The National Register. — London, England, 1809-02-26 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER. THE NATIONAL REGISTER. LOlOOll, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1809. among whom are several Generals of distinction, some say BERTHIER. Thee accounts also state, that he Frenets Garrison was preparing to evacuate Madrid, in the neigh bourhood of which they were throwing up some strong works. Saragossa still holds out ; and the intrepid PALAFOIL is reported to have obtained another decisive advantage over the enemy, in which they lost near 7,000 men. A single trait will suffice to mark the sublimity of his charac ter. (laving been summoned by the besiegers to capitu late, who told him that as all Spain was in thy possession of the French, he could not hope to establish a communim. tion with and other country. " Xercr," says the klero, ran 1 capitulate or surrender: talk If that tam lam dead. 31y communications are open with ertry part o 1 pain, and with the w whole orld ; and if they were cut i my bayonets would •• - oon restore them." Cu iIsTA has like- Si ise obtained some advantage over the enemy ; anti the Army of Duke of INIPANTADO is estimated at 50,000 men. The accounts from Catalonia arc equally gratifying, Itto! MG, a very distinguished Officer, occupied with an Army of .25,000 men, highly disciplined, the strong post of Tap ! ragoua, one of the most important in the province. la Pori ugal the spirit of the people cannot be better. They call loudly for Sir ARTHUR. WELLLSLEY to direct their mili tary ardour. It is now currently reported, that Ministers mean ta. adopt a mode of warfare, with regard to Spain, more con. • sistent, it is said, with our insular situation, naval prepon derance, and military establishment. This is to consist in frequent and partial descents on the extensive line of coast from Bayonne to Genoa. its expediency and advantages were frequently recommended by the great Lord N ILSON / and the alarm which Lord Cocii.a.vst: - kept up, sonic time ago on the French coast in the Mediteraneith prdves, if it be pursued on a large scale, that nothing can contribute inure to harm% and distract the enemy. By t h ese means, the hopes of the Patriots will he constantly kept alive; whilst the invaders will be tormented and worn out by toil some marches. We have frequently alluded to its decisive importance, and have recommended to that effect the Ba learic Islands as the most convenient depot for the military force we should employ in that service. We are also in formed that Government has stipulated with the Supreme Junta, that our troops should take possession of MinOrea ; from whence We may threaten the whole coast of itaiyi . Spain and the South of France. A serious spirit of discontent has manifested itself amen?: the French troops. They are said to express the loudest coin. plaints of the hardships they arc incessantly exposed to; and' the declarations of the prisoners our army made, coincide with these accounts. We have it, in fact, from ttic most MI. questionable authority, that the French soldiers shew the, most decided repugnance to fight against the Spaniards; and though they affect a great deal of contempt for the litary character of that nation, they condemn the iniiitiable ambition of their chieftain, which drags them, in the.me). inclement season of the year, from the Vistula to the F,bro. They complain loudly that, after all the battles they have. fought, and the harrassing privations they have submitted. to, no respite is allowed them; and they see before thein . , only the dreadful prospect of consuming their lives in toils; and dangers, without remuneration or a prospect of future tranquillity. The tyrant has already exhausted every sit and pretext, which could work upon the passions, vanity, or rapacity of his troops. The conquest of England, the freedom of the sea, are no* too stale, too remote and impracticable; to eiicenrage them to perseverance and patience. As . Icing is, ihese hopes were held out, and in order to kccp their Map s of the City of 'London were distritinted• anion . the French regiMents, containing a most accurate *Option, in a military point of view, of S.CVOIRI streets and quarters; and as a stinitiltis to their rapacity, the Mink, the India Honse, and other buildings of that de iwcrr`j~ti i. p rtiicularly 'nuked. Ili the camp it POLITICAL EVENTS OP THE WEEK. Friday a Messenger arrived from Gottenburgh with dispatches from Stockholm. The contents hale not trans pired ; but one fact is stated on the ii:sisencer's authority, which is of importance, at least as indicating the state of the public mind at St. Petersburgh. The character of the Grand Duke CONSTANTINE, and the estimation in which he is held by the better order of the Russian people, are well known. His low habits of hie, and coarse vices, have long rendered hint offensive to the higher classes of the inhabitants of St. Vctersburgh. The disgust which has been felt at his conduct has at length oc casioned an attempt upon his lite. The accounts are not exactly consistent concerning the mode of the attack.-- tonne say that the Duke was shot at, and that the ball passed over his head, and killed the Aide-de-Camp. Others pretend that a plot was formed to kill him in his bed, and that his room being mistaken, his Aide-de-Camp was slain in his place ; but all accounts agree that the Aide-de-Cainp lost his life contrary to the intention of the conspirators. In consequence of this attempt, the EMPEROR, it is added, offered a reward of 200,000 rubles, on the discovery of the offender. This was announced by placards on the walls of the city. The following day an advertisement was posted about the streets, offering 400,000 roubles to any one who should assassinate CONSTANTINE.. The letters from Gottenburgh announce the loss of two ships of war in the Baltic ; one of them is reported to be the Salcette frigate. By the last accounts from the Salcette, there had been little or no communication between that vessel and the shore. We know not whether Government has any direct com munications with the Cabinet of Vienna; but we arc in clined to believe it has, and ground this supposition on the arrival in this country, sonic months ago, of the confiden tial Secretary of M. Vow GENTZ. The latter is the BURKE of the Continent,—the ardent champion of former rights and independence, and an avowed anti intrepid enemy to the late innovations. Ills talents and his patriotism have been always placed in requisition by the Courts of Vienna, Berlin, and St. Petersburgh, whenever they attempted to resist he encroachments of France; and had the measures he proposed been fully adopted, and his counsels implicitly followed, the ancient Germanic Constitution had existed to this day. .Accounts have been received by Goiernment and the Spanish Deputies from Spain. Those transmitted to the Deputies are said to be of a most cheering . nature, arid are dated the 12th inst. The first ardent spirit of patriot ism which animated the Spaniards to resistance hak rekin dled, and begins to bUrst forth, with increased energy, in Most provinces of the Peninsula. The inhabitants of the capital, so far from being compelled, or seduced to obedi ence, evince an increasing . hostdity to the tyrant and his abominable agents. Deprived b . ) , villainy, and the basest initrigues, of the means of resistance and revenge, common between nation and nation, they hive resorted to the last Ortrernity, the mortifying, desperate expedient fora gener (Ali people, that of assassinating their tyrants, They haie been forced to it by accumulated wrongs ,. and by the im ppteuce they have been reduced, thrcpgh treachery and wily policy, to meet that enemy on equal terms in the field. The women, th,c romantic SPanish . women, enthusiastic, and cowhi ning with the fincit . and . most 4cli cate tee . lolo, the .subtlety. of their dim h yinirdqcd; 1u tfiia manner, it is said, I of rieTia Otecizis, ! the late innovations. His talents and net patriotism nave been always placed in requisition by the Courts of Vicuna, Berlin and St. Petersburgh, whenever they attempted to I resist ihe encroachments of France; and lid the measures followed, the ancient Germanic Constitution had existed to questionable the French troops. They are said to express the loudest cont. Plaints of the hardships they arc incessantly exposed to ; anti the declarations of the he proposed been fully adopted, and his counsels implicitly prisoners our arm • made, coincide with these accounts. We have it, in fact,from the most ou- authority, that the French soldiers chew the. coincide ' this day. most decided repugnance to fight against the Spaniards; i , I —.is— and though they affect a great deal of contempt for the mi!: .Accopts have been received by Goiernment and the litary character of that nation, they condemn the iiii4atiable . Fpanish Deputies from Spain. Those transmitted to the ambition of their chie ft ain , which drags them, in th e. mo Deputies are said to be of a most cheering . nature, and inclement season of the year, from the Vistula to the P.liro. i- . are dated the 12th inst. The first ardent spirit of patriot- They complain loudly that, after all the battles they have. ism which animated the Spaniards to resistance hats rekin- fought, and the harrassing privations they have submitted. ••i died, and begins to bUrst forth, with increased energy, in to, no respite is allowed them; and they see before them' li Most provinces of the Peninsula. The inhabitants of the only the dreadful prospect of consuming their lives in toils , . • capital, so far from being compelled, or seduced to obedi- and dangers, without remuneration or a prospect of future 1 ence, evince an increasing . hostdity to the tyrant and his tranquillity. . I . abominable agents. Deprived by villainy, and the basest The tyrant has already exhausted every ant and pretext, . . initrignes, of the means of resistance and rcienge, common which could work upon the passions, Vanity, or rapacity between nation and nation, they hive resorted to the last of his . troops. The conquest of England, the freedom of . Oarernity, the mortifying,desperate expedient for . agener- the sea, are no* too stale, too remote and impracticable; .. pui people , that of assassinating their tyrants, They have to . encourage them to perseverance and patience. As. been forced to it b y accumulated wrongs , and by the ina. Icing as, ilise hoes were held out, and in order to keep through ppteuce they have been reduced, treachery and them alve, map s of the City of London were distrilinted• , the . • . . . wily polic, to meet that enem on equal terms in h among the Freuch regiMents, containing a most accurate field. Th e women, the romant ic Siianish women, ardent, . dessription, in a military point of view, of s everal streets cnthUsiastic, and combining with the fin est and most . deli- and qttarters ; and as a stimulus to their rapacity, the 4* rate tecijnp, ihe.sUhtlety..of their difnaie,.(fairejinideied; I BiUk, the India House, and other bOildings of that de- . ill liiii mann*, it ri said, I iiitilbn of triera Oittazii, ' iii4fidli. 'i - v - e -- re . p — tirrietilarli Marked. In the camp :it nimmi.....................mmii FEB. 26. 131 1, ,..„ 1 9111° t' l l 1 : 1 1 1 f l il . '. r 1 ~ ( * i y I .':