Star. — London, England, 1809-01-27 00:00:00

KEW ENCYCLOPCEDIA, THE THIRD PART OF THE NEW EDIN BURGH ENCYCLOPCEDIA, under the direction and superintendance of Dr. BREWSTER, and other eminent Lite rary Characters, has just been received, and may be had of J. M. Richardson, Igo. 23, Cornhill, opposite the Royal Ex- change. IV A supply of Parts First and Second of the above valuable. Wert has been also received, to the inspection of which the Public are respectfully invited, as to one of the most interesting Literary Productions of modern times. The Prospectus may be had gratis. This day was published, price 2s. THE SCHOOL for AUTHORS, a Comedy, in Three Acts, now performing at the Theatre Royal, Hay market, written by the late JOHN TOI3IN, Esq. Author of " The Honeymoon," &c. Printed for Longman, Hurst, Rees and Orme, Paternoster-row. Of whom may be bad, just published, The British Theatre; or a Collection of Plays, which are acted at the Theatres Royal, Covent Garden, and Haymarket, printed under the Authority and by Permission of the Managers from the Prompt Books, with Biographical and Critical Remarks. By Mrs. Inchbald. In 25 Vols. Royal 18mo. embellished with En gravings price 61. 16s. 6d. and on fine paper with Portraits, and proof Impressions of the Plates, price 131. extra hoards. SPAIN. MURCIA, DECEMBER 31. A letter written on the 27th inst. by Don Alexan dre de Tapia, who had been sent to ascertain the situation of the hostile army, says : " 41 .. my object is to communicate such news as may be agreea able to the wishes of your Excellency, for the success of the com mon cause, without neglecting to inform you of any fatal event which may occwr, I beg leave to give your Excellency the follow ing information, which I have collected by means of secret in formation, and which corresponds with what I have myself learnt, viz. that our advanced guard met between Villanueva del Cardete and Corral with that of the enemy, and completely routed it, killing fifteen, and taking prisoners sixty men, with horses and arms. At Villamansique sixty Frenchmen, with a General, have been killed, wounded, or taken prisoners. The General was killed by the peasants. Our troops were in pursuit of the 600 o ,Frenchmen who had entered 'Faracon, and probably by this time they have met with the same fate. " The divisions of Cuenca, with the Duke of Infantado, are snatching in pursuit of the enemy with the greatest ardour and courage ; and another division of 6000 of our troops has arrived at Manzaneres. In one word, Sir, things wear a favourable aspect, and I trust to GOD and the VIRGIN that the wretches will be exterminated. " Heaven grant that we may get to Madrid! All that is re ported of that Capital is, that the day before yesterday (Dec. 25) the French were pillaging the place, with the view to abandon it on account of the approach of our army. " I beg your Excellency will excuse the faults and repetitions of this letter, &c. This intelligence is communicated to the public for their information and satisfaction. (Signed) " Marquis de VILLA FRANCA. " Duke de MRDINA SIDONIA. By Order, ' 6 AUGUSTIN FERNANDEZ COSTA." SEVILLE, JANUARY 11. The King our Lord Ferdinand VII. and in his Royal name the Supreme Junta of the Kingdom, have thought it their duty to send to the Court of London an Extraordinary Ambassador, to compliment the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and to thank his Britannic Majesty for the generosity with which his Britannic Majesty has as sisted the glorious enterprize of the Spanish nation, to defend the sovereignty and the rights of their beloved Sovereign and their own independence, against the usurpation of the Emperor of the French, and have named for this distinguished office his Excellency Don Pedro Cevallos, Knight, Grand Cross of the Royal and distinguished Order of Charles 111. Ptivy Counsellor and First Secretary of State for the Foreign Department. His Excellency Don Juan Pignatelli, Captain-Ge neral of Old Castile, has sent per express, the follow ing Official Report to the Supreme Central Junta of Government of this Kingdom : " Most E;cellent Sir—At ten o'clock at night I open the dispatches, which I intended to transmit to your Excellency, for the purpose of communicating to you without the least loss of time, the intelligence which I`received this moment from the Junta of Sa- Id and which is word for word as follows t ' Most Excellent Sir This moment, at seven o'clock at night, intelligence has been received by post from the Junta of Zamora, the literal tenor of which is as follows : I have just now (half past 6 o'clock in the even ing) received positive information, that the French, after a very heavy fire, have taken to flight, and that those who had passed the bridge at Castro Gonzalo are coming hack, having put about their provision cart, and all are flying with the utmost precipitation ; in consequence whereof, and a report that we have defeated them, I leave this place for St. Estevar, where the French are already dispersed ; all which I communicate to the Junta for their information. (Signed) Zamora, January 4. • TIlik:RIO FRANC:AS.' , g It is with the utmost satisfaction I communicate the pleasing intelligence to your Excellency, and re quest you will have the goodness to lay it before the Supreme Central Junta. (Signed).. " Bart° de Ayala, larriary 5 " " JUAN FIGNAT/ " To his Excellency Don Nlariin de Garay, Secretary and Member of the Supreme Central Junta." The French Cabinet, ever insolent and artful, has lately seen its insidious plots completely disconcerted by his Britannic Majesty's refusal to listen to the ini quitous and insulting proposition of peace, which Napoleon caused to be presented to him. The English Cabinet, which has solemnly engaged not to separate its interests from those of Spain, has on that critical occasion given fresh proof s o f t h at ge nerous firmness and friendship, with which it joins in the defence of the Spanish Monarchy and Nation, and of the lawful supreme authority of the Central Junta, which represents and governs in the name of our King and Lord Ferdinand. Should any Spaniard ever have entertained a doubt with regard to the noble and glorious zeal with which the British Go vernment has joined us to assert our liberty and inde pendence against the enemy of GOD and Man, they w ill read with inexpressible pleasure and gratitude the correspondence carried on between:the British and French Cabinets on the conditions of peace proposed 1 . 7 t h e un i v eval yrant. El - - - 4 I , I .. vinced that the overture was not wade in the spirit of peace, and that no negociation could have result ed from it, yet he could not applaud the conduct of Ministers in the answer which they returned to it.— la a Writ of Error cause from the Exchequer Chamber, origi. I They asked of the Ruler of France, in their answer, naily in the Court of Exchequer, " Pemberton and Others v. i , to give up, as a preliminary to negociation, the retost Oates and Another," the Solicitor General and Mr. Hughes were P object imortant p' for which he was contesting ; be heard for the Plaintiffs, in error, and Mr. Serjeant Williams for cause calling upon him to acknowledge the persons the Defendants, in error.—Further proceeding to-morrow. exercising the powers of Government in Spain, in the Ragett's Divorce Bill was read a first time; and the proceed- name of Ferdina nd the Seventh, was requiring to give his ings in Gregson's Divorce were delivered at the bar. ,up at once views upon the Government of Spain, I to give up the very object of his attack upon that OVERTURES FROM FRANCE AND - RUSSIA. . • 1 country. This, therefore, he contended, was impo . The Order of the Day for taking into consider- litic, as putting us in a worse situation than we might 'atien the Correspondence and other Papers on the have been, by resorting to another mode of reply..— above subject, and upon which their Lordships were Had the answer expressed the readiness of this Go. summoned, being read, -vernment to sacrifice British objects, for what was The Earl of LIVERPOOL rose to move an Ad- certainly a most important British object, the preser dress to his Majesty upon the . Correspondence with vation of the legitimate government of Spain, it France and Russia, relative to the Overtures from would have had the effect of placing the French Go- Erfurth, which had, by his Majesty's command, 'vernment still more wrong, and of still skewing our been laid before Parliament. His Lordship said, he determination to support Spain. He could not avoid, should have thought it unnecessary to trouble the however, noticing, that it was stated that a treaty of House with any observations upon the subject, had it alliance had been concluded with Spain, although no not been for an intimation of dissent. He was, how- such treaty had been communicated to Parliament. ever, at a loss to anticipate any objection to the line —lt was the constitutional practice to lay all treaties of conduct which had been upon this occasion adops ,concluded with foreign Powers before Parliament, ted by his Majesty's Government, as it appeared to that Parliament might advise his Majesty upon them. him to have been most clearly dictated by every con- ; Of this treaty, however, nothing was known to Par sideration of sound policy, and of what was due to liament ; he knew nothing of it, and therefore could the honour and character of the Country. Every ' not speak on the subject, but he must deprecate the man in the Country must have been convinced that ' practice of making private treaties which were not the Overtures on the part of France were not made in communicated to Parliament. His Lordship recur the spirit of peace, following, so immediately as they , red to what he had before alluded to, the answer re did, the aggression committed by that Power against ; turned to the overture, and observed, that as he could the Spanish nation, and the usurpation of the Go- i not approve of the terms of it, he must dissent from vernment of that nation, which had then been at- the Address, which applauded its wisdom and tempted, by nominating a person as King of Spain. 'justice. He was ready to admit, however, that the Overture The LORD CHANCELLOR contended, that from Erfurth, setting aside the preliminary observe- e tue question was not with respect to the answer re tions, and taking what was substantially the offer, turned to the overture, whether the Ruler of France was prima fade fair. His Majesty's Ministers, acting should at once give up his views upon Spain, but upon that principle which had been invariably the rule whether the Spanish Nation should be admitted as of their conduct, determined to meet the offer in a fair parties 'to the negociation ? The Noble Lord (Gren. and candid manner, and by making those explana. ville) had said, that the person exercising the powers tions in the first instance which must necessarily result of Government in France had accomplished his object from any negociation, an answer was returned, stet- in two months, and had completed the subjugation ing our relations with Portugal, the King of the Two of Spain. He (Lord Eldon) was of a very differ- Sicilies, Sweden, and the Government of Spain, and eat opinion—he d id not think that Spain was now our determination to support the cause of the Spanish subjugated—nor did he think that it would be—the nation. The reply of the Ruler of France, stigma- contest In that country might still be carried to a suc. tizing the Spanish nation as Insurgents, might not, cessful termination on the part of the-universal Spa perhaps, cause much surprize ; but it was impossible nish nation, against that most unjustifiable and un not to consider, without the deepest feelings of regret, principled usurpation, which was now attempted to the Answer of the Emperor of Russia, stigmatizing be imposed upon it. The answer that was returned as Insurgents a loyal people, who were fighting to to the overture was, in his opinion, the most proper support their legitimate Monarchy, against a horri- under the circumstances of our situation and our ex ble and atrocious usurpation. By characterizing the isting relations with Spain. It was of the greatest im- Spanish nation as Insurgents, who were supporting portance when such an overture was made, and the legitimate monarchy of the country, it must be made, as admitted on all hands, evidently net in the clear, at least negatively, that the brother of Bona- spirit of peace, that no time should be lost in sliming parte was to be held out as thelawful and rightful King. to the Span i s h N at i on , t h at hi s M a j est y' s Government He could not have conceived it possible, had it not adhered to the pledge given to Parliament and the been for the intimation on a former evening, that any People, in the Speech of his Majesty, delivered objection could have been made to the expression of through the medium of his Commissioners in that the determination of his Majesty's Government to House, and at once convincing them that their in support the Spanish nation, as he believed there was terests would be scrupulously attended to. It was of ' scarcely a man in the country who did not, at the the utmost importance that we should place before time it was known an overture was received, think the Spanish nation in the strongest point of view, the that such an answer ought to have been returned. It goodwill and kindness which they would experience was not now the question as to the mode in which f rom n e o n the one hand, and the injuries which they Spain ought to have been assisted—that had no rela- must feel from the attempted usurpation on the other. tion to the discussion. Those only could object to It was under these circumstances that Ministers ad the expression used, who thought that no assistance vised his Majesty to return that answer, and he was ought to have been given to Spain, and that she still convinced that it was the only answer that ought ought to have been left to herself, and he believed to have been returned, consistently with the honour there was no man in that House who held that opi- and character of the country. nion, nor scarcely any one in the country. But Lord SIDMOUTH expressed his perfect concur where there were only shades of difference in opinion, rence in the opinion delivered by the Noble Secretary with respect to the mode of assisting Spain , there could surely be no objection to our giving a distinct of State, that no confidence could or ought to be laced in the offer of negociation made by the Russian pledge of our determination to support generally the p cause of that nation, He believed, upon this sub- and French Governments, from Erfurth. When ject, there was little difference of opinion in the coun- t doubt the sincerity of that offer ; but when it was such a Confederacy was formed, it was almost a duty tr, as thepeople were rather inclined to accuse Mi niysters of n o t having done enough for Spain, than of ! o coupled with a proposal for the abandonment of the having done too much. With respect to the answer Spanish people, he believed, there was not a man returned to the proposition of France and Russia, he in that House or in the Kingdom, who could have contended, that the honour and character of the court- ! hesitated for a moment, as to the line of conduct try required that the determination to support the i the British Government ought to have pursued.-- Spanish nation should be frankly and decidedly avow- When he first was acquainted with the commu ed ; a public pledge having been previously given of nications- from Erfurth, the first question which oc that determination, and the assistance rendered it hay - curred for his consideration was, to resolve the in ing been equally public. His Lordship concluded ducements which operated with the head of the French Gvernment to e this ne by moving an Address to his Majesty , thanking his Three mo t ives present mak ed themselve off s er of to hi m ciation. as Majesty for his most gracious Communication, and rating on'the French Ruler :—the first was, to create expressing their approbation of the wisdom and jus a strong wish for peace among the people of this tice of the conduct of his Majesty 's Government, country, and to excite a popular feeling, that the bles evinced in the answer returned to the overtures from sing of eace were not the obect of those sted Erfurth, and in the determination expressed of sup withs the p management of the n a tional concernse ntru. The , 1 porting the Spanish Government, acting in the name second was, the presumption that his Majesty mis- of their legitimate Monarch, Ferdinand VII. have Lord GRUNVILLE said, he had hoped that the calculating the feelings of his people, would acted on these supposed prepossessions , and have en - Address would have been so worded as to have ena tered on a Negotiation in a seeming compliance with bled him to have done that which he should have those wishes. The last hope was to profit by his old wished to have done, to concur in voting it ; but as it stratagem, of imputing to great Britain the princi- was now drawn up, he was compelled to give it his dissent, as he could not applaud the wisdom and jars- ple of unnecessary hostility, and of a desire to prolong for its selfish purposes, the calamities arising from the 1 tice of that conduct which he thought neither wise continuance of hostilities. This delusion he had long nor just. He was ready to admit, that at the time practised upon the different States of Europe. Had the overture was made, there was no prospect of its , this country but acceded to his proffer of pacification, leading to any practicable negociation for peace.— I he would not have failed to draw from that conduct The Ruler of France had at that time arranged his 1 inferences degrading to its character, and injurious plans for the achievement of an object the most iin to the best interests of the Empire. Besides, the very portant to" him of any that he had yet had in view— entertainment of the proposition, without first deman that of completely subjugating Spain. .A. most hor ding the acknowledgment of the independenceof them, rible and atrocious usurpation bad been set up in world have surely excited amongst that people 4 that country, and, unfertunately,the Ruler of France justifiable distrust and suspicion of the purity of Bri possessed the means of carrying his plan into effect ; tish co.operation. Such were his opinions on the he went to Spain with a moral certainty of effecting propriety of his Majesty's declaration ; but in deliver his object, and, no doubt, was sincere in his wish that a ing that convietion, he wished to be understood, as large British army might be landed in Spain, b e considering his Majesty's GOvernment responsible to having in his hand the means by_which the great o the Parliament and to the Public, for those conse ject he had in view might be attained , and which h e h quent measures, which they advised and executed, actually had attained in the course of two months, t e with a view of assisting the people of Spain in their subjugation of Spain. With this great object in view 1 endeavours against the iniquitous usurpation of and a moral certainty of attaining it, whilst we on the France. . . other hand had taken up the cause of the Spanish 1 people against this usurpation, and hoped to defeat , L ord MULGRAVE maintained, that it was ime the object of the Ruler of' France, it was impossiblepossible to have done more towards supporting the , to expect that any negociation could take place. It 1 cause _ .. of Spa in,_ than had be en done by his Majesty's could not be supposed that he would give up his ob- 1 Ministers. The boast of Bonaparte, that he would ject—it could not be expected that we should give up i within the space space of two months, be in possession of ours—it could not be imagined that' either party I the Spa nish capital, could not possibly have been in would give up by a stroke of the pen what each ex. his conception at the time of malting it. If any man, pected to obtain by force of arms, But though con. : however, supposed that the cause of Spain was now P.IRLIAMEIV'TifRr PROCEEDINGS. HOUSE OF LORDS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 26. hopeless, and that it ought to be abandoned, he, rj , one, must express a contrary opinion. So long as the Spaniards continued tree to themselves, so long woo l ; Britain continue true to them, and in them, t ote cause of Britain herself. The Spaniards did still co p, tinue true to themselves, and so long as that was :L -ease, he trusted that the humanity, generosity aril magnanimity, for which the British nation Was di:. tinguished, would induce therri to lend to the eff or .„ of Spain every assistance in their power. It wa s t h, determination,of his Migesty's present Ministers to a c , on this principle, and to consider the cause of 4. 4 , 14 though a distant, yet an important point in the de. fence of these kingdoms. Though they did not Lk. pute the notion that our navy might be equal ti,., defence of these kingdoms, they did not wish to ha. zard any thing on a conviction of the kind ; neitlle r were they willing to indulge in that narrow and selfish feeling, that we ought to look to ourselves alone, aad to live within ourselves, there to await the attack - the enemy. They entertained more enlarged au; comprehensive views of the subject. They thought that the most vigorous assistance which we cGusd possibly lend to the cause of Spain, and of any °the: country disposed to withstand the common enen.y, ought to be afforded. That we should not, like otiut Powers, selfishly lie by till the enemy was ready !. 0 attack us, but should endeavour, as tar as in us lay, to further and promote any more distant cheque whiea might be militated against him. If Noble Lords cr. the other side entertained different views of the sub. ject from those, let them openly and candidly express them, and let the country judge between the two, who were most entitled to their confidence, or most likely to bring the struggle in which we were engag. ed to a successful and honourable issue. Let the House also judge between Noble Lords on the other side, and his Majesty's present Ministers on this poiat, and if they approved of the opinions and sentiments of the former in preference to those of the latter, let them at once address his Majesty to dismiss his pre:cnt Ministers from his Councils, Lord AUCKLAND declared, that, however en. favourably such a sentiment might be received, he was one of those who believed, that at present, the cause of Spain was at an end. He thought it by no means likely that peace could have been obtained under the overtures made from Erfurth, but still he was of opinion that such an answer might have been returned, as, without stipulating for any but our actual allies, would have kept it open for us to protect the interests of Spain. • The Earl of SUFFOLK saw many errors in the system which had been pursued in our attempt to pro tect Spain. The great Duke of Marlborough had laid it down, that no army entering Spain, and wish ing to secure to itself a retreat, should omit to possess themselves of Barcelona. There was also on the op. posite coast a fortress, which had been overlooked by us, but which the French had since occupied, and rendered almost impregnable. There was another circumstance which in his opinioe deserved inquiry, and to which, on some future occasion, he should, in all probability, call the attention of the House— naniely, why Colonel Shrapnel's spherical case-shot, which, it was stated, had contributed greatly to de cide the battle of Vimiera, had not been furnished to our army in Spain. The Earl of LIVERPOOL wished to assure Noble Lords who were so profuse of their advice, that his Majesty's Government had on all occasions directed the resources of the country in those quarters where it was likely they would be 13eneficially em. ployed for the general interests. With respect to the subject of Spain, if the Noble Baron or the Noble Vis count would bring , it forward, his Majesty's Ministers were prepared to give to them ! and to the country, the most satisfactory answer. It would be a more noble mode of 'proceeding, if they would at once frame some motion, so as to include all the topics upon which they now so obliquely descanted, and when they were ready, it would be met by him and his colleagues without dismay, Lord GRENVILLE said, that thus attacked, he could not sit silent. He declared sincerely, that there was not a single measure adopted by Mini sters, which, had he been in their situation, he would have thought he acted right in resorting to ; and he was equally persuaded there was not one step he would have recommended, which they would have adopted. He did not refer to Spain alone— he alluded to their whole conduct from the time they were entrusted with the management of affairs. — He could not, however, consent that he should be called on to bring forward any motion on the subject. Much information was still wanting on the subject of the operations and plans of operation in Spain, which it was the duty of Ministers themselves to furnish ; particularly, it was incumbent on them, in the first place, to put the House in possession of that docu ment, transmitted to this country by Sir John Moore, and which it was the dying wish of that gallant Officer should be published, that the country might have a due appreciation of his services. Accounts were daily received from Officers in our army, his Lordship was sorry to say, not of a consoling nature, but which were calculated to grate the ear and'wound the heart. It was not on him, however, or on any other Noble Lord that a call lay to make this a subject of inquiry. It was the incumbent duty of Ministers themselves to furnish every possible information on a subject in which the feelings not only of that House, but of the public, were so peculiarly interested. Lord Viscount SIDMOUTH, in reply to the ob servation of the Noble Secretary of State, coincided in opinion with his Honourable Friend, that more in formation was necessary before any pledge could be given that the disgraces which Ministers had thrown upon the country could be fairly brought before the House. Notwithstanding the lofty tone in which the Noble Lord had called for inquiry, he had to assure him, that when the proper time arrived he should not be found deserting his duty, but should most anzi cosi', request it. It was due to the c haracter of the Country, and to the Army that had been engaged in so hazardous an enterprise. The question on the Address was then put agreed to.—Adjourned. id. It rt. r.. lCt • h. • 4a. tad ;hi usd hit Lic'a üb. ress wo, 105 t ag. the her Liet„ ?nts , let ant tn. , he the no ned the Rea foal the the pro. had vish- ssess op. d by and niter uiry, d, in re— shot, de- 'd to ssure [vice, sions triers rem. o the Vis. isters y, the noble *came vhich were tgues d, he that Mini- vould ; and step could me— they irs.— lid be Lbjem ect of which nish ; e first docu. bore, Nficer lave a daily jp was which heart. Noble quirt'. Ives to ect in of the he ob• ncided Lore in- uld be thrown re the Lich the assure raid not t algi• of the aged in put and wring the resent, it HOUSE OF COMMONS. The SPEAKER took the Chair as usual, but on counting the House at four o'clock, there were only 33 Members present, It consequence of which the House adjourned till this 4&y