The National Register.
London, England, 1813-02-14 00:00:00

CADIZ MAIL.

GENRAL S fAFF.
To the Generals in Chief of the National Armies, I this day ad.
dress the following :
The army is already informed, that the command of all those bz-
longiug to Spain hiss been conferred upon the Captain. General of the
same, the Marquis of Wellington, Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo.
Although this is the first time his Excellency has had. the honour
of annour eine himself to the armies as their General in Ch: 1, he
has fur a length of time been acquainted with their merit, their exer-
tions, and their conditions ; and upon taking upon himself the dis-
charge of a comm Ind so highly honourable, wishes to assure the Ge-
nerals, Chiefs, Officers, and troops, that his measures will be di-
rected to enable them to serve the country with advantage, and that
the honour of the profession may prosp r under hia command.
Nevertheless, it is necessary,
.that whilst Government pays the
greatest attention to every thing which relates to the well-being of the
troops and Officers of the the army, military discipline and the royal
orders should be maintained in all their force, because without disci.
pline and or.!er, not only is an army not in a condition to make head
against an enemy, but it becomes a burthen prejudicial to the State
which supports it.
The General Chief, therefore, hopes that the Generals and Offi-
cers of the army will, on their part, make every possible elliirt to
comfit and maintain discipline in all its vigour; according to the royal
orders, on all occasions of service ; assuring them, that at the pro-
per time, with the greatest satisfaction, he will call the attention of
Gover,ment, praising their conduct on all fit opportunities ; he will
not fail to point out any Want of attention on the part of the Officers
in the fulfilment of their respective duties with regard to tie military
code, as well as all want of discipline and good order in the troops :
all which I transmit to your Excellency by order of his Excellency
the Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, ter your information and fulfilment as
far as it concerns you.
(Signed)
Cadiz, Jaz. 5, 1513.

LOUIS WIMPFFPEN,
Director-General of Anillery.

The Paper entituled El Tribuno del Pueblo Esponel, (the Tribune
of the Spanish People) contains ob-ervations at considerable length,
on the Decree of the Cones of the 6th of January, passed onthe ap-
plication, (les solicitudes) of Lord Wellington, constituting him Ge-
neral in Chief of all the Spanish armies. The writer obsei ves, that
" every rood Spaniard must certainly, at all events, support the So-
vereign Congress. We may attack its errors, but we must bz careful
not to destroy the institution. At the same time, we should asslrt
the liberty of speaking like freemen, and pointing out to our Repie-
sentatives what we conceive to be errors, that they may a:niid them.
All institutions are composed of men subject to the imperteL.tions of
human nature. In fine, the nation which has not a Representative
Body, cannot be free." The writer their proceeds to animadvert on
the Decree, which he affirms " places Spain under a govern-
ment, and is not only contrary to particular articles of the Constilus
tion, but to its whole intent ; since it provides fundamentally, that
all the Authorit;es shall be responsible for their conduct. But • who
dces not sec that flit: General who commands the army of another na-
tion, whose Government may communicate to him orders contrary
to those he receives from our's, is morally incapacitated from exercis-
ing any authority in our army, unless it shall be said that our orders
are to give way to his ? Who does not perceive, that to confer such
authority on a person, who cannot be deprived of it without the dan-
ger of involving the nation in a new war, is both impolitic awl un-
constitutional. if this General should commit any error, he cannot
he made responsible for it, unless he will voluntarily submit kmself
to the judgment of the law. It may perhaps be said, that according to
the expression of the law, Lord I,lfeituigt,n is responsible; that :c-
-sponsibility, however, must be nugatory when the law has no power
to enforce it without kindling a civil war.. It it should be saiu, that
whoever is acquainted with the virtues of 'lsis Noble Gen. cannot
doubt but he will act according to the law ; it must be. admitted that
his responsibility does not depend upon. the Constitution, but up. n
his ion probity. in the

H A RDENBEKti. sponsw tivvv•-•cig JLINDL LOG SlLlba ay. vir a "v.. SSW isaa
)fficial Gazette, the Russi. to enforce it without kindling a civil war., It it should be saiu, that
xception of detachments at whoever is acquainted with the virtues of rliis Noble Gen. 4. innot
ipal army was between Os. doubt but he will act according to the law ;it must be. admitted that
• his responsibility does not depend upon the Constitution, but up. n
d' Armee, under the Duke his own probity. In the most despotic;torm of GoVerumout,