The National Register. — London, England, 1811-03-31 00:00:00

i ) i ‘ ' . i 1 I i • .i. 1 i t , tk l ) 1 - . i ij , ? ' t ''. i 3' NATIONAL • N°. 170. POLITICAL DISQUISITION. No. 158. GENERAL GRAHAM'S VICTORY. gc The days of chivalry are not gone," would the great BURKE.now exclaim, could his eye pierce through, and his voice be heard from, the bosom of the tomb. C 6 It has ceased, it is true, to call forth ten thousand swords from their scabbards in defence of injured beauty ; but its spirit, diverted ipto a new channel, is not extinct. It now flashes forth in a still greater cause, that of humanity against wanton and cruel injustice ; of mankind again-t its tyrant. From the rocky shores of our small island, it bids defiance to a world of slaves ; lifts on high the shield of universal protection, and with the gleam ings of its spear kindles hope in the heart of oppres sed nations, terror in the soul of their oppressor.— Under the guiding genius of a WELLINGTON and a GRAHAM, it blazes in the Lusitanian and Iberian plains ; and, armed with native heroism, tears con quest from the grasp of superior numbers, whom the recollection of years of triumph nerves in vain." Such would be the sentiments of exultation ex pressed by this great orator and distinguished pa triot, were the events of the present unfolded to his view. Prophetic of the desolating consequences of the French Revolution, he would find that his warn ing voice was not raised in vain ; that the wild mis guided enthusiasm which, instead of freedom, plucked chains on the Continent, was timely checked before it enslaved our land ; and, notwithstanding the repeated attempts of the designing, will never revive. He would see Great Britain richer during war than he ever knew her to be during peace : free, and the source of liberty in others, and increasing in power, fame, and prosperity, at the very time the' threat of political annihilation is denounced against her by the conqueror and new-moulder of European kingdoms. Dazzled by the blazing and - hitherto unequalled glories of his country, he would bless the protecting grace of Heaven, and, with grateful rapture, turn from , the contemplation of earthly scenes to the beneficent author of all earthly greatness and celestial bliss. Such also would be the feelings with which a true patriot, on this side the grave, 144 IV. CI-6XX eur icing, Connitution, anti ll,atu%. SUNDAY, MARCH 31, ]Bll. • 11 • • • 04,...• PRICE 9d. the glorious intelligence of General GRAHAM'S ViC•• tory, and consider the situation of his country.— But our modern patriots, along with their new doctrines, have introduced tie* ways of feeling, new views of things ; and to them the brilliancy of a triumph achieved by British heroes on Spanish ground, appears entirely dimmed by its locality ; as the national prosperity derived from the exer tions and constancy of their political oppi-nents . bears in their sight the garb of calamity and ruin. They will not presume to deny, because it is utterly impossible, that the victory of Barrosa was gained by a flash of military genius and chivalrous enter. prise on the part of the British General, and the most ardent enthusiasm and undaunted heroism on that of our troops. But in order to cast a shade on the glory of the day, they will contend that our laurels are barren, and dipt in blond, which ought to have been shed in defence of England—not of Spain. • They will lament the blind policy of men, who send our bravest warriors to conquer and -perish on fo , reign plains, and will represent the sacrifice of their lives as not only useless to their native land, but to the country in whose cause they fought. These attempts at depreciating victories, and turning suc. cess itself into a ground for complaint, will, how= ever, fail to attain their end. Whatever may bi the individual political opinions of our Officers, love for their country, and a due regard to their character as Britons, will always impel them to do their duty, even should they secretly disapprove of the service on which they are employed.' The mis representations of pgrties at home will no more dig. hearten them than the roar of the enemy's cannon. But let us consider whether the victory Which they have achieved will prove useless. To what do we owe our uninterrupted series of triumphs at sea Not only to the superior valour of our seamen, but to the consciousness of that superiority imprinted . , by constant defeat on the hearts of their antagonists: It is one of the advantages of*true and well-known valour, that it conquers before it fights ; fcr terror is even more powerful than the sword. This ad. vantage had long since been secured to us on the waves by the dauntless intrepidity of our navy ; but on land it had been gained by the French arin!ei during the s eventful period of the Revollition.. Armed with_the reputation of being invincible, they resistless. They had only to ape% WOUld w - 44- • .. "4- 1, 4?„. • .•( -1 tp. 0 .1 • . • . 5 4 • REGISTER. I - -