The National Register.
London, England, 1808-08-14 00:00:00

514

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i
.1

r
-"C_ I,4k_

soldiers nest.
try where spit
at home.
the Expedition
sent to co-operate
wirin t.
last Austrian war. Our Readers will excuse a short di-
gression here, in order to do justice to that distin4iiished
officer. During the short stay he made at that
time on
the Banks of the Weser, be lett a deep and permanent im-
pression on the inhabitants. by .his condescension and con-
ciliating manners; and the discipline he maintained among
his men, was the subject of universal praise. But t, re-
tnrn to our subject, this regulation consisted in a tem-
porary diminution of the pay. The privates were allowed
no more than sixpence a day, whilst the rmainder was pm-
served for them till their return. This was productive of
several advantages. Besides a considerable sum they had
to receive on their return, it preserved them from those
excesses which their full pay would have exposed them to
in a country, where brandy is so very cheap. As the Spa-
niards are the soberest and most decent people upon earth,
the necessity of a similar regulation for our army which is
piing to assist them, will be strongly felt; for no "ice
would sink. our national character lower in their estima-
tion, than that of drunkenuess. It is now very high in
that country ; and if we wish to preserve the affection and
.4. in of that 'high-minded people, we must adapt their
tillperance. This virtue should be particularly recom-
mended to our young oaken, for regulations will be use-
less unless they give the example to their men. They cam.
not be ignorant that the fate of Europe and of their coun-
try is in their hands • and what must be sacred to a wi-
cker, the fame of the British
_army is attached to their
conduct.
'Another circumstance cannot be too strongly, and too
•
frequently recommended, we mean a respect for the wor-
ship id the inhabitants. They are strongly attached, like
all honest men, to the religious institutions of their fathers.
• Any pleasantries on that subject would betray as much
igtiorance as brutality; and would contribute more to
afieuate the inhabitants, than ant other excess they could
'be guilty of. it would also be adviseable, that such of
Al, our soldiers as are Catholics, should; on their arrival in
that country, march every Sunday to Church, under
()Mem of that persuasion. They should be accompa-
nied. likewise by the band of their regiment, as this custom
is Usual in Spain. This liberality will remove from the'
minds of the natives any prepossession they may have im-
bibed about our higotW severity to the Catholics; and
must have great influence on a continuance of harmony
between the two nations. The strictest injunctions should
be likewise given to restrain licentiousness towards the
other sex. The Spaniards are proverbially delicate in that
respect. It is too common with the soldiers of every coun-
try, when they are on foreign service, to imagine that a
great latitude is allowed them on that very point and the
idea, that every brave man is naturally a gallant man,
does not contribute to diminish this licentiousness. It hat
been productive, however, of the most pernicious abuses;
and the brave man, who would blush to be guilty of a dis-
bpnourable action, is guilty, without remorse, of perfidy,
and atrocity towards the weaker sex. Soldiers, who • are the protectors of the weak and the defenceless, will find it
difficult to reconcile with that character treatment in this respect. It is ous
. these
observations, because there h
of per-,
Tidy, the recital of which won man with
horror. To cover these atrociti institution of marriage has been abused, and 'have been known
to marry several women in the course
of a single cam-
paign. This is a most revolting levity ; and it is to be
hope" that no instances of it will occur in our army. But
should any be guilty of so daring a violation of social and
divine !Mg, he should be punished with the same rigour,
as he would be in this country for a similar crime. A re-
laxation of morals must be as fatal to a soldier's sense of
•
. :14

..tepL ics, never engaged. in a war, or never fought a
battle without first imploring the protection of Heaven
for the success of their arms. And shall we, who are
Christians, and who are fighting in the
.justest cause
a nation was ever engaged in, overlook so awful an obli-
gation. Two of tho greatest heroes, and most -extraordi-
nary monarchs among the moderns, Gustab us Adolphus
and Charles the T4elfth, were remarkable for maintaining
religions sentiments in the minds of their soldiers. The
attention of Suwarrow is known in this respect.
But all these regulations would be useless, without s
General capable of'eaforcing them. The bravest .army,
and most distinguished fq discipline, when conducted by a
man of moderate abilitiAv loses its superiority against far
inferior troqps commanded byr a distinguished officer. The
history-of every war, fur mdte.than two thousand..years,
gives us undeniable proofs of 'the' truth of this assertion.
It is not even sufficient that the general, who will command
our mink" in Spain, should possess distinguished military
talents; he insist possess all the requisites of a great man ;
e most join the abilities of the statesman, to those of a
soldier. A country which is divided into as many govern-
ments, as there are juntas, and which will consequently
have such a diversity of interests and views, as soon as the
alarm of the present danger has sub Sided, requires a Gene-
ral, who is a eonsuinimate'statesman. It is also necessary,
that he possess a profound knowledge of their language
and manners. The facility which this will give him in his
negotiations with the different Juntas, may be easily con-
ceived. It will be flattering to the self-love of the nation I •
and a deficiency in this respect can never be remedied.
A single phrase from the mouth of a victorious General,
would have more weight on the resolutions of a popular
assembly, than all the eloquence and wit of Mr. Canning
himself. If he is ignorant of the language, he has no
other intercourse with the natives, than through the me-
dium of an interpreter :—how cold, how formal !—or he
must speak to them in the language of their oppressors.
From all we have said, we have no doubt on our minds that
the disunion of the allies, the ill success of every former
war, and the vast preponderance of the French, are to he
attributed solely and exclusively to the incapacity of the
Generals.

1==m•b•••

REVIEW OF POLITICAL DECLAIMERS.

No. XXIX.

• •

TO MR. CORBETT.

t a—Your observations on the affairs of Spain and the delPale
witticisms with which they arc interlarded, though they may
afford you and yo►tr friends a vast fund of satisfaction, have not
had a similar effect on the public. I leave it to the impirtial
and the honest to judge of the degree of honour they do to your
head and to your heart. You are justified, however, in lasinq
claims to the honour of singularity on the occasion ; thud if it he
a mark of genius that you, whilst every bosom in the different
ranks of society throbs with ecstacy at the prospect of ultimate
success on the side of innocence and virtue, should feel no other
sensation but a desire to indulge in scurrility and invective, )(pi
have unenvied pretensions to a superiority of intellect. Beware
of this exclusive privilege, Mr. Cobbett ! An English Public,
though far frOm being inimical to eccentricity on common occa-
sions, are so tenacious in some matters, that they would renounce
their characteristic toleration, and view that man more in the
light of a monster, than of a hero, who is singular enough to
feel in the contemplation of moral and national eyeniF, only a
desire to indulge iu the worst and most perverted feelings of the
human heart. Reflect, therefore, seriously if the pleasure of
indulging in a gratification, let it be ever so congenial to :our
principles and disposition,:will afford a compensation for the
esteem of a British Public. However, 1 am not qualified to
appreciate the satisfaction which a cankered heart, joined to an
irregular hnagivatiuu may eijoy from bidding rfehance to those
. . .

Amaiwassamaiiasonsimaawaimaiummiamiasiii-
UGUST 14.
THE NATIONAL REGISTER. '
•er tall into it. They are now goint to a coun- honour, as to a man in private life; and it is worthy of no.
kpirituous liquors are mcomparably.c esper than It. tice that the greatest Generals have been most attentive to
4 mod excellent regulation wag Introduced in maintain in their ar;iy a sense of moral and religious feel.
tion commanded by sAird Cathcart, which was , iug. The Greeks and Romans, ia-the finest ages of their
)perate with the Russians and Swedes during the Republics, never engaged in a viar_ .... --...._ , -
iu war. On. 1/...A--- —tei