The National Register.
London, England, 1813-07-04 00:00:00

SUNDAY, JULY 4, 1813.

POLITICAL DISBUISITION.

SPLENDID VICTORY AT VITTORIk, AND ITS
PROBABLE CONSEQUENCES.

Scarcely had the power of France revived in the North,
and an Armistice chained the hands of the Belligerents,
when the eyes, as well as the hopes of Europe reverted to
-the Peninsula There, since tie first dawn of the Spanish
revolution, the affections and hest whhes of the world have
centered; and though its attention has occasionally been
diverted hr wars in other quarters, yet it has. always derived
its firmest expectation of ultimate emancipation, from the
united efforts of England, Spain, and Portugal. It is in the
Peninsula, we observed on another glorious occasion (the
battle of Salamanca,) last year, " that true fieedom can be
gained, for there alone fleemen fight. The issue of the con-
test in the-North may give a new .master to the Continent,
and F,ench may be succeeded by Russian despotism ; the
complete success of the Spanish cause must abolish all :des-
potic power. In Spain, a whole popuLtion, disciplined and
encouiaged by British freemen, sti te_E;ie under their guid.
auce, not for the restoration of z.n a bitrary sovereign, but
for the emancipation of their country from a foreign yoke,
the liberation of their lawful Prince, and the establishment
of a limited monarchy. Hence success must plant a portion
of British freedom on the Continent,where, having once taken
root on a fruitful soil, it will progressively spread ovet the face
of the earth, and restore to mankind the legitimate use of its
rights." Such were our sanguine anticipations last year, and
with what increased confidence do we now reiterate them,
when a flesh British triumph has laid open the frontiers of
Fiance herself to our warriors ! If the example of Spanish
patriotism struggling unexhausted through every change of
fortune, has so far el anged the nature of the northern war,
as to render it in a great measure a popular contest, in which
the people are immediatela- concerned, and not as formerly,
rulers and their armies alone, what will not be the effect
produced on the whole Continent by a victory, which deli-
vers all the North of Spain, exposes the French armies still
in the Fast to be entirely cut off, or destroyed in their- re-
treat, and France itself to invasion ? W-hatever farce NA-
POLEON may have accumulated to terrify the Allies and
ovel awe Austria, he cannot stiae the voice of British triumph
that will sound from the Zadora to the Oder, and dispel the
v;:inly renovated terrors of his power. He cannot' hide
from them that his exertions in the North, although partly
successful, have exposed hi-a to ruin in the West, and that
the advantages he has -gainlet against them are thus more
than counter-balanced. to may threaten to bring the
1,-200,000 men who „A.---6tb;,-;) in arms to maintain the intc•
grity of his Empire (if' : are to credit the falsehood he has or
dercd to be engraved on a monument erected on hio-unt
.114. CCLXXX VIII. Vol. VI.

Pnirr 4d.

Cenis) against the Allied force, if peace is not accepted ou
his own terms. But his adversaries will now be conscious
that a great proportion of his troops must be sent to repair
the late disasters in Spain, and defend from invasion his
richest provinces, hitherto freed from the devastations of
war. They will, therefore, know that in case hostilities
should be renewed, instead of having to encoenter an
overwhelming superiority of numbers, they would find
NAPOLEON'S strength, reduced below what it was at
the opening of the campaign. Should not his pietensions
sink with his fortunes, they will break sff the negociations
for peace, and once more api.eal to the patriotism of (3er-
many, for a-combined insuneetion against the common
enemy. Austrie. herself, notwithstanding the long indeci-
sion she has betraeed, and the impoliey. of which she has
been guilty to allowing 18,000 Poles to pass through her
territories to join the French, would probably then, if not
take an active share in hosidities carried on with every pro-
spect of success, anti the issue of which ntight restore her a
peat portion of her lost territory, at least prudently ref,ain
from assisting the declining pswer of her fernier Conqueror,
who, to preserve Ws crown, would be comeelted to snake such
sacrifices as would prevent his being dreaded in haute.
Should not the complete victory gained by our immortal
W ELLINGTON, therefore, lead to a renewal of hostilities
in the North et the expiration Of the Armistice, it will at
least have contributed to reduce the pretensions and the
power of France so low, as to render peace no longer an
object of apprehension to our most suspicious politicians.
Whilst such, most likely, will be the consequences of this
important triumph on the Continent, let us glance at its
most probable results on the immediate seat of war. ' The
battle was fought at a distance of only eiOtty miles from the
French frontier, and though the enemy does not seem to
• have experienced snch a reduction in numbers as to prevent
him from keeping the field, had he preserved his artillery,
ammunition, and provisions, vet with the loss t,f all of these.
even if he had not experienced any other in alai
wounded, it is evident that his force, as an army, is dsstroved.
In vain -hould the strongest positions present themselves :
bow could he occupy them, to check nor pursuit or stop our
advance, without artillery and ammunition ; or maintain
himself in them without provisions ? But, besides, the high
road to France, of which our brave warriors disposse Fed. him
during the action, is both the shortest and besi, and will
be pursued by our main force, whiTst he retires through s.
mountainous and difficult path, where we have only oc( anion
to send detachments to larrass his rear, as through the formes
we may have it in on r power to reach France befor, hills, shout:3
' the invasion of that country appear adviseable ti our
Commander. The oily place by which this road is defend
ed (the easiest of the three that closs the Iyitoises) is St

r

,Tll

NAT

Seti.s tan and b!,11) the wan and castle are commanded by r
neighb u in 4 heights, where batteries once established, the I
forts wou.d be redared speedily. St. Jean de LU2 and
Bavooee ~ould he the next obstacles on the Trench side;
but the f diner is not capable of enakioga long resistance, and
the liver, Vng soo-y st;oog, might be masked. Two roads,
ma,uit! thcm:ieives to Bourdeaux, which is only
miies distaa: from the frontier. The one along the sea
coast woukl be cony( n:ent, both on account of its shortness
.and of the protection we should receive from our shipping.
As it passes thro;:.111 a barren country. however, (les Landes)
it would probably be relinquished .for the other which is
more circuitous, but atteeded with greater accommodations,
ancibe only occupied by det •chments,whowould keep up the
communication with our flee!. • From JOSEPH's army no-
thing for a long time can be apprehended. It will probably
endeavour to re enter France, either by out-marching us,
and through the cross paths reaching Bayonne before us (and
the absence of their artillery amid baggage would facilitate
the execution of this plan), or by crossing the Pyrenees in
div,ded bodies, and thus exposing themselves almost help-
less to the active and uniclenting vengeance of the guerillas.
In either case this so my, it is clear, would become still less
efficient after the pas:age of the Pyrenees than before, and
therefore could oppose no obstacle to Lord Mi .:ELLINGTON'S
advance to Bourdcaux. Such a blow as the occupation of
this city would have a decisive effect on the Powers in the*
North, and them efore it is not impossible but it may
enter in his Lordship's deep and unerring combinations.
It is evaily probable, however, that considering the
deliverAue of Spain as his most immediate object, he.
will allow JOSEPH'S army to escape into France and
content himself with causing the Spaniards to Occupy
the lines of Bidassoa, the forcing of which cost the
Ercuch 30.000 lives in 179.1, and which may be easily de-
fended even by new levies against superior numbers, so great
is their natural strength. By a rapid movement on his
right, he would then penetrate into Catalonia, and uniting
with the force under Sir JOHN Niutiaa sr, which, it is said,
bas sailed from Alicant and landed between Barcelona and
ItosA would entirely.cut off the rest of the French armies
in Spain. In vain would SUCHET fall back from Valencia
to join the corps under DE CAEN in Catalonia, and those
under CL AUZEL in Arragon: even if they should be able to
effect their junction, they would still find themselves une-
qual to the Allied Army collected in their rear, through
which they would have no other resource than to endeavour
to cut their sely. Otherwise, surrounded by an exasperated
population, inflamed by victory, and eager for revenge, any
attempt to maintain their ground must terminate in a capi-
tulation similar to tl at obtained by DUPONT in Andalusia.
These are not reveries, conceived at the moment of enthu-
siastic exultation. They are consequences fairly deducible
from the present situation of the armies in Spain, the
bravery of our troops, the hearty and now tried co-opera-
tion of. our Portogues and Spanish Allies, And„.-nbtne all,
from the comprehensive and superior genius of the Hero
of behind and the Peninsula—the unconquerable WEL-
LINGToN.

'STE R •

'JULY 4.

Italy,.and which, judging from the dispositions made will be comi-
derable. _ _ _

-------
FRANKFORT, JUNE 17.--We have a considerable garrison here.
It is said, that 20,00:i French troops will pass the Rhine, during this
and the following week.
DRESDEN, JUNE 7.--The Count de Narbonne has arrived here
from Vienna, with some persons of his legation. Count Biibna has
frequent conferences with the Duke of Bassano. The Emperor of
Austria is still at Gitschen. The different Cabinets are very actively
employed, and there is a constant exchange of couriers.
The French Imperial Guard is lodged in Dresden.
We are still working on the fortifieations of the new town :
battalions torm a camp of barracks, in the form of an halt circle,
round that part of our town.
The marauders who. remained upon the banks of the Elbe arc
briskly pursued.
The 7th corps Warm& is encamped between Goerlitz and Lvo-
poldshagen. The cavalry in great part is cantoned in Lower Ltisee
and the Circle of AVittenbeig. The most efficacious measures arc
adopted for provisioning the army.- The King has bought large
quantities of wheat and oats in Bohemia ; and from Frauconia and
the banks of the Rhine great transports of rice and horned cattle
•
daily arrive.
A brigade of French cavalry has marched with some infantry upon
Chemnitz and Znrechau, the environs of which were infested by
some pillaging Prussians.
The Emperor enjoys the best health, and it is thought his abode
in this capital will be of some duration.
The Russian and Prussian corps of light cavalry, which made ex-
cursions to the neighbourhood of Gratz, Jena, Oelsnitz, Platten, and
Hof, retired, after they received intelligence of the Armistice.
In the Reports winch the Military Government of Silesia pub-
fished at Breslin', relative to the battle of the 200 and 21st of Mav,
it was among other things stated, that on this occasion a detach-
ment of Saxon troops deserted to the enemy : but this assertion is
ntircly void of foundation, and the Government of Silesia must in
this respect have received incorrect statements.
GENOA, JUNE 16.—We learn that the troops encamped at Tou-
lon are extremely. numerous, and arc daily occupied in being dis-
ciplined.
We have remarked movements lir that port-Wadi indicate that so
large an assemblage of fOrees has a more important object than the
acre defence of the coasts.
NUREMBERG. JUNE 15.—The Polish troops commanded by
Prince Poniatowski, have lately passed through a part of the Bohe-
mian territory, to proceed to the frontiers of Lusace, where they
are to rejoin the other corps of the Grand Army.
P IRUit JUNE 25.—Letters from Dresden, dated the 19th, an-
nounce, that the Emperor enjoys the best Inialth. Their Excellen-
cies the Grand Equerry, Duke of Vicenza, exercising the functions
of Grand Marshal, and the Doke of Ragusa, are lodged in the Im-
perial Palace. The Prince of Neufchatel resides at the Palace of
Bruhl. Count Butma, and the Danish Minister M. de Kass, con-
tinue at Dresden; where M. de Narbonne was expected, as are also
Plenipotentiaries front Russia, Prussia, England, and Spain.
DRESDEN, JUNE 18. —On the loth thee Emperor reviewed 15,000
cavalry, infantry, and artillery, which had just arrived from France
to join the different corps, of w hick they are destined to form a part.
We admire the beauty and fine appearance of these troops, who, upon
seeing the Emperor, made the air resound with the most lively Z 4 e -
clamations. His Majesty made several promotions, and distributed
some decorations ; after which the troops immediately set out for
their destination. The following day his Majesty reviewed several
corps of his guard, the ftisileers of the King of Westphalia's guard,
and some other corps.
On the 13th, the Diplomatic Corps met at a grand dinner in the
Duke of Bassano's house.
The Austrian General Bubna inhabits the Minister of Austria's
Palace.
The Price of Schwartzenberg's head-quarters have, it is said, been
transferred to Brandeis, in the circle of Koenigsgraetz.
Princes Jablonowski and Luboneerski, on the 10th of June, ar-
, rived from Breslau at Prague ; Prince Wolkonski, and several
Russian Couriers, on the th ; Prince Gallatzin, Aid-de-Camp to
1-the Emperor Alexander, on the 12th, ; Prince Poniatolivski on the
13th, from Brandeis; Prince Schwartzenberg, with one of his Aides-
dc-Camp, on the Uth left Prague for Gitsehin.
• IMPERIAL DECREE.
In our Imperial Camp of Klein-Biochweitz, !Ton the Field
of Battle at Wurtchen, the 2(2d of May, 1813, at 4 o'rleek
in the morning.
!, Napoleon, Emperor of the French, &c. &c.—We have Deeret
and do Decree as follows :

,

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FOREIGN INTEL. •• ' "1 1 ~.: ' '
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V.i EN NA, JUNE 10.—Great aetivit '-'''
, • .-1, .1 ...ie.,- ,„ .• -- fie
couriers arrived on the 4! I i and ,itli, - ,V),. • fzir ta....,, -- -.,. ii i. O(
excilauge continues to improve. - °'4>+'- :1` ll? 1- '44- ' -1'
VrttoNA, Ji.si.: 3. —Troops arrive h- 44'' 7.2
'..s" • • Nit —..,,t, .. 1 to
4e,
form part of the Atilly of the Adige, Ibsen v"."-. V tht Viceroy of