The National Register.
London, England, 1808-09-26 00:00:00

SEPTENITIER 26.

of ratifying this Convention. We arc afraid.our observa-
tions on this head will had very few supporters; and we
communicate them therefore with reluttince. . We du not
even believe that there are three public characters in thil
country who would have the audacity to adopt the very
measure we would prbpose. The fear of responsibility,
the danger- of codipromitting their reputationl the appa.
rent boldness of the suggestion would prevent them from
adopting it. Certain it is, however, the morality of the
measure out of the question, that an act of energy would
place us, under the present circumstances, in the judgment
of our neighbours, in a much more advantageous light,
than the most conscientious execution of the Convention
would do. There Ss -no man will deny, but several cases
may happen, when a government is perfectly justified in
refusing to ratify the acts of its ministers or generals.
We will suppose, for example, that Junot had insisted that
our army should quit Portugal, and not serve again during
the remainder of the war; and that our commanders had
agreed to this article, is there any man in this country
would advise our government to ratify it ? Not one; and
ivhy ? Because the article is so absUrd, that the persons
who agreed to it, must either have been madmen, or trai-
tors. Therefore, if a government has, on any occasion, a
right to refuse its ratification, from the suspicion of the
incompetency or treachery of its agents, every objection
to the nonfulfilment of the present Convention is done
away. We therefore strongly give it as our opinion, that
the highest policy, as well as the soundest morality, would
induce our government to refuse its ratification.—When we
consider the service we would render by that means to the
Spanish people, we would hope no man in this country
would have the arrogance to maintain that such conduct is
criminal. We all coincide in acknowledging that the
aggression against Spain is the Most flagitious, the most
unprovoked, that ever was made by one state on another ;
arid will, nevertheless, in consequence of the imbecility of
a Dalrymple, scud 15,000 Frenchmen to co-operate in this
villainous attack. How it could possibly enter into the
head or heart of an honest man to heSitate on such an
cecasion, is inexplicable to us. We arc convinced, there-
fore, that it would not only be expedient, but dictated by
the snblimest virtue, if we did every thing in our power to
conuteract the designs of a villain against the repose and
independence of ten millions of our fellow-creatures. If
talk be not done, the couutry is as much implicated as the
commanders.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

PROM THE FRENCH AND DUTCH PAPERS.

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TRANCE.

PA n TA, SEPT. S.—Yestertlay a detachment of grenadiers of the
Imperial Life-Guards set oil for Strasburg,' : 200 hackney
roaches were pressed to convey theta as far as Clair, which is
four leagues from this city, *here the necessary vehicles were
in readiness to transport them farther.. The troops on their
march for Spain are forwarded on their route in waggons, each
district they pass through being obliged to furnish a certain
number of carriages and horses.
A journey which it is supposed his Majesty will shortly un-.
dertake, is the subject of much conversation in this capital. It
is rumoured that his Majesty intends to repair to Weintur, and
that the Russian EmPeror is also expected there. • •
It is reported that General St. Cyr goes to take the command
or a corps of the army in Spain. General Vandamme Will sue-
e Oted,him in the command of the army stationed on the coasts Mae e tinilel.