434 HOME AND FOREIGN POLITICS. [1809. 



was by no attempt at justification, but by blaming or 

 criticising the measures of the very officers they had 

 themselves selected for command; and all this time 

 while they had at their disposal a force amply suffi- 

 cient to have rescued Spain, if the proper use had 

 only been made of it at the proper time. 



Lord Grey, in April 1809, brought the whole sub- 

 ject before Parliament, with that great ability which 

 he of all men best knew how to apply, to make intel- 

 ligible details of the most complicated description; 

 but in spite of the dignified eloquence, the admirable 

 temper he displayed, so peculiarly appropriate in deal- 

 ing with so delicate a subject, our legislators decided 

 against him. 



The object of Lord Grey's motion was to represent 

 to the Crown the disgrace which the proceedings of 

 the Government had brought upon England, and the 

 injury which the British nation had suffered from the 

 rashness and mismanagement of ministers, culminat- 

 ing in the loss of more than 7000 of our bravest 

 troops, together with their gallant commander, all 

 sacrificed in an enterprise conceived without plan, 

 combination, or foresight, without a single possible 

 advantage, and as ill-timed as misdirected. 



The wisdom of Parliament decided otherwise, and 

 after a debate, in which Lord Grey was fairly supported 

 by Lord Moira, and feebly by Lord Erskine, his 

 motion was defeated by a considerable majority, and 

 it was solemnly decided that the projectors and con- 

 ductors of the campaign deserved the confidence of 



