Star. — London, England, 1809-01-10 00:00:00

AMERICA BOSTON, NOVEMBER N. Oa Monday a Committee of the House of Repre sentatives of the Legislature of this State was appoint tcl to consider the expediency of adopting measures view to procure the Repeal of the Embargo with a Laws. On Tuesday the Committee made the Avert which is s ubjoined. A very animated and interesting Debate ensued. The question of acceptance was taken by yeas and nays, and decided hi the affirma tive by a majority of 80. STATE OF MASSACITUSSESTS. Ix TI IE lIOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Nov. 15, 1808. The Committee appointed to consider " Whether it will be expedient for this Legislature to adept any m easure with a view to procure a repeal of the laws of the United States, interdicting to the citizens all foreign commerce, and imposing vexatious embar rassments on the coasting trade ; to relieve the peo - T i e o f the Commonwealth fr om t heir p resent dis- tres Sea state , and to arrest the progress of that ruin which threatens to involve all classes of the commu nay," beg leave to . report : That the COMThittee.per. ce i ve with the most serious regret, that the distreilsesi occasioned by the several laws imposing art Erhbargo, tare borne with extreme and increasing pressure up on the people ; and every day's experience justifies a belief that a continuance: of these laws must soon become intolerable. As measures of coercion, they art now a cknowledged to be altogether. impOtent. They afford satisfachran to France, and are regarded as ineffectual demonstrations of a hostile disposi ern by Great Britain. Upon our own country, their effects are becoming daily and palpably more in jurious. The produce of our agriculture, of our fo rests, and our fisheries, is excluded altogether from every foreign market ; our merchants and mechanics are deprived of employment ; our coasting trade is interrupted and harassed by the most grievous em barrassments ; and our foreign trade is becoming di. I vetoed into chi-nines, from which there isoso prospect of its return. The sources of our revenue arc dried up, and Government must soon resort to direct taxa tion. Our sailors are forced to expatriate them selves. Strong temptations are offered to systemati cal evasions of the laws, which tend to corrupt the spirit of honourable commerce, and will materially Milne the public morals. In fact, the evils which are menaced by the continuance of this policy are so enormous and deplorable—the suspension of corn snerse is so contrary to the habits of our people, and so repugnant to their feelings and interests, that they roust soon become intolerable, and endanger our do riestic peace and the union of these States. As the Embargo laws have been the cause of the public dis tress, yoar Committee are of opinion that no equal, permanent, or effectual relief can be afforded to the citizens of the commonwealth, but by the repeal of these laws. They persuade themselves that the Congress of the United States must be fully impressed with a sense of the total inefficacy of these laws for any valuable purpose, and of their direct tendency to the , most serious consequences. Your Committee , therefore, trust, that Congress will not fail to repeat them. In this confidence, therefore, your Committee ark of opinion, that, upon this subject, the Legislas ture should, in its present . Session, confine itself - to a repeated disapprobation - of the laws interdicting fo reign commerce, and to instructing our Senators,- and requesting our Representatives in Congress to use their utmost exertions to procure their repeal. Your Committee might probably have contented themselves.with the preceding remarks, had hot the late MeSsage of the President of the United States excited the most serious alarm ; which, in the present critical state of the country, they conceive it a chity to express. They perceive, with the most painful re; Bret, that, in the estimation of the President, our csantry is now presented with the only alternative of a continued embargo, cr a ruinous war ; but they cannot hesitate to express their confident belief that 'he wisdom of the Government may yet find means ss avoid the necessity of electing between these great public calamities. If, however, this severe necessity eras in regard to Great Britain, they are led by the !;.....oage to presume, that it results in a great mea otre, if rot entirely, from the determination of the I - heshive to adhere to the Proclamation of July, :sta, interdicting all British ships of war from the A - ;:*.CTs of the United States, which has been, and as - .0::: int e r frost the Message, is still dc:enied by the British Government, a measure so inhospitable and repressive, it' not hostile in its character, as to form -LI irssqtrah's obstaale to amicable adjustment. ' I:pca this dcli.i.stc and important subiect;thc Com 7iinee are far f r om asserting, that the attack on the . :agate Chesapeake did not justify the original issuing •,t . this Brea:motion, and enforcing it, so long as the .: 1 1tira might be presumed to haee-the sanction of the itritish Goesrement. But is this violation of neutral ..ghts was promi.:iy and expUcitly disavowed by the . : ,, verei; , •,r, of the arressor, before the remeinstrances er measures of our Government could belnown ; as .he right to search our national ships was eipressly sssclaimed, and a special Envoy deputed. for the pro ehsed object of making to our Government a full, sa 7 :''fac'fra. aed public reparation, on the simple con -I,L'lri Ci a pres ions revocation of this Proclamation ; hair Co:manatee are constrained to declare their opi nion, that such a revocation, under such circumstan -I`,N4cald not have involved any dishonourable con ..oaten, or an abandonment of any just right or pre-' 'teem, but would have been a fair, reasonable, and 7::%gnanimous pledge of the sincerity of the wishes of 5% Airt ri'an Government to restore the accustomed rdations of peace and amity between the two coun 'llea This course must have compelled the British Fhaoy to have offered that ample and honourable re raratictt, which would have been deemed by our na- 1 '.on and by the world, an adequate atonement for the (Qtrage ; or have justified, in the event of its refusal, tot only the renewal of the Proclamation, but the adoption of measures of the most rigorous and hos ;its description. . But eeen on the precise presumption that the course adopted by the Government, in refusing to revoke the Proclamation as a preliminary to the adjustment ef that controversy, be sanctioned by the usages. of iria . tioes, and the justice of our claims, your Conh inatee are still of opinion, that A punctilious' adhe rcnce to diplomatic forms and precedents should not Le maintained, at the risk of wv-, by a nation whose ' genius and policy,-are iisefic ; 2114, wilick, while k justly jealous of its national honour and independence, looks principally to the substantial security of those blessings, and regards as. insignificant those petty contentions which, originating in courtly pride'and! vanity, frequently terminate in bloody wars and they, therefore, think- that this Proclamation ought not, in the present situation of Europe and this coun try, to remain as the -Only, or even as the principal barrier to the restoration of our amicable relations r with the British nation. Your Committee therefore ask leave to report the following Resolutions : Resolved, that the Senators of this Contrnon‘vealth, in Con gress, be instructed, and the Representatives thereof requested, to use their strenuous exertions to procure an immediate repeal of the various laws imposing an Embargo on the ships and vessels of the United States, as the only equal and effectual means of affording permanent relief to the citizens of this Commonwealth from the aggravated evils which they now experience. Resolved, That although this Legislature would cheerfully support the general government in this prosecution of a just and necessary war, yet they cannot' perceive the necessity intimated in the Message of the President to Congress, of continuing the Embargo, or resorting to war. That it is not the policy of the United States to engage in a controversy with any nation, upon I • points of diplomatic usage, or equivocal right, provided substan tial reparation for injuries can be obtained; and that the revoca tion of the Proclaruation interdicting the British ships of war from our waters ought not, in the opinion of this Legislature, to , be deemed an inadmissible preliminary, which should obstruct the alustment of the controversy between the United States and Great Britain. 'ln the House of Representatives, Nov. 150808. Read and accepted. Sent up for concurrence. TIMOTHY Bicztow, Speaker. • In Senate, Nov. le; 1808. Read and concurred. H. G. (Pris, President. SPAIN. The following particulars are selected from letters received from British Officers, some of which are da ted the 28th ult. " It having been learnt that Marshal Soult was at Carrion de los Condes, about five-and•twenty Eng lish miles north of Palencia, with a strong force, Sir John Moore,• whose main body was at Zamora, and his cavalry advanced to Tordesillas, turned to the Northward, for the double purpose of covering Sir David Baird, who was advancing from Astorga, and of attempting to cut off Soult and his division. They ' accordingly approached Carrion ; but before General Moore could effect his purpose, he found that the main body of the French army, from Madrid, com manded by Naptileon in person, was advancing upon the British army, and at no considerable distance I from it. _ _ "• At this time Romana had not advanced. In deed, the letters from which our present accounts are taken speak of no Spanish force near. " Sir John Moore, finding his numbers too few to risk an action with Napoleon, immediately ordered a retreat ; and on the 2ith,.the head quarters of the British cavalry were at Benevento, covering the re treat of the infantry. • 44 . This retreat had been so far conducted:with suc cess, that not one of,the infantry had suffered in it ; though the enemy pressed them so close, that the ca valry had frequent opportutkities of .distingnishing, themselves. Indeed, scarcely a day passed in which • they were not engaged in Skirtnishes n'lillt Ai adv.ati: ced guard of Napoleon's army, and which it Was learnt from prisoners taken lit these skirmishes . , was commanded by Marshal Ney. - •• ' • " Of the many skirmishes between the British and French cavalry in the Coarse of this retreat, the fal lowing arc the chief 1, . " On the 21st tat: before Sahagun, the 15th Lights Dragoons gallantly .attacked a large body of French cavalry, took 13 . Olficers, 160 men, 125 horses, and some mules. • " In an affair which the 7th Light Dragoons had 1 near Carrion de los Condes, Lieutenant-Colonel (en' seconde) liPerrison had his arm broken by a coup de .sa bre from a French officer ; all his party, however, were taken prisoners ; and soon after the French offi cer died of the wounds he had received from Colonel Kerrison, who is coming home. " The 18th Light Dragoons have also acquitted themselves very brilliantly : 30 of them attacked 100 French cavalry, completely routed them, and took the officer . prisoner. " And on the retreat to Benevente, a squadron of the 10th, under Colonel Leigh, attacked the advance of Ney's corps from Madrid, defeated then:, and killed and took many prisoner. " It is worthy of remark, that in every rencontr between the English and French cavalry, the Eng lish have been invariably successful, although the ad- . vantage of numbers has been generally in favour of ' the enemy. " The British cavalry have suffered severely in this , retreat, from the severity of the weather; • There had l been some heavy showers of snow, with smart frost in the nights, though by day the weather was very warm. The plains of Leon are extensive, and pre sent a pleasing diversity of cornfields and vineyards;;. ' but not a tree to be seen for many miles.. The cot tages, however, are of the most wretched description; I small mud huts of one or two rooms, with only straw for fuel, and few other necessaries. Provisions and forage scarce." J .. When these letters were sent off (on the 28th). it was believed in the army that they would be able to reach the mountains and fortify the strong passes in time to secure themselves from being compelled to an action with the very superior numbers by which they were pursued. They had, during their retreat, . broken down the bridges in their rear, to retard the march of Napoleon. We hope it is not true, that the. empty transports which were sent to Vigo and Co runna, upon the alarm of the last retreat, had sailed 1 for England ; for in that case they would, ere now, I have reached Falmouth. SABAGAN, DEC. 25. The British Cavalry is conducting itself in a way that must meet•universal approbation. It has been partially engaged several times, and each time has ac quitted itself with honour. The 18th have had three brushes with the enemy, die two first mentioned in a former letter, the latter took place two days In this 'eaptain 'Janes and Lieutenant Sir's= ago. thirty men, attacked .- TOO fret' Webster, with about of the enema, killed 20 andioade five prisoners. The 18th lost six or eight men and horses. Lord Paget had an affair with the enemy's cavalry at the head'of the 15th, most honourable to that Re gime& The following are the details : Having ascertained that General.of Brigade, the .I,fitrquis de Lavalle, with 7 or 800. cavalry, -was in. this place (Sabagan) Lord P..determined upon en deavouring to surprise him. For this purpose he ordered the 10th, with four guns, tinder General Slade, to march along the rig ht - bank of the river Cea, and to present themselves before the . town at day-break, to give every sort of alarm, and to push into the town if practicable, in order that the enemy might be driven into the plain on the other side. Lord Paget marched with 400 of the 15th, and one Captain and twelve men of the 7th, at one o'clock, A.M. on the left bank, with the intention of placing himself between Sabagan and Saldana. About half past four o'clock, his advanced guard fell in with a patrole, charged it, and took five prisoners ; but the rest es caping, and fearing that they would give the alarm, he was obliged to push on in order to be in time to cut them off. His Lordship arrived exactly in time; he found the enem'y, a little before day-break, formed without the town, and judged them to be between 6 and 700 ; but from every testimony of the prisoners, there were7so. As soon as they could clearly discern us, they moved off from their left, in order to gain a bridge over a small river nearly parallel to our line of march, and to our right. Lord P. formed a'co lumn of divisions from the right, and trotted along 1 parallel to their march, but a good deal behind them. , They frequently endeavoured to cross his Lordship's -column, and' he as frequently receded from them, in order to preserve the parallel, and to prevent their taking him in flank. They changed their direction several times, and his Lordship did the same, always igaining.upon them and closing a little. At length, finding that they could not get off, they halted and termed—Lord P. moved on sufficiently to gain their head, halted, wheeled into line, and attacked. The march in column and the attack, were perhaps as or derly and as fine movements as ever were made.— ' The enemy stood firm, fired some pistols, and re ceived us. We broke them, killed several, wounded nineteen, took prisoners two Lieutemant-Colonels, one I Captain, ten Lieutenants, about 160 men, 125 hones, some mules and baggage. Nothing could exceed the gallantry of the attack. All rushed on, and so com plete a melie never was seen. So entirely were the squadrons intermixed, that it was impossible to dis tinguish friend from foe. Lieutenant-Colonel Grant is a fine fellow indeed s he is slightly wounded in the head, and I believe killed the officer who gave him the cut. Jones, the Adjutant, a most gallant little fellow, has received a severe wound in the head. I hope he will do well. There are 22 men wounded, some very severely, but none I hope dangeroitsly. It - is most unfortunate, that in con s equence of falling in with the patrole, Lord P. felt obliged to push on.— This threw out the 10th, who were most eager to engage. His Lordship, had ordered them, as soon as they had ascertained that the town was evacuated, to send .two squadrons to their left to a post where he knew the enemy had a strong piquet ; but finding by the report of the pistols that 'we were engaged on the other side of the town, this order was ne;lected, and they rushed through it, and just came in time to see the pursuit. Lord P. sent them east in different direc- . leions to make prisoners, and they brought in several. We march this night to attack Soult at Carrion and Saldana. We shall probably overset him ; but I cannot disguise my opinion, that the only good result to be expected from our operations, is the pre . - servin& unsullied the honour of our arms. Spain, iii my opinion, is conquered, nor is it morth saving ; such apathy, such i g norance, such pusillanimity never before existed. . . BENEVENTE, DECEMBER 28. Since last I wrote to you, the cavaliy has had some further successes. About four days ago, a small pa trole of the 18th fell in with a French, picquet of nine men, who all laid down their arms. On the same day Lieutenant-Colonel Kerrison, in making a patrole, saw at a considerable distance one of the enemy ; he immediately advanced with Lieutenant Crawford, and a few men. The French patrole, consisting of an officer and 12 men, immediately made off. • Co. lonel Kerrison, Lieutenant ' Crawford, &c. gave chace. These officers, with only two men, overtook l ' them. Kerrison engaged the Officer with great gal : hoary, and wounded him so severely that lie died be ; fore he reached his support. The French Officer, in a desperate thrust, broke Kerrison's arm with the hilt . of his sword. The twelve men were taken. On the 26th, in passing Mayorga with the cavalry, , Lord Paget heard that a party of the enemy was in , the town. On reconnoitering, he discovered two squa drons stithout, and a small party in the town. Lord Paget ordered up two squadrons of the 10th. He advanced with one through the town. At the gate, they tired but did no harm. The enemy retreated to high ground. His Lordship ordered one squadron to attack, and supported with the second. When within 200 yards, the first squadron slackened its pace. Lord Paget, thinking they were hesitating, rode througfi them, and ordered the charge. The French stood us very firmly, and fired their carbines, by which we lost two horses killed, one wounded.—, The charge was beautiful, And in the greatest order, and: the result was, several men killed, twenty-one tleSperately wounded, one officer and about one bun dred men prisoners, and fifty horses taken. What -Lord Paget had considered as hesitation, was the effect - of the most perfect coolness. Colonels Leigh and Quinton, who were both in front of the first squadron, finding the horses a little blown, checked, in order to recover their wind. All distinguished themselves. — Lord Paget was loud in his praises, and he particu larly noticed Captain Howard and Captain Newport, 1 who behaved most gallantly. We had • not one man ' touched. This morning a picquet of one officer and thirty men of the 18th, was attacked by about 120 French cavalry. The 18th took an officer and two men.— They have some wounded, and were obliged to fall • back, but the enemy did not attempt to pursue. You will hear that the army is falling back. I really believe it is high time to do so. The -enemy are coming on in every direction, and in great force. We have, by . our movements, made.a.great diversion. If the Spaniards prilifit by it (of 'which,l have no ex ' etation whatever) more may,l4 done, if not, it will apparent to every one that the cause is hopeless. PUBLISHED BY THE FRENCH. •• The. following intercepted correspondence has been published by the French. It is annexed to the Seventeenth Bulletin of the French Army, and is in troduced by the following short preface : We found at Madrid, at the Duke de Infanta do's, two caskets, containing the papers of the Prin cess of Asturias, in whiCh are things of the greatest importance. The passage in a letter from her mother, dated on the 15th January, 1806, informs us of the opinion which the Queen of Sicily has of the Engralb. 64 These letters are' full of proofs of the conspiracy which WAS forming to break the friendthip between France and Spain." COPY OF WHAT LS WRITTEN IN SYMPATHETIC INK IST THE LET I'ER Or QUEEN CHARLOTTE TO THE PRINC2SS OF ASTURIAS : JANUARY 15, 1806. "My beloved Child—l am infinitely uneasy at your situation, your health, and the increased grief you will have in hearing of our cruel fate. But rely upon my truth. Do not give credit to any alarm, which they will not fail in charity to give you, and be prudent. I shall write to you, with perfect sincerity, and believe no other news, for I promisi the heart and tenderness of my dear child to hide nothing from you. Do you not then believe any one but me. We keep all in good health—but are diodfully uneasy.— Mass:usa has been,with fifty thousand men on our frontier, 'since this fatal and accursed debarkation of the English,• who, with a cowardly perjdy se;thout examile, have, after having compromised us, quitted us'at the moment of the greased danger. They have rained us—Bonaparte also: nothing to be said or written; and we tball be lost indeed.* We have but three thousand men ; #n arms. During . the two years and a half the French remained with us, they exacted that we should make no recruiting. They have thereby rendered allour" force useless, and we are thus at their mercy, without the hope of de fending ourselves against a force of fifty thousand men, and, if they choose, of one hundred thousand men. Austria destroyed, and for fifty years null ; in short, it is a ficisery without example, to wltich our holy religion alone ran make us resigned, that only consolation in all our miseries. We are packing up every thing, for, from the frontiers to Naples is the affair of six or seven days, and we cannot seer ourselves to be madeprisoners. Thus we are preparing every thing for a disastrous and eternal departure, and it wrings my . heart. The King has sent Cardinal General Ruffo to Rome, and has sent also to Paris. t But neitheriVesch, nor Alquier, nor Eugine Beauharnois, nor Massena, can, as they say, stop the march of the troops. Hence St. Theodore, who has been dispatched to join Gallo, and to speak to him upon these points,.remains at Rome to watch over our affairs ; and the Cardinal is gone to find Bonaparte either at Munich or at Paris, to try to save us. roar good father it ready to satisfy the general wish, and abdicate, and leave Francis (the Hereditary Prince) King, reserving to himself a good pension, the fruit of a part of the- advances made by him to the royal finances. Many think this will be sufficient to calm the storm ; but I do not think it, and am convinced that the enemy wish for the kingdom of Naples. .If the danger approach, we shall retire to Messina, and into Calabria, to defend ourselves, at least there, and prevent the capture of Sicily—Judge—Leopold, your two sisters, a daughter in law, seven manths prgnant, who will lie in at Messina, Palermo, Gon knows where, two little chil dren so interesting. In fine every body is in tears— No one will remain.• Every one, frightened by the last time, wishes to go off. We have neither squa dron nor anything but two ships—it is a real desolation. " You. shall know everything—be prudent-Ldo not shew any ill-temper of the harsh things that may be told you. Let them pass—they signify Gon will judge us and posterity. No false interpretations— Your two sisters are in deep affliction. Leopold and Francis will go to Calabria to defend the posts. 'ln short, GOD has permitted it ; his holy will be done. Think, my dear child * of re-establishing your health —Conduct yourself well—this life is short—the other is eternal and sure.—Do not afflict yourself at any thing. I shall find means to inform you of every thing that concerns us—but do not make yourself un easy—Goo will aid us—Adieu my dear child—think of your health—try to restore it-1 bless you—l em. brace you, and ant for life your tender mother and t friend. " In the narrative of Coltigno there is nothing written. Inform me if you have received all safe, only take care of your health. GOD will have pity upon us, and nothing will happen to us.— If we are obliged to fall back upon Sicily, I will endeavour, when we shall be all assembled together, to send a vessel, under the pretence of quieting the heart of the Queen, for her daughter : but, in fact, to assure you, my beloved child, with respect to our fate. Be prudent, do not speak out and let every thing be said. I have nothing to reproach myself. Jo seph Bonaparte is believed to be • destined to the throne of Naples—that is villainous enough—Gon permits it ; we must bow our heads.—Francis conducts himself exempla rily, and no' one can behave better ; Isabella his wife, (the daughter of the Queen of Spain), is in the eighth month' of her pregnancy ; but happily she has. such apathy, is to silly and dull, that she feels nothing warmly—it is good for • her health. Tour sisters and myself have not the same happiness. I cannot express to you, my child, our torments.—But Gon will aid us ; du not be taeasy, and, think only 'of your health—Let.. thein:erfficise, and talk and discuss every thing without feeling the misery of it. Be attached to your good husband— Be prudent, wise—l rely on you. . 46 Adieu, dear child, I have many things to say to you, but time presses—l embrace you from the bottom of my heart, and am your tender mother and friend. I write to the Queen and to your husband—to the for• mer, to speak to her of her child—to the other to tell him that it it hit slaty to write to 171: 9 and that he should be seen. Adieu. I will endeavour to send you intelligence relative to me—Be tranquil on our account—l em brace you—Adieu. • These passages, which we print in Italics, are printed in the same manner in the French pamphlet. Three French prisoners, who were in confinement at Portsmouth, have been lodged in the gaol of that town, on a charge of forging Bank of England notes. They have succeeded in passing some of the notes, through some soldiers who were guarding them at •Forton Prison. The notes are 'very neatly executed, and are a good imitation. I