The Earl of Liverpoolsaid, that in proposing to their lordships to give a vote of thanks to the marquess of Hastings, and to the army which had been engaged in the late campaign in the Nepaul territory, he should not call for any opinion on the justice or necessity of that war. The vote he should move was one in which he had no doubt of their lordships concurrence, as it would merely express their approbation of the plan of the campaign, and of the operations which had led to its successful termination. In reference to what had been said by a noble lord the other evening, as to difference of opinion respecting the prosecution of the war, he must observe, that the statement was founded in error. That noble lord was completely wrong in supposing that any protest had been made by certain members of the council in India against the war. With respect to the justice and necessity of commencing hostilities, there certainly was no difference of opinion in India; and it also had been the opinion of the government of this country, that in order to check the encroachments and aggressions 233 of the Nepaul power, no other remedy remained but an appeal to the sword. A series of encroachments had taken place, which no government valuing its character could have overlooked. These aggressions, which it was necessary to check, inflicted an evil, not only on the British dominions in India, but on those of our allies. He begged leave to repeat, that neither by what he had now said, nor by the vote which he should move, did he wish to call for any opinion from their lordships on the transactions to which he had alluded; but be had thought it necessary to address these few observations to their lordships, lest the statement which had fallen from a noble lord on a former night should have produced an erroneous impression. With regard to the particular objects to which he had to call their lordships attention, it was not by the force of the enemy, or the value of the country subdued, that the merit of the victory achieved by our troops was to be estimated; but the contest took place under circumstances which called for a very considerable degree of ability and military talent in those who had to carry it on. All the operations were executed in mountainous districts; and long and judicious preparations were necessary to insure a probability of success. The contest, though short, was severe, and in none could exercise of military skill and judgment be more requisite. He would not trouble their lordships with any details of the operations. The accounts were before the public, and to them he should refer for the truth of the character he had given to this campaign. With regard to the conduct of the governor-general, he should observe, that he had no alternative but to act as he had done. He concluded by moving, "That the thanks of the House be given to general the marquess of Hastings, for his judicious arrangements in the plan and direction of the military operations against Nepaul, by which the war was brought to a successful issue, and peace established upon just and honourable terms."
§ After a few words from earl Grosvenor, the motion was agreed to; as was a vote of thanks to major-general sir David Ochterlony, and the officers and troops under his command.