honourable gentleman (Mr. Pitt) contended, that it was no wonder if 20,000 men, fit for a foreign military fervice, could not be got ready in lefs than two months. But this was not a fair reprefentation. A large force had been granted, to be always ready for the fervice of the country. 20,000 men returned from Holland: these were the beft draughts from the fupple

mentary

mentary militia, and the remainder of the regular army. It was then a ftrong ground for accufation against the late minifters, that, notwithstanding the means granted them, and that the army had returned from Holland in November 1799, there fhould not have been 20,000 men fit for foreign fervice at the end of February 1801.The letter required ought, according to all parliamentary ufage, to be produced, unless it were aflerted that dangerous confequences to the public would follow: in fuch a cafe, he was convinced that his honourable friend would only move for the production of such extracts as fhould relate to the ftate of the army when it was written. But the right honourable gentleman had made no such affertion; and only Rated that the letter might contain matter dangerous to be revealed. If it did, what right had the right honourable gentleman, not then in office, to produce it at all, and to divulge any contents of the ftate depofit of state secrets? Ground of ferious charge exifted fome where, which muft fall either on the right honourable gentleman or the commander in chief. He fhould therefore fupport the motion.

Lord Folkftone faid he would vote for the motion to vindicate the character of the militia; for he thought it extremely hard, that thofe who had devoted their time to the forming and improving it fhould now be told that the want of difcipline in men, drafted unjustly, and unwifely, in his opinion, was the caufe of the failure of a great plan of government.

Sir James St. Clair Erfkine obferved that an erroneous idea of the word difcipline had been formeds for that each man in a regi

ment might be mafter of the ma nual exercife, and yet it might not be well difciplined. He agreed with the fupporters of the motion, that if a force was not ready when it ought to be, blame belonged fomewhere, and ought, in his opinion, to be fixed on the commander in chief. But in the present inftance, on examination, no blame would be found imputable to the illuftrious commander in chief, for not having 20,000 men ready for foreign fervice on the 28th of February laft. The first troops fent to Holland under fir Ralph Abercromby, confifted of almost all the old regulars in this country. Whatever of the militia was among them formed but a small part. The other two embarkations were compofed moftly of draughts from the militia. What was moft material in the prefent queftion was the time of the return of these troops. Moft of them returned in November, but they had not all arrived before Chriftmas. The old troops were speedily fent to Ireland; and the remainder, confifting of militia, certainly required training. Some of the draughts from the Irish militia, which compofed part of the force, had not even existence at Christmas; for the bill enabling his majefty to make that draught had not then paffed. Therefore it was neither furprising, nor blamable, that this force was not ready for a diftant and foreign expedition by the 20th of February. He regretted that the right honourable gentleman (Mr. Dundas) had, on a former night, quoted either the prefent letter, or that from fir Charles Stuart: he was, however, pleafed to fee that the extracts had proved the true motives of his declining the command of the expedition to the Mediterranean, and

that

that his refufal had occafioned no delay to the failing of the expedition. He hoped, however, that the practice would not obtain of quoting confidential letters from officers to government, which might often prejudice the fervice; and concluded with expreffing his decided oppofition to the motion.

Colonel Alexander Hope adverted to what Mr. Grey had faid concerning fir Ralph Abercromby's letter on the taking of the Helder; obferving, that the men to whom he referred formed no part of the embarkation which failed with fir Ralph, but arrived on the 9th, and were employed on the 10th; fo that the chancellor of the exchequer's statement was still correct.

Mr. Bouverie thought the grounds of the motion parliamentary, and therefore fupported

it.

Mr. Nicholls thought that two facts were univerfally admitted: that in February 1800 we had not 20,000 men fit for a foreign expedition, notwithstanding the great number of the army; and that the army was deplorably deficient in discipline.

He knew not what were grounds of inquiry if these

were not.

The fecretary at war faid, that the fmall army kept here in time of peace had always caufed much difficulty to collect fpeedily any military force for a foreign expedition; and that the ftate of the country, during the prefent war, required extraordinary force to be retained in it. He defended the Dutch expedition against Mr. Grey; and faid he would always oppofe the granting of a paper as a ground of charge.

General Tarleton thought no blame imputable to the duke of

York; but that a review of fome facts would fhew where blame ought to rest. In the beginning of the war, the Irish militia force was inadequate to its defigned object; and the common methods of recruiting could not fupply that defect. Mr. Dundas thought he could do it by draughts from the fupplementary militia: the general thought this an ineffectual method, and recommended that of draughting from the prefent militia of the country. This, he said, was the only fure way to procure an effective force. He cenfured the reading of letters from officers in the houfe; and complained that both fir Charles Stuart and fir Charles Grey had been unworthily treated, who would have performed much more effential service to their country had minifters granted them. a proper force.

He concluded with calling on all officers to vote for this motion, as the best means of abolishing the practice of reading letters in that houfe, as minifters might do for their own juftification.

Mr. Dundas rofe to repel the infinuation that he had afpersed the conduct of the illuftrious commander in chief, fir Charles Stuart, and fir Charles Grey; for all of whom, he faid, he had ever entertained the higheft refpect. He

faid that he had never recommend

ed any expedition to his majefty without alfo recommending to him to appoint one or other of these gallant officers to it. He denied that his oppofition to this motion was to fave the character of his royal highnefs the commander in chief; for that there was nothing in the letter but what was highly to his honour. He would not enter into difcuffion of the expedition to Holland, but only state, that on the

return

return of the army, the flower of it was immediately fent to Ireland to defend it; and he would ask, whether it was blamable to advise that measure, at a feafon of the year when the long nights rendered an attempt at invafion more to be apprehended, becaufe more practicable, and when Great Britain expected a fupply of 10,000 men from the militia of Ireland? As to the production of confidential letters in debate, he held, that a public man ought rather to fubmit to any calumnies, than to repel them by producing what might injure others; but when no injury could be done by producing fuch papers, he thought that a public man might use them in his own vindication.

General Tarleton explained.

Mr. G. Ponsonby faid, that the right honourable gentleman (Mr. Dundas) had, on a former evening, atlerted the prefent to be the most glorious war in which this country had ever been engaged; in faying which he had thrown a heavy weight of refponfibility on his ma jetty's minifters now in office, fince the neceffary confequence of

a glorious war

peace.

[ocr errors]

was a beneficial

He thought that the whole of the letter ought to be read; and if the right honourable gentleman wifhed well to the illuftrious commander in chief, he ought to produce it. If the letter were produced, it might appear that the commander in chief complained of not receiving fufficient notice, or proper fupplies; and alleged these as reafons why a force for a foreign expedition could not be prepared in lefs than two months. The honourable gentleman had afferted that it might be wrong to produce documents unfit for public inveftigation; but furely it was more wrong to refufe thofe in which the conduct and character of others were concerned.

If the prefent motion was refufed, it must be obvious that there was blame fomewhere, or it would not have been met in fe hoftile a manner by gentlemen on the other fide.

Colonel Porter faid a few words iu fupport of the motion.

The houfe then divided, when there appeared, ayes 45-noes 151. Majority against the motion, 106.

CHAP. IV.

High Price of Provifions. Report of the Committee of the House of Commons on that Subject. Debate on the Report. Second Report, and Debate on the same. Further Report on the same relative to Ireland. Debates on that Subject. Lord Suffolk's Motion in the House of Lords on the high Price of Procifions and the Extension of Paper Credit. Lord Warwick's on the same Subject. Mr. Horne Tooke elected Member for Old Sarum. Debates on that Subject. Clergy Incligibility Bill. Its Progress in the Commons. In the Lords.

THE

HE high price and fearcity of provitions, which had in part ailen from the failure of the crop of the preceding year, and which

ftill continued, engaged early the attention of parliament. On the 4th of February Mr. Yorke rose in the houfe of commons to move for a repeal

« السابقةمتابعة »