Colonel Woodmoved, that there be laid before the house a copy of the letter of admiral Dacres to the lords commissioners of the admiralty, dated 8th Jan. 1807, inclosing a letter from captain Brisbane, dated Jan. 1. 1807, communicating the intelligence of the capture of the island of Curacoa. The hon. colonel, on being reminded by the Speaker, that it was usual for hon. members, when moving for public papers, to state the ground upon which they called for them, declared that it was with a view to an inqui- 508 ry into the ground of the removal of the late governor of Curacoa, and the appointment of another (a connection of the right hon. gent. Mr. Windham), that he had brought forward his motion.
§ Mr. Windhamthought the motion objectionable, because no parliamentary ground had been laid for it. The usual course on the capture of any enemy's settlement was to appoint a provisional governor, until his majesty's pleasure should be taken upon the subject, and a governor appointed under the sign manual. Captain Brisbane had been appointed the temporary governor, as sir David Baird had at the Cape, and as had been the case at the capture of the Cape, last war, for certainly lord Macartney had not been the conqueror of the Cape. If the hon. colonel should ask why captain Brisbane had not been continued in the government, he had only to answer, because another had been appointed. It would be for the house to determine, whether the hon. gentleman's motion should be entertained on this ground, and after what they had heard lately of interference with the king's prerogative, he did not think the house would go into an inquiry, why his majesty had thought proper to appoint this or that person governor of that Island. If the person who had been appointed, was not qualified for the office, either by his profession or his services, the house might inquire. It would be a bad rule in general that the person who conquered an Island should be continued in the government of it. The man who made a musical instrument was not always the best to play upon it. There was, however, another question to be considered, whether Captain Brisbane himself would have liked that office? as an active command was thought generally preferable to the government of an Island. But it was for the house to decide whether the motion should be agreed to, or not.
Lord Castlereaghfelt himself involved in considerable difficulty by the motion of the hon. Colonel. The house would be sensible that there was no instance of the exercise of the royal prerogative in which they ought so little to interfere, as the appointment of his officers by his Majesty. Many of the officers who had achieved conquests, had attracted particularly the attention of the crown, and were continued in the government of the settlements they conquered. But that was not a general or an absolute rule. As, therefore, the hon. colonel had not stated as the ground of his motion, that the per- 509 son who had been appointed was unfit for the office, he hoped he would save the house the delicacy of deciding upon a question, for which he neither had made out, nor professed to make out any case, by withdrawing his motion, especially as any discussion upon such a question, would rather detract from, than enhance the high and distinguished character of that gallant officer, who was the particular object of the motion.
Colonel Woodsaid, he had brought forward his motion only in defence of the rights of a gallant officer, who had great claims upon his country. He did not mean in the smallest degree to object to the gentleman who had been appointed; but as it appeared to be the sense of the house, that the motion should not be entertained, he had no difficulty in withdrawing it, at the same time observing, that it would be more for the interest of the country, that ministers should appoint persons of high claims to such offices, rather than provide for their own connections.