The Earl of Darnleyrose to move for several additional Papers respecting the campaign in Spain. His lordship read several motions, the first of which was, for the production of the Letters of Mr. Frere and Mr. Stuart to Sir John Moore and Sir David Baird, which, he understood, would not be objected to. The others were for the production of several Dispatches from Mr. Secretary Canning to Mr. Frere, a Dispatch from sir John Moore, dated the 13th of January last, a Letter from general Brodrick, which he considered to be important to the discussion of the Spanish question, as it related to the deficiency of cavalry in Spain, a deficiency the more inexcusable, as we had a force of twenty one thousand cavalry, eighteen thousand of which might have been spared for the assistance of Spain. Also the dispatch from lord Castlereagh to sir Hew Dalrymple, dated the 4th September, with the in-closures, and the instructions to Sir Hew Dalrymple, with respect to the formation of the Regency in Portugal, both which had before been moved for and refused, but which he still thought essential to the discussion of the general question. He did 800 not wish to anticipate that discussion; but he could not but think, from a perusal of the papers before the house, that the blame of our failures in Spain must rest with his Majesty's ministers.
The Earl of Liverpooladverted to the grounds on which he had before objected to the production of Mr. Frere's letters, they never having been officially transmitted by sir John Moore. That this was not done might easily be accounted for, by the multiplicity of business which pressed upon that gallant officer. He admitted that the letters were in the possession of a member of his majesty's government; but still the objection remained, that they were not strictly official. He had also objected that they had no operation upon the march of the army in Spain. He understood, however, that persons nearly connected with sir John Moore, were extremely anxious for their production, and he would not now oppose their being laid before the house. With respect to the letters of Mr. Stuart, they were not in the possession of his majesty's government. To the production of one of the dispatches from Mr. Secretary Canning, alluded to in a dispatch from lord Castlereagh of the 13th December, he objected, as it referred prospectively to future circumstances, and could not, without detriment to the public service, be produced. With respect to the dispatch from sir John Moore, dated the 13th January, it required consideration, whether it was expedient to produce it. To the other motions he had no objection, with the exception of the two, which had before been refused, and to which he must still object, as the publication of them would be detrimental to the public service. The letter from general Brodrick he had no objection to produce, and upon this point, with respect to the cavalry, he would take occasion to say, that it would be found when the question came to be discussed, that there was no objection made against the conduct of Ministers less founded or more futile, than that of the deficiency of cavalry.
The Earl of Rosslynproposed a motion for some further papers respecting communications between Mr. Frere and the President of Spain.
§ Lord Grenvillethought it necessary to take notice of an observation made by the noble Secretary of State, imputing blame to sir John Moore for not transmitting the letters of Mr. Frere.
The Earl of Liverpoolapologized for in- 801 terrupting the noble lord, but thought it incumbent on him to state, that he did not intend to impute blame to sir John Moore. All he meant to state was, that in the regular official course of business, the Letters were to have been transmitted either by sir John Moore or Mr. Frere. That they were not transmitted by sir John Moore might be accounted for, by the multiplicity of business in which he was engaged, and from his not being in the habit of that species of official communication.
§ Lord Grenvillecould not allow that the not sending these letters should be in any manner charged upon the distinguished officer now no more. It was the duly of his majesty's minister at Madrid, to transmit officially to the Secretary of State the Letters which he had officially written to sir John Moore. He did not mean to impute blame to Mr. Frere for not transmitting the letters, but if there was any blame it ought to attach to the living minister, and not to the memory of the illustrious commander whom we had unfortunately lost.
The first motion for Mr. Frere's Letters was agreed to. On the second motion, for the Letter from lord Castlereagh to sir Hew Dalrymple, of the 4th of September, with the inclosures, a short conversation arose, in which lord Sidmouth adverted to what had been said when the motion was formerly made, and earl Grey thought that it was incumbent on ministers to state some more precise ground of objection to the production of these Papers than that of its being detrimental to the public service.
The Earl of Liverpoolstated in reply, that the inclosures to which the motion referred, were the observations of the Portuguese Minister upon the conclusion of the Armistice. His majesty's government had thought it expedient to transmit them to sir Hew Dalrymple, and it was upon the impropriety of making public the representation of the Portuguese minister, that he felt a compliance with the noble earl's motion injurious to the public service.
§ Earl Greycontended, that if the objection of his majesty's government only extended to the enclosures, he trusted for the acquiescence of his majesty's ministers, in the amendment which he should propose for the production of either a copy or extract of the letter of lord Castlereagh of the 4th of September, without the inclosures.
The Earl of Liverpoolanswered, that the original letter, without the inclosures, could not afford the noble earl the infor- 802 mation he sought. It only went to prove, what his majesty's ministers were ready to allow, that on the intimation that the Armistice was concluded, they were much dissatisfied with that measure.
§ The Earl of Buckinghamshirecould not reconcile the dissatisfaction, which the noble earl stated to have been felt by ministers, with the demonstration of public reconcile which took place when the first account of the Armistice was received. At all events, he thought it but justice to Sir flew Dalrymple that the dispatch of the 4th should be laid before the house.
§ Lord Grenvillecould not conceive how any man, even in the wildest stretch of imagination, could fancy that there was any possibility of danger to his majesty's service, from a compliance with the limited and qualified amendment of his noble friend.
The Earl of Liverpoolobserved, that it was the usage to resort to public rejoicings, when the country of an ally was evacuated by the enemy, in consequence of the operations of British Troops. In accordance with that usage, the Tower gnus were fired on the communication of the Convention of Cintra being concluded. It did not, however, follow, that therefore his majesty's government had approved of all the Articles of that measure. He did believe that it was usual to order similar demonstrations of public rejoicings, when an Island belonging to the enemy was taken possession 'of by British Troops, although very strong objections were entertained by government at home, with respect to the specific provisions of that capitulation.
The question was then put upon the amendment of earl Grey, and strangers were ordered to withdraw preparatory to a division; but the motions were negatived without a division.