The National Register.
London, England, 1812-01-26 00:00:00

JO

THE NATIONAL REGISTF.II.

cruisers, and insulted by his Ministers, they had too much
re,pect f,r his -feelings, to Worind theM by manly re-
nionstrances, still less by a declaration of war. France,
tilt:veto; e, for once proved our shield. But she has now
removed the difficulty. A mock repeal of her Decrees,
has pacified the few American patriots, who considered
her as hostile to the welfare of their country as Great
Britain, and Congress are•now publicly told, " that
our encroachments arc such as to demand tear as the
only alternative to obtain justice." Nay, the zeal of
the Commiltee, in whose cause it is needless to tell,
collies them still further. As ignorant of the real
weaknes of their country, as regardless of her interest;,
they express " their determination to recommend open
war to the utmost energies of the nation." Here is a pub- I
lie acknowledgment that hitherto war has been carried on
in disguise against us by America—a fact with which
every observer of passing events cannot fail to be ac-
quvinted, and which assists in proving our former asser-
tion, that the United States have long.since been the se- •
cret allies of France. After this recommendation of open
war, the Speaker who brought up the Report, recollected
himself, and somewhat prudently added, that " he hoped
it would not be entered into prematurely, for the howl-
ings of Newspapers. He knew that many of his friends
were for immediate war ; he felt the indignities of his
country's situation as sensibly as any man in the House,
and he would go as far to redress them, when the
pieli-
mina! ies were settled ; but he did not wish to invite to the
feast till the cloth was laid—till the nation was " put into
the attitude, and a war demanded by the crisis."
it is fortunate that this Gentleman, Mr. PORTER, who
seems to unite the warlike temper of ACHILLES with 6.1
councils fort sight of ULYSSES, should have procured us
time to prepare for the contest. This was magna-
nimous ;
_especially after having detailed all the inju-
ries which American hostility could, in his opinion,
inflict upon us, roost of which the power of preparation,
on our part, would prevent. In his enumeration, however,
of those dangers, which we have to dread, he has suffered
his imagination to wander too widely from truth. 1-I,:=
boasts not only that it is " in the power of the United
States to harass our resources, as well on the ocean as by
land, but to carry on a War. against our own coast." We
have been amused for many years with the threats of in-
vasion so frequently renewed by our nearest neighbour
and greatest enemy; but there is something so ludicrous
in hearing the menace re-echoed from the other side of
the Atlantic by a Power which possesses a Navy of ten
frigates and thirty or forty gun-boats, that we must con-
fess nothing could excite our risible faculties more pow-
erfully than to behold the actual descent of the Colum-
bian warriors on our shores, not in the pride of victory,
but, as it would inevitably be the case, in the harmless-
ness and humility of captives.

In the case of an American ship detained for a breach
of the Orders in Council, and brought to adjudication
before the Court of Admiralty, on Tuesday. last, Dr.
Pbillimore moved the Court for permissiOn to introduce
evidence to show, that the operation of the Decrees of
Milan and Berlin had ceased. Sir WAI. ScovT, after
proofs suggested could be immedi-
'.ed the application. He thought
lust follow *the course of the other
luld not presume a revocation of the
A had been notified to him by Co-

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c-

,3AN.

IV REIGN INTELLIGENCE.

LISBON.

I.vinos, lAN. 5 —Lord 'Wellington's head-quarters still remain at
Freneda. General Hill had his corps in motion on Christmas-day, trim
Portale,:re through Albuquerque, Villa del Rey, La Noca, &c. for Me.
rid..., which place was occupied by 150') infantry and 300 cavalry. Th,y
had thrown up field works outside, and had barricaded the streets. On
the ,29th a party of our cavalry fell in with some of the enemy near Los
Navas, of whom they killed twenty-five, wounded twenty, and made
fifteen prisoners. We had two killed, and one Officer and twenty men.
wounded.
The enemy abandoned Merida on the General's approach, who en-
tered it the 30th, finding considerable magazines. It is said he was
in pursuit of them.
We arc told that Blake has compelled Suchet to abandon the siege of
Valencia, and that Colonel Skerrett, with A party of Spaniards under
General Capons, has had a severe conflict with the French near 'l,irifyi,
and defeattd them with considerable loss.
The first and sect);:d heavy King's German Legion, from Cork, I,ICO
strong, and 1,200 horses, in the highest condition, landed here on the
2d inst. under General Hock.
In the affair the garrison of Badajoz had with some of our troops
from Elvas, we rescued some Guerillas; but eight others had previously
been taken. It is reported Philippon caused these poor fellows to be
hung, which greatly enraged the towns' people. Philippon has lon4
been in the habit of distributing all the pay and the better part of the
food and clothing to his French soldiers, leaving the German and other
foreigners in a very miserable plight; in short, every favour is bestowed
upon the French, which has entirely alienated the foreigners, and causesi
great disturbances in F.adajoz.
Our army becomes much more healthy.

" LISBON, JAN. I.
EX rEACT OF AN OFFICIAL DISPATCH FROM MARSHAL LORD Wk.l.•
LINGTON, DA TrD HEAD-QUARTERS, FRENADA, 3TII DEC. TO DON

M. FEKEIRA Fog JAR. ,
The 6th division of the army, called the Army of Portugal, marched
from Placentia on the 9lst inst. and crossing the river Tietar, mate:lel
in the direction of Nava!moral. • Nothing of importance has occurred
m the North of Spain. The enemy remained from the end of he
month to the 19th of the present in St. Roque, when they retired fer
I .os Barrios; General BA LLAs I- I:Kos the following day advanced to
St. Roque, and Colonel SKI, kt RETT still remains in Tarifia. etjo:-
General Cooke informs me that the enemy had-made two attempts
to penetrate the pass of De la Pina, in both of which they failed. I hove
received no particnlars relative to these successes.
VALENCIA DE ALCANTARA, Dec. 24.—We are assured that MAR-
MONT has made a movement, and, it is said, divided his forces, 0:;e
part having marched to reinforce aren MT, and the other towards C:is-
tile ; it appears therefore indubitable, that the sangein:!ry destroyer of
Tarrasona is afraid alone to finish the conquest of Valencia; in tans
case hove use will be the active operations of all our armies, to para.
bee operations whose a'pect and slowness indicate great wan; e;
strengt h.
The intellieerce by the last rourier states, that up to the Ist iee,
nothing particular lied weurred in Valencia, that the enemy were
carrying on their operations against 'reran, under Vie roe, and that
the most flattering hopes respecting Buenos Ayres are conceived,
where a negotiatitin has been entered into for the re-establishing of
tranquillity.
SALA m ANcA, DEC. 18.—A person who left Bayonne on the 2d inst.
declares he witnessed the entry into that city of 15,000 men, proceed-
ing for Spain, from the camp at Boulogne; who afterwards received or-
ders to retrocede, which they did. He adds, that they were to be suc-
ceeded he 9,070 more.
General L.teev hes obtained advantages in Catalonia. That army
becomes every day more formidable; the enemy's small EarriloF4h
which have not been made pritiO4Vs3 Allti thelnitMel Obliged to tail'
refuge in the fortmicii.
WC are ii!ftred that the brave MINA has taken, in Salenas de Lenez,
some horses, intended to remount the carps (ramie which MAEMONT
I commands. _

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It is likewise said that the EL EMPECIN Apo and Du RAN have lately
obtained considerable advantages in Arragon.
It is reported that NE? is coming to replace DORSENNI. The French
say nothing relative to the successes against Valencia.

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