The National Register.
London, England, 1811-09-08 00:00:00

LISBON PAPERS.

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PISBON, Moos r 16.—We have received the first Gazette
from Oviedo, dated e 26th of Jul ;we have thought it proper
to make the followinthg extract, asy peculiarly
,applicable to our
own present circumstances:—
The Superior Junta of this principality, at length restored to
the province, and desirous to contribute hy every possible means
to the general restoration of the country, has resolved to continue
the periodical paper interrupted by various accidents during the I
latter months of their residence in Navia.
We have three times seen in Spain a state of things capable of
dismaying the most resolute; but Spaniards have in their cha-
racter an intrepidity and firmness which do not enter into the
calculations of an ordinary policy. Thus, at the expiration of a
three years struggle which the tyrant has made, the Spaniards
are snore heroic than ever.
Spain has at all times produced extraordinary men worthy of
an immortal name ; but to stimulate more this disposition to he-
roism, it is necessary to publish some particular facts, and to
bestow the merited eulogiums on the defenders of liberty and
their country. Would it not be a lamentable thing, that to the
evils of a slavery of seventeen months, which this Province has
suffered, should be added that of burying in oblivion the noble
deeds of certain natives of the Asturias, as well peasants as mili-
tary men, and thus depriving ourselves of the happy effects
which the relation and display of their glorious achievements
must produce in others ?—These are the reasons that the Superior
Junta. in the midst of the serious occupations which surround
them, have anxiously desired that some person would undertake
the editing of this periodical Paper. May their proper and com-
mendable views be carried into effect by a person adequately qua-
lified for the undertaking.
However this may be, may not the Governmeut, now that the
French have for six weeks evacuated this principality‘ thus ad-
dress our countrymen. " Inhabitants of the Asturias, you have
recovered your liberty which you have been deprived of for 17
months, shedding tears in silence, and endeavouring to stifle the
feelings of nature. The labourers, that class of men so respect-
able and necessary to the State, saw the grain necessary for the
support of their families, seized hy their unrelenting oppressors;
the clergy was persecuted and exiled,the nobles were exiled from
their houses, while whatever they contained became the prey of
the enemy. All was desolation, misery. and lamentation, and
would have been so still, had not Heaven, propitious and favour-
able to the hstiourable exertions of the Spaniards, and corn-
passionating so much calamity, given success to the arms of our
allies and/ourselves, in a series of glorious actions, which at length
obliged the enemy to evacuate the principality.
At 14pigth you have recovered your independence, your privi-
leges, tibi"liberty—but to preserve these precious gifts of Hea-
vier), hotiPMany more sacrifices will be necessary. Dissimulation
Ansa 4)4111il! Air, whose first character ought to be truth, would

NAI. REGISTER.

be a crime. A great benefit demands great sacrifices. Life its
self ought to be risked to shun that slavery which must render
life a burthen. Experience has taught you what you must expect
of the enemy. Your smoking desolate fields, your still smoking
villages, will not permit you to doubt. Nobles, Merchants, Mi-
nisters of Religion, all must. make all sacrifices possible. Let
those In authority inspire the people entrusted to their guidance,
with that noble enthusiasm for liberty and independence, with
that love for religion and their country, with that generous con-
tempt for ease, enjoyment, and interest, which alone are capable
of elevating the nund to heroic enterprises.
-Inhabitants of theaAsturias fear to sink again into that bondage
and oppression under which you so long languished. Let the sa-
cred fire of patriotism rekindle in your souls. Now is the time
to reflect on and rectify your former errors, now is the time to
place our troops on a respectable footing. Our generous Allies
have opposed to the legions of the enemy a system of tactics,
slow in appearance, but energetic and vigorous, which have
snatched their laurels from the best Marshals of France. The
Spanish troops, united with them, covered themselves with glory
in the plains of Albuera. In vain did the enemy collect their
force in Estremadura, they were obliged to retire. Every day
they formed new plans, but all were disconcerted by the sagacity,
the valour, and constancy of the English General—the immortal
Wellington !
But, Asturians, nothing is done—while any thing remains to
be done. This was the maxim which characterised the great
military talents of the illustrious Captain Julius Czsar. Let us
not slumber in possession of our liberty. While there are ene-
mies in the Peninsula, it is necessary to labour. It is necessary to
pursue the enemy till we force them to repass the Pyrenees.
The number or champions who have taken the field to drive the
enemy entirely from our territory increases from day to day.
Let us unite with them—union and exertion can only save the
country."
(Remark of the Portuguese Editor.)—What is here observed is
a great truth ; France is very poAerful, but her pride and ambi-
tion are still greater than her power. England, Spain, Portugal,
have indeed great resources, but only a strict friendship between
the-three can produce a unity of action and of force. We can
conceive nothing so capable of arresting the ainbi:ion of France,
as a sincere alliance between these three nations ; it is truly na-
tural, since it is founded in the real interest of each of them. The
man is to he pitied who, misled by passion, prejudice, or ig-
norance, does not acknowledge this to be as clear as the sun at
noon day.

CORUNNA, AUGUST 23.
That the Public may be apprised without delay
of some fortunate results of the operations of the 7th
army, of which Don Gabriel de Mendizabal is Ge-
neral in Chief, we have published the present bulle-
tin, which contains accounts transmitted by a Spa-
niard from Santana, dated nine o'clock in the even-
ing of the 16th instant.
Between 7 and 800 men, with some cavalry of the
division of Senor Porlier, arrived upon Santander at
half-past four in the morning of the 14th, after
marching the preceding night three leigues, with
so much secrecy that, surprising and killing the
first sentinels, they got possession of the entrance to
the street S. Francisco, and the gate of los Reme-
dios and Staclara, and several of Santa Lucia, be-
fore they were at all perceived ; and the first notice
of their movement was given by a discharge from
the guard of the hospital of S. Rafael, in the High-
street.
The General, with all the Officers (who were
double the number that properly belonged to the
garrison) were in bed—he had about 300 gen-
a'armes, and 100 infantry ; but in consequence of
the surprise, though he sallied out to the street, he
could collect only about 50 gend'armes—and with
them, and a part of the Officers not half dressed,
they took to the high road ; all of them who could,
both Officers and men, persons belonging to the
hospitals, intendancy, commissariat, and other de.
partments.
As soon as they arrived at the quay they plunged
into the water hi order to seize certain boats which