The National Register.
London, England, 1809-11-05 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL ‘REGISTER.

report to deceive the vigilance
_ of the Junta at Seville ; or
that a cessation of hostilities on the Danube has not re-
established confidence between BUONAPARTE and the Aus-
trian Government; and that the former is afraid to with-
draw a single Regiment from Germany, until Austria
think fit to diminish her immense Armament. We have
not lately read any thing with more lively interest, than
we did these two documents. They seem to afford an in-
controvertible evidence, that the Emperor FRANCIS, in
proportion to the prolongation of the Armistice, was able
to assume a more independent tone and attitude. Seeds of
future discontent and disturbances lie thickly sown in the
East and North of Europe, or the tyrant would not allow
his troops to huger in Germany. We feel the greatest
curiosity to see the articles of the late Peace; because
every new arrival from the Continent inclines us more and
more to believe them much less injurious to the Austrian
Government, than was generally reported. Sufficient, how-
ever, has been already disclosed to satisfy us' that the '
Court of Vienna did not receive as a supplicant, whatever
the conqueror at %Vagrain pleased to impose; hut treated
on the most perfect footing of equality; ready to appeal to
arms whenever that character was objected to by the opposite
party. We cannot sufficiently admire the organization of
the system of defence adopted in the Austrian Monarchy.
As BUONAPARTE advanced into the heart of the country
he found an increased resistance, a stronger force, than he
had to contend with after having passed the Inn. Whilst
his flanks and rear were exposed. to the most imminent
danger, lie met in proportion as he penetrated into Hun-
gary and Bohemia, the whole male population of the two
countries, in hostile array, ready to overwhelm him in
case of the slightest disaster. We have no doubt that the
tyrant shrank from this formidable array; and became
willing to yield at the conferences, what he gained during
the preceding campaign. Fortune has been more unkind
to him since the signature of the Armistice, than she had
been at any other period of his life, if we except his inva-
. sion of Syria.
He never was, at any one stage of his atrocious
and wild career, in greater danger than he is at pre-
sent. A power, which acts upon the principle, which
)3UONAPARTE has avowed, risks all the advantages
.of former success, as soon as it is forced to ter-
minate, by compromise, a contest with any of. its
opponents. He must totally incapacitate, or he does
nothing. Jut Gesar nut nihil, supremely applies to BUONA-
:PANTE he must be universal, unresisted master ;or the
colossus of his domination, however towering, rests upon
a thin base of sand. Eternal thanks to the Austrian Go-
vernment and people ! They have secured another chance
for the re-establishment of universal freedom ; whilst their
neighbours, with the basest emulation, were trying to out-
.vie each other in marks of submission. It must be re-
marked. that it was not from a desire of extinguishing the
same of resistance in Spain, that the tyrant gave peace to
Germany. No .: he seems to have acted, in doing so,
from no other motive, but the fear of renewing the con-
test. After having been foiled in Germany, he has not
the courage to let-loose his war hounds, in pursuit of an-
,other prey in Spaiu.

Papers and letters from Lisbon to the 24th ult. were re-
ceived on Friday. They contain a variety of interesting
details relative to the Peninsula. 'Though we suspect some
exaggeration in the accounts published in these papers, re-
lative to the efficiency and numbers of the Spanish armies,
we have the most positive proofs in the advanced positions
of their troops; in the 'vigorous stand they make, where
the invaders are collected in greatest force; in their suc-
cessful efforts in Catalonia ; in the defensive sysiem adopted
by the enemy, and the constantly decreasing circle of Jo-
sEries domination—in all these we have the most positive
proofs that the Spaniards are not that inert people, imen-
sible to freedom, or iodiirerent to the domination of (9,

707

'viper, as some of our journalists, to their eternal dia -
grace, have continued to describe them. An injurious im-
putation reverberates from the innocent with ten-fold vio-
lence, upon the wretch who offers it. Such, we rejoice to
state, is the case with the Spaniards and their calumniators
in Londori and Paris. They retort the charge of inertness,
by increasing their efforts, and oppose to the imputation of
indifference,_ a more intense hatred of the Usurper, and a,
more fixed determination, to sufler thegreatest privations,
rather than submit to his insolent pretensions. This is the
character of men, who are 'ardent in a cause, and have too
much sensibility and honour to be affected by the vile in-
vectives of their stupid cold-hearted detracters. They
praise this country enthusiastically; because their hearts
are open to gratitude; and they are too conscious of
their own merit., to feel any pain, in doing justice to the
services they continue to receive from it. They know
perfectly well to discriminate between the great man of the
British nation, which always sympathized in the feelings of
a people struggling for freedom, and a few wretches
who appear to give no other sign of existence,
than in aspersing those governments and nations
who have the courage to resist the ambition and tyranny
of BUONAPARTE. It is nauseous to hear those creatures, ,
with the fury of savages. set up a war-hoop against abuses
at home ; when we know that they do it only from a spirit
of opposition to whatever is; when we know that they are
inimical to freedom, in every other country. Love of
liberty operates with the same enlarged force,as philanthropy
does; it embraces the universe; and would see all men free
and happy, from the panting savage on the line, to the
wandering destitute Indian in the bleak regions of Canada.
Her votaries detest only tyrants and conquerors, who have
the atrocity to. establish a system of solitary, gloomy great-
ness, upon the misery and debasement of millions of their
fellow-creatures. To love the institutions of this country,
to evince zeal for its glory and prosperity, and not to ab-
hor NAPOLEON BUONPARTE,—ib a canting falsehood, and
proves only the hypocrisy of the individual, who pro,
clams this mode of thinking.
Animated with these sentiments, we take the most lively
interest in every communication, which alludes to the in-
creasing vigour, vigilance, and discipline of the Spanish
patriots. We are happy to state that their military force
is now more numerous and better equipred titan at any
former period. Time and custom, as we foresaw, would
("radially inure them to the severity of discipline; and
they have already made rapid progress in an art, which
alone gave their antagonists a superiority over them.—
What is more,--oppertimity, coupled with difficulties, be-
("ins to develope those talents which constitute the character
of intelligent Officers. Their encampments ate well chosen
and secured against sudden surprise, which is a sure symp-
tom that their present leaders are not destitute of intelli- •
gence. The desultory mode of warfare, pursued of late,
with so much vigour and success, will free them from that
panic which their great losses had inspired ; and the Spa-
niard, naturally brave, enthusiastic, and enterprising, , will
soon recover confidence, and acquire a steady deportment
in the hour of peril. Three-fourths of the Peninsula are
in this moment, in the hands of the Patriots; and the
circle that groans under the yoke of the Usurper, is sen-
sibly contracting every week. Even numerous districts
in that very inclosure, assert their independence; brave
the race of the Tyrant; cut off his supplies; inter-
cept his communications ; harrass his pas ties ; pick
up his agents, and expose him; his partisans and emissa-
ries, to incessant alarm. This is thekind of war which
must eventually succeed. It offers to the bold a ready the-
atre for his courage ; to the sanguine, a preventative
against deseondency ; to the patriot, an opportunity for •
a display of his aversion to usurpation.: to the young, the
ardent, the restless, a large, uninterrupted field, where
they may attract notice, -end gratify
.their passion for dis.
tint:U(4l'nd novelty.

NOV. 5. . THE NATIONAL 'REGISTER. 707
. .
_ .
_._
report to deceive the vigilance of the Junta at Seville ; or 'viper, as some of our journalists, to their eternal die-
that a cessation of hostilities on the Danube has not re- grace, have continued to describe them. An injurious iin-
established confidence between BUONAPARTE and the Aus- potation reverberates from the innocent with ten-fold vio-
trian Government; and that the former is afraid to with- knee, upon the wretch who offers it. Such, we rejoice to
draw a single Regiment from Germany, until Austria state, is the case with the Spaniards and their calumniators
think fit to diminish her immense Armament. We have in Londori and Paris. They retort the charge of inertness,
not lately read any thing with more lively interest, than by increasing their efforts, and oppose to the imputation of
we did these two documents. They seem to afford an in- indifference, a more intense hatred of the Usurper, and a
_controvertible evidence, that the Emperor FRANCIS, in more fixed determination, to sutler thegreatest privations,
proportion to the prolongation of the Armistice, was able rather than submit to his insolent pretensions. This is the
to assume a more independent tone and attitude. Seeds of character of men, who are 'ardent in a cause, and have too
future discontent and disturbances lie thickly sown in the much sensibility and honour to be affected by the vile in-
East and North of Europe, or the tyrant would not allow vectives of their stupid cold-hearted detracters. They
his troops to linger in Germany. We feel the greatest praise this country enthusiastically; because their hearts
curiosity to see the articles of the late Peace; because are open to gratitude; and they are too conscious of
every new arrival from the Continent inclines us more and their own merit, to feel any pain, in doing justice to the
more to believe them much less injurious to the Austrian services they continue to receive from it. They know
i, Government, than was generally reported. Sufficient, how- perfectly well to discriminate between the great mass of the
ever, has been already disclosed to satisfy us that the British nation, which always sympathized in the feelings of
Court of Vienna did not receive as a supplicant, whatever a people struggling lOr freedom, and a few wretches
the conqueror at %Vagram pleased to impose; hut treated who appear to give no other sign of existence,
on the most perfect footing of equality; ready to appeal to that) in aspersing those goverements and nations
arms whenever that character was objected to by the opposite who have the courage to resist the ambition and tyranny
party. We cannot sufficiently admire the organization of of BUONAPARTE. It is nauseous to hear those creatures, , • *
the system of defence adopted in the Austrian Monarchy. with the fury of savages. set up a war-hoop against abuses
. As BUONAPARTE advanced into the heart of the country at home ; when we know that they do it only from a spirit
he found an increased resistance, a stronger force, than he of opposition to whatever is ; when we know that they are
had to contend with after having passed- the inn. Whilst inimical to freedom, in every other country. Love of
his flanks and rear were exposed .to the most imminent liberty operates with the same enlarged force,as philanthropy
. danger, lie met in proportion as he penetrated into Hun- does; it embraces the universe; and would see all men free
gary and Bohemia, the whole male population of the two and happy, from the panting savage on the line, to the
countries, in hostile arras', ready to overwhelm him in wandering destitute Indian in the bleak regions of Canada.
case of the slightest disaster. We have no doubt that the Her votaries detest only tyrants and conquerors, who have
. tyrant shrank from this formidable array; and became the atrocity to. establish a system of solitary, gloomy great_
willing to yield at the conferences, what he gained during ness, upon the misery and debasement of millions of their
the preceding campaign. Fortune has been more unkind fellow-creatures. To love the institutions of this country,
to him since the signature of the Armistice, than she had to evince zeal for its glory and prosperity, and not to el,-
been at any other period of his life, if we except his inva- hor NAPOLEON BUONPARTE,—is a canting falsehood, awl
. sloe of Syria. proves only the hypocrisy of the individual, who pro-
He never was, at any one stage of his atrocious clams this mode of thinking.
and wild career, in greater danger than he is at pre-
Animated with these sentiments, we take the most lively
sent. A power, which acts upon the principle, which interest in every* communication, which alludes to the in-
)3UONAPARTE has avowed, risks all the advantages
creasing vigour, vigilance, and discipline of the Spanish.
of former success, as soon as it is forced to ter- patriots. We are happy to state that their military force
.urinate, by compromise, a contest with any of. its is now more numerous and better equipred than at any
opponents. He must totally incapacitate, or he does former period. Time and custom, as we foresaw, would
nothing. Jut rwsar aut nihil, supremely applies to BUONA- gradually inure them to the severity of discipline; and
:PARTE : he must be universal, unresisted master ;or the they have already made rapid progress in an art, which
colossus of his domination, however towering, rests upon alone gave their antagonists a superiority over them.—
a thin base of sand. Eternal thanks to the Austrian Go- What is more,--oppertimity, coupled with difficulties, be-
verument and people ! They have secured another chance gins to develope those talents which constitute the character
for the re-establishment of universal freedom ; whilst their of intelligent Officers. Their encampments ate well chosen
neighbours, with the basest emulation, were trying to out- and secured against sudden surprise, which is a sure spre-
.vie each other in marks of submission. It must be re- tom that their present leaders are not destitute of intelli- •
anarked. that it was not from a desire of extinguishing the Bence. The desultory mode of warfare, pursued of late,
same of resistance in Spain, that the tyrant gave peace to with so much vigour and success, will free them from that
Germany. No .: he seems to have acted, in doing so, panic which their great losses had inspired ; and the Spa.
•
from no other motive, but the fear of renewing the con- niard, naturally brave, enthusiastic, and enterprising, , will
.test. After having been foiled in Germany, he has not
soon recover confidence, and acquire a steady deportment
the courage to let-loose his war hounds, in pursuit of an- in the hour of peril. Three-fourths of the Peninsula are i
,other prey in Spaie. in this moment, in the hands of the Patriots; and tile
—.elm.
circle that groans 'under the yoke of the Usurper, is sea_ .1
Papers and letters from Lisbon to the 24th ult. were re- sittly contracting every week. Even numerous districts
ceived on Friday. They contain a variety of interesting in that very inclosure, assert their independence; brave