The National Register.
London, England, 1811-03-31 00:00:00

194

il

in battle array, and the most lofty capitals
.opened
their gates to receiiettem, whilst Sovereigns fled
before them lest tLey should be .btiried tinder the
ruins of their thrones. They marched from one end
of the Continent to the other, and met with no effec-
tual opposition to their progiess, so great was the
teror of their name ! Was it useless therefore, to
quell their pride and incontestibility to shew to the
whole world the futility of the dread to which they in-
spired ? Can that victory be called barren, which
not only deprives them of three tho9sand of their
picked veterans but disarms them of their two
strongest weapons, confidence in their own power,
and the vulgar belief. in their invincih•lity ? Can
it be in vain that the all-convincing • argument
used by Sir Joni STUART, at Maida, should have
been repeated with encreased energy by General
CRAIIAM at Barrosa ? And when the nations of
Europe see their conquerors unable; although with
super or numbers and all the advantages of posi-
tion, to contend with less than half their force in
li!.itWr soldiers ; when they view eight thousand
French eroes flying before the bayon, is of three
thousand Britons, and forsakine- their artillery, am]
vainly dreaded eagles, they w'-d1 cease to despond.
They will cast a glance of hope towards the dim
vista of futurity, and silently prepare to wrench
their enslaved countries from the grasp of the op.
pressor. For as long as they found that war only
Served to rivet their chains more closely they wit.
the hostilities with fear and entered the field
With reluctance. But when will they be convinced,
and such victories as that of Barrc.sa, must quickly
operate that conviction, that the legions of France
may be conquered, they will gladly welcome war
as their de.iverer from the most debasing servitude ;
will share its perils IN ith alacrity, and carry on its
operations with revived confidence. and increased
ur and activity.
In another point of view the victory of Barrosa,
will, we have no doubt, soon be discovered to have
powerfully assisted the operations of Lord WEL-
LINGTON against I\l,-tssiNA's army. Although it
'was not attended•with the immediate abandonment

of the siege of Cadiz by the defeated VICTOR, it
has so far impaired,his force, *s to debilitate him,
'Mail he shall receive reinforcements. It is even
possible. that he may find .himself too weak to en-
counter a second time our victorious troops; and
should
.our hostile demonstrations be continued
both by sea and land, he may soon be compelled to
retreat towards Seville, in order to meet half way
advancing reinforcenlents, or by forming a junction
with the garrison of that city, cover *it against any
attack we might make upon it. Whatever events
may follow the glorious action of Barrosa in An-
dalusia, the very intelligence of our intention to drive
the besieging at my from its posts before Cadiz, decid-
ed the fate of the campaign in Portugal. MAsSINA
instantly perceived that should VICTOR be defeated
. with the assistance of our arms, his loss would be too
Fonsiderable, and his pursuit too actively carried on,
to enable him to reach Seville with any thing like an
• army. He knew that he could derive but,little sup-
port from that small corps scattered in the neigh-
bouring- provinces, and that in order to avoid.utter
arfnihilation he must recross the Sierra Morena.--+
This movement would bring back the war round.


the walls of Toledo and to the very gates of Madrid,
for joinedby. the rising population of Andalusia, Es.
tremadura, La Mancha, and Grenada, Gen. GRA"
HAM'S army would swell as it advanced so as to be
checked in its progress only by large numbers..
He therefore apprehended -Madrid might assecond
time fall into the hands- of the patriots and
began his retreat from Santarem in order to take a
position within the Spanish frontiers, whence he
might act as circumstances would require ; render-
ing the idea of an attempt on Madrid less promising
by the vicinity of his army to that capital, and at
the same time detaining Lord WELLINGTON 011 Por-
tuguese ground. That these are the motives which
induced hitn to retreat, is highly probable ; but that
he will be successful in the execution of his plan,
highly doubtful. For by his change of position all
the advantages of the campaign are left on our side,
and we not only become the assailants, but have
our choice of the ground on which we choose to
fight an enemy, already thrown into confusion, by
the very nature of his retreat through lately inun-
dated countries, and in face of an active, powerful,
and enterprising army.

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

DUTCH PAPERS.

AMSTERDAM, MARCH 22.—His Serene Ilighnesq, Prince
Arch-Chancenor of the Empire, the Duke of Plaissance, Etc
has received the following

TELEGRAPHIC DISPATCHES.

Paris' March 20, Sir in the Morning.
Her Majesty the Empress began yesterday evening, towards
eight o'clock, to suffer the -pains of child-birth, which abated
during the night, and in the morning had nearly ceased. Her
Majesty in other respects is well.
Paris, March 20.
Her Majesty the Empress of the French was safely delivered
of a Wince at nine o'clock this morning.

Paris,_ Mare's 23, Half-past Eleven.
Her Majesty and the young Prince are well ; the Prince yes-
terday began to take, with avidity, nourishment from his uurse.
Paris, March 22, Two o'Clock, P. M.
The Prince has suffered during the night, some of the pains
incident to his age; this morning he is well.

AMSTSRDfIK, MARCH 22.-The Director-General of the Po-
lice in Holland was last night at the Theatre, when his Serene
Highness the Prince Governor-General was good enough to send
and inform him of the happy news which completed the wishes
of the empire.
He immediately caused the representation to be suspended,
and proclaimed the birth of the King of Rome.
It would be impossible to describe with what cheering and en-
thusiasm this intelligence was received. The cries of " Long
live the Emperor ! Long live the Empress ! Long live :heir au-
gust Son !" were'reiteratedfrom all parts for an amazing length
of time. The joy of the su*jects c:f his Majesty, lately united
to the empire, seemed to vie with that of the military of ail
ranks, who were spread in the different parts of the hail.
To-day there was a grand parade ; after the parade, a most
brilliant one, at which the three corps of the Guards of Honour
manoeuvred with the National Guard. His Serene Highness
the Prince Governor gave a grand dinner. In the evening there
was a rout and hall at the Palace. 'The greatest joy prevailed at
the dinner and ball.