The National Register.
London, England, 1808-11-13 00:00:00

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POLITICAL. DISQUISITIGINe • • ..f f•


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SUNDAY, Ntlllifl'Eß 13, 1808. Jr- PRICE Bd.
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His distinguished and almost inatchlessaalents as a soldier;
his perseverance and indefatigable activity ; the wonderful
versatility of his minds the lincontrouled influence he
exercises over his agents, military and civil ; his great
discrimination in the choice of these instruments; the terror
inspired by his reputation and splendid successes; his pro-
found, and almost inconceivable art in keeping alive the
confidence and courage of his soldiers, under the greatest
privations and fatigues ; his impenetcable secrecy, the
rapidity with which be executes, and the judgment with
virlitch he concerts, his projects; his itithifereace to the
.gratifications of the senses, and the inciLeincats of pleasure;
the unlimited eontroul he exercises over the lives and for-
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unes of sixty millions of individuals,. who are ready, vo-
luntarily or not, to second his wishes, and ohey implicitly
his commandsf—These considerations, together with the
number and discipline of his armies, the skill, services and
reputation of his generals, and his sovereign indifference
to the morality of the means he employs, are sufficient to
excuse any degree of alarm and anxiety which the frieuda
of Spanish independence may happen to feel.
Such, we know, are, thy shara.cpr and resources of that
dangerous individual;,- 11441key...aapear :more.. alarming:
when contrasted with the weakness, indecision, and want of
cordial' co-operations in the washers ,composing otlwr
governments ; their eternal shutting, and shifting from one
expedient to another ; thelitigratat and.,cQing abase in the
distribution of the mosteostensible places,. in the state and
army ; the impunity skeistis to cowards •and traitors. and
the preference given.to boobies of fortune and ever
genius and virtue;—"these alarming symptoms .of dotage
and approaching ruin, contrasted with the youthful
vigour and activity displayail..in the councils of the usurper.
afford. too much reason for. bot expecting, any efficient
resistance from states governed tint such principles. -a
But we acknowledge also, it. is not from governments
conducted on such principles that we expect the libe-
ration of Europe from the yoke of a watchful, enter-
prising, wary and intelligent anis-pert for mere the im-
pending contest-to .he decided between hen and the latter,
we would ho the first to advise them to instantaneous
submission, in order to avoid an useless effusion of blood
and treasure, without even a prospect of advantage or
honour.
We have stated, we believe, fairly and conscientiously,
the strongest and most serious objections that are urged
against the probability of success, vu the part of the pal.
triots; and in cloini: so, we have carefully avoided every
appearance of acrimonious language, fur fear that. warmth
and invective might appear unfit and indecorous in dis-
cus‘inf4 TO solemn a subject. Our opinion, however, of
the individual, who, without . even the plea of advantage
or provocation, isgoing to let loose two hood:a tbousso4

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