from the Nabob of Oude? Could fuch a tranfaction be excufed by any degree of neceffity? Was there a fleet in want of her neceffary fupplies, or was any army waiting for subfiftence? Or did any one branch whatsoever of the public service render fo extraordinary a refource requifite?—No; it could be juftified by no one neceffity; it could be accounted for by nothing but corruption. But what he had chiefly rifen for was, to interpofe as fpeedily as poffible between the high authority of the noble Lord and the feelings of the House, left they might be led by his arguments to confound the cafes; that of a man ftruggling against a violent neceffity, and at length obliged to give way to the exigency of the public fervice and deviate into a neceffary injuftice and that of a person wantonly committing acts of tyranny and oppreffion, for which not even a pretence of public fervice had been alledged. He was by no means apprehenfive that this example of the Houfe of Commons of Great Britain taking an active part in bringing those who had ferved the State, in the most exalted fituations, to juftice, would be attended with any bad confequence to the public fervice; but on the contrary, befides that it was a duty which they owed both to their own and the national character, he looked upon it as the beft method of infuring the moft fcrupulous and dutiful conduct of our feveral commanders, when they were taught that the House of Commons would not difgrace themselves by fcreening a public delinquent, how high foever might have been his rank and fituation, how brilliant his abilities, or how eminent his services: they would be cautious, when they knew that any deviation from the strict rules of integrity would be judged only by the nature of the neceffity which occafioned it; and that although no merits would be confidered as an excufe for wilful and corrupt misconduct; yet that even a neceffary dereliction of principle must only be excufable by uniform and meritorious exertions. And he begged the House that they would by no means fuffer the inference of the noble Lord from his own principles and conduct, to mislead them in judging of that conduct and of those principles which gave rife to the prefent charge. The noble Lord, feeling the unimpeachable integrity of his own motives, was willing to impute the fame fentiments, where, he much feared, they had not exifted. The question being put, the Committee divided; -- Ayes 112 Noes 50. Majority 62. The Houfe adjourned. VOL. XXI. Bb b Monday Sir M. W. Sir Matthew White Ridley flattered himself that the Houfe would indulge him with their particular attention, whilft he adverted to the cafe of Captain David Brodie, an officer of moft extraordinary merit, who had been superseded in the late promotions to the flag, on account of his not having ferved in the laft war, an order having been made that no officer fo circumftanced fhould be promoted. Sir Matthew contended, that it had not been owing to any fault or failure of his own that Captain Brodie had not ferved in the war preceding the late promotions, fince he had repeatedly applied, and offered his fervices in person, and had also applied by letter. In the courfe of his fpeech Sir Matthew read the following Memorial of D. Brodie, Efq. Captain in His Majefty's "Moft humbly fheweth, "That your memorialist has been fixty years in His Majef"ty's Navy-Commanded the admiral's tender at the taking "of Portobello-was at the bombarding Carthagena-taking "of Chagre-taking of Bocachica-and in moft of the ac"tions that happened in the Weft Indies during the war with "the combined arms of France and Spain. "Your momorialift was promoted to the command of the "Merlin, a floop of 10 guns and 110 men, in the West In"dies, and rendered the following fervices to his country; "for which he received a letter of thanks from the then "Lord of the Admiralty. " ́ift. He sustained an attack from a 50-gun fhip for a con"fiderable time, in which he loft many men. Two other fhips coming in fight, the enemy left him; they afterwards proved to be two of his own. "2d. He took the Union, a French privateer of fuperior << force. "3d. He took the Vainqueur, a French privateer of fu"perior force. 4th. He took the Bacchus, a French privateer of fuperior "force. "5th. He took the St. Antonio, a Spanish privateer. 6th. He took the Petit Guava, a French privateer of equal "force. 7th. He took the Ferdinand, a French privateer of fu"perior force, which he boarded. She had 42 men killed "and wounded. "8th. He attacked two Spanish zebecks that had taken "the Blaft and Achilles, two of our floops of war; and after a def. "adefperate engagement they were obliged to retire, and ne"ver appeared more in those feas. The memorialist derived "peculiar fatisfaction from this fuccefs, as he afterwards found they had been fitted out exprefly to take him. "gth. He took two French fhips of much fuperior force; "in which action he was wounded in the fide, and loft his " right arm. "Your memorialist was made a poft captain in 'March "1747, and commanded the Canterbury, at the taking of "Port Louis, and the attack of St. Jago da Cuba. He com"manded the Stafford, in the engagement off the Havannah « in the year 1748, in which he took the Conqueftadore, of "64 guns, the only fhip taken in the action.-After the "Conqueftadore ftruck, the Spanish admiral's fhip, the Af"rica, of 74 guns, continued the action with the Stafford, "from three till nine, when we laid him in close to the fhore. "The Stafford being then very much difabled, the pilot re"fufed the charge of her any longer, and after being with "great difficulty wore, your memorialift repaired his da"mages as well as he could in the course of the night. The "next day the Cornwall and Stafford went in with intention "to burn the Spanish admiral's fhip, but was prevented by "the Spaniards fetting fire to her themselves. "That your memorialist has regularly, fince that time, "applied to Government for employ whenever he thought "his fervices might be wanted; but, not having ferved in the laft war, being alledged as the reafon of his having been "fuperfeded in the late promotions to the Flag, he humbly "requefts to lay before the Houfe of Commons the following "written teftimony, having made perpetual offers in perfon "before." Copy of Captain Brodie's letter to the Admiralty on the commencement of the laft war. "Sir, South Audley Street, Jan. 5, 1762. "War being declared against Spain, I take the earliest op"portunity to offer my fervice, whenever their Lordships "think proper to honour me with their commands. I was "found ferviceable during laft war in the West Indies, where "I am well acquainted; and hope I fhall not be found lefs fo "if their Lordships think proper to employ me in any part of "the globe. "I am, Sir, "Your most obedient humble fervant, David Brodie." "John Cleveland, Efq. Admiralty." Bbb 2 Copy Sir John "Sir, Copy of Mr. Cleveland's anfwer. Admiralty office. Jan. 7, 1762. "I have communicated to my Lords Commiffioners of the "Admiralty, your letter of the 5th inftant, defiring to be employed. "Captain Brodie, Town." "I am, Şir, "Your very humble fervant, Sir Matthew White Ridley, now enforcing the claim of Captain Brodie, declared that he asked for no emolument, or pecuniary reward; but was anxious only to obtain (what every man of feeling muft conceive to be dear to an officer as his life) the rank to which he was entitled by meritorious fervices, and the denial of which he could not but confider as a depredation and difgrace, implying cenfure and involving punishment. In conclufion, Sir Matthew moved an addrefs to His Majefty, alledging, on the part of the House, their being fatisfied that Captain Brodie was entitled to a restoration to rank, and praying His Majefty to distinguish him by fome mark of his Royal favour. Sir John Miller obferved that, in feconding (as he did) the motion of the honourable Baronet, he felt the highest confidence, in as much as he had been for many years the neighbour of the worthy veteran, whofe cafe was now under the confideration of the Houfe; and who (he could affert from his own knowledge) was as much efteemed for his perfonal virtues in private and retired life, as he had been refpected by men of erninence and difcernment in the navy, for his fervices and exertions in the line of his profeffion. Captain Brodie's memorial (which he held in his hand) crowded into a very narrow compafs, fervices which would have dignified the longest life, fervices which the country fhould be proud to acknowledge, fervices which the Houfe (he thought) would certainly have fent up to the Throne for acknowledgement on the 11th of laft May, by a refpectable majority. Had the prefent queftion come before them, at that time, which would have proved the cafe, but that it appeared to the friends of Captain Brodie, who were then prefent, that it would be more for the honour of Parliament, of the nation, as well as of the meritorious officer himfelf, to permit a becoming requital to defcend upon him graciously and fpontaneously (which they fully expected would have been the cafe in confequence of the statement then made to Parliament) and without ftruggle or refiftance from any quarter whatsoever.-Sir John here called to the recollection of the House what had paffed in that affembly affembly upon the eleventh of May. Captain Brodie's fervices and wishes were laid before them, and a motion was made immediately after for placing upon the invalid lift fuch of the eldest naval captains whofe commiffions bore date prior to fome or any of our flag officers.-That motion was carried by a refpectable majority, which made him prefume that any mention in favour of Captain Brodie would have been carried alfo upon the fame grounds, and perhaps nearly by the fame majority. The extent of Captain Brodie's fervices entitled them to notice; fixty years conftituted no common length of military fervice; and fuggested to him an observation, that when this gentleman firft entered into the naval line, fome of our prefent admirals were not yet born, two of them he could affert were not, than whom no officers had done more honour to themselves or more diftinguished fervices to their country. It might be afked, what prevented Captain Brodie obtaining from former Administrations what he now folicited through the interceffion of that House? The reply was, that it was known to the navy, it was known to Parliament, it was known to every man in the nation, that Administration, and that Board of Admiralty which had fo long difgraced and difhonoured, and which in the end had nearly ruined the country, had been distinguished beyond all others for little mean prejudices, jealoufies, factions, partialities, jobs, and acts of injuftice, to which the brave and the generous were frequently the victims. And of this Captain B. experienced the truth in all his applications for juftice or redress. Thank Heaven! Sir, (added Sir John) the Adminiftration of this day has far other features and characteristics. Thank Heaven! Sir, fuch meanneffes no longer prefide in our navy. The noble perfon now at the head of the Admiralty has always been diftinguished for firmness and juftice; for coolness and intrepidity in war; for a faithful ceconomy of public money, and an intenfe and unceafing application to the duties of his fituation in peace. To fuch an Administration, and to fuch a Board of Admiralty, may not age and fervice look up for fhelter? From fuch a character, may not injured merit expect retribution? Sir John faid, let me add, that, which though not immediately relevant to the fubject before us, can never be an unfeasonable communication to this Houfe, and which I can aver from information of reliance and certainty, that never fince this nation had either name or existence was the British fleet so confiderable in point of number, force, condition, or efficacy of ships; nor our dock-yards, and magazines fo amply, completely and abundantly provided with every kind and fpecies of military ftores as at the moment in which I am now fpeaking. Let no man imagine that Captain Brodie comes to this House to look |