Star. — London, England, 1812-11-24 00:00:00

I SPif IN.. CADIZ, NOVEMBER 2. It appears that Senor Merino, Commandant of that division of the 4th army which is in Cordova, has intimated to the Government that he will not re cognize any other orders but those which are com municated to him by it. NOVEMBER s.—The accounts from Algiers are very satisfactory. The day after the arrival at that port of the English ship the Invincible, there entered there seven Spanish prizes, the crews of which amounted to more than 150 men ; but we have the satisfaction to announce, that the Dey has since shown the strongest desire for amity with the Spaniards ; as a proof of which he immediately gave up the above prizes, and set at liberty all the crews, as well as other Spaniards who were in chains. We are yet ignorant of what share the English had in bringing about this favourable event ; but we have reason to believe, that they contributed much to the restoration of harmony with the Regency of Algiers. About the middle of October, the garrison of Bnrja, consisting of 65 men, surrendered to the troop s under General Duran. REFLECTIONS OF A SPANISH OFFICER ON THE CONDUCT OF GENERAL SALLASTEROS, WHICH LED TO HIS DIS 31ISSIoN FROM THE COMMAND OF THE FOURTH ARMY. The first duty of man in society is obedience to the legitimate constituted Authorities. Without this, no nation ever existed on the face of the earth ; open disobedience allowed in a simple individual, is capa ble of causing the ruin of a State. What, then, would be the effect of the same in a General at the bead of his troops ? The military arm, considered as the strongest support of a State, and the protector of the liberty of its inhabi , ants, will be viewed with the utmost execration, if, in place of being employed in their defence, it is converted into a wicked instru ment for their oppression. Every citizen is obliged to obey the Government ; but those to whom is con £ded the force of the nation to repel the aggression of its enemies, are unpardonable, and guilty of the worst of crimes, when abusing this confidence, and taking advantage of this force, they separate them selves from the due obedience to the supreme autho rity, and use it o for their own purposes, and do not consider the country to whom it belongs, and who has occasion for it. _ _ Let us now see what has been the conduct of Ge neral 11.11asteros ; successively and rapidly elevated by the Government, from the subaltern class, in which he four years ago entered, to the command of an army and the provinces of Andalusia, it would appear, that his heart ought to have been filled with satisfaction, at seeing his bravery so prodigally re warded; and that the nation and Government had a ,right to expect the most unequivocal proofs of his gratitude and devotion to the country. But General Ballasteros, placed in the command of the fourth arroy, and of those provinces, was loosening the bonds which unite it to the rest of the nation ; and, as if the forces which had been entrusted to him, and the resources which were within his reach, bad no connection with the rest of Spain, he acted according to his own ideas, without consi• detation of orders transmitted him from superior authority, which fn vain endeavoured to combine the operations of all. Under pretence of attending to the subsistence of his army, notwithstanding having been assisted greatly by the Government, he conducted himself with almost entire independence, both in civil and military affairs. When in the month of March, this year, the main attention of the enemy was direc ted towards Esttemadura and Grenada, by the move ments and important operations of our allies, and the . Inns of the besiegers before Cadiz became weak, the Government endeavoured to improve the optortu nity, and free this city from its troublesome siege, and thus obtain an advantage of the greatest considera tion, both in a political and military point of view. General Ballasteros had positive orders to attack the rear of the enemy, and a respectable corps was ;cad) , to do the same at other points ; but Ballasteros did not carry his orders into execution, under specious prercxts ; the opportunity was lost, and Cadiz re mained besieged. The consequences of this want of obedience we have t h oroughly experienced ;—and thanks to him who has made them cease. Govern mem had then, this reason, and afterwards many others, to proceed against this General ; but con ceiving that the evils which his want of concturence in the general operations had caused, would diminish • if they succeeded in b: ingitg him to a sense of his time obligations—and desirous, on the other hand, that the country might benefit from his valour and activity, they continued him in his command. But posterior events have clearly demonstrated bow useless it was to expect he would vary his con duct. The enemy abandoned the Andalusias ; Ge. neral Ballasteros marched to Grenada, and having there collected the greater part of thedisposable forces of his army, °pet:l-y opposed the repeated orders which were transmitted him to march in a convenient direc tion, and occupy an important position. As if in a state of somnolency, from his entry into that city, not only has ire not obeyed these orders, but he has ne glected to pursue or annoy the enemy in any manner ; and it at any time be awoke Irons the lethargy in which' he appeared sunk, it was only more and more to contravene the intentions of Government, by col lecting there the dispersed, who ought to have pro ceeded to another destkation, as had been determined, and ft ustrating, by all possible means, the best com bined operations. Whom, then, will this General obey ? To what natiop do the troops he commands belong, if the Spa nish Government cannot depend on them ? The sol diers of the fourth army are soldiers of the country ; they are not Ballesteros' soldiers. But what has exceeded all expectation, is the last step he has just taken, of which neither the nation filer government can for a moment feign themselves ignorant. The situation in which the Peninsula is at present placed, demands, that in order to reap the fruits of the late victories, insure and extend their effects, and protect us against fresh irruptions from the troops of tue Continental Tynsot, a powerful and uniform im pulse should be given to our troops, and those of the allies N ho deteud us; that they should be concentra ted, and the tiirectioa of the war placed in one hand. The General Cones, convinced of this necessity, and satisfied, oa the other baud, with the generous and glorious exploits which the 'immortal Duke of CiUdad Rodrigo has performed in our favour, to whom we are equally bound by love and gratitude, determined he should have the command of our troops. Gene ral Ballesteros openly refused to obey this sovereign decree, in an official dispatch addressed to the Minis ter at War. This seditious denial was printed, and dispersed in different places. Under the specious veil of patriotism and honour, he provokes to rebellion, exciting by false reasoning the strongest passions of the Spaniards, and excites to political convulsions, at the moment when the utmost union is required to save the nation. He says, he wishes to take the opinion of the nation ; he then does not acknowledge its representatives—and, in addition to disobeying the Government and Con gress, he denies the latter to be the national repre sentation. 'We ought not to conceal from this General, that in our history we have repeatedly had foreign Gene rals at the head of our armies, without, on this ac count, having had the liberty and independence of the country compromised ; such, for example, were the Spinolas, Farnesios, Pescatas, Vendomes, &c. Neither should we hide the generosity with which Great Britain aids us, nor the necessity we stand in of these aids ; nor the interest that power takes in the liberty and independence of Spain—to palliate, under false principles of honour and ridiculous fears, so scandalous a proceeding. When we scarcely begin to breathe, at rising from the painful situation in which we were ; when the Pro. vinces begin to see the so much desired day of their liberty dawn, and to taste the sweets of a paternal Government, and of laws formed for their prosperity and happiness ; when now that nothing but the union and combination of our force, to drive the French from our soil, is wanting—now it is that a Spaniard, the most flattered and the most rewarded in the nation, will not acknowledge the national au- 1 thority, and sets the scandalous example in our revo lution of a General at the head of his army refusing obedience. Yes, for the advantages he has obtained in some actions of trifling consideration, he thinks he has a right to place himself above the laws. What might not the conqueror of B.tylen say ? What the ; heroic defenders of Saragossa, Gerona, and other ; places, who have covered Spain with glory ? And what the valiant Mina, Sanchez, and many other 1 heroic Spaniards who have spilt and are spilling their blood in defence of their beloved country ? No sol- : dier can demand, as the reward of his valour, the 1 slavery of his fellow.citizens. The nation must not I admit a bold soldier, under pretence of his honour, to transgress the sanctuary of the laws. REPLY OF DON FRANCISCO BALLESTEROS TO THE DRS.! • PATCH EY WHICH HE RECEIVED HIS DISMISSAL FROM HIS COMMAND. Most Excellent Sir—This morning, while engaged in the ordinary dispatch of business, I received your Excellency's diipatch, discharging me from the command of the Captainship General of the four Kingdoms of Andalusia, and of the fourth artnY; in forming me at the same time that my troops had formed, and were marching in the direction of Al cala ; I immediately mounted my horse to learn from what source proceeded a measure so contrary to the '• spirit of the royal ordinances, and the discipline with which I have always endeavoured to improve the army, and of which I have given so many proofs.— On going out of the village I met a piquet of the first battalion of Royal Guards, with advanced sen tinels, and arms ready to give fire, and a number of peasants in front. I was surprised at this novelty, and asked the officer what it meant ? He answered, as did the sentinels when they came up, that he had orders not to let me pass. A Colonel then came, to whom I stated my displeasure at being treated in this manner, which I considered as disgraceful.— The peasants now broke out into strong expressions calculated to make an impression on the soldiers, for whom they knew I had made so many sacrifices.— however, silenced them, ordering them to retire. —I then proceeded to my house, sensibly feeling a treatment which I believe was never experienced in the Spanish armies by the most criminal subaltern officer. In a short time, the same battalion appeared in front of my house, and a guard was placed at the door of it. The people, indignant at an act of this kind, made loud lamentations, fearing something might be intended against my person. The senti ments of affection expressed by these good Spaniards made a greater impression on me than this military apparatus, which I did not conceive to correspond to the dignity of my station, nor is it possible to believe that it was by your Excellency's orders. From this moment, I had sentinels placed upon me, and received orders from Brigadier Virues, to set out early in the morning for my destination, Ceuta, which I shall comply with, leaving the Chief of the Staff to deliver up the army, than which, I think there is not a better in Europe, that has been organized, regula ted, equipped, instructed, and disciplined, in only one fortnight. But I cannot but represent to your High ness, that if my services have merited any attention, I could wish that the destination of Ceuta might be changed to the Province of Estremadura, and, if pos sible, to Fregenal or its vicinity, a.s I find my health much broken; and in that country, notwithstanding my misfortunes, I could maintain myself with respect; and my existence would not be burthensome to my country. This is the manner• in which I have been treated with respect to my person, but I have felt still more sensibly the attack made on my reputation in the annexed paper*, which Virues has published.-- He supposes in it, that I have distressed the people of Grenada by levying contributions, which I never thought of, but which, on the contrary, I always op posed; though I asked money of the Intendant, which, however, he refssed except as a loan, which I was to repay from the first funds I obtained. I shall proceed towards my destination; but if my indisposition increases, I shall halt at Coin, where your Excellency may address to me your answer s Gon preserve your Excellency many years. FRANCISCO BALLILSTEAOL Grenada, October O. • Tke following is the printed paper referred to Nonce TO sea PoaLic.—The Regency of the Kingdom ' has been pleased to discharge Senor Dou FrancisCo Ballasteros from the command of General in Chief of the 4th army, and the ' Captaincy General of the four Kingdoms of Andalusia, and to nominate in his stead, ad inter in, Doe Joaquin Virues, Brigadier of the Royal Arinies. In consequence, the contribution ordered by him is suspended till corresponding orders are received from Government. The public, therefore, are not required to nuke the s everal payments maw-4 t 9 *pi t 10 Crawls Octobers." THE EVENING STAR. LONDON. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 24. PRR OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Reduced 57i-4 per Cent. 73H-5 per Ct. 90ff Cons. 59 53i—for ac. 59—Omn. 5i pr—Bonds Its. tis. Bank Stock —Long Annuities 14 15-ths 16 Exch. Bills. (304 Is. Ls. pr.—Do. (34d.) 3s. Si. pr. We yesterday stated the fact of the dismissal of BALLASTILIWS from the command of the fourth Spa nish army, and to-day we are enabled to lay before our Readers some further information of considerable interest on the same subject. As we have already observed, there is no occasion to go farther than the lucubrations put forth in the Spanish Papers under the signature of BALLASTERO4 for evidence of his total incapacity as a General. An army, destined to act in the present most arduous of all the sanguinary campaigns of which the Peninsula has been the theatre, ought to have a leader of more than com mon energies—it is not sufficient Olt he should be loyal to his Sovereign, or patriotic to his Nation—his mind ought to be of that enlightened and liberal de scription which we witness in men only who are born to be true Heroes, and which prompts them to sacri fice every petty emotion arising from individual or national jealousy on the great altar of public safety, Without this noble generosity of sentiment, there can be no zealous, no efficient co-operatioo among mi litstry leaders. Bar.t.asrsaos was no such man; and we have to congratulate the Spaniards, but, above all, our own countrymen, whose talents the Spanish nation now duly appreciate, on his removal. But, while we thus discharge the high office of censors, far be it from us to tarnish the lustre which his numerous enterprizes have thrown around his name. That he was zealous and ardent in the prosecution of what he thought conducive to the cause of his country, we are not stupid or malignant enough to deny : we must be permitted to contend, however, that the favour which raised him from the rank of a subaltern was misplaced• His zeal and perseverance would have rendered him an admirable partisan in a less important station than that which he was most injudiciously permitted to hold. From the Cadiz papers we learn, that General MEnINA has also refused to obey the orders of the Marquis of WELLINGTON. This narrow-minded Hidalgo will no doubt share the fate of BALLASTEItOS. Most sincerely do we hope that the gigantic grasp of intellect which characterises the Generalissimo of the Spanish armies, and of which the above are but in considerable specimens, may not be paralyzed by any future unsoundness or jealousy in the Spanish Coun cils, or by any want of energy in those who have the direction of affairs'at home. The Spanish people hare now solemnly confided to the Hero of Salamanca, the whole of the appoint ments connected with their army : surely then his powers with respect to the army with which his own country has entrusted him, ought to acknowlege no degrees of longitude or latitude, but those which his own genius prescribes. [We think it right to correct an error, or rather an ambiguity of expression in the letter of BALLASTEROS, published yesterday. When he speaks of bad faith and fair promises," he expressly alludes to France, and not to Great Britain.] This morning, at ten o'clock, the LORD HIGH STEWARD of Great Britain, attended in the Long Gallery of the House of Lords, for the purpose of swearing in the Members of the House of Commons. About one hundred were sworn in about two o'clock. They will proceed to choose a Speaker, as we under stand, to-morrow. The Right Hon. C. ABBOT will be the new Speaker. WINDSOR, Nov.23.—Saturday morning_princesses I AUGUSTA, SOPHIA, aad CHARLOTTE Of WALES, at tended by the Bishop of SALISBURY, Lady RossLyri, Sir B. SPENCER, and Colonel Desattow, rode on horse back for about two hours. The Duke of YORK ar rived at one o'clock, on a visit to the QUEEN, and remained at the Castle till six, when he left for Oat. lands. The QUEEN received a special communication from the Earl of LivitarooL. Yesterday morning the Princess CHARLOTTE of WALES went to Saint George's Chapel, and heard a Sermon by the Hon. and Rev. Dean LEGGE, attended by Lady DE CLIF FORD. The QUEEN and PRINCESSES heard Divine Service performed in the Castle. Yesterday, at three o'clock, a Cabinet Council was held at the Foreign Office, which sat till half-past four. The Hou. WELLESLEY PoLE entertained Lord GWvDIR, and a select party. at dinner yesterday, at his house in Savle-row. The present Lottery is to be drawn in Two Days, for the purpr.se of doing away the Classes, which had become objectionable to the Public, who were desi rous of having every Ticket drawn separately. Monday se nnight 24. prisoners of war, belonging to the Piedmontaise French frigate, were released from Green law prison, in exchange for 24 seamen be longing to his Majesty's schooner Laura, given up at sea by the Diligent French privateer. From 4 to 500 prisoners arrived within these eight days pas: at the Perth depot ; they were quite desti. cute of clothing, but upon their arrival, they were sup plied with all these necessar es and made as comfor table as their situation could admit of. The total number now lodged at Perth is 3500. A letter from a Gentleman in Stromness, dated the 18th ult. states, that he saw the sailor, Bell, belong ing to the Rosamond, who, from mere distress of conscience, had confessed his knowledge of the mur der of the family of Marr. This Gamleman had read the confession. The ma, w4a tip with tell r pedition t 9 Los4op. .1 DISPATCHES FROM THE MARQUIS 01 WELLINGTON. The PHoutrtr cutter has arrived at Falmouth fro m Corunna, with dispatches from the Marquis of Wu. ticorow. The Puoram left Corunna on Sund ay se'nnight, being precisely a week on her passage. By this conveyance we have received the • tact and most gratifying intelligence, that the t wo Armies under the Marquis of WELLINGTON and Cie. neral HILL have formed a junction at Rem el t ; whence they retired upon Salamanca ; and that, OI consequence of this union; his Lordship had fould his means in such an improved state that he °Sped battle to the enemy, a - favour which, however, th ey thought it prudent to decline. 11:is looks well, and, combined with the event e f the dismissal of BALLASIEROs, furnishes ground to hope, that ere long, the enemy will be obliged agaia to retreat ; for the facts that have transpired respect, ing this infatuated Commander, chew, in a striking point of view, the want of co-operation previously e r . perienced by the Marquis of WELLINGTON, and chick led to the late reverses in tbe Peninsula. The confidence now enjoyed by the Marquis es view as a strong arm for future victories : it is inde e d an accession of streqgth not easy to be estima te d., We have often said, that no nation, possessing * re , spectable population, can be finally conquered b y aft invader, if its physical and moral energies be rat e d into action and properly directed. That &pais p os , sesses sufficient population and resources, we Lan never doubted: but how often have we had to re,„ gret that contemptible jealousy which characterize s little minds, operating and spreading its baneful m. fluence over every pall of the public measures the Spanish nation! L ot us hope that this weakaess has now come tom end, and that henceforth we shall hail the brilliast exploits of well-directed valoqr guided to one ob ject.—the public safety ! Letters were yesterday received from Paris, b y ship which lett the coast of France on Saturday. it is remarkable that none of them make any mention of BONAPARTE. It is again said that a dispolki t a to-commotion has manifested itself in some of the it. mote provinces of France. A letter from Reus, in Spain, dated Oct. 6, says: 44 On the Ist inst. marched from hence 800 infant/ and 60 horse, with General groin.. At three in the afternoon of the 24, they routed in Aumellons, nest Arbeca, a column of more than 500 infantry of the garrison of Lerida. They were all put to the sword, with the exception of 150 men, whom the General reserved in order to restrain the excesses of Governor Henriot, to whom the same was communicated by $ serjeant severely wounded, who was sent to lienriot. The prisoners have since arrived here, and were Ms terday embarked at Salmi." A short ume since an Algerine cruiser, in the life; diterranean, detained a Maltese vessel, which eu under English colours, going from Lisbon to Malta, under suspicion of her bring a Greek; the Cosa* afterwards tell in with and rescued her, and also de, manded 12,000 dollars, which the Alger* hatltAlea out, but the Algerine refused to give it up s the Richmond gun-brig was therefore sent from t.;ilsrtio tar on the 10th ult. to Algiers, to demand u. EXECUTION Of LIEUTXNANT Gastans.—Yesterday morning, at eight o'clock a signal gun was fired from his Majesty's sloop GRIFFON, in the Downs, and t h e yellow flag hoisted at the fore-top-gallant -mast as preparatory to punishment. At nine, the signs; was made for two boats from each of the men of was to range in a parallel line to the GRIFION, to witnell the execution. After the boats had got into their sta. titan, the shrouds of the ships at anchor were maimed, and at ten o'clock the fatal gun was fired, and the unhappy man was immediately hoisted up to the ken. yard-arm, where he remained suspended for dime, quarters of an hour, when the body was lowered dun and delivered to his friends. His remains are to be interred in the burying-ground of the Naval liesPird at Deal. The unfortunate Officer, since his condem nation, does not appear to have entertained the most distant idea of receiving a pardon, but has constantly been brooding over his expected fate, and so mesl had he anticipated his fatal exit, that he, in a re measure, refused the sustenance necessary to keep* alive. Indeed, it is thought, had the execution dial sentence been much longer delayed, exhausted Wee would have put a period to his sufferings_ Previa , * to the execution of this unfortunate young msaiber Admiral FoLtv, with that humanity which if the chiracteristic of his nature, ordered the follow4at mdnitory Address to be read to the several or companies in the Downs: " '1 he Commander in Chief most eereseir dad's' maid the particular attention of the fleet to the sidascholy weiglhol are now caned to attend—a wen. which ;lets a strong, mg much he hopes, an impressive lemon to every Pawl it-ja lesson to all who are to command, and to s t who W e to obey. Lieutenant Gamete is represented by every Moo w h o " ew him, and by the unanimous voice of the Grilse ship's willifooft u a humane compassionate man, a kind loom dim; is% for want of that guard, which every man dwell WV' * passions, this kind, humane, compassionate sue mania W . , dreadful crime of Murder. Let his example strike Imp isiollo minds of all wise witness his unhappy end, and wising!. litueral disposition may be, let them kern from him, net Fat are not always watchful to restrain tbdr polkas soft p m * boimilaose moment of intempasni wear , sof sr, she brow eitawen-spens honourable !th r ead befog vista Untimely and disgraceful death. And let those who are tellit , learn trout the conduct of the input the hulling result from cootempt and inteient conduct towards OW "it Hem By repelled iteolenut the Sedeant overcame the WI gentle disposition of lASUSInaIt 43 aalelk sod by i rrtgakil " inflaming Ida widen, ocimilsoed his own dads. " The Cantioanderlit-011of hopes that this a i l t!" may not be offered in wig, bat, sorbs* noloolPhdall I les __ uw. ful example before then, every dicer and every arts ale from is, never to niter himself as be drives by Illiiivetea resi T l to rouse doe sloe, to !re mi se wit ivi b tlimbediate• Credrf eleknee ar thno won " gm lib Ike **bit ditty to elf d li bi Z iet raret: Is e • • • PM) , a• i i I 4 I t i 1 c P il A