The constitutionalist — Exeter, N.H., 1810-11-26 00:00:00, page 2

broad and imperative; looking en
tirely to the future, and not clogging
any arrangements, calculated to secure
a respect for our rights hereafter, by
any past conduct, however atrocious.
On this head, therefore, the President,
being vested with no discretion, could
exercise none."
Democracy, put in violent motion,
is like a whirlwind, spinning on its
little cud at bottom, diverging atop,
and drawing into its circle, dry leaves,
chaff, straw, rotten wood, and every
other kind of light trumpery. Dur.
ing the rage of democracy in Franco,
ugliness of appearance and brutality
of manners were considered as estima
ble traits of character, and led to notice
and preferment. The democrats there,
as we are told, to distinguish them
selves from the aristocracy, wore
mean slovenly apparel; particularly
coarse neckcloths, wrapped round the
neck in a huge bundle, like a horse
.collar, and projecting beyond their
chins* and whilst they cropped off the
hair of their pates, they shaded their
cheeks with huge republican whiskers.
Literature they held in utmost con
tempt. An orator of the convention
boasted that " he felt himself infinitely
superior to the prejudices of Grotius,
Fuffendorf and Vattel."—Another dis
tinguished orator and lawgiver, Hen
riot by name, exclaimed, " Let us
burn all the libraries and all the an
tiquities, and have no guide but our
selves." Le Bon, one of the repre
sentatives of the people, used to dine
daily and familiarly with the public
executioner. In the convention, the
honours of the sitting were daily
granted to deputations of fish women
and chimney sweepers; and the Pres
ident, in the year 1793, rose from his
scat in the national hall, and gave the
fraternal embrace to an old negro
wench. " In the space of a year"
says a French writer, " the revolution
ists nearly destroyed the fruits of sev
eral ages of civilization." Their bru
/talitv was shown toward even the dead.
No other ceremony was observed by
them to the dead, than enclosing the
body in some rough boards and send
ing it off for burial by a couple of por
ters. Nor were the relations permit
ted to follow, but were prohibited
under severe penalties.—Thus the
French, from their being the politest
nation in the world, became at once,
of all, the most vulgar, coarse, and
brutal in their manners.
The democracy of our own coun
ty, though not yet arrived to the
same pitch, does in some respects con
siderably resemble its parent stock.
Not to mention the Tammany tribes,
which, borrowing their manners from
' savages, and their distinctions from
four-footed animals, are preeminent
It is something, to find one of our
ministerialists courageous enough to
use such bold language as to say, that
"the seizure and sequestration of our
property by France is highly repre
hensible , but how it happens to be
a reason that no stipulation should be
entered into before the non-inter
course was suspended, that the seiz
ures and sequestrations took place long
before Bonaparte's declaration re
voking his decrees, is beyond compre
hension. If that is a good reason in
this case, why not with regard to the
long before the revocation, why that
is a proper subject for negociation—
and therefore out comes the proclama
tion in favour of her.
But, says Mr. Gales, (talking about
France) " the terms of the act of Con
gress (of May last) arc broad and im
perative; looking entirely to the fu
ture, and not clogging any arrange
ments, calculated to secure a respect
for our rights hereafter, by any past
conduct, however atrocious. On
This head, therefore, the President be
ing vested with no" descretion, could
exercise none." -Well, then, if the
President bad no discretion as it re
gards France, how much has he in re
gard to Great-Britain ? If the act of
Congress looks entirely to the future,
as it respects France, by what author
ity is it made to look both ways as it
respects Great-Britain. If the Presi
dent has no discretion as it respects
France, where did he get some in re
gard to Great-Britain ? Verily, Mr.
Gales, this is more contradictory than
your predecessour, with all his skill,
would have been. — ibid.
impressment of seamen which happen
ed long before the seizures? And yet,
this impartial gentleman, would have
the President with-hold his Proclama
tion in the event of Great-Britain's
merely rescinding her Orders in Coun
cil, unless she also abandons her pa
per blockades, and the impressment of
seamen also. But as to dearly belov
ed France, the Decrees of Berlin and
Milan are revoked, and as the plun
dering of our merchants took place
carried her promise into effect. But
she is not charged with any such con
duct. It has moreover been seen, that
the terms of the act of Congress arc
DEBASEMENT OF MANNERS.
[By the Enterprise, Capt. Cottle, ar
rived in Boston, from Dublin in
11 days!!]
The appearance of the equinoctial
commencing, His Majesty [Murat]
yesterday ordered some detachments to
set sail for Scallita (Sicily.) At 3 in
the morning, they landed at St. Stefano,
dislodged the enemy from it, and ad
vanced to Duchessa. But his Majesty
finding the winds and currents would
not permit his succouring them, order
ed them to return ; and they finished
their embarkation before the enemy
perceived them, with the exception of
some men who were not able to be
brought back for want of boats.
Among civilized people the world
over (except democrats of the jacobin
stamp) Ambassadors are held sacred,
and treated at least with decent man
ners. After the peace, the first Am
bassador sent from this country over
to England, was Mr. John Adams: a
man, than whom none, or scarce any
one in the United States, was at that
time more obnoxious to the govern
ment and people of G. Britain. But
though the wounds from the war
which was then just ended, were still
fresh & bleeding, & though Mr. Adams,
for obvious reasons, was more unwel
come than would have been almost any
man else from this country ; yet was
he well received, and treated civilly
and respectfully by all ranks,' from
the throne to the cottage.
What a striking contrast is beheld
between this and the treatment of Mr.
Jackson ; the details of which we need
not repeat. We do believe however
that the semi-savages who set up their
yells against Mr. Jackson, from the
time of his arrival and even before his
arrival to this country, and who fol
lowed him with their yells, wherever
he went ; who seemed the more spite
ful, by reason that he passed by their
indignities toward him with a smile of
contempt ; who foamed more with
rage because he requited the burning
him in effigy, with giving as a toast in
Canada, "The prosperity of the Unit
ed States." We do believe that
these noisy gentry are the mere grub
street writers of their party, the light
trumpery which the whirlwind of de
mocracy had raised aloft ; and that the
better part of democrats despise them
for their brutal conduct.
Nor can we think that democrats of
common sense and decency do heartily
approve of the growlings of the mas
tiffs of their party against Mr. Pinkney,
for accepting (not a rank in Napole
on's Legion of Honour, such as was
given to Messrs. Jefferson and Madi
son,) but a Doctor's Diploma from a
British University, and also for attend
ing a sheep-shearing festival, and a fes
tival of a Benevolent Society, and be
having with the politeness of a gentle
man at each.—ls these are heinous
faults, in the view of the people at
large, then are the people degenerat.
ing to hordes of savages; a sentiment
that we cannot admit.— Cen. Courant.
* This fashion was brought from France
to the United States some fifteen or eighteen
years ago; and for a considerable length of
time, was generally prevalent over this
country.
Mr. Walsh the messenger, has ar
rived from Portugal, which he left on
the 7th inst. No new battle had been
fought.
Orders have been given for an ad
ditional reinforcements to proceed im
mediately to Portugal.
oct. 19. Lord W. conducted his
march towards Lisbon in the best or,
der. Gen. Silviera, Trant and Wilson,
follow the rear of Massena's army,and
he only controuls the ground he oc
cupies.
Gen. Wilson is to proceed to Sicily
to command an expedition against
Corfu.-
ITALY. pyale, sept. 18. 1810.
INVASION OF SICILY.
Brig. Gen. Crawford has died in
Portugal, not Gen. Crawford, Mr.
Wyndham's friend, as stated in the
papers. /
Orders have been given from the
War Office for additional reinforce
ments to proceed immediately to Por
tugal.
All hopes of the recovery of the
Princess Amelia are given up, and her
dissolution hourly expected.
in the art of sinking human nature;
we will just glance upon one species
of brutality that has been more gen
eral. We mean the ruffian-like treat
ment of Ambassadors when the nature
of their embassies happens not to suit
this august nobility of the nation.
This was shown formerly toward Mr.
Rose, and since, with tenfold ferocity,
toward Mr. Jackson.
foreign j?cws.
LONDON, OCT. 19, 1810.
ENGLAND.
position, it is stated, he had about
70,000 men, militia included ; and was
amply supplied. Gen. Silvicria and
.Gen. Wilson, with a strong body of
Portuguese irregulars, were hanging on
the rear of Massena's army. The Mar
quis Romana, with 15,000 men was on
the Tagus, following Lord Welling
ton's march.
Unless an immediate embarkation
took place, a general and decisive bat
tle could not be avoided. The English
merchants had waited upon Admiral
Berkeley for permission to embark on
board the transports; but were de
nied, as there was not shipping sufficient
to take away the troops ; and at the
same time hinted there was no great
cause of apprehension.
The Earl of Liverpool has received
a despatch, of which the following are
extracts, from Lord Wellington, dated,
'-“ Coimbra, Sept. 30, 1810.
" My Lord —-While theenemy ad
vanced from Celerico for Viseu, Col.
Trant, with the Portuguese militia, was
employed upon the flanks and the rear,
and attacked the escort of the military
chest and reserve artillery, near Tojal,
on the 20th took two officers, and 100
prisoners and afterwards retired to
wards the Douro.
“ On the 21st the enemy pushed on
to St. Cambadao, and Generals Pack
and Crawford retired to Mortagoa.
[Lord W. then proceeds to detail the
situation he took on the Sierra of Bu
saco (a few miles to the northward of
Coimbra) and of the advance of the
French army, commanded by Marshal
Massena, consisting of the 2nd corps,
under Qen. Regnier, the 6th under
Marshal Ney, and the Bth under Gen.
Junot, to force that position. After
describing some smart skirmishing be
tween the light troops of thetwo armies
he proceeds.]
“ At 6 A. M. on the 27th, the ene
my made two desperate attacks upon
our position, on tpe right and left of
the highest point of the Sierra. The
attack on the right was made by two
divisions, on the 3d division -of our in
fantry. One division of the French
arrived at the top of the ridge, when
it was attacked in the most gallant
manner by the 88th regiment under
Col. Wallace, 45th, under Col. Meade,
RETREAT OF THE ENGLISH
, ARMY.
London, oct. 19. The following
intelligence is by the Elizabeth packet,
from Lisbon, and may be relied upon.
As has before been stated, Massena
made a strong and rapid movement to
outflank Lord Wellington's army on
the Moudego.—This of course, requir
ed a counteracting movement on the
part of his Lordship, and produced the
battles on the 26th and 27th at Bassa
co, near Coimbra, [a town onthe Mon
dego a few miles from the Atlantic.]
A general battle was expected on the
28th, which did not take place. On
the Ist October, after giving time to
the inhabitants of Coimbra to remove
themselves and valuables, Lord Wel
lington left the banks of the Mondego,
and retreated towards Lisbon; and on
the 7th occupied a position extending
from the Tagus to the Ocean, on a
chain of fortified heights. His 11. Q
on that day were at Alcebaca, about
40 miles from Lisbon ; having his right
at Alhandra on the Tagus, and his left
at Peniche, on the Atlantic. In this
" My despatch on the 20th inst.
will have informed you of the measures
taken to collect the army in this neigh
bourhood, and if possible to prevent
the enemy from obtaining possession
of the town.
Marshal Massena, in a letter dated
" Viseu, Sept. 22d, 1810," states,
That the French advanced from Al
meida the 16th September, and after
traversing " hideous roads" arrived on
the 19th at Viseu, and occupied the
bridge of Criss :—That the English re
tired towards Coimbra as the French
advanced :—That the grand park of ar
tillery and heavy baggage were still be
hind ; and had been attacked by 2000
Portuguese, who were repulsed by 200
French ! —That the artillery and bag
gage had suffered considerably; but as
soon as they were repaired he should
pursue his rout upon Coimbra, where
he was certain of finding the English
and Portuguese united. The Marshal
concludes thus: “ We only march o
ver desarts.—Not a soul is to be met
with any where—every place is aban
doned.—Women,children, and old age,
all fly. In short we cannot find a
guide in any place. Our soldiers are
contented, and impatient for the mo
ment in which they shall meet the ene
my." From Viseu, Massena advanc
ed to Avellans, crossed the Mondego,
and proceeded to Leira, where at the
last dates his H. Q. were established,
There were, during these events, some
sharp skirmishing between the advance
and and rear guards of the armies.
OFFICIAL LETTER OF LORD
WELLINGTON.
PROGRESS OF THE FRENCH
ARMY.
“ The enemy did not renew his at
tack [excepting by the fire of his light
troops on the 28th] 6ut he moved a
large body of infantry and cavalry
from the left of his centre to the rear,
from whence I saw his cavalry in march
on the road which leads from Mortagoa
over the mountains towards Oporto.
" Having thought it probable that
he would endeavour to turn our left
by that road, I directed Col. Trant,
with his division of militia, to march
to Sardao, with the intention that he
should occupy those mountains, but
unfortunately he was sent round by
Oporto, by the general officer com
manding in the north, in consequence
of a small detachment of the enemy
being in possession of St. Pedro de Sul ;
and notwithstanding the efforts which
he made to arrive in time, he did not
reach Sardao till the 28th at night, af
ter the enemy was in possession of the
ground.
“ As it was probable that in the
course of the night of the 28th, the en
emy would throw his whole army up
on that road, by which he could avoid
the Sierra de Busaco, and reach Coim
bra, by the high road to Oporto and
thus the army have been exposed
to be cut off from that town, or to a
general action ,on less favourable
grounds : and as I had reinforcements
in my rear, I was induced to withdraw
from the Sierra de Busaco. The ene
my did break up in the mountains at
eleven at night of the 28th, and he
made the march expected. His advan
ced guard was at Avelans, in the road
from Oporto to Coimbra, yesterday ;
and the Whole army was seen in march
through the mountains ; that under my
command, however was already in the
low country between the Sierra de
Busaco and the sea ; and the whole of
it, with the exception of the advanced
guard, is this day on the left of the
Mondego.
Although from the unfortunate cir
cumstance of the delay of Col. Trant's
arrival at Sardao, I am apprehensive
that I shall not succeed iu effecting the
object which I had in view in passing
the Mondego, and in occupying the
Sierra deßusaco,l do not regret my hav
ing done so. —This moment has offer
ed me a favourable opportunity of
shewing the enemy the description of
troops of which the army is composed ;
it has brought the Portuguese levies
into action with the enemy for the first
time in an advantageous situation ; and
they have proved that the trouble which
has been taken with them has not been
thrown away, and that they are wor
thy of contending in the same ranks
with British troops in this interesting
cause, which they afford the best hopes
of saving."
" Throughout the contest upon Si
erra, and in all the previous marches,
and in those we have since made, the
whole a,ny have conducted them
selves in the most regular manner.
Accordingly all the operations have
been carried on with ease, the soldiers
have suffered no privations, have un
dergone no unnecessary fatigue, there
has been no loss of stores, and the af
my is in high spirits.
“ I could not do justice to the ser
vice, or to my own feeling, if I did
" Another French division attack
ed further on the right, but was re
pulsed before it could reach the top of
the ridge by the 7 Ith regiment under
Col. French, and a brigade of Portu
guese infantry, directed by Col. Mack
innon.—Gen. Leith also moved to his
left to support Gen. Picton, with the
3d battalion of Royals, the Ist and 2d
battalions of the 38th regiment and
aided in the defeat of the enemy.
'' On the left, three divisions of
French infantry attacked the part of
the Sierra commanded by Brig. Gen.
Crawford, and Pack. Oue division
only made any progress toward the
top of the hill, and they were imme
diately charged by Gen. Crawford,
with the 43d, 52d and 95th regiments,
and 3d Portuguese Cacadores, and
driven down with immense loss.
" Gen. Clenian's Portuguese brig
ade moved to support Crawford's and
a battalion of the 19th Portuguese
regiment made a gallant and success
ful charge upon a body of another di
vision of the enemy, which was endeav
ouring to penetrate in that quarter.
" Besides these attacks the light
troops of the two armies were engag
ed throughout the 27th.
"The loss sustained by the enemy
in his attack on the 27th has been en
ormous. I understand General of di
vision Merle, and Gen. Maucune are
wounded; and Gen. Simon was taken
by the 52d regiment, and 3 colonels,
33 officers and 250 men. The enemy
left 2000 killed on the field of battle,
and I understand from the prisoners
and deserters, that their wounded is
immense.
and Sth Portuguese regiment under
Col. Douglas, the whole directed by
Major General Picton. These three
regiments advanced with the bayonet,
and drove the enemy from the advan
tageous ground which we had occupied.
Letters from Lisbon.
" Lisbon, Oct. 4. I enclose you
Lord Wellington's official account of
the battle of the 27th. The French loss
in killed, wounded and prisoners, ,s
calculated to exceed 5000. —They are,
however so numerous, that they have
compelled Lord W. to fall back to his
strong entrenched line of defence in
tended to cover this capital. Villa
Francha and Peniche, and have advanc
ed to Coimbra, Figuera, &c. No
doubt is entertained that a great bat-
Capt. Forbes has arrived here from
Lisbon, which he left the Bth October.
He informs that since the battle of the
27th September [detailed in Lord
Wellington's official letter] there had
been no other than affairs of out-posts.
—That both armies had been reinforc
ed, Lord Wellington's by 14,000 un
der the Marquis Romana ; and Mas
sena by 10,000 men under Regnier
[This is a mistake; —Regnier, who
commands the 6th corps of the French
army, joined Massena several days
before the battle of the 27th ;] —That
an Embargo had been laid at Lisbon
as a precautionary measure, for the
removal of persons and property if
necessary ; and that the French had
entered Oporto.
The Lisbon Gazettes contain offi
cial accounts from Lord Wellington
to the 3d October. —His H. Q. were
then at Leira ; at which time the
French occupied the mountains be
tween the Mondego and the Vouga,
and left no troops in Upper Beira.
The accounts add, that the French
communication with Spain was cut off
by corps of Spanish and Portuguese
militia : and that they were not only
in want of provisions but military
stores, and that they can obtain them
only by fighting, as they could get no
supplies.
^ The residue of this letter is oc
cupied with acknowledgments to vari
ous officers particularly to Marshal
Beresford, Lt. Gen. Spencer, Major
Generals Leith and Picton, Brig. Gen.
Howarth, L'. Colonels Mackinnon,
Champelmound, de Arouje Bacallar,
Wallace, Meade, Sutton, Douglas, Ar
entchild, Bathurst, and Fletcher; Ma
jor Smith, of the 45th(who was killed)
and Major Birmingham.
Oilcial Returns of killed, wounded
and missing of Lord Wellington's arniv,
viz. I Major, 2 Captains, 9 Subalterns,
6 Seargeants, 1 drummer, 196 rank &
tile, and 5 horses, KILLED:—I Co
lonel, 4 Lieutenant Colonels, 6 Majors,
16 Captains, 30 Subalterns, 32 Sear
geants; 3 drummers, 917 rank and file
12 horses Wounded: —l Captain, 3
seargeants, 54 rank and file, and 10
horses, Missing.
The enemy taking warning by the
reception giving him the 27th ult. en
deavored to obtain by manoeuvre what
he could not effect by fair battle ;
but Lord Wellington has frustrated
his project. Our army continues to
concentrate itself; while that of Mas
sena is continually involved in new
difficulties, having his communication
cut off. We hope the happiest results;
and that French audacity will pay dear
for having penetrated into Portugal.
oct. 6. Lord Wellington's H. Q.
continues at Leiria ; and we have not
learned that the enemy has advanced
from Coimbra.
[Translated and extracted from the
latest Portuguese and French
papers.]
Copenhagen, (Denmark) Sept.
22. The American ship Lion, with a
cargo estimated at 700.000 rix dollars,
has been acquitted by the Prize Court-
It is expected the captors will appeal.
not take this opportunity -of drawing
your Lordship's attention to the merits
of Marshal Beresford. To him exclu
sively under the Portuguese govern
ment, is due the merit of having raised,
formed, disciplined and equipped the
Portuguese army, which has now shewn
itself capable of engaging and defeat
ing the enemy."
" I have besides received from him
upon all occasions, all the assistance
which his experience and abilities and
knowledge of this country have quali
fied him to afford me."
Hamburg, Sept. 26. The Ameri
can vessels lately embargoed in the
Duchy of Holstein, which have landed «
or disposed of their cargoes, have ob
tained permission to sail.
Journal du Commerce.
Sp t^e saite.
NEW-YORK.
NEW-YORK, NOV. 16, 1810.
LATEST FROM PORTUGAL.
“(Signed) WELLINGTON."
" I have the honor to be, &c.
PORTUGAL.
LISBON, OCT. 5, 1810.