The National Register.
London, England, 1808-08-07 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

AUGUST 7.

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Lontic
SUN DA Y, AUGLTST 7, 1808.

POLITICAL liN2'S UP THE irEsx.

Our intelligence from Spain of this week is marked with
a partial defeat of the Patriots at Rio Seco. This circum-
stance, however, far from lessening the opinion ate enter-
tain of their ultimate success, tends to impress a more fa-
vourable idea of their bravery, and, what is perhaps of
greater importance, of the abilities of their leaders. Bs:8-
,11E10A, Will) commanded the French on this occasion, ii
.
one of the most distinguished and confidential Generals et
BONAPAftTE ; we may justl:, conclude, lierefore, that his
being unable to hat-rams either General Cy EsTa or BLAKE in
their retrea,, is a strong presumption that his army must
have sulk ed most severely in the action. It has been a
nvneral prioeple &kW AI by the French, not to allow their
enemy the slightest respite case of a defeat, we arc there-
fore nappy in being able to advert to the very important
circarnslancv, that the Frencii General, though educated
in the ti, i. of of the ('orsican, had been able to draw no
other alsantage from an engagement, which cost him al-
most a thiid of his army, than that of maintaining the
ficlo of battle. Another proof of the justice of these ob-
seta at,ons, and of the masterly retreat of that division of
the Putrits, under the command of our gallant country-
man General BLAKE, is the infamous attempt made by
lii..sya,-,ans to corrupt the fidelity of that brtse officer.—
This bad, tia..ioun I trait of the Frenchman will be a satis-
factory key to explain a number of occurrences in the
Flamini) and _%tistran war, which at the time excited the
surria,a; and i.idignation of Europe. The French and their
detestable Chid, notwithstanding their vaunted invincibi-
lir&, were, We have every right to thiak, as much indebted
to the powerf.!i thy( rsion of their golden Allies, as to the
discipline or pretend; d supeeiority of their armies. What
to insight does this give us of the immorality of that Go-
vernment and its agents, What proof does it afford of the
&os ea. and iihsurdity of expecting from monsters acting
on such • princip:es, an observance of treaties or engage-
foetus ! Whilst we abominate the conduct of the one, we
in the prohit v and characteristic honour of the Spanish
Nation, a well-founded asserance, that the vile horde which
is at present pollutin,_ their provinces, will soon expiate with
their blood the atrocities they are committing. Encouraged
In tins prospect of retributive justice and success, we look
forward with confidence and exultation to the final result.
Every day encreases the resources, the numbers, and dis-
cipline of the Patriots; and every day has a contrary
effect on their brutal oppressors. The natural consequence
of the war the Patriots are waging, is to create in every
dopartment, particularly in the military, a number of
extraordivary men, who might have languished in obscu-
rity, were it not for this impulse. Even in this they have
a vast advantage over their enemies. Their armies are
now filled up with reluctant, trembling conscripts, torn
from their homes to support the projects of a tyrant they
(Iciest; such miserable wretches are incapable of producing
soldiers and generals, to make up for the loss of officers
and veterans they will suffer in Spain. It is not the loss of
the Finances, Armies, and Navy of Spain, that the detest-
able tyrant will have to regret, he will have to lament the
total destruction of an army of veteran soldiers, and gene-
rals remarkable for their audacity, length of service, and
great knowledge of war. The present degraded state of
the public mind in France, extinction of national spirit,
and the paralytic influence of despotism, preclude every
magic possibility of replacing them. The effects of thee
Revolution are over. There are now no Marseillois
fascinating sounds of liberty, equality, and
republic) to raise them to heroic enthusiasm ; but in

their place a tprpid indifference has succeeded. This
is the greatest, though least adverted to, .advantage
of the Spanish insurrection—the uew French levies
may be lashed into the mechanical duties of soldiers ;
but to suppose that they will be animated with that lively
sense of honour and contempt of danger, which are the
moral attributes of men of that profession, would prove a
total ignorace of history and of the humaa heart. It may
be objected that despotic governments frequently possessed
disciplined armies a: 'd distinguished generals; but these
were only temporary apparitions, and disappeared with
the extrordinary occurrences which created them. It has
also been frequently repeated, and with as little judgineet,
that France is a Military State. It is governed, it is true,
on military principles, but we can pledge ourselves to our
' Readers, from personal observations during a long sojourn
in that country, that no people existing have greater an-,
tipathy to the military profession, than the present rising
generation of Frenchmen. This fact will be incontroveris-
bly proved by the unexampled sum offered for substitutes,
as 2000 French crowns are frequently given for that pur-
pose. It ;s astonishing also, notwithstanding the great mi-
litary establishment, how very few volunteer for that service.
The influence of patronage is as extensive and fatal there as
in any other country ; and more peruicious, if possible, as
it is money alone which can secure the protection of the
rapacious minions of BONAPARTE and his fasouriies. The
ancient familiarity also between the Soldiers and Generals
is entirely extinguished ; and the latter display as much
brutality, hauteur, and reserve, towards their men and in-
ferior officers, as they experience themselves from their
Master. With such discouragement, will any man be ex-
travagant enough to imagine that the future soldiers of
France, for the miserable pittance of twopence hallpenny
a day, and -which they even seldom receive, will display
the same energy and courage, which characterised the
armies formed in the course of the Revolution. They have
not even a specious cause to fight for. They are not enli-
vened by the well s ishes and congratulations of their coun-
trymen, but are accustomed to receive on their departure,
a last farewell from their disconsolate parents and relations,
as if they were going to be led to execution. This reluct-
ance, on the part of the Conscripts, will be seen in a letter
we received at a late hour last night, from the Continent,
and which we possess exclusively. This letter, which our
11 ceders will see in another part of the Paper, contains
likewise the most important intelligence relative to the
military preparations of Austria, and gives the must satis-
factory evidence of time energy, prudence, and resources of
the Goverment of that count ry. It. confines, in like man-
ner, our former account of the discontent and alarm ma-
nifested by BoNAPAirre, in consequence of these prepara-
tions. Our Readers will likewise see that the Austrian ar-
my is far more numerous and better organized than at any
former period of the revolutionary war ; and the organiza-
tion of the Militia is completed. Another circumstance,
to which our Correspondent, however, does not rekr, is
the coronation of the Emeeess at Presiturg, as Qv Eust of
HesoiAßY. This ceremony is of little importance iu itsclf,
but it gives the Austrian Government a specious pretext for
assembling the Hungarian 'Magnates, without the alarming
formality of calling, in so delicate a juncture, an ex-
traordinary diet ; and of proposing to them such measures
as the present crisis may suggest. The Hungarians arc,
perhaps, the bravest and most warlike nation on earth ;
and if they can, during the festivity of this ceremony, be
prevailed on to enter into the views cf the Austrian Court,
and to co-operate heart and hand, we have then no doubt,
but that Austria will engage in the common cause. This
great activity on the part of that Government affords us
the pleasing conviction of the undiminished inthieure of
the ARCHDUKE CHARLES. The marriage of the EMrl'eOß
seems to have encreased it ; and he has no more the ob-
stacles or affronts to encounter, to which the personal en-
mity of the late EMPRESS subjected him to. Its beneficial
effects will be felt in case otis< new war, and Austria

5o

AUGUST T.

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