The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1809-01-12 00:00:00

glashey presages, inspired hy the last iuttlligenee
as by the present aspeet of &Elkins.

We consider it al the first duty that we owe to

truth. and to the public, not to conceal from that
public. the impressiou which. us tar as we hit% v
been able to ascertain, has been products'. net less

within, than without the Ministerial circles, the
liwt intelligence received from Spoilt. It is inifinw
sihle to peruse it without perceiving, that though
the lustre of the British aims has been mirit

ly ,upporteit, lath in the march, in the rutri-it,
and in the renemitrea with the enemy's
'et that we must, from the immense ditsiNii 0.1
force. mail from the weskuests of tie Spaus4l.l%,

reduced to re-embark our army. Perhaps, the
theatre of war may he wily transferred from Le, u
to Andalusia, and we may find greater resonices
fur contiouiug it no the Guadalquivir, 111:01 we
have experienced on the Douro. This liol r, ‘%‘•
ardently triad. may he realized. *ll,d, that the
North, 'and the ceotral provinces id. Spain, with the
exception of Myopia. are, in a great degree, mili-
ilued ur overrule, is tno palpahle to he "thruied.
The capital itself, we see, has solnuitted to the
Corsican lovader : out spimtaucuildy, indeed ; but
its sabinission is not, on that accomit, less certain sr
complete. The proceedings of the " .Muni. ipal
Sitting." held at Madrid an the of December,
Contsiu the most unequivocal proof, that h,,s-
ev,:t the inhabitants, magistrates, corporations,
and deputies of the Spanish metropolis, tray de-
test, they do out the less reign themselves to the
power of NAPOLI:UN. It is, indeed, difficult to
conceive language more expressive of respect, ,r.-
titude, and homage, than that which is put tato the
months of these unfortunate representatives by the
ruffian who has deprived them of their ri;htful
Kiugv, their national independence, and all their
dearest rights. This solemn mockery, it appears,
was repeated on the 11th of last month. in another
popular convocation of the deputies of the pa-
rishes. Signatures were exacted and annexed to

both the deliberations, in order to affix personal
responsibility to each individual. It is thus that
this able practitioner in revolutions, rivets the
chains which he imposes. And how are we, after
witnt sang such engagements entered into ow the
part of the delegates, of the nobility, of the eters,.
of the third estate, and of all the different orders
composing the city of Madnd, to expect that they
' will, as soon as Box APARTV has quitted them to go
iR pueoult 'of the English, immediately take up
again, and renew the war ? It would, no
expose them to the utmost effects of his
tpithout offering a rational probability
efony beneficial result. We must not, and per-
.l ria wrought not, to desire ouch a proof of their
srssal audioyalty.
....4filitfilie,-hosiever, we recognise, aril we deplore
Aiwiposoptol conflict which is carrying on beyond
Nte Pyreasossiwt are 'fah from joining in any re-
promise on the apathy. the indifference. or the
repittlit national character and energy in the Spa-
nish People ! They have betrayed no want of those
qualities which were manifested by their ancestors
under Senvoatus and Vlattirue, or, in more mo-
dem ages, by Pe•aotes, and by the Cm. Under
circumstances of unexampled depression, betrayed
by their own imbecile Sovereign, and surrendered
up by his infamous Minister; the keys of the king-
dom put into Bowitemere's poseessioa; the capital
occupied by his troops ; the Spanish armies sent to
light a Corsican's battles, at the other extremity of
Europe; the Monarchy thus disarmed. and tl.e
young King, together with all the Itoyal
seized, detained. and imprisoned by the invader ;
in this desperate position, the Spaniards did wit
imitate the example set them in Austria, or in
Prussia. Uncertain ecru of assistance. or of Co--
operation front England, they rose againsit their °r
pressura. They have fought and bled, nor are
they yet subdued. We venture even to say. that
if the contest had been of an ordinary nature ; if
it had been a war agsinst Louts the Fourteenths
or against any of the eerieet Governments of Eu-
rope, they would have triumphed. But they have
to contend with a netv, and a non-descnpt adver-
sary, who comes with the irtsigaist of pretended
felicity and national glory. Hir only desires to
regenerate Spain, to eradicate the Aims of the
former Government. to re-itivagorate bar exhausted
constitution, and to infuse new life, as well as licit,
into her debilitated, or torpid frame. It is true that
the operntor who from the Thr
for the
brother,
insists on
down the
likewise
covered
Ills Olin
comictil
sway.
in belies!
executive
the fineness,
will be
exclusivel
boundless
and atnl-'
Realties,
tamed
at the

r,
ti
S

M
r
s
ill

cretin' who is to prescribe from the Thrc..e
diseased monarchy, is an obscure Itat:ait,
r, tool, and vassal of the Tyrant, who thins
on forcing his own conceptions of happiness
the throats of nine millions of people. It is
ie true, that this Usurper, who is himself •
d with crimes and turpitudes, has given to (
u subjects, the French, only despotism owl
iption, for their reward in siibinitting t() his
Nur CAD the Sp:it...will% diceive them: wicks
eying, that though he may strengthen the
Live power, improre the revenuc, oisieliomts
lances, and equip fleets, or raise armies, it
e clone, not for Mar greatueos or beindit,
ivcly to punme, and to accomplish, his own
Iles* plans of conquest, personal renge :met,
!nbitioin But, of what avail are th.se M-
otif, to oppose the pro•zrr4s of a
I by near 170,00 u tro.vps in Spsin, sad aided
other extremity of Eurvl'e by an Lcupesur