The National Register. — London, England, 1809-01-22 00:00:00

NATl4Th4AtitEGi§ite intend making any efforts to defend the country : hut • the vigourous preparations made by the Regency, seem to in dicate a laudable determination to undertake something to that effect. We confidently trust that the forts on the Tagus, so often alluded to iu the discussions on the merits of the Cintra Armistice and Convention, will be found as strong as they were at that time represented by our com manders; and if' JIJNOT had it in his power to defend them for ten weeks, or three mouths, that our army will be able to maintain them, at least as long. We do not think, when we were expressing our abhorrence of the Conven tion, that. the time was so near at hand, when the validity of this plea of Sir Ifew DALRYMPLL Slotlld be tried by the test of experience. We rejected it at that time, and feel little inclination to acknowledge it at present. We sincerely wish we might be mistaken, and would willingly nicer the Mortification of having cousidered the affair rashly and in aldequately, if it can be only proved to our satisfaction, that these forts are as tenable, as we were at that time in formed. How painful, how mortifying is every recurrence to that ignominious transaction ! Whilst we blush at the folly and weakness which was capable of devising such a measure, we feet an indignant affliction at the calamities it has already occasioued. Fie on the men, who have so wantonly and wickedly disappointed the expectations of the country, and sullied its fair reputation ! What shall they now say, when they hear of a French force lording it once more over that unfortunate country ; the liberation of which they had so pompously vaunted. The battle of Vi sclera, glorious and decisive as it was, produced no other effect, through the mismanagement shewn after it, than to irritate, we are afraid, the Portuguese people against us, and to excite in their breasts a kind of apathy about the concerns of their country, hew accounts have been received yesterday from Lisbon, confirming the intelligence of the march of a French corps into Portugal, under the command of the Duke of DANTZIC. It consists, it is said, of 14,000 men. We hope there, assisted by the Portuguese, will be able to give a good account of them. The expedition, which sailed on Saturday and Sunday last, we are told is distilled for Zisbon. If that be the case we have already a force there equal to repel any attack on the part of LEFEHKE. Both Houses of Parliament, which met on Thursday Last, have commenced their legislative functions, under eireuinstances awfully impressive. There 'never was a sin gls:. period in our history, which offered matter of more imperative nature for discussion. The atlairs al!' Europe are approaching nearer and nearer to a crisis, with esta blishes the independence or absolut, slavery of its immense population. Their resolutions contflliqc powerfully to either and the nations of the earth attend. with anxiety to the result of their deliberatim• . . This imperious and the arduous dillies .ftey have to perform, will, vc ardently hope, prevail on them 'owlish selfishness and acrimony from their assembly ; anal the collective wisdom and experience of the senate rally round the Eye cutive, in order to save Europe and the country is this portentous junct tire, The speech of his MAJESTT, after adverting to the en creased prosperity of the country, and chewing the Meth carry of the enemy's edicts to prevent the circulation of 4 . Ut industry, and to shut out, from the markets of the SAN': Continent,. the prodhce of our colonies, tenews the solemn engagement our Government had previously contracted with the Spanish.natlion.-:- 6 1 His MAJESTY has renewed to " the Spanish nation, in the moment of its difficulties and 66 reverses, the engagements which be voluntarily cou -6' traded at the outset of its struggle against the usurpa q tion and tyranny of France ; and we are commanded to • acquaint you, that these engagements have been re. " duced into the form - of a treaty . of alliance ; which 66 treaty, so soon a, the ratifications shall have been ex " changed, his IVl,sissrir will cause to be laid before 6 6 yoll." We were not a . little astonished at perceiving, in the dis• cussion which ensued on moving the address, some objec tions made to the propriety► of this treaty dalliance, After the most attentive and impartial examination we could not discover the impropriety alluded to; on the contrary, we consider the solemnity of the act, " in the moment of Spanish difficulties and reverses," as equally commendable, on the score of policy, as well as magnanimity. The high opinion it must give the Spanish people and government of British loyalty and honour, will have a great tendency to raise the confidence and spirit of the natives, We are happy to have remarked, that the greatest nnanimity vails as to the wisdom of co-operating yigorously► in sup. port of the Spaniards ; and with the exception of Lord GRUNittLI.E I and two or three Members more in both floases, from whom we would have least expected it, there exists only one opinion on the propriety of making every exertion to assist the Spaniards in the maintenance of their rights and sovereignty. • Slit H. DALRYMPLE.—CONVENTION OF CINTRA. HIS MAJESTY'S DISAPPROBATION. The formal declaration of his Majesty's disapprobation of the Armistice and Convention in Portugal, has been nu. tified to Sir Hew Dalrymple and the other Generals, as follows; 6 4 The King has taken into his consideration the Report of the Board of Inquiry, together with the documents aud opinions thereunto annexed. " While •his Majesty adopts the unanimous opinion of the Board, that no farther Military proceedings is necessary to be had upoir the transactions referred to their investi gation, his Majesty does not intend thereby to convey any expression of his Majesty's satisfaction at the terms aud conditions of the Armistice and Convention. " When those instruments were first laid before his Ma jesty, the king reserving for investigation those parts of the De fi nitive Convention in which his Majesty's immediate interests were concerned, cattsed it to be signified to Sir Hew Dalrymple, .by his Majesty's Secretary of State, that his Majesty, nevertheless, felt himself compelled at once to expron his disapprobation of those articles, in which stipu , lattous were matte directly affecting the interests or feelings of the Spanish and Portug uese nations, gg At the close of th e Inquiry, the King, abstaining from any observations upon other parts of the Convention, repeats his disapprobation of those articles; His Majesty deeming it necessary that his sentiments should be clearly understood, as to the impropriety and danger of the unau thorsed admission into Military Conventions, of articles of such a description, which, especially when ineautiously framedmay lead to the. most injurious consequences. 64 His Majesty cannot forbear farther to observe that Lieutenant-General Sir Hew . Dalrymple's delaying to trans mit for his information the Atinistice conelnded on the 22d August, until the 4th September, when he, at the same time, transmitted the ratified Convention, waa calculated to produce great public inconvenience, and' that inch ia couveuicuct: did in fact result therefrom." I : , ;• 1 J. ~.i t ':. ~, 1 ii. i