The National Register. — London, England, 1808-10-24 00:00:00

VIE NATIONAL REGISTER. i►t the field, amounts to 109,000 men. If we add to Ahose the 13,000 British troops advancing under Sir DAVID BAIRD, and the 9,500 Span►ards, who escaped from . the Baltic under the larquis de lions +.{. Spain• will have an army of 131,009 infantry, together with 6000 ea% alry. To this formidable army, the enemy cull oppose no more than 43,000 men, and 60 pieces of artillery. After tills statement, which may he relied on as correct, there is every reason to suppose, that the result, of the expected engagement, will be favourable to the party , v.hich has inn►xence and justice on its side. One of the principal objects, which General BLAKE has in view, seems to be the recapture of Bilboa ; should he succeed, it would require all the skill of Nlarshal N EY, who commands the French army in Spain, to secure the retreat of the enemy. It is now known that the Freda) force which re-captured Bilboa, amounted to nearly 10,000 infantry . and 1,100 cavalry. The attack was made ve►y unexpectedly in the morning of the 26th September, and filled the city with consternation; as the ink:lb:tants were still impressed with the atrocities the enemy had committed in their last visit. The Spanish garrison, which did not amount to more tha►► 5,000 men, under the command of the Marquis of PORTAZCO, not being strong enough to resist the French column, retired, in the greatest order, with the whole of their baggage and artillery, in the . presence of the enemy, who did not dare to make the sl►ghtest attempt to molest their retreat. As they were too far in advance to receive timely succours from General BLAKE'S army. they fell back on Valmaseda, a strong post in the mountains, which they effected in the most masterly manae . . The French were commanded on this occasion by Marshal B t ssti;nEs. It is said that JOSEPH BONA esart arrived iu Bilboa about the beginning of this mon th, The obstinate impolicy of Mr. JEFPERSON, in continuing the Embargo, in such direct opposition to the interest and wishes of the Americans, would afford ample matter for speculation as to the object he proposes from so des perate a measure, were his acquiescence in the projects of the Usurper against the prosperity of Great Britain, and hiS rooted antipathy to this country, not sufficiently known. It is this partiality to France, and enmity to this country, Sthich first suggested to him a measure, whose object was to ruin our commerce, and whose consequences, in con (fortuity to the principles of eternal justice, have been dr structi‘e only to those, whose object was mischief. Know ing the President's sentiments, we are, certainly, not asto nished at the answer he rAurned to the Petition of the Citizens of Hoston. This focus, or, more properly speak ing, the cradle, of the insurrection against the mother country, smarting under the mad policy of JEWPF nos and Antifederahsts, thought, by the way of petition and *monstrance, to prevail on their Chief Magistrate to sacri fice his animosity to England to the welfare of America. Dia neither remonstrances nor petitions, nor the sufferings of his countrymen, could soften his Anti-British heart; and the friendship and approbation of a man, whom the rest of the universe unanimously execrate, seem to out weigh, in the opinion of Mr. Jr.iwasost, the pros perity of the United States, and the indignation of his cotemporaries. In order to form a just opinion of this republican President, it is only necessary to read over his observations on the irenerons contest the Spaniards arc s o successfully engaged in against their execrable invaders. According to this worthy Magistrate, it is no more than factious struggle between two parties in that country, contending for power. This free enunciation of Mr. JET.' INERSON'S sentiments or. so momentoutea subject, which, he could not be ignorant, fixes irrevocably the happiness or misery, the slavery or independence, of eleven millions of Spaniards, and perhaps of Europe, will establish his repu tation in the judgment of honest men. however, let him enjoy the advantages of his Embargo ; let him exult in the misery and ruin it infallibly brings on Old England ; let him anticipate, with rapturous pleasure, the prostration of OCT. t. this country, •hrtploring, un ils .ktiees, mercy and trade ; let him congratulate his Corsican friend on the near pros. pert of our renouncing our maritime rights, and subinittillg to any other de4rading, restrictions they may both thin', proper to impose:—Aie should not disturb him i n th e ea j oi. merit of such extatic Sensations ; but wait, with . oti e j l t resignation, till he is pleased to open the Americin liar. bourn to our impatient and ruined inerchnuts. • The Electors of Westminster assembled on Thursday l a ,t, in Westminster Hall, for the purpose of Putitionnig It c MAJESTY, that an inquiry should be instituted rotative to the Portuguese Convention. When we consider how portalq a part of our freedom consists in the right Of peti tioning, we cannot sufficiently express the pleasure we feel, that no ill-advised censure is sullicientto deter the peo ple of this country from the exercise of it. Any sem Nut of the Crown, who should endeavour to impress on ills MAJESTY'S mind any repugnance to au act so strongly sanctioned by the Constitution. is as hostile to th c real interests of the Sovereign, as he is to those of the people. it is unnecessary 'to repeat here what ha., been a thousand times adverted to, that w e are in debted for the inestimable blessing of having a Sc :e. reign of the House of Brunswick seated on the En4lish Throne, to the tenacious adherence of our ancestors to the exercise or their rights. Had they been lukewarm, or pusillanimous 'in this respect, their children would mil% groan under the bigotted despotism of a STE...slur. ;lay person, therefore, who should advise the Monarch to cea sure the exercise of a constitutional r'ght, contributes, as much as lies in his power, to effect a schism between tho King and his People. Sir HEW DALRYMPLE arrived in town on Tuesday e% en. ing, accompanied by Major DAtnymme, his sou, who carried out his order of recal, and his Aide:-de-Camp, Captains Gummi, and EtissnAwr. The Niobe, with Sir WILLIAm Scovr, also arrived at Portsmouth on Tuesday evening. Both vessels sailed at the same time from the Tagus. The arrival of Sir Haw Ittsayssocz will afford satis faction to every one who felt: both abashed and indignant at the issue of the Campaign in Portugal. We arc informed that he has expressed the highest indignation at the efforts made by the friends of another officer to save the reputation of the latter at is e cpcnce,and that he demands peremptorily a court-martial. We have no antipathy to either of the per sons implicated ; but we are convincedufthe injustice, as well as the illiberality, of criminating one in order to palliate the conduct of the other. This °ricer, we know, is not supported by the powerful interest the other can command; and this very circumstance will be .s . ntlicient inducement to a British Public, to suspend their 4tidgment, till the pro mised inquiry proves to whom criminality is to be attached. We have received the following Letter from Portsmouth dated, Oct. 18.— " The Prince of Wales. has been here since Friday, superin tending the embarkation of the 10th Light Dragoons ; and as each division has arrived, his Royal Highness has gone with them to the Dock-yard. ' They are now all ou board, and it Is said that his Royal Highness will leave us to-morrow. The Prince is quite adored by his regiment; and some of the men, they went on hoard, could not refrain expressing aloud the ir attachment. In taking leave of the Officers, his Royal High ness actually burst into tears, and expressed in the strongest manner his regret at not being able to areonipany them ; hut Ile said,—" 1 give my .c, sword to Brigadier-General Slait will he at your head, and under w hose command I k now y ou wilt like to go, as much as Ido that you should." It appears that General Shade entered the Princes regiment as a Cornet, and remained in it near seventeen years; it is therefore very natural they should like to go out under his command. The Prince left Portsmouth on Wednesday morning, when the works were manned for him, and the road, for upwards of four miles, nod till he passed the out-works, was lined with troops, who saluted as be passed them. ~--.~~. o.,~; • ear ill-- r I ,-