HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



said, that although the expedition 

 to the Scheldt had not succeeded 

 in its main object, considerable 

 advantages were derived, and our 

 own security strengthened, by the 

 demolition of the arsenal and 

 docks of Flushing. 



The address was opposed by 

 the earl of St. Vincent, who intro- 

 duced himself to their lordships' 

 attention in the following impres- 

 sive manner : — " My lords, when, 

 at the commencement of the last 

 session of parliament, I addressed 

 a few observations to your lord- 

 ships, I thought my age and infirm- 

 ities would preclude me from 

 ever again presenting myself to 

 yourconsideration. But, mylords, 

 such have been the untoward and 

 calamitous events which have oc- 

 curred since that period, that I 

 am once more induced, if ray 

 strength will admit, to trouble 

 your lordships with a few of my 

 sentiments on the present occa- 

 sion. Indeed," his lordship pro- 

 ceeded, " we have wonderfullyex- 

 traordinary men in these days, 

 who have ingeniousness enough 

 to blazon with the finest colours, 

 to sound with the trumpet and 

 drum, in fact, to varnish over the 

 greatest calamities of the country, 

 and endeavour to prove that the 

 greatest misfortunes ought to be 

 considered as our greatest bless- 

 ings. Such was their language 

 after the disastrous convention of 

 Cintra ; and now, in his majesty's 

 speech, they have converted ano- 

 ther disaster into a new triumph. 

 They talk of the glorious victory 

 of Talavera ! A victory which led 

 to no advantage, and had all the 

 consequence of a defeat." Lord 

 St. Vincent having illustrated the 

 truth of this position, said, " there 

 is no occasion to wonder at the 



awful events which have occurred; 

 they are caused by the weakness, 

 infatuation, and stupidity of mi- 

 nisters." After touching on the 

 expedition to Copenhagen, which 

 brought a country at peace with 

 us into a state of inveterate and 

 open hostility, and that to Wal- 

 cheren ; he insisted, warmly, on 

 the .madness of sending an army 

 into the centre of Spain, unpro- 

 vided with every requisite for 

 such a dangerous march. If, 

 said lord St. Vincent, sir John 

 Moore had not acted according 

 to his own judgment, in the peril- 

 ous situation in which he had 

 been wantonly exposed, every 

 man of that army had been lost 

 to the country. By his transcend- 

 ent judgment, however, that army 

 had made one of the ablest re- 

 treats, recorded in the page of 

 history. While he saved the re- 

 mainder of his troops, his own life 

 was sacrificed in the cause of 

 Great Britain and Europe ; and 

 what tribute had his majesty's 

 ministers paid to his valued me- 

 mory > What reward conferred 

 for such valuable services ? Wniy, 

 even in that place, insidious as- 

 persions were cast upon his cha- 

 racter, and people were employed 

 in all parts of the town to calum- 

 niate his conduct. But, in spite 

 of all the runners, and dependents 

 of administration, that general 

 would be always revered as one 

 of the ablest men of his country. 

 The conduct of his majesty's mi- 

 nisters had led to the most fright- 

 ful disasters. Lord St. Vincent, 

 alluding particularly to the expe- 

 dition to Walcheren, said, it was 

 high time that parliament should 

 adopt strong measures, or else the 

 voice of the country would re- 

 sound like thunder in their ears- 

 B2 



