Mr. Abercrombysaid, that as the Speaker was about to leave the chair, he begged to call the attention of the House to a subject of much interest, and to which he was sure the House would lend a favourable ear. He wished to call the attention of the House to the condition of one of its members—a person who had performed the most meritorious services to his country, and on whom foreign princes had conferred the highest honours—he meant his hon. and gallant friend the member for Southwark. He would first state, most distinctly and unequivocally, that he did not wish to attach the least blame to the persons at whose instance his gallant friend had been removed from the army, and still less would he say any thing which could cast the least reflection on his royal highness the commander-in-chief; nor would he call in question the authority by which he had been removed, nor impose restrictions on the prerogatives of the Crown. Far was it from his intention to complain of any opinions of hon. gentlemen upon this subject; nor did he intend, in the slightest degree, to invite a revision of the past. His object was, to persuade the House to do honour to itself, by shewing a sympathy with one of its members, the tenor of whose life, and his public services, had reflected equal honour upon himself and his country. That gallant individual was endowed in the most eminent degree with noble sentiments. His errors, if they were errors, had arisen from the excess of an ardent mind, and from an extreme zeal in the service of his country. It was unnecessary for him to say that the military 1212 career of his gallant friend, a period of twenty-nine years of service, had been interrupted by a measure which preceded all inquiry. He would ask any hon. member who heard him, whether, in consequence of any thing which had taken place, either there or elsewhere, his hon. and gallant friend was less valued and cherished by his profession, or less esteemed by the House or the country? Sure he was, that every man who heard him would answer in the negative. And, was such a man to have his military glory thus at once and for ever blasted? His hon. and gallant friend had been dismissed without either trial or inquiry. He sought inquiry; he courted investigation; but he was refused. He alluded to this part of the case, only for the purpose of calling to the recollection of the House the temper, the moderation, the great forbearance with which his hon. and gallant friend conducted himself upon that occasion. That conduct, on the part of his gallant friend, was a source of sincere gratification to his friends, and he was sure there were many gentlemen on the other side who regretted, that what they conceived to be their duty compelled them to vote as they did. He confessed, that seeing that this might perhaps be the last sitting of the present parliament, he was inclined to think that the sentiments of many members, hitherto adverse, must now be changed upon this question. Indeed, he would venture to ask them in what light they now viewed the conduct and character of his gallant friend. He appealed also to many gallant officers who had served with his gallant friend, who bad shared with him the toils of the field, and participated in its glory and renown; he appealed to them, whether, if the name of that gallant officer were replaced in that list to which his heroic actions and valuable services entitled him, they would not hail his return amongst them with pleasure and delight. He had cautiously abstained from entering into a detail of the conduct of his gallant friend: he had avoided recounting his brilliant service; and he had done so because he felt it wan unnecessary to enter into a history of that which was already known to the House, and because his only object was, to give those who were acquainted with his services, an opportunity of expressing their opinions upon the subject. Those opinions he fondly anticipated would be of such a nature as to induce certain individuals, in whom the feel- 1213 ing to do so was not wanting, to represent them in the proper quarter. Let it not be supposed that what had fallen from him was uttered with a view to prescribe a particular course to any hon. member:—let it not be thought that he wished to solicit any gentleman who heard him, to do that which did not emanate from his own free will, and a sense of his public duty. Neither did he wish, in making these observations, to give, in any way, a direction to the royal prerogative. Had he any such intention, his course would have been widely different to that, which he had pursued. he felt it right to say what he had said, because he knew that there must be in the mind of a gracious sovereign feelings in favour of gallant actions and services, such as had been performed by his hon. friend, and in order to shew that a favourable opportunity offered of extending the royal grace and favour in this instance in a manner which would be pleasing to the House, gratifying to the whole of the army, and peculiarly satisfactory to the country at large. All he had done was, to give the House an opportunity of expressing their feelings upon the subject; and if the result should lead to the restoration of his gallant friend to his rank in his profession, he should be glad, that he had been the humble instrument of an act so just and generous.
§ Mr. Littletonsaid, he could not avoid expressing the gratification he felt at what his learned Friend had offered to the House. To refer back to the errors of the hon. and gallant officer, if errors they were, would shew both bad taste and bad feeling on his part; as, whatever they were, they were now forgotten, by a recollection of the great personal gallantry and devotion which that hon. officer had always shewn to the honours and interests of his profession. His restoration would be hailed by the whole country, and by none more than by those who might at the time, have approved of his removal.
Colonel Wodehousewas sure, that more welcome proposition could not have been made to that House. The learned member had not suggested any course, but had left it to the grace and favour of his majesty, who was known to feel pleasure in passing acts of grace and favour, The military services of the gallant officer, coupled with his great private worth, and supported by the opinion of that House, would, no doubt, have considerable weight in that quarter, where grace and favour were known to dwell.
§ Lord W. Bentincksaid, it was the opinion of the army generally, that there was no officer in the service, whose bravery and conduct had shed greater lustre on the British arms, or had rendered more essential services to his country than sir Robert Wilson. He would make no apology for his errors, nor question the prerogative of the Crown in dismissing officers from the army, but he thought that if the gallant officer were restored to his former rank, the deed would be approved by the whole nation.
§ Mr. C. Calvertsaid, it was not his intention to touch upon the military character or services of his hon. colleague, as both were too well known to require any comment from him; but he trusted that the recommendation of the House would meet with a favourable reception in the highest quarter.
§ Sir M. W. Ridleyhoped, that the unanimous feeling expressed by the House in favour of his gallant friend, would induce an extension to him of the royal grace and favour. He had been long intimately acquainted with him, and in no man had he ever discovered greater integrity, spirit, gallantry, or honour. If the gallant officer had committed errors, they were errors arising from the best feelings, and they must be forgotten in the recollection of his former brilliant services. If the royal favour should be in unison with the opinion of that House, it would restore him to that service to which he was an ornament, and the honour and character of which, he would never tarnish.
Sir R. Fergussonsaid, he had often, and at a distant period, served with his gallant friend, and would venture to say, that no man in the British army had more invariably distinguished himself for gallantry and bravery than sir R. Wilson did. The restoration of his gallant friend to a service of which he had been so great an ornament, would be received by the whole army, as well as by the House, with the greatest possible satisfaction. He hoped that some gallant officers opposite, would bear their testimony to the military character of his hon. friend.
§ Sir G. Murraysaid, he could not refrain from bearing testimony to the military character and services of the gallant officer. No man possessed those qualities suited to the military service more than that gallant officer; and it would give him great pleasure to see him restored to the service. If his gallant friend would confine his ta- 1215 lents and abilities within their proper channel, they would be rendered the more valuable to the service and to the country. At the same time, in giving this opinion, he must be understood to reserve to the Crown the full and entire possession of all its present authority over the officers of the army.
Mr. Mansellsaid, that whatever errors the gallant officer might have committed, he had been sufficiently punished for them, and he thought that they ought to be buried in oblivion. He was sure the House and the country would rejoice at seeing him restored to his rank.
§ Mr. W. Lambsaid, he was one who had voted against the inquiry into the gallant officer's conduct; but he was as anxious as any hon. member could be to see him restored to his station in the army.
§ Mr. Broughamsaid, that only one opinion seemed to actuate all parties. He wished to add his testimony to the character given of his gallant friend, in regard to his conduct on a former very trying occasion. He was the professional adviser of the gallant officer, and he had the most positive knowledge, that the utmost exertion of human forbearance had been manifested by his gallant friend. He had seen documents which, perhaps, no one besides his gallant friend could have refrained from publishing, but not one word of them would his gallant friend divulge, notwithstanding the aggravating situation in which he was placed.