The Sun.
London, England, 1812-12-05 00:00:00

SPANISH PAPERS.

Official .Letter of the Secretary of Stat'td the.ArabassaAor of
ifis Britannic` Majesty, containing ,a C,:py of the Decree of
the Corte;, appointing Lord Wel/inztooto the Chief Com.:
wand of the Armies of ft.fe Peninsula.

" Most Excellent Sir,

" I have the honour of informing your Excel-
lency, that the General and Extraordinary Coetes,
wishing to improve the glorious successes of the
Allied Arrns., with a view to .put an cad to the
calamities of war, ;whiCli bear heavy upon the na-
tion ; considering, that nothing
.can contribute
more effectually to the attainment of so interest-
ing an object, than the placing of all. the troops
in the Peninsula under the direction of one'Com-
mander, in order that there may be 'unity:in the
plans- and-operations of the Allied Forees ; and
setting the highest value on .the distitiguished ta-
lents and eminent services of the Dike of Ciudad
ROdrigo-, Captain •Peneral of the Nat iOnal Armies,
have "decreed, inra secret sitting, that during the
co-operation, of the Allied Farces, he shall be in-
vested with the command in chief of them all,
exercising it cdnfOrmably to the general .ordi-
Minces-, with this difference only, that, whatever
is enacted in Article 6, Title 1, Treatise 7, of the
same, a copy of which is annexed, shall be extend-
ed to_all the 'provinces of the Peninsula—that
commander corresponding with . the
Spanish Government, through the office of the
Secretary at War.
The Regency of the kingdom has directed me
to request yotir Excellency 'sill have the goodness
to transmit this important communication to the
Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo •with as little delay, as
possible, hiS Highness.+ being. perSuaded tharthis-
meritorions Comniander will see in the, above-
mentioned determination of the. Cortes, a most so-
lemn and authentic testimony of the nationalgra-
titude for the eminent services whicli he ha's ren-
dered to Spain, as also of the great confidence
to which he baS entitled himself, Iry the uncom-,
mon talents and military virtues for which he is
conspicuous, and by the unlimited.. zeal with
which he devotes them to the furtherance of the
common cause.

" His, Highness is anxious to hear of the Duke
of
_Ciudad Rodrigo having accepted the aboye-
mentiohed situation; -that, being oilic!allyirrforni-
ed of.it, he.may direct:the pu_blicatiod of the re-
solution of the Cortes. by which
.his Lordship is
ins'est:A- with the -;50.111:C.

‘.‘ I. beg your Excellency..will admit of the sin-
cere assurances of
,my high consideration and
respect. •. " May God, &c.
" IGNACIO DE LA. PEZVELA.
" Cadiz, Sept. 25." • • .

Answer' of the Duke of Liudad Rodrigo to the Ambassador
Of his liritannic Majesty, who had coluntsnicated the fore-
.:goingßesolutiOn and Letter to his L:74!,iship.
Mot Excellent Sir,
" have 'bad the honour of receiving your
letter 'of the `2...5'fb of September, inclosing another
of the•same date from Don Ignacialie hi Peznela,
;by which I learn, that the General and Extraor-
dinary Cotes have -beeh 'pleased t 6 direct the
conirnand'pf-the Spanish forces to be. conferred
on me ; for which signal proof of confidence on
the part -of the Congress and .Government," I re-
quesb-your EXcellency- will express my deep-felt
gratitude to the Secretary of State.' *
" finest anxiouslY wish to do whatever lies in
my power to promote and obtain the laudable ob-
ject of the Spanish nation, in her just contest
with France,•and I have no objection to under-
.taking the nevrlask and responsibility inseparable
front the exercise of the cOnimand of the Spanish
armies. - •
" 'But I . cannot announce my .acceptance of
the honour conferred upon me by the Cortes-and
Government, without the previous permission-of
his Royal Highneis the Prince Regent, to Whom
I will hnmedistely apply for this purpose. .
" I am the less concerned at this delay, as hav-
ing long been iri 'the habit of confidentially coin-
mUnicating, to the Generals at the head of the.
Spanish armies the general object I had in view.,
in the operations of the' Anglo Portuguese under
my command, suggesting at the same time such.
as - they' might ,adopt to' effectually co-operate
with me.
" I have constantly found thenueftentive to
those-Suggestions and received front them whatever
assistance'they cimild give, and accordingly I am
convinced. they will continue to do so, although I
do not illimediately assume the chief.comrnand ;
I therefore belieVe, that no inconveniences eau
result from ntyanplying to his Rottal Highness
the Prince Regent, previous to itimittiug- the
honourable 'trust conferred unon rue •by the
Cortes.
"This 'token' of confidence on their psrt, and
than of t.3.:overnment, amid the terms in which it
has been tOmmunicaied io. me, are a mostflatter-
ing proof of those Authorities belug persuaded,
that., in the command of the other two members
o the Alliance, with *Welt I had before been
invested, I have- done Whatever lay. in my pomer
to promo*. the common cause of the. Allied Na-
tions.. I deem it, therefore, needlesS to'make any
. protestation on this-point, and hope, that, in the
new and more iexalted situation, in,..vhich I shall
shortly he placed, as Commander in Chief Of the
Armies of all Allioi in the Peninsida,, 1 shall not
• only Le supporterl, but succeed in impreßsing the
'Spanish Government, Cortes, and Nation with a
fire n belief, that all' niy measures will have. for
tikeir sole object the furtherance of the common
cause in which they are all so earnestly engaged.
" I have the honour, tke.
('Signed) " WELLttiGTOti.
" Villa Toro Oct.'i 1812.
;:his Excellehey Sir H. Welle,l<*y, K.B.

On Tuesday afternoon, about five o'clock, as
Mr. Appleford, of Richmond, was crossing: Hyde
Park, by the hei:d of the Serpentine River, he was
stopped by tVfo men, one of Whoin seized him by
the collar, deinanfiing his watch and money, the
other, ithmediately knocked him down, and beat
hith so severely, that he lay senseless on theiground
the Sjace of itAuarter of an hour, or 20 minutes,
when some persons coming alone;, found him, anti
Very kindly assisted hitn. The villains had robbed
him of 141. in Bank notes ; fortunately he had not
his watch about him.

ORAXT's SPEtCrt. :
[Concluded from our I,:per oLTtiursday.]

Those words were at that moment ringing in the
ears of him, who was destined to make them pro-
phetic. . 'l'ha career of glory is closed : but .tho'
he is gone, he has ICII behind him an example
which posteaify will not willingly forget. He
has, above all, left to every slatesnian a striking
lesson how much public virtue is embellished and
sanctified by priVate excellence; and how truly
he consults his fame Who in the first instance con-
sults only his conscience.. ,Forgive use, 6e:idea
men, if I have detained yotatoo long . round that
tomb ; a tomb made sacred by such excellence,
And by the griefs 'of a Whole people; and round
which the virtuous life. of that great man and the.
circumstances of his death, have conspired to
throw alustre as of martyrdom. If-I 'have not
already exhausted your patience, allow me to ad-
vert in a very few words to
,the state of our fo-
reign affairs. That just 'and inevitable war in
which we are engaged with France, has recently
enlarged its sphere. of 'action by tire accession of
hostilities with America-; hostilities, which every •
true lover of his country must deplore and depre-
cate. It is impossible, at this time, to enlarge on
the'subject, one of:the widest and most compre-
hensive that ever came before Parliament, of our
disputes with America.; but think, I Allay truly
say, that these are hostilities which no efforts, no,
cimcessions On our part have been able to avert:
When I speak of inevitable war, let it not be
supposed that I Overlook, or under-rate the evils
belonging to every war. Hard indeed must be
the heart which does not bleed over the calamities
attached to a state of warfare under the miYdest
circumstances. But, . Gentlemen, . when we are
reduced to the alternative ; when we can escape
from the • miseries of war 'only by planning into
miseries irifinitebs more- tremendotts ; then, ' to
dwell only upon the sorrows of 'war, to throw the
nther branches of the question into.the•sbade, to_detail
.and exaggerate the public distress, to ag-
gravate the sufferings which are endured, and en-
tirely to sink the horrors which.are averted, or
,the blessings which fire secured, this is not only
the extreme of silliness and absurdity, but it is
criminal, it is traitorous to the country,. And,•if
in every war it is of importance to establish such
a comparison, and to look, at either side of the
case, it is peculiarly necessary in the present war,
.in Which the proportion between that 'which is en-
dured, and that which is gained, is indeedincaleula-
ble. Still less.should we be disposedto lose sight of
these considerations, when we recollect the signal
success which has attended thisswar. This, in truth,
is one of the most glorious.features of our present
situation; that we have, at length, .by our high
.example,
roused the dormant spirit of freedom,
and armed avengers against France from the north
and from the south. Four years ago, Gentlemen,
all Europe seemed to be sunk in a dumb and
stagnant submission. Throughout that mighty
mass, there was no pulse, no throb, no movement
that gave hope of better days. It was not only
that the miserable nations of the Continent
had lost their freedom, but they seemed to have
lost even the sense that they had once been free.
Not only had the car of the victor rolled over their
necks, but the iron heel entered into-their soul.—
At that moment, when we ourselves, li'ae the
fragments and ruins of a better Nvorld, looked, +a
(AO other, and grasped our arms, as if for
the last time ; when we prepared • to receive the
enemy on our own shores, in Spain a move-
ment was observed. Even from that . abyss
of , degradation, a voice was _ heard,
:which
spoke to the 'feelings of liberty; and told the
tyrant that the Pillars of his throne Were un-
stable. Then did we show for what destinies
we were reserved, 'and to what destinies we
were. equal. Then We showed •what deep feel-
ings are treasured in the hearts of a free people.
There was then on .our part no, doubt, no delay ;
no cold misgiving, BO timidity assuming the mask
of prudence ; Ciacinnspection acting as pander
to indolence and selfishness •: It was all glowing
impulse. it was all
~prompt and heroic enthu-
siasm ; we forgot that the Spaniards were our
enemies. We. embracedthetn as friends and bro-
thers. We threw ourselves into the thickest , of
the combat. We Taught the battles of liberty
against France; We fought, and, thank God„
we trilintplied". 'But while' thusatxult in the
. success Of- our example, do I forget the events
which have recently taken place ? Do I forget
the 50,000 Russians who died to' save their coun-
try ? Do r forget. Moscow never I Let
those events be. never- forgotten, • Let them he
always ,before the eyes of the civilized world.—
Let us alwayS review the in arch of the conqueror,
tracked, like ;the march of peStilence, by deso-
lation and •death. 'Let as -always. contemplate
the smoking ruins of the Imperial ;icy. Let us
always behold the victor, rioting with a.Baccha-
Italian fury arpid thespeails and conflagrations of
that ancient capital. Let these things be remesw.
tiered, -that they may be avenged. Let them be
remembered, that they may rose us to a sterner
re4)ll'itiort and aabending perseveranee, Let them
be remembered that they may-excite a just admira-
tion of the conrage patriotismaand self-devotion
•
of oar Russian Allies. I have heard it said, that
if Moscow were lost, all vas lost ; 'and Russia
must submit to
.an ignominious peaces That as-
sertion Was false: Ru=sk has proved it to lie false,
and will, 1 hope, continue sostoprove it. She has
now farnished a parallel to one of the most splen-
did actions recorded in ancient story.- One Of
•
the wisest, bra-rest, most enlightened nations of
antiquity, when they found it impossible to de-
fend their capital front • an Overwitelming ene-
I my, took thess'Olemn resolution of abandoning
that capital, and of trustingatheir whole popu-
lation, their fortunes, their wives and families, to,
their navy. That resolution was 'undoubtedly
inspired by a noble ' enthusiasm ; but it %Vas
also founded on a profound knowledge of hu--
man naurea Those illustrious men knew well in
what the essence of a nation consists. They knew
that their capital might be purified from the stain
of the polluting hoof of rise invader ; that their
theatres might be rebuilt, their streets might again
be inhabited, their fields might be restored to fer-
tility, hat they knew atlso. that when the spirit of
a nation is puce sodas', that stain is deep, indeed

, and lasting. They knew that if a people be once -
taught to acquiesce in a foreign yoke, to tind.in
opulence, in the comforts of life, in the cul-
tivation even of the most laudable arts and scienees„
a subsititute for national honour and indepen-.
dence, the die is Cast. They knew that if the soul
of apeople be dead, ages must roll away before it
can r'ive, it must pass through many a stage of
degradation and sorrow, before it>^an be purified
by suffering-; and made strong by adversity; be-
fore it can appreciate its former,,privileges, and •
aspire to the dignity- cl its ancient freedom. It us-
sia is aware of this truth, and i's, I trust, prepared
to. act upon it. It indeed be absurd to
offer any posstive predictions in these times of
strange vicissitude. But, as far as we can collect;
there seems to he but one mind throughout that
vast empire, from the highest to the lowest. I
believe indeed 'dig they have bent every nerve'
for action ; that they have summoned up every ,
purpose of, the heart,to encounter,this mortal truer-'
geucy ;.-that they have sworn upon the flaming
altar ofthe- ruins. of -Moscow, -eternailiatred to
the ferocious invader and his merciless satellites.
And .the. hatred of such a people is a terrible .
hatred. The vengeance which follows such crimes
is' too hideous to be contemplated Perhaps we
arereserved to, see tO what excess the fury .of a
brave and insulted people, pushed even, to extra-
vagance bv every generous mOtive, istcapable of
carrying the frightful work of retribution. But
whatever may be the success ." of this contest, as • -
great part of it at least must be_ attributed to our
exhortations, crowned by our. example, crowned
by our 'efforts under the auspices of Moore„ot-
Grahain; and -Of This 'is no common
distinction, G&ntlemen. It is no
_ordinary privi-
lege to be thus selected as the guardians and as-
setrtors of liberty, to, be thus placed in the van of
the battle between the two great principles of
good and evil ; that by our voice and our example
we might shame the spirit of the, slave, and give.
strength to the feeble ; that the enslaved nations
:of Eurcpe, starting, as at the command of segue
superior genius, from their slumbers, may succ'es-
sively arise to re-assert their ancient possessions,
and 'resume their lost honours.. j trust that we
are worthy' of this distinction. I venture to .
pronounce that Ave shall not be found wanting to
a vocation, so full of glory ; that, throughout the
whole extent of our empire, we have made up our
inflexible Minds, that in this mighty struggle, we
are determined to shrink froth no danger, but that
of disgrace; from no sacrifice, but that of the
hope of ;Europe ; ,that we are resolved not to yield
to our arch enemy in perseverance and enter-
prise, but to prove that we can rise by the farce
of virtuous; motives to the same elevation to which
he is exalted by bad_and malignant passions. If
we are true to these principles, we are safe. If we
are faithful to the career which is marked out for
us, that career must terminate prosperously. I
do not therefore despair. of my 'Country. 'I do
not despair of Europe. On the contrary, I cherish-
. the warm hope, a hope which shall never be torn
-from me, but by bitter experience, that we may yet
be reserved by Providence to hold-an eminent rank
among those favoured and heroic nations whose
destiny it is to confer lasting benefits On.the hu-
man race, to break in pieces the rod of title op-
pressor", to achieve the deliverance of mankind,
and to diffuse through- all ages the blessings of
religion, of order, and orlibeily." ,

The men employed in repairing the roof of the
White Horse public-house, Lon. Acre, yesterday,.
discovered on thA roof Of the adjoining house,
prt of a -human body, which had been coriceide4
iti the gutter. It now remains there for inspec-
tion, and due inquiry will doubtless be Wade into
the :circumstance.

BIRTHS.
On the sth ult. at ,Manton-Howe, North Britain,. Mrs.
Macdonald, of a Son'and Heir.

On the. 27 th nit. at Horton-House, Bradford, Yorkshire,
the Lady of George Carrolljun. Esq. of a Son.
the 2qtb, ult. the Lady of Randle Wilbraham, Esq. of
Rhode Hall, Cheshire, of a Daughter.
Early on.Wednesdav Moraing, at Theobakes-Park, Herts,
the Lady of.J. M. ltaits, Esq. of a Sen.
At Shenley-bill, the Lady of John Mico•Win:er, Esq. of a
Son. . •

MARRIED.

On the 27th ult. Mr. Ward, to Miss Ford, of St. James's-
street.

On the-28th ult. Lieutenant W. White, of the 27th Regi,
went, to Miss Matilda Margaret Strutt, youngest daughter of
Strutt, E. of Sodburv.-
On Saturday last, T. Prior, -Esq. of the 11th Light Dra-
goons, eldest son of Thomas Prior, Esq. of Water Castle, in
the Queen's Coturry, Ireland, to Jemima, youngest daughter.
of the late Tho Mas Dickson, Esq. of Prospect-House, South-
ampton.
On Tuesday, at Chelsea Church, the Rev. Nicholas Carey,.
A.M. late Fellow of Pembroke College, Oxford, and Chap-
lain to one of His :llaesty's Chapels oye.l, St. James's, to
Harriet, 'widow of the late W. O. Macgregor, Major of tha.
77th .Itegiment- of Foot. . .