Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

in landing the five thousand men, which General Menou expected from France, the situation of the English army would have become extremely critical. What, if this reinforcement had been landed at or near Marabout, would have been the situation of Sir Eyre Coote's division, let the tacticians of the late cabinet determine. But, their vigorous successors, aware of the incompetency of our force, and alarmed at their perilous condition, among the first acts of their administration, sent strong reinforcements which arrived in Egypt successively on the 5th, 8th, 9th, 14th, 18th, and 24th of July, and on the 3d of August, making in the whole an addition of nearly five thousand men, that is, one half to our little army, wasted by battles, sieges, fatiguing marches, and the diseases peculiar to the climate.* With this strong and well-timed reinforcement, we were enabled to open the siege of Alexandria, the reduction of which, on the

* These reinforcements consisted of 150 of the 3d regiment of Guards, 150 of the Coldstream ditto, the 24th, 25th, and 26th regiments, two battalions of the 26th, which generously volunteered their services for Egypt, the Lowenstein Chasseurs, the 22d Light Dragoons from Cork, the Chasseurs Britannique, the regiment of Watteville, and one hundred and twenty artillerymen from Gibraltar.

2nd of September, crowned the efforts of the bravest army recorded in the annals of mankind. I have been thus circumstantial in these details, in order that there may be no room left for doubt, to whom the real merit of the termination of the campaign in Egypt belongs; for all the great events which led to its re-conquest had been accomplished before the arrival of the Indian army, under General Baird.†

* The difficulties which our gallant army in Egypt had to encounter, are enumerated with most affecting simplicity in the General Orders of his Royal Highness the Commander in Chief, dated Horse Guards, May 16, 1801.

+ Even Mr. R. Ward, in his prize declamation, entitled "A View, &c." admits that the present ministers were not deficient in vigour during the last war. I am willing to allow," says he, "that they seconded the plans handed to them by their predecessors, as far as appears, with VIGOUR AND SUCCESS." p. 12. It is not a little curious, that this same gentleman, while writing a book against the present ministers, should ascribe to them all the qualities inherent in a vigorous administration. "In many there is surely ability; in most of them worth; it is perhaps, not easy to select more cool-headed wisdom than reigns in the Master of the Rolls, and Sir William Scott; more quickness of parts than characterize the Attorney General; greater variety of detailed knowledge than belongs to Mr. Vansittart; the Secretary at War is acknowledged to possess strength; Mr. York, ability; that Mr. Addington is a man faithful to his

In this manner was the violated treaty of El Arisch finally ratified, but not until torrents of British blood had flowed in the conflict. It has been asserted lately, that danger would have arisen at that particular period, from the return to Europe of so large a force. But the intercepted correspondence published during the late administration, shews, that if the French Egyptian army, under Kleber, had been permitted to return at that time, with its mind strongly inflamed with resentment, at the base

trust, loyal and true to his King, no one will doubt; Lord Hawkesbury can speak like a statesman, the feelings of an Englishman; the Lord Chancellor possesses a comprehensive mind; Lord Hobart spirit; Lord Pelham integrity." Lest the reader should suppose that these assertions are my own, and not Mr. Ward's, I request he will turn to pages 17, 18, 24, 25, 33, 37, 138, of that gentleman's performance, and he will find the precise words which I have used above. Upon the whole, he ascribes to them every good qualification, except the faculty of making long speeches; in other words, of wasting much precious time which might be more usefully employed in council or in action. p. 20. After such an acknowledgement, and that " as for me, I am far, God knows, from being their political enemy," it may be asked, why write a political theme against them? He seems to have anticipated the answer, and with singular modesty commences his work, and inculcates in the course of it frequent declarations of hisIGNORANCE. See pages 6, 10, 15, 16, 19, 21, 23.

G

desertion of Bonaparte; it is more than probable that the usurpation of that tyrant would have been prevented. Moreover, if danger was apprehended from suffering so large a force to return, was is not criminal to send so small a force to reduce it? I cannot conclude this part of my subject, without noticing the impressive and affecting speech delivered by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when moving the thanks of the House to the army of Egypt; which completely falsifies the insinuations so frequently repeated, that vigilance and preparation were not constantly inculcated.*

I have now investigated sufficiently the capacity of ministers to wage a foreign war: let us now enquire into their conduct in peace, both in respect to the reparation of those evils, which ten years of war had necessarily brought upon the country; to obviate their renewal, and

"The contest has now closed; the sword is sheathed in its scabbard; and God grant it may be so for ever! But, if at any future time, it should be necessary to draw it again, in order to preserve the honor, interests, and security of the empire; the zeal, intrepidity, and patriotism, which had uniformly characterized the British soldiery, would derive additional anïmation and spirit from a recollection of the glories of the army of Egypt." See Debates, Nov. 12.

to place us in such a political attitude, as to secure the honor, interests, and independence of the empire, from injury or derogation.

The first circumstance which presents itself in the order of time, was the firmness displayed by ministers, in facing popular prejudices, by permitting the Brest fleet to sail to St. Domingo, while the expiring spirit of jacobinism was vigorously and promptly crushed, in the suppression of the mutiny at Bantry Bay. As to the first, it will not be denied that the event has completely justified the wisdom and foresight of ministers. Yet, Sir, you cannot have forgotten that this was a subject on which you expatiated with your usual alarming ingenuity in the House of Commons, and which exercised the habitual scurrility of your public secretary, Mr. Cobbett, in his weekly political excursions. This may be considered as the æra, whence we are to date your defection and rapid decline from the high eminence on which you once stood in the opinions of your countrymen.. Misrepresentations were artfully circulated in the Political Register, and from that time to the present, falsehood, calumny and despondency, have been reduced into a political system, by a junto, who, if we may judge from their ex

« AnteriorContinuar »