of parliament, your honourable House, act- to have discovered; but the means taken ing up to the laudable jealousy of your pre- by candidates to obtain, and by electors decessors, and speaking the pure, constitu- to bestow that honour, evidently appear tional language of a British House of Com- to have been increasing in a progressive inons resolve, as appears by your journals, degree of fraud and corruption. Your "That no peer of this realm hath any right petitioners are induced to make this asserto give his vote in the election of any mem- tion by the legislature having found it neber to serve in parliament;" and also, cessary, during the last and present reigns "That it is a high infringement upon the so much to swell the statute book with liberties and privileges of the Commons of laws for the prevention of those offences. Great Britain, for any Lord of Parliament, -As far as conjecture can lead your peor any Lord-lieutenant of any county, to titioners, they must suppose that the inconcern themselves in the elections of mem-creasing national debt, and the consequent bers to serve for the Commons in Parlia- increase of influence, are the causes of the ment."- -Your Petitioners inform your increased eagerness of individuals to behonourable House, and are ready to prove come members of the House of Commons, it at your bar, that they have the most rea- and of their indifference as to the means sonable grounds to suspect that no less than used to gratify their speculations. To one hundred and fifty of your honourable prove that they do not state this wantonly, members owe their elections entirely to the or without substantial grounds, they huminterference of Peers; and your Petitioners bly beg to call your attention to the folare prepared to shew by legal evidence, that lowing table, all the vouchers for which forty Peers, in defiance of your resolutions, are to be found in the journal of your hohave possessed themselves of so many burg-nourable House, or in different Acts of age tenures, and obtained such an absolute Parliament.It is upon this evidence of and uncontroled command in very many the increase of taxes, establishments and small boroughs in the kingdom, as to be influence, and the increase of laws found enabled by their own positive authority necessary to repel the increasing attacks to return eighty-one of your honourable upon the purity and freedom of elections, members. Your Petitioners will, how that your Petitioners conceive it high time ever, urge this grievance of the interference to inquire into the premises.Your Peof peers in elections no farther, because titioners are confident that in what they they are satisfied that it is unnecessary. have stated, they are supported by the evi Numbers of your honourable members dence of facts, and they trust that, in conmust individually have known the fact, but veying those facts to your honourable collectively your honourable House has un-House, they have not been betrayed into doubtedly been a stranger to it. It is now brought before you by those who tender evidence of the truth of what they assert, and they conceive it would be improper in them to ask that by petition, which must be looked for as the certain result of your own honourable attachment to your own liberties and privileges.Your Petition-ance of this task, they have been obliged to ers have thus laid before your honourable House, what the mischiefs are which arise from the present state of the representation, and what they conceive to be the grounds of those mischiefs, and therefore pray to have removed. -They now humbly beg leave to offer their reasons, why they are anxious that some remedy should be immediately applied. -Your Petitioners trust they may be allowed to state, because they are ready to prove, that seats in your honourable House are sought for at a most extravagant and increasing rate of expense.What can have so much augmented the ambition to sit in your honourable House, your petitioners do not presume accurately the language of reproach or disrespect. call your attention to assertions which you choice of representatives to select bodies 66 should again press upon those who have power to treat, to lose no time in offering Napoleon terms of peace, though I begin to fear, that the golden opportunity is gone, never to return. The terms, which offended us, only a few months ago, appeared to me, for the reasons I then gave, to be perfectly fair and equitable; and, indeed, such as I could not possibly trace to any source, other than that of his doubts as to success against Russia; and, therefore, I must lament, that they were not accepted of; for, if success attend him in the North, it would be an insult to common sense to affect to believe, that we shall ever hear of such terms again.As to the war in the Southern Peninsula, that will follow the fortunes of the war in the North; because, when once the French armies are let loose from their present enterprise, they will pour in upon Spain like a deluge; and, if they be defeated in the North, the contest in Spain will soon be decided against France. My opinion is, however, that Napoleon will succeed; that he will bring the Czar to his terms; and that he will next bend his course towards Portugal, and afford the King's German Legion another opportunity to "distinguish them"selves.". -They may beat him; it is possible; but, IF THEY SHOULD To the allegations in this Petition, which were never contradicted, I shall only add the facts relating to the charge brought against PERCEVAL and his associates Castlereagh and H. Wellesley, in 1809; which facts were as follows: That, on the 11th of May, in the last mentioned year, Mr. Madocks rose in his place in the House of Commons, and made a charge in the following words." I affirm, that MR. "DICK purchased a seat in the House of "Commons for the borough of Cashel, "through the agency of the Honourable HENRY WELLESLEY, who acted for, " and on behalf of, the Treasury; that, upon a recent question of the last importance, when Mr. Dick had deter-NOT! "mined to vote according to his conscience, "the noble Lord, CASTLEREAGH, did in"timate to that gentleman the necessity of "either his voting with the Government, "or resigning his seal in that House; and "that Mr. Dick, sooner than vote against "principle, did make choice of the latter "alternative, and vacated his seat accordingly. To this transaction I charge the "Right Honourable Gentleman, Mr. PERCEVAL, as being privy, and having connived at it. This I will ENGAGE TO "PROVE BY WITNESSES AT YOUR "BAR, if the House will give me leave to "call them."-That, at the end of a debate, which ensued upon this, the question was taken upon a motion FOR AN IN- Canada has, it appears, assembled the LeCANADA. The Governor of Upper QUIRY into the matter; there appears, gislature, in consequence of the American from the report, to have been 395 mem- invasion. He, in his speech to them, talks bers present; and, out of the 395, 85 vot-in a pretty high strain of the loyalty and ed for the motion, which, of course, was lost, there being three hundred and ten out of three hundred and ninety five, who voted AGAINST THE INQUIRY. Now let the world judge! If they should not beat him? Why, then it will be time for us to begin to look about us; unless, like the Russians, we are made to believe, that the advance of the enemy and the retreat of our own troops are proofs of his being defeated. Accompanying their last Bulletins, the French have given the world a specimen of the way, in which the Russian People are gulled. But, really, they are not more completely gulled than are the people of England, who believe just what the Russians believe, and who will never be undeceived, till they actually see the treaty, which Napoleon will make with the Czar. devotion of the people; but, he calls upon the Legislature for A SUSPENSION OF THE LAWS OF PERSONAL SAFETY. He says, that he wants an act "to restrain for a limited period the liberty of individuals;" and in this, he says, he is warranted by "the history and experience of -If I had room, I the mother country."- -This would be all SUMMARY OF POLITICS, NORTHERN WAR. WM. COBBETT. Bolley, 30th September, 1812. in regular course, only the Governor talks, the line, commanded by Gen. Frederick. in the very same breath, of the loyalty and General Bagration was arrived at Novoi zeal of the people! But, amidst all this, Brickow; he intended giving battle, in orit does creep out, that "A FEW TRAI-der to enter Mohilow; he had four diviTORS have already joined the enemy." sions of infantry, 5,000 Cossacks, and What! Traitors in Canada! Traitors! 8,000 cavalry, being in the whole 35,000 A few, a few, only a few! Well, then, men. I had at Mohilow only the 57th, why suspend the Habeas Corpus Act?- 61st, and 111th regiments of the division But, no more. A little time will, I am of Campans (the 23d, together with the certain, unriddle the mystery. brigade of Pajol and the 1st of chasseurs, I had left on the Berezira to cover Minsk), the 85th and the 108th of the division Dessaix, General Valence's division of cuirassiers, and the third of horse chasseurs.The position of Salta Naecka, of which I herewith transmit your Highness a sketch, appeared to me a proper place for duly receiving the enemy. In the night of the 22d, I caused the bridge which lies on the grand route to be barricadoed, and destroyed the inn which is situated next to it. The mill-bridge on the right was cut by a company of sappers, and the houses in the The 85th neighbourhood pulled down. was charged with the defence of these posts, and in case of being attacked, to keep them, in order to give time for the other troops stationed between this place and Mohilow to arrive.These disposi OFFICIAL PAPERS. NORTHERN WAR.-Fourteenth Bulletin of the French Grand Army.――(Continued from page 414.) vitsch, and the General of Artillery Aubry, who directed the artillery of the 2d corps with great distinction. General Merle, with only a part of his division, repulsed with great skill an attack which the enemy made on our left, to protect their retreat to the wood. The Croats distinguished themselves in this charge, supported by a part of General Castex's cavalry. In general Itions being taken, I myself retired to Modemand the consideration of his Majesty; the troops have merited encouragement and rewards. His Majesty will give me great pleasure by dispensing his favour on M. de Maille, my Aid-de-Camp, the bearer of this letter, whose zeal I have every reason for praising. I have also nothing but eulogiums to bestow upon the Chiefs of the 2d and 6th corps.I have the honour to be, your Highness's most obedient and very humble servant, COUNT GAUVION SAINT CYR. hilow, to press the arrival of the division Claperede, and of the troops detached by General Pajol.On the 23d, at 7 o'clock in the morning, I received a report of the advanced posts being attacked." At eight. o'clock I found the 83d regiment very spiritedly attacked; General Frederick, who commanded it, had taken good dispositions, and during the whole of the day has shewn much coolness and great intrepidity. The light artillery of his division, and that of the 85th, had been disposed on the preceding evening. Their fire was very mischievous, and in about an hour after the combat had began they had already killed above 500 Russians. Twelve or fifteen pieces of Russian artillery came out of the Monseigneur, I have the honour to lay wood, and were ranged in order of battle before your Highness the report of the af- on the mill plain, where the bridge had fair which took place on the 23d July, in been destroyed. The Russian regiments of front of Mohilow, between a part of the infantry formed themselves. A battalion troops belonging to the 1st corps, and the of the 108th was sent to sustain the comRussian corps under Prince Bagration.-Ipanies of the 85th, which were on the entered Mohilow on the 20th, and on the bridge. Some pieces of artillery were op21st the 3d regiment of chasseurs were at- posed to those of the Russians.-The tacked by the van-guard of Prince Bagra- combat became exceedingly lively on this tion, who wished to occupy this important side, and the enemy's force increased with The regiment lost 100 men, and every moment. The battalion of the 108th, were driven out. -On the 22d I placed which had repulsed the Russians, was in position the 83d regiment of infantry of obliged to yield to numbers. General Gu Report of the Prince of Eckmuhl to the Prince Major-General Doubrowna, the 7th Aug. town. Horodetzka. After having passed the de- | Podubuc. REPORT OF THE 12TH OF AUGUST. When the advanced guard, after having debouched from the wood, appeared on the flank and rear of the enemy, they caused a part of the 9th and 15th divisions to change its front, and directed on the advanced guard the fire of a numerous artillery, which dismounted several pieces of the two batteries of Saxon and Austrian light artillery.The arrival of the first division with other artillery, supported the advanced guard; it extended itself behind the left of the enemy. The brigade of Austrian infantry of General Sillenberg, sent by the Prince Schwartzenberg to General Regnier, placed itself between the left of the first division and the extremity of the The reconnoitrings sent early into the wood: that General was soon afterwards wood of Podubuc, on the roads of Brzesc wounded, and Lieutenant-General Bianchi and Twele occupied the debouche of the took the command of this brigade.—The wood upon the two roads, and made some second Saxon division, composed only of Russian Uhlans prisoners at Kiwatice. the brigade of General Saar, also passed the Some patrols of infantry, passing the wood, and placed itself before the left of marshes by Zabia, took several of the ene- the Austrian brigade: it was soon attacked my's horsemen, who were seeking their by the enemy, who endeavoured to take horses, which had run off during the night the wood. This brigade repulsed several into the marshes. At eight in the morn- attacks, and was seconded by the Austrian ing, a strong column of the enemy's infan- troops which occupied Podubuc, and sent try, which it was afterwards known was the tirailleurs into the marshes. It endeavour. 9th and 15th divisions, with a brigade of ed, after having repulsed the attacks of the cavalry, appeared on the heights between enemy upon the wood, to possess itself of Zambosc and the farm of Podubuc, attack- the heights which command the dike of ed the posts that had passed the dike which Podubuc.This brigade was supported crosses the marshes, and forced them to by two batteries of six pieces of cannon fall back to the entrance of the dike: this each, and the fire of the artillery of the column formed upon the heights, placed first division, as also by that of the Austrian there in battery 30 pieces of cannon, and batteries placed near Podubuc; but this sent infantry into the marshes to possess was the point which the enemy most obstithemselves of the dike which the advanced nately defended, because they feared that if guard defended. The corps d'armée they abandoned it, the Austrian troops began its march to support the advanced which were at Podubuc might pass the guard, placed itself before Podubuc, and marshes and augment the forces which were forced the enemy to give up the attack of on their flank and rear. They continually the dike. The advanced guard, composed directed fresh troops against the brigade of of a battalion of light infantry, a battalion General Saar.A regiment of dragoons of light artillery, hussars, the light horse charged the second regiment of Saxon light of Polentz, and Saxon lancers, supported infantry, which immediately formed with by the Austrian regiments of light horse of the greatest order in square, and repulsed Hohenzollern and Ŏrcily, sent by the Prince the charge. During this time the cavalry of Schwartzenberg, put itself in march to of the advanced guard extended towards turn the marsh, traversed the wood, which the right, nearly to the great road to Kothe enemy had only caused to be observed bryn, and connected itself with the first diby the regiment of dragoons of Czernikow-vision, which was in the same direction; ski and Uhlan Tartars, and placed itself at the debouche of this wood on the road to Twele. The first division of the 7th corps followed the movements of its advanced guard about ten o'clock, and the second division followed it to the entrance of the wood as soon as the Austrian division of General Siegenthal arrived to replace it at but which could not advance so far. the left of the 15th division. All this line was furnished with a very numerous artillery. The enemy's cavalry attempted a charge against the right of the cavalry, but was repulsed by the regiment of Austrian dragoons of Hohenzollern, and the Saxon light horse of Polentz, which made a very fine charge, and took several prisoners.A moment after this charge General Frelich arrived to reinforce the cavalry of the right with two Austrian regiments of hussars. Towards evening, General Regnier caused a new effort to be made by the brigade of General Saar, to possess himself of the elevated plain of Podubuc. He caused this to be supported by an Austrian battalion of the division of General Bianchi and the tirailleurs of the first division, while the tirailleurs of the troops, which the Prince of Schwartzenberg had at Podubuc, traversed the marshes. The elevated plain was taken possession of, but night terminated the combat, and prevented the enemy, who had then begun their retreat, from being pursued. At the same time the cavalry had orders to send out several parties and patrols towards Twele, on the road to Kobryn, and a commissary was taken, who confirmed the retreat of the enemy. REPORT OF THE 13TH OF AUGUST. At five in the morning, the troops began their march to attack the enemy, who were retreating on the road of Kobryn, but who had still a rear-guard on the heights between Horodetzka and Zanrlym. The right of the cavalry, which was reinforced by the Austrian regiment of dragoons of Levenchr, took its direction upon Twele, and placed itself to the left of this village, in order to cut off the retreat of the enemy, who were in haste to effect it, and were briskly cannonaded on the road till the cavalry had entered Twele, where the enemy had a rear-guard of infantry, which retired as soon as it saw this movement.The Prince of Schwartzenberg then caused the cavalry of the enemy, which was between Twele and Sulkow, to be charged, and they were pursued, retiring in the greatest disorder upon Kobryn, where, however, they did not dare to stop. A regiment of infantry, which was at Kobryn, behind the Muchawice, and had begun to burn the bridge, fled on the arrival of the hussars and Saxon light artillery. Two batteries, served by Saxon gunners on foot, which had been advanced in the morning, along with the cavalry, arrived at Kobryn as A great The soon as the light artillery. number of the enemy were killed and taken in this pursuit. Exact accounts, by which to estimate their loss in the actions of the 12th and 13th, have not yet been obtained, because the field of battle was very extensive, and the prisoners are not collected, but it cannot be estimated at less than 3,000 in killed, wounded, and prisoners. inhabitants of Kobryn say, that a great number of wounded have passed through that place, and many still remain on the field of battle. Statements of the loss of the 7th corps have not yet been made out, but it may be estimated at 1,000 killed or wounded.- -The Saxon troops displayed the greatest bravery; the brigade of General Saar fought and attacked with infinite vigour, and the division of General Lacoq supported with calmness a very great fire of artillery. The tirailleurs march with ardour upon the enemy. The artillery was perfectly well directed, and well sustained the fire of the enemy, who had a superior artillery, of which many pieces were dismounted.The General Commander in Chief of the 7th corps of the Grand Army, Kobryn, Aug. 13. REGNIER. BATTLE OF SALAMANCA. Report ef Marshal the Duke of Ragusa to the Minister at War.- -Tudela, July 31. Monsieur-The interruption of the communications with France since the opening of the campaign having prevented me from giving you the successive accounts of the events which have passed, I shall commence this Report from the moment at which the English began operations; and I am going to have the honour to place before you in detail all the movements, which have been executed, to the unhappy event that has just taken place, and which we were far from expecting.In the month of May, I was informed the English army would open the campaign with very powerful means. I informed the King of it, in order that he might adopt such dispositions as he thought proper, and I likewise acquainted General Caffarelli with it, that he might take measures for sending me succours when the moment should have arrived.The extreme difficulty in procuring subsistence, and the impossibility of provisioning the troops when assembled, prevented me from having more than 8 or 9 battalions in Salamanca, but all were in readiness to join me in a few days.—On |