The National Register.
London, England, 1808-10-24 00:00:00

VIE NATIONAL REGISTER.

i►t the field, amounts to 109,000 men. If we add to
Ahose the 13,000 British troops advancing under Sir DAVID
BAIRD, and the 9,500 Span►ards, who escaped from. the
Baltic under the larquis de lions +.{. Spain• will have an
army of 131,009 infantry, together with 6000 ea% alry.
To this formidable army, the enemy cull oppose no more
than 43,000 men, and 60 pieces of artillery. After tills
statement, which may he relied on as correct, there is
every reason to suppose, that the result, of the expected
engagement, will be favourable to the party, v.hich has
inn►xence and justice on its side. One of the principal
objects, which General BLAKE has in view, seems to
be the recapture of Bilboa ; should he succeed, it would
require all the skill of Nlarshal N EY, who commands
the French army in Spain, to secure the retreat of
the enemy. It is now known that the Freda) force
which re-captured Bilboa, amounted to nearly 10,000
infantry. and 1,100 cavalry. The attack was made ve►y
unexpectedly in the morning of the 26th September, and
filled the city with consternation; as the ink:lb:tants were
still impressed with the atrocities the enemy had committed
in their last visit. The Spanish garrison, which did not
amount to more tha►► 5,000 men, under the command of
the Marquis of PORTAZCO, not being strong enough to
resist the French column, retired, in the greatest order,
with the whole of their baggage and artillery, in the.
presence of the enemy, who did not dare to make the
sl►ghtest attempt to molest their retreat. As they were too
far in advance to receive timely succours from General
BLAKE'S army. they fell back on Valmaseda, a strong post
in the mountains, which they effected in the most masterly
manae.. The French were commanded on this occasion
by Marshal B t ssti;nEs. It is said that JOSEPH BONA esart
arrived iu Bilboa about the beginning of this mon th,

The obstinate impolicy of Mr. JEFPERSON, in continuing
the Embargo, in such direct opposition to the interest
and wishes of the Americans, would afford ample matter
for speculation as to the object he proposes from so des-
perate a measure, were his acquiescence in the projects of
the Usurper against the prosperity of Great Britain, and
hiS rooted antipathy to this country, not sufficiently known.
It is this partiality to France, and enmity to this country,
Sthich first suggested to him a measure, whose object was
to ruin our commerce, and whose consequences, in con-
(fortuity to the principles of eternal justice, have been dr-
structi‘e only to those, whose object was mischief. Know-
ing the President's sentiments, we are, certainly, not asto-
nished at the answer he rAurned to the Petition of the
Citizens of Hoston. This focus, or, more properly speak-
ing, the cradle, of the insurrection against the mother-
country, smarting under the mad policy of JEWPF nos and
Antifederahsts, thought, by the way of petition and
*monstrance, to prevail on their Chief Magistrate to sacri-
fice his animosity to England to the welfare of America.
Dia neither remonstrances nor petitions, nor the sufferings
of his countrymen, could soften his Anti-British heart;
and the friendship and approbation of a man, whom the
rest of the universe unanimously execrate, seem to out-
weigh, in the opinion of Mr. Jr.iwasost, the pros-
perity of the United States, and the indignation of his
cotemporaries. In order to form a just opinion of this
republican President, it is only necessary to read over his
observations on the irenerons contest the Spaniards arc so
successfully engaged in against their execrable invaders.
According to this worthy Magistrate, it is no more than
factious struggle between two parties in that country,
contending for power. This free enunciation of Mr. JET.'
INERSON'S sentiments or. so momentoutea subject, which, he
could not be ignorant, fixes irrevocably the happiness or
misery, the slavery or independence, of eleven millions of
Spaniards, and perhaps of Europe, will establish his repu-
tation in the judgment of honest men. however, let him
enjoy the advantages of his Embargo ; let him exult in the
misery and ruin it infallibly brings on Old England ; let
him anticipate, with rapturous pleasure, the prostration of

OCT. t.

this country, •hrtploring, un ils .ktiees, mercy and trade ;
let him congratulate his Corsican friend on the near pros.
pert of our renouncing our maritime rights, and subinittillg
to any other de4rading, restrictions they may both thin',
proper to impose:—Aie should not disturb him in the eajoi.
merit of such extatic Sensations ; but wait, with .otiejlt
resignation, till he is pleased to open the Americin liar.
bourn to our impatient and ruined inerchnuts.

•
The Electors of Westminster assembled on Thursday la,t,
in Westminster Hall, for the purpose of Putitionnig It c
MAJESTY, that an inquiry should be instituted rotative to
the Portuguese Convention. When we consider how
portalq a part of our freedom consists in the right Of peti-
tioning, we cannot sufficiently express the pleasure we feel,
that no ill-advised censure is sullicientto deter the peo-
ple of this country from the exercise of it. Any sem Nut
of the Crown, who should endeavour to impress on ills
MAJESTY'S mind any repugnance to au act so strongly
sanctioned by the Constitution. is as hostile to thc
real interests of the Sovereign, as he is to those of the
people. it is unnecessary 'to repeat here what ha.,
been a thousand times adverted to, that we are in-
debted for the inestimable blessing of having a Sc :e.
reign of the House of Brunswick seated on the En4lish
Throne, to the tenacious adherence of our ancestors to the
exercise or their rights. Had they been lukewarm, or
pusillanimous 'in this respect, their children would mil%
groan under the bigotted despotism of a STE...slur. ;lay
person, therefore, who should advise the Monarch to cea-
sure the exercise of a constitutional r'ght, contributes, as
much as lies in his power, to effect a schism between tho
King and his People.

Sir HEW DALRYMPLE arrived in town on Tuesday e% en.
ing, accompanied by Major DAtnymme, his sou, who
carried out his order of recal, and his Aide:-de-Camp,
Captains Gummi, and EtissnAwr.
The Niobe, with Sir WILLIAm Scovr, also arrived at
Portsmouth on Tuesday evening. Both vessels sailed at
the same time from the Tagus.
The arrival of Sir Haw Ittsayssocz will afford satis-
faction to every one who felt: both abashed and indignant
at the issue of the Campaign in Portugal. We arc informed
that he has expressed the highest indignation at the efforts
made by the friends of another officer to save the reputation
of the latter at is e cpcnce,and that he demands peremptorily
a court-martial. We have no antipathy to either of the per-
sons implicated ; but we are convincedufthe injustice, as well
as the illiberality, of criminating one in order to palliate
the conduct of the other. This °ricer, we know, is not
supported by the powerful interest the other can command;
and this very circumstance will be .s.ntlicient inducement to
a British Public, to suspend their 4tidgment, till the pro-
mised inquiry proves to whom criminality is to be attached.
We have received the following Letter from Portsmouth
dated, Oct. 18.—
" The Prince of Wales. has been here since Friday, superin-
tending the embarkation of the 10th Light Dragoons ; and as
each division has arrived, his Royal Highness has gone with
them to the Dock-yard. ' They are now all ou board, and it Is
said that his Royal Highness will leave us to-morrow. The
Prince is quite adored by his regiment; and some of the men,
they went on hoard, could not refrain expressing aloud their
attachment. In taking leave of the Officers, his Royal High-
ness actually burst into tears, and expressed in the strongest
manner his regret at not being able to areonipany them ; hut Ile
said,—" 1 give my .c,
sword to Brigadier-General Slait
will he at your head, and under w hose command I know you
wilt like to go, as much as Ido that you should." It appears
that General Shade entered the Princes regiment as a Cornet,
and remained in it near seventeen years; it is therefore very
natural they should like to go out under his command.
The Prince left Portsmouth on Wednesday morning,
when the works were manned for him, and the road, for
upwards of four miles, nod till he passed the out-works, was
lined with troops, who saluted as be passed them.