The National Register.
London, England, 1808-09-26 00:00:00

nonr, to ictory or defeat, and ranking them as high in
their estimation, and perhaps higher in their consideration,
than Lord Nelson. Pardon us, shndc of a hero and patriot !
The loathsome association of such characters with your
immortal name, was wrung from our wounded feelings.
We know how you would have acted had you been sta-
tioned before the Tagus ; and wi9e the arm, which .was so
often wielded in the service of your country, capable of
signing such a Convention, you would, like another Sete-
vola, havL. made it expiate in the flames the ignominy of
the service.

Shall we analyse this Convention ? Shall we examine it
article for article ? Shall we begin with No. 1,2, 3, 4 ?
Shall we find courage to go through the abominable cata-
logue ? The second is infamous, the third is equally so, and
the fourth, we believe, is unparalleled. The fifth is a con-
nivance on our part, a treacherous sanction of the plunder
of the unfortunate Portuguese. We furnish the robbers
with ships to carry home the pilfered effects of our Allies.
fins there been another example in the annals of history of
such meanness ? Those very rubiana, the sworn enemies of
our name, our country, our liberty, o'ir institutions and
prosperity ; who plundered the Portuguese of their pro-
perty ; who made their provinces a scene of devastation,
rape, and murder, from no other motives hut because they
were our friends ; who forced their Sovereign, on the same
account, to abandon his throne and countn, are permitted
by Dalrymple, &ward, and Wellesley, not oily to carry
off, but are assisted with the means of convevin away the
property of the very people, who itecatne victims to their
attachment to us. In the long catalogue of human vices
and atrocities, if' a parallel example •of baseness can Le
pointed out, we will become the panegyrists of their con-
duct. The sixth and seventh articles are a mean, paltry,
despicable acquiescence in the arrogant pretensions of the
enemy. They are worded so obsequiously ; they evince
so much politeness, that it is visible,' that the fellows, who
signed it, felt. a kind of awe and terror in the presence of
this psuedo Duke. "It is, howaver, fully understood that
" the means of conveyaece iOr horses, at the disposal of
"the British Commanders are very limited ; some (feta-
,' Ilona canreyvnee moy'be proepeed of Me port of Lisbon;
" at all events es ery facility will tie giy en to the French
" arm to dispeie of the horses brloeging to it, &c."—
Where is our vaim'ed pride ? 11 hat is become of that re-
peldicen lemehtiness we are accused of ? Every line in
these. te•o articles resembles more the nauseous complai-
sance of an (,id, court-retainee, then the simp'e,
energetic language of a soldier. So much anxiety is ma-
nifested to provide for Ilee wants, aed anticipate the neces-
sities of annot atet savally rellowees ; SO mech com-
placency ; so mech honied sweetness, that we grew sick on
reatime if. !•!::1!oe on voer feeliegs and your politeness!
We wish you bad in vow: composii;on more English blunt-
ness and infleeihilitv. The eieiith mill ninth are in the
same shin as the prece.',ieg. The tenth, which stipulates
the safe return of our s!,ips, aLer having conveyed the
French home, has been adverted to in our last Number;

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