finding a substitute. His lordship B Mr. Tierney, Lord Milton, and Mr. Calcraft, after some severe reflections upon the noble lord for the wanton exposure of the army in Spain, reserved themselves until the second reading of the bill.-The house then divided on the motion for leave to bring in a bill, when there appeared for the motion 77against it 26.-The bill was then read a first time. Thursday, Jan. 26. The Speaker attended to take the chair as usual at four o'clock, but only 38 members being in attendance, he adjourned the house till Friday. Friday, Jan. 27. The Speaker, in an elegant appropriate speech, conveyed the thanks of the house to Sir A. Wellesley in person, who appeared in his lieute nant-general's full dress to receive them, to which Sir Arthur made a reply. Mr. Wardle rose, pursuant to notice and spoke to the following effect :Fully aware, Sir, of the subject I am about to submit to the consideration of the house, I most sincerely lament that my abilities are unequal to do it complete justice. But yet I trust that an ardent zeal for the welfare of my country, supported by facts strong and incontrovertible, will enable me to surmount every difficulty, and eventually to rescue the state from the baneful influence of a power which has long been exercised for the worst purposes, and which, in fact, tends to endanger our ultimate security. To stand forward the public accuser of a man so high in rank, and so strong in influence as his royal highness the commander-in-chief, may very naturally be deemed no less a bold than an arduous undertaking. however bold, however arduit may be, being determined that no consideration of that nature shall ever induce any hesitation or wavering in the performance of my duty, either upon this or any other occasion, my mind is fully made up for perseverance. In the resolution I have formed, it is but reasonable for me to calculate upon the concurrence and co-operation of this house and the country. For, at a crisis of peculiar peril, when the great, if not the only means of our safety may depend upon the organi. gation and able direction of our military force, every man in the community must feel a lively interest in the object which my motion has in view. I trust, therefore, his royal highness the Duke of York will this night find, that however exalted his rank, however powerful his influence, the voice of the people, through their representatives, will prevail over corruption, and justice will be done to the calls of a longsuffering and meritorious body, to the best, to the vital interests of the people. In the course which I am pursuing, I feel conscious of no motive but that of a desire to serve my country, and I am confident that none other can be fairly ascribed to me. The conviction of my mind is, and for some time has been, that unless the system of corruption that has so long prevailed in the military department be done away, this country may full an easy prey to the enemy. Consistently, therefore, with any ra tional feeling of solicitude for my country, which involves my own connections and my family, it is impossible that I should sit silent, and allow the practices which bave come to my knowledge to be any longer concealed from those who are so much interested in their character and tendency. It is upon these grounds, Sir, that I am urged to offer myself to your attention. joined his regiment. This sum of 500l. was paid into the hands of Mrs. Clarke, and the majority was obtained by Capt. Tonyn, by which means a considerable sum was lost to the half-pay, and compassionate funds. He should be able to prove, that this very sum of money could be traced into the hands of Mr. Burkitt, a jeweller, as part of payment for a service of plate to Mrs. Clarke, and that the remainder of the money for the plate was paid by his royal highness the Duke of York.From all this it appeared, that this lady had the power of granting commissions, and that his royal highness himself was a participator in the pecuniary advantages arising from such sales.-The second case which he should mention, took place on an exchange between Lieutenant Col. Rooke and Lieut.-Colonel Knight. On this occasion it was agreed, that, in order to procure the exchange at the Duke of York's office, Mrs. Clarke should receive 2001. It so happened, that about this time Mrs. Clarke was very anxious to go into the country, and that a sum of money would be very convenient. It was to be conjectured, that she told his royal highness how she could get the money, and accordingly the exchange was acceded to, and the lady was enabled to gratify her wishes.The next instance which he should mention, was the case of a Major John Shaw, who wished to be appointed deputy barrack master at the Cape of Good Hope. He happened to be no favourite with the Duke of York; however, he was in Mr. W. then proceeded to state bis charges, the substance of which were as follows:-It was well known that there had been established what was called a half-pay fund, and that this arose from the money derived from the sale of commissions which were falling in from time to time. The commander in chief was besides empowered to apply the money arsing from the sale of commissions to the increase of the compassionate fund, for the assistance of the widows and children of officers. He should be able to prove that commissions had been sold, and that the money had been applied to far different purposes from those to which they ought to have been devoted; and from which it followed, that neither the half-pay list had been reduced, nor the compassionate fund assisted as it ought to have been. It would be here necessary for him to allude to another establishment which took place in 1803, when his royal highness took a handsome house in Glocester-place, New Road, in which a lady, of the name of Clarke, took up her residence, and who received a splendid establishment of servants, carriages, &c. The first case of the misapplication of money arising from the sale of commissions, which be should mention, was that which related to Captain Tonyn, who was promoted to the majority of the 31st regiment. This officer, having been many years without promotion, was introduced by a Capt. Huxley Sandon to Mrs. Clarke, and an agreement was entered into, that, on being promoted to this majority, he should pay her the sum of 5001.troduced to Mrs. Clarke, and conThis money was to be lodged in the sented to give her the sum of 10001. hands of a Mr. Donovan, a surgeon, on condition of obtaining the apor rather an accoucheur in Charles-pointment for which he had made street. This person had been a surgeon in the army, and he had found that he was promoted to a heutenancy in the 4th garrison battalion, though nothing appeared to entitle bim to it, and though he had never VOL. Y. application. In consequence, he obtained the appointment in April, 1808, having paid down 2001. to Mrs. Clarke, and afterwards sent her 3001. more, through a relation of his, who was a clerk in Mr. Coutts's M house. Mrs. Clarke, however, applied in vain by letter for the remaining 5001, and in consequence complained most bitterly to the cominander in chief, who felt so much hurt on the occasion, that he put major Shaw on half-pay. He had in his pocket the various letters which passed between the parties, and one in particular from Mrs. Shaw, who threatened to expose the whole affair. In consequence of this business, -he had been induced to examine the half-pay list, in order to see whether any similar reduction to that of Mr. Shaw had taken place in the barrack department-but he had found no such thing. Such officers being in fact, kept on full-pay, even on the home staff. This case of Maj. Shaw was indeed the only instance he could find of such an officer being reduced to half-pay. The case of this officer then demonstrates, first, that Mrs. Clarke's influence extended to the appointments on the staff of the army, as well as to promotions and exchanges in the army itself; secondly, that the commander in chief punished an individual by reducing him from full to halfpay, for non-performance of a nefarious contract with his mistress; and thirdly, that the commander in chief was a direct party to all this shameful transaction! He now came to the very novel case of Col. French and his levy. This officer was, through the influence of Mrs. Clarke, appointed by the commander in chief to conduct a levy in the years 1804—5. The colonel was introduced to Mrs. Clarke by Captain Huxley Sandon, and the condition upon which he obtained his appointment was, that Mrs. C. should have one guinea out of the bounty of each. man raised, together with the sale or patronage of a certain number of the commisstons. The agreement being concluded, it was communicated to, and approved of by the commander in chief. Col. French was accordingly sent by Mrs. Clarke to the Horse Guards, and after many interviews, the levy was set on foot. As the levy proceeded, Mrs. Clarke received several sums of money from Col. French, Captain Huxley Sandon, and a Mr. Corri. She also received 5001. from a Mr. Cockayne, who is a well known solicitor in Lyon's-inn, and a friend of Captain Huxley Sandon's. But, to return for a moment to Mr. Donovan, the garrison-battalion lieutenant.—This gentleman, who was such a prominent agent in those transactions, was acquainted with an old officer, a Captain Tuck, whom he very strongly recommended to seek promotion; and to encourage him by a display of the facility with which it might be attained, he sent him a written scale of Mrs. Clarke's prices, for different commissions, which, in stating, he begged leave to contrast with the regulated prices of the army:Mrs Clarke's Prices. Regulated Prices. A Majority L.900 L.2600 A Company A Lieutenancy An Ensigncy 700 400 200 1500 550 400 From this scale it appears, that the funds before alluded to, lost, in an enormous ratio to the gain of Mrs. Clarke, or any other individual acting upon the same system. Here he should take leave of Mrs. Clarke. Here the scene closes upon her military negociations; and in what follows, the commander in chief alone is interested. It appears that his royal highness required a loan of 50001. from Col French, and Mr. Giant of Barnard's-inn, promised to comply with the request in procuring the money, provided the commander in chief would use his influence and obtain payment to Col. French of a balance due to him by government on account of the levy. This was promised, but, the commander in chief failing to fulfil his part of the condition, the loan he required was not advanced, and 3000l. still remain due from government to Col. French. The case of this levy shews, first, that Mrs. Clarke, in addition to promotions in the army, to exchanges, and appointments on the staff, possessed the power of augmenting the military force of the country; secondly, that in this case, as in all others, she was allowed to receive pecuniary consideration for the exercise of her influence; thirdly, that the commander in chief endeavoured to derive a pecuniary accommodation for himself, indepen dently of Mrs. Clarke's advantages. The last case he should mention was that of a Captain Maling, who had been appointed as captain in the Royal African corps, which was commanded by Colonel Gordon, who was the Duke of York's military secretary. He believed Captain Maling himself was quite an unexceptionable officer. He had had the good fortune, however, to have been a clerk in Mr. Greenwood's office, and had even been made an ensign, while he was yet at the desk. In the short period of three years, he had been put over the heads of at least 100 meritorious officers, who were left in subaltern situations, while his promotion was rapid. Whether such a thing was right or just, he would leave it to the house and to the country to determine. He would only add one circumstance, and that was of a very extraordinary nature. There was actually a public office in the city of London, where commissions in the army are exposed to sale at reduced rates, below the regulation prices. He had gone there, and had heard the persons belonging to it declare, that they were employed by the present favourite, Mrs. Carey. He was also informed, that places both in church and state, were to be sold there, and that for the private benefit of two persons high in the government.-The hon. member concluded with moving, "That a committee be appointed to investigate the conduct of his royal highness the Duke of York, with regard to purchases, exchanges, and ap pointments to commissions in the army." The Secretary at War and Sir A.Wellesley expressed their satisfaction that the inquiry was brought forward, and their confidence that the character of the commander in chief would be fully cleared. Mr. Yorke was glad that something was now brought forward in a tangible. form, and he hoped thehouse would do its duty to itself, to the country, and to the royal house of Brunswick. For my own part, Mr. Yorke continued, I believe that there exists a conspiracy of the most atrocious and diabolical kind against his royal highness, founded on the jacobinical spirit which appeared at the commencement of the French Revolu tion; for though this spirit did not shew itself exactly in the same form as not easily quelled, and it never could at first, yet when once raised, it was' promote its views with better hopes of success than by talking down illustrious persons.-It was the object to write down his royal highness-It was no less so to write down ail the estabishments of the country! By means of the press, the liberty of which was so valuable, and the licentiousness of which was so pernicious, it appeared to be the desigu of the conspirators to write down the military system through the commander in chief-the army though its generals, and other establishments through the persons most conspicuous in each--and of this plan the present was only a particular instance. Mr. Adam and Mr. Perceval expressed their firm conviction of the inno cence of his royal highness, and of his most anxious wish, that all the charges against him should receive a thorough investigation, and the proceedings receive the utmost publicity. Sir F. Burdett said, he seconded the motion because the charges were made, which he must consider as facts until they were disproved. He was, however, totally unacquainted with the and belief that they would prove uncircumstances, and expressed his hope founded. At the same time, he believed, there was no conspiracy against the family on the throne, as absurdly insinu ated by Mr. Yorke.-After some further debate, in which Lord Folkstone, Mr. Wilberforce, Wr. Whitbread, and Mr. Canning, (who was sure the royal duke would be fully exculpated,) it was earried, nem. con. That the conduct of his royal highness the commander in chief in the appointment of commissions, and filling up of vacancies in the army, be referred to a committee :and that it should be a committee of the whole house. The committee to sit on Wednesday. General Stewart noticed an opinion which generally prevailed, that the loss of our army in Spain amounted to 9000 men. He asserted, from his own know ledge, that our loss did not amount to above one half that number!—Adjourned to Tuesday. Tuesday, Jan. 31. subject of much of its interest with the house. But the fact was, thatin the whole course of the proceed, ing nothing appeared which could enable any one to contend that the means of negociation were offered with any thing approaching to a fair chance of peace. He was at the same time ready to admit, that even foreseeing what would be the result, if it could be shewn that the steps which ministers had taken were improper-- that they had allowed any improper delay to take place-if they had exhibited any unjustifiable rashness in putting an end to the chance of peace, such as it was, even though all this should not have affected the result, their conduct formed a fair subject of criticism, if not of blame. In what he had to say, therefore, he would address himself to the course of the proceedhad adopted, rather than to the jusing which his Majesty's ministers tification of those principles by which they had been actuated. Mr. Canning rose, pursuant to notice, to move for an address to his Majesty on the subject of the Erfurth propositions, relative to the opening of a negociation for peace. In proposing this address to his Majesty to express the thanks of the house for the communication he had made, their acknowledgment of the principles upon which this transaction, and their determination to support him in that perpetual sort of war which his Majesty has been unable to conclude with honour, heting these propositions at once, unless did not anticipate much objection, nor even much diversity of opinion. The question this day, if question there would be, must go to the manner in which the government had conducted this transaction, ra ther than to the principles by which that conduct was actuated, or the result to which it led. Whatever doubts there might be as to the propriety of the steps taken by the government in conducting this transaction, no one, he was convinced, would rise and say that if it had been otherwise conducted the result would be negociation, or peace. This, he confessed, banished much of the anxiety which he would otherwise have felt, and probably would deprive the Many who looked at the situation of Spain, and the unheard of outrages upon that country committed by Bonaparte, thought that government would have been completely justified in rejec accompanied by an offer of making dented injuries which that country had atonement to Spain for the unprecesustained! It was thought that the evacuation of Spain by the French troops, and the restoration of the Spanish royal family, ought to be made conditions of entering upon a negociation and he agreed with moral feeling.-Yet in the situation those who thought so, in point of in which he and his collegues stood, he thought that they were bound to rest upon other principles, and it did not occur to him that they had any political right to demand this atonement, and that there was no precedent in history to authorise them to break off upon these grounds, |