The Sun.
London, England, 1808-12-19 00:00:00

Xr ONSLS 11 ATCIES op THE

i Were it not that tea turn which Spanish affairs
nave lately taken Was of a nature to dispose us to
serßerionsness and sorrow, it would be amusing to ob-
, ve the contradictions and absurdities into which
Ilia Opposition have been betrayed, by an anxiety
to convert the events, of whatever complexion,
which take place in t hat Country, to the anther-
auee of Part; purposes..
_, The Organ of the Fa6tion,
orgetful of his past, and undecided perhaps as to his
future conduCt, once gravely told the world; that
" the Spanish cause had laid all party-spirit to rest;"
yet' on no former oecasion do we believe has that
mischievous spirit been more vigilant or virulent ;
more active to avail itself of the embarassments of
Government, and the calamities of our Allies; or
Notre determined to exaggerate the one and to aggra-
.vate the other. It is .no longer with reports of de-
feats of the Spaniards that the Party appear to be
Susiect.• The reports are unfortunately confirmed :
the Spaniards are defeated. Yet these known and
avowed disasters of a cause which they aired to
hold so dear, instead of exciting their regret at jhe
disappointnaent of such fair hopes, or moderating the
ardour of their selfish pursuits, seem only to give a
keener appetite to their sinister ambition, and to sti-
mulate their exections to grosser misrepresentation
of isle measures •of Government, that they may
draw down the impending cloud of the popular clis-
‘ 13nte-nt on the heads of the Ministers, and thereby
facilitate their own return to power. God forbid we
Should ever.be visited with any calamity so dreadful,.
. as to induee the nation to breathe such a wish'!—..
prayer, which is doubtless fully justified by a tran-
sient view of their past or present conduct. Their •
Nast conduct has already had its reward ; we here
Viihtonsider it only as it has recently displayed itself
respect to the affairs of Spain. How often
has
the Organ of the Fa6.tion assured the public that the
,SkPani4l'ds solicited no assistance in !ecn; that, on
'ne contrary, they were resolved to refuse them if
"iered ; and that the only assistance they stood in
• need of, and would accept, was in money, stores,
artillery,- ammunition, Scc. With these necessa-
ries it is now officially known, that the Snaniar. Is
"ere long since abuadantly supplied ; and as soon
as a •ntore considerate view of their situation inductrd
Itittn k) desire t
tc'sthe he aid of troops, an army was sent
tit rn with all speed, and einpl.:y. din the pine and
attner winch the-S pa oish Govern ii ien
Per to d is (11/Hight pro-
Po ireet. Ina word, the British Government left
. effort unexerted, to fulfil t!he
„..11's l‘fajeny, to his own prornise made by ,
and the Spanish people.
Yet the moment that evetos did not apearcor-
' to-ipoucl with the eagereessiot the effort ps
and s
wishes
of this cnuntry, in favour of the &,anish cause, that
I/loiterer the Party has seized son to .:rraro the con-
. titlft of tiovernmeur, and point the indgnati,:n of
t.ibie Country against Ministers, as the sole anthills of
• i-ie Spanish disasters. l'hey first represent them as
frilig sent the British 'troops to points w ,ere they
though it is ktrown that the very poi its to which
-char troops have been sent were exatity those mark-
tel Out by- the Spaniard, themselves, But what
wllfe the wishes expressed by the Party on this very
questiott he? wishes
they troops should be empl
h(n contend one day that our
thetPyrennees ? eyed in securing the Passes of
. ? Sr.S Andero, or some
Another, that they should be sent
port in the North of Spain ?
41"ther, again. and that eery taus}, ' that they
should be employed hi -the Sciuth or south-east ?--
/121 thus traits day to day have tney boxed the COlnpass,
.4"tts Only to tit upon a point upon which to
. 'lnge an attack against Ministers. nt is insters,
and., ot the Enemy, they are ambiltiousM
toi over-
NV
the Ith them let Buonaparte and his advisers do what
r) well, they are always in the right. IF Buona-
sar,ies dissuaded by his guards from entering Spain,
40„.,reiTred to have ;iuddenly returned to Paris, how
theatn," Organ of the Party treat the report ? It tells
ten; • ritisil Public " the thing is not unlike the sub-
co 'les to which the Hero resorts, when he has
~. P,olitted himself to an undertaking Which he finds
it difficult to achieve." But when a great blow is
f,.'ollek against the Spaniards ; when the Army of
. :f‘-,..aasianos is decoyed over' the Ebro, attacked, de-
:altd, and dispersed, then they show us how Buona-
:,`? Res in "' Spain ; how he combines and displays
insa virtues of a consumtnate General ! With them
tier° the Usurper is always and every where a
.....
coast
or prepare to send a fleet of observation to the
favour Path to carry succours to our ally, or to
ur ole escape of those who may flv from the
the
nc.'
ttio,,tvie:en,, sword of the enemy, What are the
thatthat `llPuied to the British Government? Why,
the fleet k 'destined to secure some paltry British
favoure6l or that in. case of a serious reverse, it is to
,_;, the escape of the British army. What a
:ehievons insinuation would the first supposition
iiri.Vey. to 'Spain of the perfidious selfishness
of e
qoeush Government! What an hypocritical concerthn
ast:vil:e econd atreal to feel at the sight of a British
teruim:r"ing their hocks upon the enemy; and at-
the/i „,'ng .ter. save themselves on hoard a fleet ! how
verse' -I°Lild the Party have them escape if the re-
the, ls sO serious as to- admonish a retreat ? Would
the' ;lave no fleet ready to receive them ? Would
,Y, 'lave our troops swim or tly ?
st,:`,;"l'' is it, that the Organ of the Fatlion is ever
41" tons to display the conduct of Buonaparte in the
„_°st glowing ,colours : that of their own Govern-
si.ent and Country, in dark and dismal hues; and
`4 hence all these unprincipled pract.ces, but from
fthe_ sordid love of emolument, the inordinate lust of
-7,a)wer.
.But they have not yet sufficiently darkened
,1! prospects that Must arise from the fall of Spain.
'ley have not yet sutfcicntly explored the depths
Of . , . •
else s views, or measured the extent of
tLII/ ClangerS which his conquest of Spain portends to
trleeiso realms. They air-cacti. see him approaching
~,!,,_,goal, and accomplishing the fist object of his
It._'onn us. career. "If Spain be subdued, say they,
t'"`lit:_. parte has not much of his career to run. The
til_ll:seos of London may think what they may, but
peco Spaniards are as numerous, and as brave as the
like .habit 110.1 this Island, and more susceptible of war-
iti 0 r
_I raa wits than they are." Let the citizens of Lon..
tilt:: consolatory conclusion from the pro-
ilat
..",Prernises here laid down by the Opposition.
it i; wild' 13 Premise
htcome of Ireland ?-011 ! of Ireland
. - better,
„„t,
sii,l2oll to,,s,p4ak at present.—What a signifi-
e t,..?.., —c • vs tut an eioquent reticence have
the,,,! !- • But th.„ pious Patriots will not confine
sa iv 5 to 4. They irsust add the Prayer :