Virginia Argus — Richmond, Va., 1810-03-13 00:00:00, page 1

■ . VIRGIN 1A ARGUS.
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XVIIth year.] a free press maintains the sovereignty of the people. " ' 1 ZZZ"" ' n“ 1'J‘*
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ro* r*« VIRGINIA A ARGUS.
DON ONliitic. &c. See.
A wicked party whose .cause is
wehk, is perpetually grasping at un
important incidents, or inventing fact?
which havo no existence in reality, to
prop itself before the public in a res
pertable posture. AU that is neces
p 'ty to be done, in order to expose
the folly and wickedness of such a
party, is to knock away the props.
rJ he whole fabric of falsehood is then
a Exposed to the view of the people.
' ‘tll'he English nation, like the Arne !
ficans, felt the most delightful sensa
tions under the inftuence of an idea
that rhe Spaniards were about to assert
'their independence with vigor, and
that they vres^ likely to be successful.
The British ivlinisTy, glad to find
their peculiar policy of teazing Bona
parte so well -seconded by the British
public, came to the determination of
sending to the interior of Spain an ef
fective English force, under the com
wand of an able Gen’l. which, bv aid
ing the immense Spanish armies which
it was supposed were already formed
rod to be immediately formed in Spain
t > oppose the French, it was imagined
would be sufficient considerably to
t mbarmss, it not totally to overthrow
the plans of Napoleon in relation to
Spain: or, at least, to keep him so em
ployed iu the Peninsula, that he should
not be able to meet the pressure of a'
war which the gold and the intrigues
ot England at that very time were
kindling in the heart of Germany.
A ccordingly, on the 6:h of Oct. 1808,
Sir J. Moore received his commission
r » commander in chief of a corps of
} imish tenon* to hp pmnlnvfd nn
service; The total number of men
put Under tht direction of this officer,
w.is 27,960. An Sir John advanced
5ato Spain, he began to discover thac
the English rfhtion hid been imposed
tipon ; that the Spanish Junta were a
wretched body of men, incapable of
sustaining a contest with Bonaparte, &
that they were totally destitute of every
efficient resource. We do not mean to
deal in vague assertion but speak from
authentic documents: and we there
f re beg the reader to peruse with at
temtioh tae following genirine extracts,
taken from 44 A Narrative of the cam
yutg£ of the British army in Spain,
commanded by his excellency Lieut.
Gen. Sir John Moore, K. B. authen
ticated by official papers ;.rtd original
letters, by James Moore, Esq.” prln
ted in London, for Joseph Johnson,
S'.. Paul’s church yurd, in the year
1*09, and a few copies of which (in
quarto} have reached the United
S.UlCs*
EXTRACTS.
44 There was a great want of money,
from which excessive inconveniences
resulted. At Guarda the chief ma
gistrate refused to procure provisions
without regular payments."—Page 12.
44 General Blake’s army, called the
at my of the left, was known to be in the
utmost danger, yet the council of war
composed of the principal Spanish
g'-neruls came to the following resolu
te : 44 Attention being had to the ac
tual state of penury and want, which \
• lip Qrmu A f tYfeJh 1-0 f 1
--J--v«vuklVU VV W • I
tor most necessary means, is suffer-]
iug; considering also that this effec-J
live force is much less than had been i
supposed j it is agreed that in the pre-'
sent moment it cannot be of assistance,
to the army of the left, notwithstand
ing the conviction of the urgency of
such assistance,” &c.—-Page 14.
*• A short passage extracted from
the marquis of Caatanos’ despatches
t » the secretary of the Central Junta,
Nov. $5>h, 1808, gives a further view
of the state of the principal Spanish
nrmv-—it is as follows: ** I leave to
jour excellency to conceive the criti
ral situation of an army immovable
from its few ri sources, and the great
est part of which was composed of new
levies, badly Clothed, and badlv provi
sioned.”— Page 15.
“ A letter Irom capt, Whittingham
to Lord Win. Hentinch. will shew the
jn.piess.ion that tire appearance of
part ol ibeir army made upon an Kn
j.lish Officer. ** Head quarters, Ca
lahorra, 28th Oct. 1808. On the 25th
Gtn. Castanet left this place foi Lo
^ gror.o. Wr arrived about four in th<
^ rvenit.p. 'l he army of Castile was
^ drew.) up U jeedve lire Genrul. 1
%
I
strength about 11,000 men. But v
form any ilea ol its composition, i
>«$ absolutely necessary to have see:
it. It is aconplst: mass of miserable
peasantry, without clothing, withou1
argaaixati on, and with tew cuicer
that deserve the name. The Gen',
and principal officers have not the leas'
confidence in their troops : and, waa:
s yet worse, the men have no confi
lence in themselves. This is not an
exaggerated picture ; it is a true por
trait.”—Page 15.
“The Spanish Juntas exerted all
their finesse to deceive, not their en
i etny, but (heir ally ; and succeeded sc
perfectly, as to lead the n to execute a
>lan adapte i to a state of circumstan
ces the reverse of their real coaditL
on. Their high-sojndingproclamati
ons, exaggerated numbers, invented
victories, and vaunted enthusiasm,
could not deceive hi m whom it was use
ful to deceive. Bonaparte possessed
ample mean* of obtaining exact infor
mation. There were traitors even a
mong the loudest see niug patri it-*,
who enabled him to c dculute, with
perfect accuracy, th * precise portion
of patriotism scattered through So in.”
—Page 15. ‘
# <v Urgent and alarming as was the
situation of affairs, the diDtorinuss of
the Spanish government could not be
corrected* So that when Sir David
Baird arrived at Corunna, Oct. 13th,
the Junta of G illicia refused him per
mission ta land the troops. Cir Da
vid Baird was astonished and sent
ofr expresses to Madrid and to Lisbon,
lie at last obtained leave to lan I, but
his reception was so colJ, and th-re
was such a total want ol all ex;rtun
to asssiit hi.n in eqaippiog tile ur.n
for its advance, that tie wrote to Sir
John Moore to know if he had th
sanction of the Supreme Junta for the
admission of bri-.i .h troop? into Spain.
He w 13 at last satisfied a» to t :ia point;
Hut he foun 1, that whatever was ne
cesaary either for the su.ten.tnie or
movement of the troops, must be pro
cured solely by his own exertions ;
and by paying a high price to those
whom he came to a;si3‘.—-Pa^es
and IB. °
“‘The troops fro n Lisbon begin to
march in h re to- nerrow. Adairs
here are by no mean-, iu the fio m*h
ing state they are represented and be
lieved to bo in IinglaniJ. “Sir John
Moore to Lord William beniinch
13th Nov. 1808. Pagca 22 a id 2i. ’
“It appeared very s ngulur that
the advance of the french so far into
tne country had prod .cud m sensati
on among the people. The peupl
. ere all traiqu'.L, and employed ir*
their ordiuary occupations and amuse
ments ; unci se,-med to know or care
very little about public matters. The
passive disposition of the Spaniards
was most remarkable ; 1 >r they h «arJ
of the generous intentions of the bri
tiah and of the destructive ravjges ol
the French, with i.lmost cqual'indit
ference.”—Page 27.
“ We are now it. the greatest dis
tress for money. I fear that in Lng
land, until ver> lately, they were noi
aware ol tfe imp *s3ibility of procur
ing money either in Portugal or
SlVl'lit P-v rrM rl(\ C2 : — T -.1 . I _
I- -’O j Villi mwwiv
to the Hr. Hon. J. Hookha n Prere,
Nov. 10, 1808.
“ You already know how much wc
are distressed for money. If money
is to be found (sych are our necessi
ties) we must get it upon any terms.”
Sir John Moore to the same, Nov. 16,
13J8.—Page 35.
“ Sal «manen, I9:h Nov. 1808.—The
Junta of this town are endeavoring to
get money for us. Notning can cx-j
ceed the attention o! the M trquis Ci
nalboa, the President; the clerg.,
with Dr. Curtis at their head, exert
themselves; and even a convent of
nuns hue* pronhed five thousand
pounds; all this sh**wi great goo !
will. The funds, however, which it'
can raise, are s nail, and very inade
quate to our want?.” Sir John Moon
to Mr. Frife.—Page 38.
“ The scenes which Col. Graham
describes, in his letters, as p using a
the head quarters o< the central «r nv I
are deplorable. The imbecility o
he Spanish government i xeecd* be
• iet. —•Page J9. Sir J din Moore t'
Mr. F i ere, Nov. 19th, 1803.— Pan
39.
“ II things are fa .continue in thi
»-*te, the ruin vf the Spanish cau
, - - i
md the defeat of their ar nies, is in
vitable.” Same to the sa ne—Pag;
iO. °
“ Never has there oee i so injuJi.
tons and ruinous asyste n begin anJ
»ersisted in, ns that which has led tn
he serious disasters of the presen'
uomeur. The Marqut. dc 11 K >ma
>*» is quite of that opinion.” Gene,
'al Leith to Sir John Moore, from
the Province of Los Montanos dc
Santander, 15th November, 1303_
?age 42.
‘•Upon entering Sp »Tn I have found
Affairs in a very different state fro it
waat I expected, or from what they are
thought to be in England. Castauos 3t
ralafox have* about 40,000 ruen, mostly
undisciplined peasants, upon the Ebro
md AI agon. Amd this is all the Spi
niards have to oppose 100,0J3 French
troops. The provinces are not ar n
cd, and as to enthusiai r», 1 hive seen
no marks of it. The French- clvalrfr
are overrunning the plains, rti in*
contributions, to whiejh the people sub
mit without resistance. The Spani
a'ds have no: she wn them,elves a
wise or a provident pepjil .” Sir
John Moore to his bro W, S d iman
Nov. 26th, 1803.—Pages 44., 4J,
‘‘Sir David 1-3air l hi I to encounter
a thousand defic'eucies; he met with
i variety of obstacles to his progress,
ana received little aid fro n tie Spani
ards to overcome them.”_Page 47.
It is cieaily apparent howy very
nuch exigge-ated the accounts gene
rahy circulated of the strength of th*
Spanish armies h *ve been. The So i
nia.ds are nit at this ino nent i i a «i
tuntton to bi capable of assetnbliug a
orce compe ent to offer any serioui
resistance to the progress of the French
inns.” General Baird to Sir Jr ho
M^ore, Nov» 23d, 1303_Pages 4->
aid 50. &
“ It wasexces ively di;Ecult to learn
the nu b by private means, and the
public ofii ial rep arcs wen .unUoimty
laliv.’ — Pag : st. - J
‘•Every bra-ich is affected by the
disjointed a id iuedi dent construction
of their g.verauen:. General Hope
to 5;r J.ia Moor, Madrid, 20:h
Noa. l8dJ.-*-Puge 52. -
4* .iunca, 27th Nov. 1808. I
perceive n> cnihuaLtam, or any deter
mined sp:rit a r.ongpt the people. The
•r1 reach c.iv dry, even in parties bo
weak as eieven or twelve men, enter
11 ic v.iiUg'.s in Eeon, an.I the treigh
ooring provinces, and raise contribu
tions without opposition. S;r John
Moore to Mr. Frcrs—Pages 63 and
•34.
The Spaniards, I find, promise
much moi e than they perform ; and
here we have not been able to get five
thousand pounds.” Sir John Moore
.<» Charles Stuart, Esq. Salamanca,
Nov. 27, 1-803—Page 63.
44 ^ French have manj friends in
this country.”—;b.
‘•It was my wish tihave run great
risks to lulfill what I conceive to be the
wish of the people of England, and to
give every aid to the Spanish cause ;
out they have shewn themselves equal
to do so little for themselves—their
two principal armies having allowed
themselves to be beaten and dispersed
almost without an effort.” Sir Julia
M JOr« In flm IT C 1__
28.h Nov. 18jy,
“ The army m .y still he useful if this
government be overset and anotner
rises up directed by men of more ab.
hty.”-^Sir John Mo me to Mr. Stu
art, Suia.n.incj, 23th Nov. 1893.
“Salamanca, 1st December, 1898.
Their is nothing so easy, ai for tnr
junta, with their pens, to form ar
jmics; and th y have, I see, in this
I manner, collected one of 89,009 men
m J.eon. Hut Koouna, whom they
nave put down at 2 3,090, has only
3,039 fugitives from JU.tke, with
out arms, clothing, stores, or«mmu
muon i without organization, or offi
I ',*rs.t? fn‘l*£4: any » the soldiers r.J.ther
| Useipiined, n >r (lio.m ms compl .i,,,
I nsscept.ble of taking auy , when cbe,k'
| -d they go olT.» Sir J ,hn Moure J
vyharlci Stuart, E$|_jp*
“ Such is our want of monev, thn
if H can be got at a hundred per c^nt.
ve must have it; do theref >re, if po*
dble, send me same at any rate. 1,
tKTiirh it still at Madrid, 1 wish you
"ould tell hi n from me, that he cannot
render such ser. ice as by b. inging ,n >
• ney at an/ discount.** Tiie same l<
r the sa ne. Page 75.
1 “ The armies are without enthusiasm
• nr even common obstinacy; they tli
l not stand ; and the individuals we set
) passing as fugitives are not ashamed,
: nor are they tho’t id ofty the people,
> nor indignation excited. A thousand
■ measures could be adopted if thu Jun
1 ti ha 1 selected men t>> emplay; but
they have acted with all the imbecility
• of an old established weak government
of the ol i regime.** Tne same to the
1 same, P age 76.
'i 4k It ** 1 npossible n >t to remark,
that, whatever enthusiasm exists in
the country, a sm ill portion of it be
longs to the Junta.** Sir John Moore
to Mr. Frero, Salamanca, 6th Dec,
1803.
<4 The Junta, alarmed at their sit
uution, which they might have forseeo
and o aviated, are iucapahle of forming
any pi «n, or of coming to any fixed de
ter mat io i.” Sir John Moore to Lord
0 isdere »gh, Sal imanca, Nov. 21,
1803. Page 23. J
“ A.torgi, 31st. Dec. 1833. I ar
rive] here yesterday, where, contrary
to his promise, and to mv expectation,
1 found the Marquis la Romans, with
i great part of his tro »ps. Nobody
can d scribe his troops to be worse
than hi d >es ; and he complains as
1,1 Jch as we do of the indifference of
the inhabitants, and of his disappoint
ii ut at their want of enthusiasm, lie
said to me, in direct terms, that, haci
ae known how thintrs were, he neither
would have accepted i'ie command,
i nor have returned to Spain.*' S4r John
Moore to Lord Castlereagh. l*a»e
301. c
Wi could proceed in this manner
through ills whole volume, every pay
ol which aifords unexceptionable tvi*
lence of the ieebleness of the ruis
unce which the Sp m.sh Junta made to
ihe encroach menu of France, llut
enough has been quoted to satisfy eve- '
ry candid and sensible man ol the lol
lowing facts i .
1. i hat the military force of the
Spanish pa.riots was overrated.
2. That the Junta magnified that
force by official de.laratious; and, ia
this respect, acted towards their allies,
th^ Knglbh, with the greatest dupli
city. ^ I
3. That the Junta were unable to
make good their promises ol co-opera
t.on with the ILiiish arimy.
4. 1 hat in r.o instance did Sir John
Moore hnd that their engagements
were to be relied on.
5. That th y were in the habit ol
promising more than they could per-*
form. 1
6. That the Junta bad very little
money at command.
7. 1 hat even their own armies
wanted the common necessaries of
life.
8. That there was scarcely any en
thusiasm either iii the Juata or iu the
peopl; ag inst the French.
9. I hat the mass of population ap
pealed indifferent whether the Frencn
or the Ju.ua gained the daj\
10. That many Spaniards were in
favor of the French.
11. 1 fiat the Junta were imbecile
and timid.
12. I hat all this is confirmed by
S.r John Moore auJ other English
generals, who were iu the heart of
Spain an<l eye witnesses ox what they
relate, and by the JViarqui* de la Hu
mana himself, who was com.nandct in
chief of the Spanish forces;.
| ro,n wnich it follo ws, that even
if lion Ouis bad promised to pay the
government of the United States ei/ht
million of dollars, and to settle the
boa.idariei o, Louisiana, he promised
vvhit he could not perform ; for he \ta*
t e minister of a Junta which wai s >
poor that it could neither pay the ex
penses of the English auxdiary force,
which went to fight their battles, nor
•idur 1 to purchase shoes, stockings,
an 1 oner clotntng for the ttpa.tish so,.
Jiers the.ns Ives j— he was the m nis
ter of a J u itu which had deceived
dieir allies, rjiueJ their own Cause b,
meir weakness aid ignorance, and i-t!
wh >»e o.Fi dal decl iratioos no co.ifi
ience coald be placed.
Lat J *co'> '‘Vagner an J hi a coadjutor
he ref. if c have famishs 1 u »t 0:12 at »,n
>f te*ti a jny to c jrroWrn - t , . a ,8 .r.
'i *n t.i.it L rx Ouis did naa*;e the oH:r, j
4*
' t
> We doe fe>,?ii reality, whether the * or
thy Dor etr:r said cnc word nlout it
> ^ori as a* hsriezt man, he mu$: have
• known tlut he would cave beta otfVj -
uir what he could i.ui perform. Don
I Onis, all the world knows, was not oi •
,* heialiy received tv the l>re<»i,?cnt of
the United Slates i Wagner & Co. ad
mit that he was net received cfiiciatly,
and that it the grounds ttf their clam..V’
How, tiu*o, did J actb V/agoer and C .*
come to the kuo* ledge taut Don CJ.d*
even had such a pro} osal to ..,ake ? i,r
JS the good Don was noc received t i
due form he could not have made ihc
‘proposal to government, and Wagner
knows he could not; be«ausj, to hold
co:v».nunicadon with Den Onis oa
suv.ii a topic would be tubstantiully 10
acknowledge hind. Hew, therel’orc,
(wc repeat the question) did Wagner
and Co. come to the knowledge of
what they assert? Is it credible that
Don Onis would unbosom himself to
them ? We call upon Wagner and Co,
ior their eviu«.ucu ; not for full evi
id-nce; we do not expect that: but a.
ny evidence at all; circumstantial, or
any sort, except the naked asieverati
ons of the said Wuguerand Co.
1 he proof we h uve oTered in sup
nort or our opinion is complete and
tair, It'is not party news-paper proof;
it is not proof derived from the silly
inventions of men who know nothing
aboat Spain and her concerns : b it
prool of «R official stamp, derived front
men of high military standing, both
•English and Spanish—no french par*
tizans j hut men, enlightened by know
ledge gained by txoerifrnce. and »,
were zealou3ly devoted to the icaiu
ten.mce o( the Spauish cause.
What, now, will the fabricators oF
falsehoods say ? Let them repent, ;m l
confess that President Madison and
his counseliois acted wisely in refusing
io receive Dun Onis, in rejecting a »y
hollow-hearted promises he might h rvu
made, and in resolutely maintaining
the neutral character cf Anrt:a.
To prescribe the made in which applies,
lion shall be made far the purchaie cF ..
land a: tire several land offices } and
fur the relief of Juab Garret.
BE it enured by the Senate and House
of ltepreseiKative* cf the Uni e4
Staus of America in Congress assembled,
Thai from and alter the first day c( June
next, every peraon maxing apphea,i5n a’
any of the land office* «.f ifee United
S ates, fur lit# purchase at private suL- cf
a tract of land, shall produce to the re.
gister, a memorandum m writing, ci*•
scribing the trail, which he shall cmei by
the proper number of tire sections, op
q iaiicr (as lire ca„e may be) and *|jr the
township and range, subscribing his name
thereto ; winch memorandum the regis.
ter shall file and preserve in his *fiscc.
Sec- 2. And be it further enacted, That
Juab Garret shall be permuted to who.
draw his entry, made on the second day
ol September one thousand eight hundred
and seven, at the land oKiceat Vmcen ie*
ber two, township number seven, syuiu
range number se»er> west; and the mo
ncy paid by him on the sunl entry, .shad
be ploC-id to his credit, on any purchase
ae shall, or may Uve nudu of juib.u
land in the same district.
J. li. VARNU.M,
Speaker of the House of Representative*
GEO.- CLINTON,
Vice-President of Pst United States nn<£
President oj the Sm ite,
February 34, UK).
Approved,
JAMES MAO(S:)n'.
jiarapljirrs,
C A P J) S,
VCUJ<r®. SOJl.t f„
L.VtVYKKs,
VLRMKi i» ivklintp* n f, f\ \ ♦ .r
A*e »:r. \Tf Y
*nn <zym/tvo»itr /•rr.vrjo ai soft,
kvidiorn a.