The Sun.
London, England, 1836-04-21 00:00:00

Then, again, with regard to the property of the country

By the present electoral law, some twenty or thirty of the
most wealthy is each district possess the franchise and elect

c members

Under this law, which was formed by what is termed the
moderate party, not a majority, but almost the whole body of
the representatives just returned, are understood to be decided
supporters of legal and constitutional Government. What can
possibly be more tuiequivocal in regard to the tendency and in-

fiuence of property ! -
Of the loyalty of the majority of the people, the cheerfulness,
the alacrity and perfect good will with which the recent levy
of 70,000 recruits for the army has been accomplished, with-
cut the slightest compulsory means, appears to me to be an
ample practical proof. As to the respectable middle classes,
in all the towns of the least consideration, they are as one body
(scarcely even excepting those of the insurrectionary districts)
heartily devoted to the general good.
But there are still, it is true, a minority of ignorant, per-
verse, interested or infatuated persons, opposed to all reforma-
tion ; but such also is the case in free and Constitutional
Englarid. But the above facts, concurrent too as they are
with the signal events of 1812, 1820, and 1832, are surely, on
the subject of the real bias of public opinion, decisive and
irresistible.
Then arc not France, England, and Portugal the States
which surround by sea and land this country ? Either of the
two former, perhaps, more powerful than any other in the
world, both now—for the first time on record—united, not in
ambitious or base league against the liberties or independence
of other nations, but in a noble, secure, and benevolent course
of foreign policy—are they not, I say, indissolubly bound
by treaty, by the honour of their Sovereigns, by their own
imperative interests, to sustain the Queen's cause ? How
superficial or unreflecting, then, must those be, who can for
a moment even waver in their opinions as to the issue of these
affairs. - -

The insurgent troops are excellent marchers, and good skir-
mishers, in their woods or mountains, but otherwise of an infe-
rior organization ; besides which, they are now becoming out-
numbered by the Queen's forces in the proportion probably of
three or four to one. They as yet occupy an advantageous
central portion of the theatre of operations, consisting of an
immense group of mountains, which, by their peculiar configu-
ration may be considered almost of the character of a fortress,
or of a series of strong positions.
But however strong their positions may be, they constantly,
avoid decisive affairs, offensive or defensive, when there is any-
thing like a parity of numbers. A force incapable of acting
in the plains, which, were they to attempt to pass the Ebro,
except in in small predatory bands, would be immediately
trampled on, or dispersed by the Queen's cavalry alone, have
been thus enabled, from the nature of the operations, and
under protection of their fastnesses, to make a protracted
resistance.
The Queen's army, which is now daily and rapidly aug-
menting, while the resources of the enemy arc exhausted and
dried up, at present moves on a semi-circle fronting these
mountains, guarding, as it would appear, the interior of the
country from the partisan incursions of the insurgents, and sup-
ported by a chain of fortified posts on an extension of more
than 150 miles.
The enemy are therefore blockaded, but they have as yet
a considerable though diminished space within which to ma-
noeuvre and subsist.
Unable, or not daring, to pass the line by which they are
encircled, they rapidly march and countermarch from one
point of the circumference to the other, without, in most in-
stances, any further object or result than that of some insig-
nificant skirmish, which, however (though half a dozen men
should not have been killed)-becomes duly manufactured into
an achievement of consequence, and the news, transmitted in
all haste, with suitable embellishments, to the Stock Exchanges
of London and Paris. This forms one of the peculiarities of
the contest.
A great part of their means has been derived through the
active and systematic invention, on the frontiers, of imaginary

successes..
About a month since, however, when the snow had blocked
up and rendered impracticable the passes between Biscay and
Alava, a more apparent advantage was gained by their seizing
on the villages of Valmaceda and Mercadillo, which were only
defensible against musketry, but which, of course, they could
not attempt to retain ; for, in fact, the small ancient castle of
Guebara, situated on the summit of a scarped rock, is the sole
place which they venture to hold as a fortified post.
A blockade, however, is unavoidably slow in its effects,
offering few or no chances of general actions or affairs. But
as so large a force is now assembling, it may no doubt be an-
ticipated that forward operations will immediately be adopted,
such as may reduce them rapidly—probably in a very little
time indeed—to dispersion. On this subject, however, I speak
but conjecturally.
There is no part of the Queen's army, or, I believe, of any
other army that ever existed, which appears to have excited
so constant, so bitter, so. apparently exasperated a feeling of
political hostility as the British Legion.
Destitution of discipline—total demoralization—dissolution
of the whole corps, or nearly so, by the immoderate use of
ardent spirits—plunder, highway robbery, murder, and the
soldiers selling their wives, and shooting and eating their own
children, are only a few of the imputations industriously cast
upon us from the frontiers of France, in London, and even in
Madrid.
But anonymous, aspersions, whether absurd or atrocious—
whether from party motives, private malice, or from Pel ' "
discarded from our ranks, are deserving of little notice. Not
in.
so, however, distinct allegations made in the Senate'
stance—in the House of Lords, the Marquis of Londonderry

is reported to have stated that the British Legion went it t)
action on the 16th January in a state of intoxication, and tl
a.
it retreated to Vittoria in the same state, having murdered a
considerable number of prisoners. The Noble Marquis is
further reported to have declared, that he had in his possession
proofs or these charges. In my relative situation as your
Representative, you are interested in this matter. lam there-,
fore happy to be able to inform you, and also the Noble Per-
sonage referred to, thus publicly, that there is not one word of
truth in the statements attribtved to him.

We were not intoxicated—we did not murder unarmed pri-
soners—we did not retreat to Vittoria.
In the debate in the Commons on the same topic, it was
gratifying to observe the contrast presented by the generous
.
and becoming manner the. leader of the Opposition
himself—maintaining himself—maintaing his objections to the policy of
the measure under discussion, but evincing towards us, 'who
arc here under the unimpeachable sanction of our Sovereign,
the true sympathies of a fellow-countryman, thus preferring
truth and the national honour to any petty or momentary ad-
antage a disingenuous perversion
of facts might give.
And as no one of the least consideration joined in the paltry
and vague vituperations vented on that occasions by others,
they seem scarcely worthy of a thought. Nor need Ido more
than advert, with similar indifference,.to the no less paltry and
dull personalities respecting the motives of those who have
entered the Legion, attributed, in the reports of a subsequent
debate, to the Earl of Aberdeen.
One misapprehension, however, or mis-statement, which I
have observed in the public prints, though anonymous, I feel it
but an act of justice, particularly as the imputation conveyed
br it does not refer to myself, to remove.
An aid-de-camp of General Cordova, who was sent to
acquaint me of the retirement of the main body of the army
from the heights of Arlaban, on the 18th of January, was pre-
vented from doing so by some intervening parties of the
enemy.
It is true, therefore, that some delay took place in
my being informed of the retrograde movement which had
been made, and awkward though not fatal consequences might
have occurred.

On this purely accidental circumstance has arisen, it
would seem, no less than an imputation against the General-
in-Chief of an intention to compromise his right wino:,
which I had the honour of commanding. The absurdity of
this inference will be sufficiently shown when I state, that
instead of having been exposed, on the retirement of the
centre and left, to the least hazard, the General-in-Chief
had already detached to reinforce our column, a brigade of
4,000 Guards and 10 battalions of the line. So that at the
time when it is alleged we were left intentionally unsup-
ported, in reality no less than 27 battalions were at my dis-
posal, one half of which would have been amply sufficient to
have repelled, and probably destroyed, the whole Carlist
force, could they have been induced to come down from their
mountains, which were not distant more than one mile.
For four days they were purposely left that option ; when,
the weather becoming bad and severe, we did not retreat, but
recrossed the Zadorra, for the mere purpose of cantoning in
villages more conveniently situated for supplies, five miles in
advance of Vittoria, and equally or rather more open to the at-
tack of the enemy than the position we had left, had they been
t.o inclined; and the passage of the river was effected at night,
solely to obviate a skirmish during its operation, which, how-
ever trivial, would, according to custom, have been immedi-
ately represented in foreign countries as a grand victory.
One remark I should wish to make with regard to the sana-
tory state of this force.
Until our arrival at Vittoria, and some time after, it was as-
tonishingly good. It was I believe unexampled.
On reaching Briviesca, we had not twenty cases of sickness ;
on reaching this place, less than a hundred. But I lament to
say it is true that our hospitals here became eventually
crowded, and the effects of an epidemic fever, of the most ri-
gorous winter I ever experienced, of some harassing unavoid-
alAe operations, and above all, of privations (which it may be
hoped it is no longer necessary to advert to, as they are un-
likely ever to recur) were severely felt.
But there have been on this point, as on others, extreme

exaggerations.
We find in Napier's admirable •History of the Peninsular
War returns of sick of the infantry of the British army at
four different pericds as follow :
" January 1810, effectives ...20,000—Sick
And many in the ranks still tottering from the effects of
past illness."—Vol iii. p. 224.
" April, 1811, effectives 23,6l3—Siek ... 9,293
October, 1811, do • 99,530—Sick ...17,974
January, 1812, do. 3o,222—Sick ...11,414 "
Compare these proportions with our present, or even past
s' ate, which I allow was considerably worse, and it will be
seen that there is nothing ia the latter unusual or unpre-
cedented.
The total numerical strength of the British Legion, officers
and men, by official returns of this date, is 8,121
Efflxtives at Vittoria and Santander
Sick in hospital, officers arid men
Convalescent, in great part rapidly recovering, and
capable of stationary duty, but not of long mareheis
for two or three weeks to come
livalided at Santander and Vittoria, the greater por-
tion not in consequence of disease contracted in
this country, but because of original unfitness for
service previous to enlistment
It will be seen that, after all that has been said, the propor-
tion of sick in this force is not so large as was on several oc-
casions the case with our own great and veteran army in the
Peninsular war, completely officered, disciplined, and organized
a$ it was before coming into the field, accustomed to the
climate, inured to war, supported by all the resources of the
British empire, and led by one of the most experienced and
illustrious chiefs of modern or ancient times.
With regard to the present state of the effectives of the Le-
gion, the commencement of the milder weather, improvements
re the commissariat and euality of provisions, with the arrival
learn London and Madrid of an abundant supply of clothing,
&c., have wrong& a most rapid improvemmit. The
Legion is now in perfect service order, and presents an excel-
lent appearance. Its discipline and subordiintion are most
satisfactory, and in point of exactness and rapidity of evolution
Ciere arc no troops in the army of any nation which equal
tl:em, and this I am enabled to state on higher and more im-
partial authority than my own, that of the General-in-Chief
or the Forces.
According to the best military authorities that I am ac-
quainted with, three years arc requisite for the complete in-
struction of a British soldier for duty in the field, and that,
too, under the tuition of a sufficient number of experienced
iv:it-commissioned as well as commissioned officers. Scarcely
three weeks, instead of three years, certainly not three months,
11-al elapsed when the violent English Carlists, or ultra-Tories,
began to raise a cry of astonishment and contempt that the
British Legion had not already put down the rebellion, •
achieved victories, and sustained, with new lustre, the glory
of British arms.
In the meantime, by the torrents of abuse and calumnies
poured upon us, they deterred and intimidated many military
men of experieece from giving us their assistance. They did
more L-they shamelessly justified and invited the wretched
Pretender by they speeches and writings, in and out of Par-
li to assassinate their countrymen. Such was the tenor,
to my humble apprehension, of their language. But the se-
rene bravery of the British soldier is not thus to Ise moved,
nor his arm unnerved. This, though we have not been en-
gaged in great affairs, is the result of my observation ; and
then, when some few of our men have occasionally fallen vic-
tims to these arts, hypocritical lamentations arc raised, our
declining to retaliate goes for nothing, we arc accused, and
Ministers are accused, of being the cause of the barbarities
perpetrated upon us, and which, though they so loudly ap-
p eir to deplore, they no less as intelligibly encourage. But
to return from this digression.
Scarcely was the order in Council permitting and recom-
mending the levy of 10,000 men for this cause published than
a large part of the civilian public seem to have been led to
believe that the measure was already realized, that there was
nething more to do than to disembark the recruits, and take
part at once in all the operations, of whatever description,
hich might be in progress.
I did not, however, report this force to be in readiness to
partake in general operations till our arrival at this point, hi
the first week of December, since when we have been always
a:dently willing and ready to execute, and have executed,
whatever has been assigned to us. And whether the nature
of the operations permitted by the circumstances were, or
were not, of a brilliant character, forms a ground to us of
neither blame nor praise—it being the execution alone for
hich we were responsible. Still the exigencies of the ser-
vice brought us at an earlier period into some partial operations
against the enemy.
A few weeks after our arrival at San Sebastian, when only
a portion of the force had reached Spain, the organization of
that portion being yet altogether incipienti Bilboa became
closely invested by the insurgents, and we received urgent in-
s' anccs from the Governor of that important town to come to •
its relief, which was agreed to, and the movement was com-
pletely successful, the enemy abandoning all their positions
and entrenchments on the day of our arrival, a Spanish corps
having co-operated with us.
While embarking, however, the troops for this service
(which was expected to present difficulty), it was thought
well to bring some of them first into fire under less serious cir-
cumstances. For this purpose a reconnaisance was made to- •
wards Hernani, in conjunction with an equal number of Spa-
Irish troops. In returning, the duty of covering the rear of
the column devolved on u., which was done with the steadiness
of older soldiers. Our casualties of the whole day were but
fire killed and twenty-five wounded, a proof to every military
man that the troops were not closely engaged on either side,
-and that it was but a mere trivial and partial affair. But the
Carlists declared it was a great battle and a victory, and the
ultra-Tories re-echoed the statement.
A few days after arriving at Bilboa, a division of Spanish
troops was unexpectedly attacked by the whole cf the insur-
gent army, double their numbers, under Don Carlos, and
owing to an unforeseen circumstance in passing a bridge, of
the nature of a most intricate defile, were unavoidably thrown
• into disorder, and there being no possible space on which to
reform them, they were thus obliged to return into the town,
closely followed by the enemy, who, profiting by the accident,
and thus
passed the bridge, and menaced an attack on the place. At
cbtracukctioancroosfs
the then
ew
this moment, luckily, two battalions (not two companies, as
has been stated), the 3d and 6th of the Legion, advanced in
bridge,wrks round
tiuccessfully terminated the affair.
Bilboa, and leaving it in a perfectly defensible state, b
column,After cdor,o.evrei e t
he enemy
na
!lie enemy as to our line of march, a j • e, amg
junction was effected with
tine army of the Ebro ; thus, contrary to the expectation of our
opponents, avoiding the woods or precipices through and be-
tween which the direct road lay, an the passage of which,
without an object, might ha •
..f young troops, one-half
of whom
siously compromised a corpser
havin been bust just
dis-
embarked, had then scarcely any other pretension
to the clia-
acter of soldiers than the
red
.coats which they.
Since then, w*thwore.Ai b
and
the exception of the affair of r a an,

some ur import Ant rencontres in detail, the protection of the
plain Os and assisting in the covering and construction
Of SC ri'e fortified towns and posts, have been the duties as-
signed to us.

-The partisans of despotism say we have experienced a suc-
cessi, Al of defeats ; I say most distinctly that we have not suf-
ferr,d the slightest cheek.
Again, within tie interval adverted to, the enemy have
'been thrown bark completely upon their lofty or inaccessible
fastnesses—al least twenty towns or villages, including Ar-
minon, N'anclares, Arinez, Travino, Penacerrada, Valalba,
San Vicente, Zubiri, several points dependant on Bilboa, &c.,
have taken possession of, and fortified by the Queen's
troor:s. To the greater portion of which we have directly
cor,tributed, including the acquisition of at least four or five
tkiousand square miles of territory, covered by those points,
'and thus rescued from the enemy.
While the present Ministry of her Majesty, on their parts,
having found the country a few months since in a state of total
anarchy, have not only restored tranquillity, the influence of
the legislature., the authority of the laws and of government,
hat have nlsr, already, even under these unpromising, embar-
rassing, and most perilous circumstances, actually realized,
armed, clothed, and equipped a reinforcement for the army of
not less than seventy thousand men, who arc in a forward state
of instruction, and many thousands of whom have within a few
s reached the field of operations.
Thus it appears to Inc that something, during these winter
-months, has been done ; and though the rebellion still rears
(but I am happy to say in diminished force) its guilty front,
yet to my apprehension adequate means are provided for its
de•struction.

In a word, since the period of that admirable measure of
the foreign policy of England, the Quadruple Treaty, which
in effect guaranteed constitutional freedom to the Peninsula,
and assured to civilization in Europe a counterpoise against
the military Sovereigns of the North, the termination of all
opposition to legal government in Spain has appeared to me
as a mere question of time.
Premature rivalries, party indiscretions, or miserable personal
ambition, may indeed retard, but cannot, I conceive, defeat,
the assured and happy result.
It would, indeed, my friends, be a manifest error—one
-which I am sure you do not participate—to suppose for an in-
stant that the cause in which we are engaged is merely of local
interest. It is equally an English and European cause; one
concerning the entire well-being of society. It is not the suc-
cession to a throne, but the great principle which divides the
European nations, that is at stake.
Here then, in the midst of gorges, and behind rugged bar-
riers, the odious principle of Absolutism has taken its last stand;
here is its battle-field for various states; these are its agonized
and expiring struggles : and well does it become England to
follow up thus her ancient practice of cherishing freedom, when-
over and wherever it calls on her for her aid. And above all is
this course most for her interest and renown, when that appeal
is from her most assured and most natural allies, the commu-
nities of the Peninsula.

While thus, for a brief interval, endeavouring to promote
the piosperity of this country, the genial influence of which
must necessarily be reflected back, and beneficially felt by our
own people, you sufficiently know me to feel assured that I have
not ceased to entertain the same solicitude as ever for the ad
vancement of the same cause in England; although for the
moment it has not been possible for me to follow, with the
exactness I should wish, the progress which has been made in
my absence. I must, therefore, limit myself to congratulating
you most heartily, as I do myself, on the admirable and cleans-
ing operation of the new municipal law of England—approach-
ing, if not equalling in its utility, that previously applied to
Scotland ; hoping most zealously that similar corrective mea-
sures, on that point as on others of equal moment, are also in
course of being speedily granted to Ireland, where the neces-
sity for relief is even yet greater than in any other part of the
empire—rejoicing to observe the increasing moral strength of
our present Liberal Government, and the bond of union which
I see happily existing amongst all true Reformers, without both
which there could be no assurance for the steady advance now
making in all v bolesome ameliorations—and earnestly assuring
you of the ardent zeal and anxiety with which I look forward
to the time, and at no distant period, of resuming my imme-
diate duties i❑ your service, locally and generally, in the per-
formance of which I confidently trust you will find me, as I
venture to persude myself has hitherto been the case.
Your diligent, observant, and sincerely faithful friend and
servant, DE L. EVANS.