The Sun.
London, England, 1808-12-16 00:00:00

DECLARATION.

The overtures made to hia-MaAy by iliadovern-
.
ments of Russia and of Franc_ e pot le ,to e-
etki N
-9,
..,
- au' iation and theintercoutituttaithich thet.over-
ts •
tures gave rise being terminated, his Majesty thinks
it righi thus promptly and tiblitratrsile known
its termination. - ,
•
Tice continued appearance_of a Negotiation, Nvhen,
peace has been found t?..ye,.rtqy,..Tutlattatna e,
could be advantageous only to the enemy.
It .tnight enable- -France and jea-
lousy in the ,councils of -those, .who act combined
to resist,i44pression and if, among, the nations
*llia groan under the tyranny of French- alliance;
or among -those which •maintain against a. .Frauee..
•
Cioubtful and precarious indefendenee:tliel-6 Stio44
"ibi74ilYiVoi4tiovr are Volinatiet i;tWeca the
4ertairf' rittin,46l prOlonted inadivity, • and the con
tingent darrotirs of an effort to save then-helves from
that. 1 th3nati64. so sifnated,t.lic--:Klusive.pro:4
sped Ord Pe',4:ebelweert Great iiritaM. and, win 44
could no fail to ibe peculiarly- it-Outlet:9V' Their
preparations night be relaxed by.the vain ..hope of
tobarning,trahlutil)ty; or. weir. purpose, .finaKqu .0Y
the py:e Off„`).; eip.g left to corit.Vhl4 alOrim.""
• 0-...)!13. :I; . '
such,m4pimioutadst, the main obje4t ,grance,
tted to firs 'MajeSty from
1 Erierth; hi4'-*isty erltprtai?etl• persua-

But at n oment"When TesfiltVO'awful frOinAhleir
upcirtance, and so tremendous` from their oncer-
taiptN', might-he depending upon the decision of
peact&or ...war, the glag felt it due .to himself to
aoubt,' the NJeWs
an* intent ionar of his- enemies:roof ,•'
. 2 ~. •.,
It was difficult ft'ar_iiis Males y to neneve„that the
Emperor,ootussia':.*4ad ddvoted himsettetti blindly
and fatally to, the violence and ambition of the power
;),,•:.
with which leis Imperial Majesty: Lind urdortunately
beceaute aJys. as to be prepared openjilo. abet _the
usurpationtof MorrAciiy ranti • tcf
knowledg4':aiid-'etinintain the tight• assumed by
•
France, to:depose hand imprison friendly Sovereigns,
•...
and forcibly. to transfer to' herself the "allegiance of
independent Vation's. • `.

.IfVoerk,. therefofe, it was proposed tOlis.Maiesty
to enter into Negotiation for a general peace, in'con-
cert with his. Majesty's Allies, and,to treat either on
the basis of the uti possidetis (heitOfore the subjeCt
of so much controversy), or on any other basis, con-
sfstetit`with:jUstice, honour, andequality, his Ma-
jesty determined to tneet this seernin;. tairnesi and
moderation, with fairness and moderation, on his
MajeSty'S'part: real'asld sincerg.
The .King
.PrOfessed his 'readiness to 'enter into
such Negotiation, in concurrence with his Allies;
and undertook fotihwith to communicate-to them
• --`'t .
the piopoillts Majes-ty, had_ received. But
as.hisMaje.sty not couneaed with Spain by a
forrnal treaty-of -alliance, his Maiesty thought it ne-
pessary. to.declare, that the' engagements which he
had contraCted. in the face of the ~vorki with that na-
tion, were considered by his Majesty'ai .6Q, less sa-
cred, 'and Lib teas binding Upon Iris Majesty, thlan the

most solemn treaties ; and to express his Majesty's
just confidence that the Government of)§phln, ailing
in the name of his Catholic Majesty FERD'INAND VII.
was understood to, be a party tothe Negatiatiou.

The reply returned' by France to this proposition
of his Majesty casts off at once. the thin disguise
which had been assumed for a niotneritary pur-
pose; and displays with lesS than ordinary reserve
the arrogance and, injustice of that . Government.
The universal Spanish Nation is described. by (he
degrading appellation of, the Spanish Insurgents;
and .the demand for the admission'of the Govern-
inent of Spain as.a party to any Negotiation, is re-
jested as inadmissible and insulting.

With astonishment, as well as with grief, his Ma-
esty has received from the Emperor of Russia a re=
ply, similar in et-Ma, although less indecorous in tone,
and 'manner. The Emperor of Russia also Stigma-
tizes as " Insurrealon," the glofious efforts of the
Spanish people in behalf of 'their legitimate Sove.
reign, acid in deferred of the independence of their
country.; thus giving the sanaion of his' Imperial
Majesty's authority to •an usurpation which has no
Parallel in the history of the world. , ;

.. TLere cannot possibly be more than one opinion
te- specting the DecLARATION from His MAJESTY,
u flieb we haVe the pleasure to submit to our Readers
thi. day. • _The .conduct ppriued. by the British.
G,vernment has been manifestly diClated by such
principles and such sentiments as becomp a nation
:.uxious to support Its own, charaaer, and to hold out The King would readily have'etnbraced an oppor-
a great example to other grates. Can there be found
tunny of Negotiation which might have afforded
a nlitii Who is so callous to every honourable feeling, as ' .•
;any hope or prospeet of a Peace compatible with
to conceive that this Country should have commenced 1 _
esterday afternoon a Cabinet Council was held i justice and with honour. His Majesty deeply la-
a :gegotiation with France, not merely for a delusive at the Forein-n
•Office, which sat till half-past six i 'er lee' ts an , issue; by ,which the'StifFerings of Europe
0
`and hollow Peace, but for a Peace of any kind,' by -o'cloeir, •at yliich were presenf;• his Grace the Duke .1
of PORTLAND); the LottoCii AN c ELLori ; Earls C,im- i are aggravated and prolonged. But neither the ho-
telinquishing the cause of Spain, and surrenderincr
° DEN and BATHURsT ; Lords , HawxEsnuitY and .4 flour, of his Majesty, nor the generosity of the Bri,
that gallant nation at once to a slavery which would ' CAsTLEEEA6II; Mr. Secretary CAlsiNINa, and Mr. : • -..r --.
, Arsh i. anon, would admit of his Majesty consenting
1?: the more dreadful, as the Invader would wreak PER GE ~A Lo ~ - , ,
% :IA (3culipetiCe- a T.Nlekthiaiion, bey the abandonme=nt
his vengeance on the unhappy People, in proportion Letters of the 27th ult. were received yesterday
of a brave aed-loyal people who are qontending for!m Oporto. Pertect trauquilliiy, we are happy to .. . • • • '
to the resistance which they have made against his
state, prevailed there. ; . i the preserv!ipn of all, that, is dear to man ; and
ambition, cruelty, And oppression ? All parties must
- General MACKENZIE, had arrived there 'to take ; whose exertions, in a cause s'o unquestionably just,
at;%e in approbation of/the conduet of the British the command of the troops, and to watch th°l4) Hills Majesty has solemnly pledged himself to sustain.
Govt. rninent on this occasion,'- and the people of into Spain.. - : , i Ifestaiinstcr , Dec. 15, 1808. ' •
,1.,.:,-;ry other Slate must sympat,hize in the same feel.. • Sir ROBERT WILSON was sti% at Oporto.• : i • • _...
~.. ,
.

Geperal HOPE'S Division arrived at Villa Castin
on the 28th ult. and would be at Arevola the 29th,
on route to Salamatica, in the neighbourhood of
which place it was expeaed. be would fortp_a junc-
tion with Sir JOHN MOORE.