The National Register. — London, England, 1809-04-09 00:00:00

TIIE NATIONAL REGIS' IL g. . . From this view of the present state of the Peninsula, it is easy to anticipate the most brilliant result to the expedition which is preparing to sail under Sir Arthur Wellesley. It will amount iu the first instance, to altout 30,Q00 men, a larg e force of cavalry and artillery inclu dem. We cannot help expressing, on this occasion, our regret at not seeing the name of the gallant Gen. FERG ti SON, among the general officers who accoivany Sir 4 It. After the distinguished services which that young and meritorious officer rendered at the battle of Vimiera, we trust that the independence anti integrity he displayed, during the late investigation, will not be considered by his Majesty's Ministeri as a 'disqualification to future pro motion, and the further exercise of his professional talents. Could we 'maintain so despicable an opinion of their principles anti understanding., we would consider them the last. Men existing fit to he entructed with the ad ministration of the country. :This sentiment, we trust, is asgefieral as just; and we cannot entertain that paltry opinion of any set of Ministers, as to iniag,ine that indepen dence in the Senate excludes promotion in the army. We will, therefore, .rather suppose that it is-the reported indis position of 'General . FinswsoN, and no !mkt intrigue, which deprives the country at present of the benefit of his talents. _ _ _ It has not transpired as vet, whether the force under Sir ARTHUR NVE.IESLEY is to remain for the defence of Por tugal ; or to Penetrate immediately into GalHein, in order to co-operate with the Asturians and Gallicians, and wrest from the enemy the fleet at Ferrol. We have reason, how ever, to think that so enterprising an ollicer,with the powers entrusted' to hiin, will seize, with avidity, the present aus picious moment to act on the offensive. Caution and de lay frustrated'the effects of the last co-operation.By vigour and rapidity we may now retrieve the senseless blunders Which were corniiiitted during that unfortunate campaign ; and recover the honour of the British arms. Every man of every party and persuasion must take an animated in terest in the object of this Expedition. If successful, whilst it raiser' the national reputation, and offers a greater chance for future security, it avenges a ge nerowi rind 'an outraged nation, it drives the invaders beyond the Pyrenees, it -re-estAlisheS the Spaniards hi the possession of their' independence, and gives them time and !means to prepare against future danger. These are motives powerful enough to 'operate on minds more slug glish, and on hearts more contracted than the British Na tion were ever thought tci possess. Formerly an act of 6PPression to a neighbouring' people, roused every indig nant-feeling - in the breasts of Englishmen ; and their hand and their purse were. willingly offered in support of the in jured party.. • They have not degenerated, we are cer tain,.' froth those ennobling principles; and the ardent in terest they will display on the present occasion, will convince Europe, that the preminent trait, in our character, is still the• same.—Sympathy in the misfortunes of others. an 'ardent love cif freedom, and an abhorrence of injtistice occupation of 'this province, in a military point of view, is of the highest importake; and if the Austrians succeed in obtaining yossession of lCuffstein and one or two more mountain fortresses, the inhabitants themselves. who are the first sharp-shooters in the world, au4 bold and enterprising, to an astonishing degree, frona the very nature of their occupation, which is bunting. wits be able to maintain their independence, if assist only by a small auxiliary force of Austrians, against any number the eneniv will be able to detach against them foe sonic time. Their neighbourhood to Switzerlaud is an- other object of the highest consideration, and we cau, without any spirit of prophecy, predict, that should the Tyrolese rise, as we expect, in favour of their former Severeizn, the spirit of "resistance to Corsican 041)091 will not he confined to their mountains, but wilt c ornm!; - . nicate rapidly to Graubinden, and th e smaller AiWnis, cantons. The demonstrations which are making, on !Roth sides, along the extensive line of frontier, from Gallicia eastward to the mountains of the Tyrol to the south-west, are as formidahle, as, the atrocity ofthe aggression is iniquitous and unprovoked; and the motives to resistance imperiously urgent, Duripg this awful interval, the mind of the observer is impressed with inexpressible sensations ;—it fluctuates incessantly betwee¢ the strongest fears and hopes, without indulging, for an 7 time, in either unmixed. Whilst we cannot but admire the determination of Austria, and are happy to perceive 'that her measures correspond with the danger that menate her; whilst we take the liveliest, the most personal interest, in her fate, and ofter up to that power, who holds the destinies Of nations in his hand, the west fervent supplications in her behalf- T our anxiety and alarm inci case Ri proportion as the decisive moment approaches. 'fills uneasiness must not be explained as the eftect of despondent anticipation of misfortupes likely to overwhelm that power ; it pro, ceeds, from a consideration oft hose that May ensue. The-stake, which both parties are going to play f'or, is so extremely unequal, that this very circumstance gives a more sombrc colonriog to our feelings;--the success, or, at most, the life of a solitary ruffian is laid against the repose, independence, and morality of an entire generation ! The idea immediately substitutes indig nation fqr nneasiness ; and we take, leaving Our own national interests out of the question, an animated, a par.; tial part in favour of Austria. She is the party in jured ; it is she who plays at such unequal oddsi—that had the present subject cif contention been related to us as event which had taken place seine thousand years ago, every generous, every humane principle in our nature would be instantly roused by the recital. But when the occurrence is passing before our own ekes; hen it corns a neighbouring and a friendly state ;is it is only ' the prelude to demonstrations of a much more hostile and alarming tendency against ourselves—we then feel all that interest or sympathy, in their warmest eft'usions, can inspire. The fate of Austria decides that of Europe. if she fall, oppression, with the rapidity and devastation of a torrent, which in its alarming progress had been restrained by son strong and high mound, it at last swept away, will level th 6, remaining traces of independence. In less than a year after . that event, a flat of the tyrant, after having torn from the. Russians all the acquisitions they have made since the time of PETER Tar GREAT, will pronounce them a tartar horde too rude, too savage, to rank amoug the civilized nation* of Europe. Should such a period arrive; should vice and cowardice occasion so monstroni a revolution, every evil which the insolence of successful villainy, or the wildest suspicion of - gloomy despotism, can inflict, will visit largely and wantonly, the nations of the earth. These arc the anticipations, which must agitate every man, as often . as he reflects on the . :mpending contest be tween France and Austria. • The preparations made by the latter remove every doubt, that her government is not in- . sensible to the accumulating peril of her situation. Loud and frequent apieals arc made to the pat rie tisir V RIM IN dl I I= and oppression. Though no accounts have been recently received that war has been formerly declare(' between. France and Austria, letters, containing adVice of the commencement of hostili ties, have been recently received from flatland. The first scene of action, as we had reason to anticipate, was Tyrol; a theatre so favourable to Austria ' • whether we consider the former . loyalty' of the brave and hardy moun taineers, which neither difficulties, nor disasters had been able to abate, in favour of the House of Habsburg, or that of Lorraine;—the Austrians have been success ful. The affair took place on the tith ult. but its extent or the•number of troops engaged on both sides, we haie not been able to ascertain. We know, however, from previous accounts, that the greater part of the Bavarian troops were stationed there; mid that the Austrians had collected a very considerable army in the neighbourhood , of Saltaburf, which T err frenticri of the vcol. Th t c • • I i ■