The National Register.
London, England, 1809-01-08 00:00:00

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, . REGISTER.
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.• • eur tins, trOnOttlltion, anb Latig.
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No. 54. SUNDAY, JANUARY S, 1509.
PRICE Sil.
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. POLITICAL 'DISQUISITION.
r • unavailing ; for '.he solemn i•ct of a Board of General
NUMBER FIFTY-THREE. Officers, with one exception, has sanctioned the principles .
of the Armistice, and approved of their spirit; and the
ON THE 'REPORT OF THE-BOARD OF ENQUIRY. country now stands, in the eyes of Europe and the judge-
ment of posterity, equal participator in the praise or dis-
SOME cotemporary writers express the most marked in- grace attached to it. This we consider as far more distress-
- ! dignation and astonishment at the opinion pronounced by ing and repulsive than the Armistice itself; for what, we r.
tile majority of the officers who compoSed this Board ; for are told, was, id the one case, the effect of an error in
our part, we felt neither, because we anticipated this ter- jodgement, it would be both folly and impertinence iu the
initiation of their proceedings. Our auger has long since extreme to impute the second to the same source.
evaporated ; and time and familiarity have rendered less Whatever approbation the Board of Inquiry bestow on itl
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paiiirid the sombre tints of the transaction. By degrees the Armistice, the public at large disapprove of it, and
we may attain that placidity and patience of disposition, strongly condemn its principle and tendency. Ilesides, we ~
as to endure far greater outrages on the national honour; do not, by any means, attribute to them that MOBOpoly cf. i!.
. and another Buenos Ayres capitulation or two, with a re- . understanding, or that superiority of penetration, as to
Petition of Cintra Conventions, and a few more congenial feel an inclination to deviate from the general sentime,it,
reports, may completely break down the proud, impatient from a sense of the infailihility of their decision. We take
character of the British nation. What golden days must the liberty of dissenting totally frocu them in their opinion
then ensue!—no troublesome, impertinent city orators, of its advantages; for we feel no difficulty in attributing
sturdily contending- for inquiry and the exercise of their to it a considerable part of the disasters which have since
rights;—no severe and unsolicited censure on errors of befallen the Spanish Patriots. Had the victory at Vimiera
judgment ; thou gh these errors might have been attended been followed up, and the enemy f
theirofficer
of our own. These Halcyon days, when a quieter and less ting advised, the enemy would not have dared
factious era in our history shall commence, afford us, it is enetrate as far as Madrid ? and the rout of so splendid
and decisive an action,whilst it raised the confidence of our
true, no motives for exultation; because we have very
. . . . . own .troops, and the martial reputation of the coularv,
!ittie of tht TuatiN in our disposition..
We cannot Stimulate ourselves, whatever efforts we make, would have excited both Spaniards and Pi.rtugt:e.w *.o
to an expression implying reprobation or anger; our emulate the bravery of our armies. Every latcni si,ei-, of
discontent. would have been extinguished ; and the tiir,-e
feelingi, exhausted by loud and freqoent disapprobation,
countries have co-operated, hand and heart, iu support of
have at last subsided into something bordering on the most
the common cause. Selfish men have existed, and will con-
.. supreme contempt for the advisers, and still more so for the
tinue to exist. Such persons arc always averse to every
deliberate approvers of an odious and disgraceful measure.
great and national enterprize ; aud, under this denomi-
,
The former may plume themselves on their honouree/de - nation, we rank the secondary agents and dependants of
acquittal ; and the latter on their humanity, and profound party leaders. Public disasters and disgrace are the =-
respect for the duties and honour of a Soldier ;' but we phetical vapours on which they principally subsist. Every
and navy, thing, therefore, which ;:iives these noxious vermin an
believe there are a number of office •s in our army
who would not be satisfied with a similar acquittal ; and it opportunity of exhaling their poison, serves to contaminate
affords a just cause of exultation and security to their coon- the very vitals of society. Since this unfortunate occur-
try, that there are many who have this keen and irritable , rence happened, we have seen men of this description con-
sense of honour in every thing that regards the discharge of tinually on the alert ; and every art has been used, and
their professional duties. As to the humanity of the others, every kind of intrigue put in practice, to repress the
we must beg, leave to differ from them in our signification efforts and enthusiasm of the public, in support of the
and acceptance of that virtue ; for we consider it the
Spaniards.
grossest and most selfish 'inhumanity to extend toleration After so much experience of the manifest disadvantages
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and indulgence to " errors of judgment" when they are of the Portuguese Armistice and Convention, we were not
committed by persons in high ostensible situations,—Inca- prepared, we must confess, to hear any man in this country
pacity is the most dangerous, and consequently the most
give an opinions
far as the voice of the public Wes' consulted—wherever
in favour of their utility and principle.
reprehensible, vice in the commander in chief of an army.
A
We find it painful, as well as disgusting-, to be obliged an impartial sentiment was heard, both these measures
• were considered as indefensible and odious. in this point
to recur either to the Armistice or Convention :—if our
blushes and the profound sorrow we felt when first it ex- of view the opinion was unanimous ; and, in
*the Common
cited universal disappointment and dismay in the country,- Council of the City of London, in the Meetings at West-
could lessen their heinousness, or obliterate the memory of minster, and in the several counties, whatever difference
so alarming a precedent, we should feel the most exquisite existed as to the propriety of petitioning the Throne, not
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. , satisfaction in the remembrance of the shame and grief we one individual had the effrontery to palliate, use do not
suffered: hut our regret is useless, and our indignation mean, defend, the necessity of these measures. On tha
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