The National Register. — London, England, 1813-10-31 00:00:00

E NATIONAL REGISTER, TH Our Iting, - Constitution, anD tato. PUBLISHED AT NO. 11, NEWCASTLE-STREET. STRAND. No. SO5. SUNDAY, OCTOBER 31, lBl3. PRICE 9d. CALUMNIES OF THE BRIM! , ARMY. A letter has appeared in a Cadiz Paper of the 27th ult. said to have been wt itten by a•Spanish inhabitant of St. Se bastian, to his uncle, in which the British army is charged ' with committing the most horrid excesses at the taking of that fortress. The letter is introduced by the Editor with some observations, not very copsistent with " the fraternal affection by which the two nations are bound to each other." We give them, as well as the principal heads of accusation, in order that the latter may be satisfactorily contradicted. It is the duty of every officer who shared the glories of the storming of St. Sebastian, to vindicate himself and lais brave followers from the reproaches thus unjustly, we trust, cast upon them. It must not be forgotten, meanwhile, that there is a strong French party at Cadiz, by whom these calumnies are gladly circulated, and that St. Sebastian itself had been too long in the hands of the enemy, not to retain some of his secret partisans, even alter the expulsion of his troops Such, we are ieclioed to think, will the writer of this letter prove to he. The allusions to the motives which might ac tuate us in the total destruction of St. Sebastian, (because it was a port which carried on a considerable trade with France, 44 injurious to our interests, and which might have, at a little expense, been made an useful maritime station,") at well as the hint to the inhabitants of Pampeluna, Tortosa, Barcelona, &c. 44 to take up arms against their besiegers" rather than " to experience the same catastrophe as St. Sebastian." and the charge made on General G It Ati A at, that be did not " recommend to the neighbouring people to extinguish the conflagration 'said to have been methodically and progt essivelv lighted by ourselves, in those streets which had been p'ondered' , until the fifth day, when the whole was crumltled with the tlust," do not belong to the mere narrator of facts, but rather seem the artful wo; k of a political incendiary. The sttli;ect therefore, on more points of view than one. too important to be slightly' passed_ over, and we call upon the Spauish Cartes to be as in ascertaining the motives and conduct of the lighter of this firebrand, as we are peruaderi our officers will prove in vindicating the honour and humanity of the B; sol diery. _ _ That publications, tending co forcibly to create diszust, if not hatred, between the Spani<it people and their de:iverers, should be encouraged at Cadiz, is too strong a pi nor o f th e existence of a French spirit within its walls, nr,t to demon strate the propriety of removing- the scat of Government to a more independent city. At a revolutionary period I;ko, the present, every thing which can itnpede the progress of the legitimate Authorities, or improperly influence their condoct, ought to be sedulously avoided. And what is more likely to shackle the operations and unduly bias the dett-amitiations re l. VT. No..ECTV. of a representative Government, than its being surrounded with the Agents of the enemy, who shelter their hostility un der the cloak of loyalty, and only strive to attain their pur pose by side blows and private intrigue ? The influence of such men is far more dangerous than the alms of open foes. Like a foul vapour, it penetrates to the most secret re cesses, taints the purest views in their source, and makes them prove abortive when attempted to be unfclded into ac tion. Against such a blighting pestilence, absence is the most effective shield. It is only, therefore, when established at Madrid, in the centre of the Monarchy, and in the midst of patriotic trophies, that we shall consider the Cortes as able to transact with energy and success the important business of the State. We shall now give the most remarkable passages of this accusatory letter. It is introduced by the following obses va• lions : /- • " The Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, whose military talents and laud& ble conduct have acquired him tl:e high distinction of the respect aiol gratitude of the Spanish people, cannot and ought not to look with indifference on such atrocity, so far removed from that tiaternal affection by which the two nations are bound to each other. The precious blood of Spaniards poured forth with impunity at St. Sebastian, loudly calls fur the punishment of the aggressors. The people of Spain expect complete satisfaction for so scandalous an outrage, %%bleb cannot be concealed from the other Powers of the Ceotinent. Our intelligent Government cannot fail to demand it ; the decorum due to the noble character of the nation regOires it, and prudence dictates it to prevent similar practices, at a future period, in either situations." From this exordium, little less than what ()flows could be expected,:— t' Do net expect front me that I should record all the sanguinary deeds pet petrated in these unhappy times. I have not sufficient for titude to state them ; hut I will narrate simply and faithfully those acts of enormity which are most notorious, and "huh ought to be en ;raven oil brass to pet petuate the ignominy of those by whom they were committed. " A four in the evening of the 31st alt. the English and Portuguese troops took possessieu or the place. They might at the same time have catered the eae.tle with the enemy. ;silo in mile greateq,disender fled to this asylum ; but they contented theiwel‘es for the moment with the cornier acquisition, full of the a xpectation of an The inhabitants, who at the commeocentent skewed them sel.e3 from their winilows and balconies, to compliment amid invite tlie4e villein) they believed to he their deliverer., we're very soon con ', Owed of their en or, and had aslighl presage et' the vi they la re to saffer, when they were obliged to retire to the interier of tle-ir houses, to escape the vollies of the Allies, which was the ;Timm made then, for their COUrtfliiy. In qie sequel, the hoops entered the dwellings, and at that time contented themselves with snippin4 Cie inmate, of every thieg valuable. Ou the Isl of this Is, ;cry seemed to have itispired the eoldicrs ; •Abil rape, wet e committed in all parts of (tie city. The 1106 , es a coo • filled with dead bodies. The ‘soman who t L to re.ii!tt, loq ht t' life in the effort ; neither itifetey nor.agie e were re'l'ic d tau child of tea years old, and the nwtroui et sixty were eTally _ After descr 7 ' gins to think that purpose ft:red. That 1 d, :ri4ing this , rentr.r/ devastation, the author he- that proofs may be thctiglq necc,faiy, and fi.r mentions the names of petsontas having suf.. individual acts of outraae mav have been Qum- -