The National Register. — London, England, 1808-12-04 00:00:00

pEC. 4. fell i, with the Minerva frigate, Capt. HAWKINS, who in formed her that the Marquis or. LA Ilostana gained a de cisive victory over the enemy, near St, Pincent de la Bar. quera. The enemy, it is said, entered that place on the 19i ult. and, on the 24th, made a 'violent attack on the Spani ards, who were strongly posted in the vicinity of St. Vin cent de la Barquera. No particulars respecting the engage ntent are given ; hut the result is supposed favorable to th.! Patriots. The Marquis DE LA ROSIARA was !eft ip pursuit opt the retreating enemy; and we wait for, with an impatience we seldom felt, the confirmation of this cheering intelli gence. Prior accounts, though of a very late date, men tion, it is true, that a part of that army fell back upon Leon, with the intention, as was supposed, of effecting a junction with the British army, But these accounts are neither of that circumstantial, nor precise nature, as to in duce us to discredit the reported success of the 24th. We are harpy likewise to observe, that the sentiments of the Spanish people, relative to their affairs, completely harmo nize with those we have invariably evinced ; ad so far from being dejected or intimidated at the advantages the enemy have already obtained, they speak with confi dence of their ultimate success, and in a tone of enthusiasm perfectly coinciding with their spirited declaratiops when first they took up arms against their invaders. — Their late disasters seem to have no other effect, than to convert their former exasperation into the mod deadly hatred of the enemy. We hear pf the sur render of no large corps ; on the contrary, the Regi ment of Catalonia, amounting to seventeen hundred men, and which fermed a part of the Army of the North, pre ferred to be cut to pieces to a man, sooner than accept quarter w ,ich the enemy offered them. The death of General RIQUELWI I who had the rank of Admiral in the Spanish navy, is one pf the fittest traits of heroism and of generous devotion to his country, we ever remem ber to have read. tiav;ug been wounded in his leg, he re fused to dismount or retire, but rode alons , the line, and made his men promise to die like him in defence of their country. This exhortation, at such a moment, and under such circumstances must have produced a wonderfull sensa lion in those who heard him; and after such proofs of great hess of soul in the leaders and men, we see no reason for desponding pf their success. Letters received from Madrid also speak a Gen.CASTANOS having obtained considerable advantages over the enemy. :le is said to have crossed the Ebro at three several points, and to have dislodged the enemy from all their positio ns that river. This advantage is likewise alluded to in the last accounts from Corunna. The Gazette of Madrid contains two important documents, addressed by the Supreme Go verning Junta to all the Councils, and the other to the Spa ;llsh Nation. After detailing, in the first, the perfidy of the French, the abasement of the Monarchy for so many years, Ae Decree concludes with the following animated declara ho The Junta have taken the oath, in the most so lemn manner, nut to listen to, or accept any proposal " for peace. unless their beloved Sovereign, FERDINAND be restored to his throne ; and unless the abso lute integrity of Spain and her Americas he stipulated as an indispensable condition, without the dismember " weal of ;17y the smallest portion of her territory.- TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER. 771 There was something so vague in the accounts of last week, and in such direct opposition with the proofs we had of BMxE's prudence, discretion, and professional skill, that we bad no difficulty in refusing our assent, even un conditionally, to the report of the total dispersion of his army, In doing so, we acted neither indiscreetly, nor presumplitously, but formed our judgment from the uncOn teated roofs we had of the subordination, braver, and discipline, that prevailed in BLAKE'S army, an the confi dence we were justified to repose in the abilities of the ender. Had the army and their General not been pre viously tried; had not their former conduct excited the greatest admiration, our endeavours to discountenance the rumours of last week, though they might raise a favour able opinion of our atfectiens, would not convey a very flattering idea of our understanding. Hut the enemy appear to have monopolized all the attributes of the soldier; and our politicians in this country, who affect to see beyond the vulgar, are ton consistent, too independent, to renounce, in favour of popular prejudices, or from the delusive sug gestion, that success ought to attend a good cause, their opinion of French superiority. It is so tickling to intellec tual self-love, and the consciousness of superior penetra tion, as well as the infallibility of learned and political dog matism, to expose the folly and weakness of expecting that the legions 01 France, conducted by the Hero, who so of ten led them to victory on the Po, the Danube, the .Saal, the Vistula and the Niemen, should now yield, in compliance with the wishes, for sooth of some enthusiasts in this ' country, to the impetuoSity, and irregular attacks of Spanish peasants. There is something so incongruous, so drivelling, SQ national, ia such quixotic specula tions, that we are by no means astonished, that such writers, as direct the public opinion, through the medium of the Edinburgh lioiew, should, wi t th the lash of magis terial and hypercritical authority, chastize these political visionaries. The sentiments of these Gentlemen are too enlarged, too cosmopolitical, to reject a theory supported on; facts and political combinations, for the crude, un logical speculations, and the national notions of those writers, who chatter, instead of reasoning, on the proba bility of Spauish success. Our time is not favourable, 1 1 however, to the establishment of political axioms; and a chain of reasoning, the most ingenious, spun with all the accuracy of schoohnen, and rounded with the fasti dious nicety of criticism, has only shewn the fallibility of reason, and the nullity of human wit ; for the occur rences of this week have proved, that though the pre, raises may have been right, their conclusions were absolutely erroneous. This is our consolation and defence, in daring to differ from these masters of the political school : and as the combinations of genius and science have been found so illusory, we are inclined, on this occa sion, to trust to our feelings, and something like presenti - ment, which incessantly flatter us, that the cause of free dom and justice will ultimately triumph over usurpation and villainy. We may be mistaken ; but for all the intel lectual superiority and preponderating genius of these gen tlemen, we would not abandon the fascinating We, therefore, confidently trust, that a CIIPS so dear to us, so connected with our own, and that of the universe, will still triumph over :reach intrigue and the dogmatism of politici! pedantry. t ' ~~ 4 4 .4 4 a. r( ing pro d no ler lees the our to CTS, !It'll, 27th min 4 L, she