Star.
London, England, 1808-04-26 00:00:00

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Sta—l am a foreigner, and arrived in your caw-
try not long since :—I do not, therefore, pretend to
have any exact knowledge of your hcene politics aad
party disputes, and certainly de not ntean to interfere
with them. Yet there is one thing which has so
Much surprised me, that I wish to say a word on the
subject. It is the opinion I find entertained here, or
rather the language held by public characters, on
the Copenhagen expedition. I will not say a ward
in favour of that expedition, but I mast notice my
astonishment at the extravagant censure passed upon
it by those of your great orators in Parliament, who
are :tiled the opposition. They have called it an
outrage on the law of nations, surpassing all and l
thing ever done by the French ! lam told inedveeZ
that such phrases do not mean mueh/when spoken by
party-men ; still they serve to mislead and deceive.
To say nothing of an infinite number of acts done by
the French, which I and all of us are alike acquainted
with. or ought to be before we hold such language ;
I ant desirous to put in parallel one of Bonaparte's
acts, which seems to me to be really what many term
the Copenhagen expedition, and which has had a
strong effect upon me, from the circumstance of hat.•
ing been an eye witness of it ; and as I can state de.
tails, which I believe are unknown in this country, my
narrative may amuse your Readers when there hap-
pens to be no fresh arrivals from abroad.
The affair I have alluded to, is the seioure of the
Electorate of Hesse Cassel, which has since been
united to other plunder, and formed into a younger
brother's portion for King Hieronymus. Intmedi.
ately after the battle of Jena, the French Government
required of the Elector to declare whether or not he
would be neutral in the Prussian war ? in which case
he was desired, as a pledge, to disband the 40,000 men
he had in arms. ThB Elector answered in the affir.
mative, and complied with the request immediately,
leaving only 4000 dispersed through the country.—
This took place toward the end of October.
In the beginning of November, an army of thirty
thousand entered Hessia, under the command of
Marshal Mortier and the King of Holland ; they pro-
veded towards Cassel, and requested permission of
the Elector to march through the town, on their way
to Hanover. After some objections, this was gran-
ted, and the following day fixed upon for that purpose.
The French troops advanced in great numbers, but
still no one suspected any harm. The operations of
the war sufficiently accounted for such movements
All the beau moult of the place, and the Elector with
the rest, went out to behold the French soldiers. The
day passed over, and the Elector was further reques-
ted to permit the troops to encamp before the tovw for
ene night ; this was granted, and the inhabitants
were ordered to furnish the soldiers with all the con-
veniences wanted.
When, however, the day broke, the people found to
their amazement that the French had spent the night
in erecting batteries, and planting artillery against
the town ; and soon after an officer was sent to the
Elector, commanding him instantly to disarm his sol-
diers and surrender the town. The Elector protested
against such a proceeding, and begged for twenty-
four hours to consider what he should do. Marshal
Mortier returned an answer to the following effect
that he had received orders from his Monarch to take
possession of Hessia, and disarm the soldiery ; that
on the least denial he should proceed to hostilities :
tie Elector could judge of the Marshal's power to ex-
ecute these commands. He had three hours given
him to form his resolution ; but the Marshal trusted
he would take himself off before that period should be
elapsed. The military amounted to no more than
1800, and the enemy was thirty thousand strong ;
the Elector retired, and the French entered as con-

reror: !
The character of the Hessian soldiery now shewed
itself. Their rage was excessive. The greater part
of the cavalry mounted their horses, and fought their
way through the enemy. The infantry could not es-
cape, but destroyed, for the greater part, their arms
—The Guard especially, which was stationed before
the Castle-gate, distinguished themselves. When the
French came to fill their post, the subaltern officer,
a venerable old man; stepped forward, and exclaim-
ed, while the tears were in his eyes—" I have ven-
tured my life for my Prince, and never yielded
my arms ; and you are the last who should
.ave them ;"—and instantly dashed his sabre into
pieces against the pavement. In a moment all the
-4diers of the Guard did the same. To do the
trench soldiers justice, I should add, that they stood
without uttering a syllable ; they seemed ashamed
the vile part they were made to play. The whole
ty long the soldiers were seen running from street
street, and even crying for rage • some exclaim-
ig, that the Elector did not think them worth being
.tot for him. In the mean while the French took
care to remain in bodies of thirty or forty together;
strong patroles marching in the streets. The new
Government adopted measures of precaution, trying
pacify the populace, and promising kind treat-

ment, &c.
About a week afterwards, a contribution of four
lillions.of dollars was levied on the town. The ar-
senals, the Picture Gallery, and the Museum, one of
le richest in Germany, were seized, and subse-
mently transported to Paris. The Elector's Palaces
;ere gutted, and the furniture and effects, which were
tot worth sending into France, were sold by auction.
And was this act of robbery then surpassed in atro-
city by the Copenhagen Expedition ? It was pre-
tended that the Elector was friendly to Prussia at
pis heart ! What then ? He subdued his private feel-
ings ; he acceded to the proposal of France to disarm
his troops ; and no breach of his engagement has been
proved against him.
The brother of the Elector is Governor of Holstein,
and the Elector himself fled into that province for
shelter. It would be curious to know how far they
agree with their kinsman the King of Denmark, in
his exclamations against the English.
Only one word more as to the resemblance this act
bears to the Danish expedition. I hope I shall not
be told, that because Cassel was taken, and Hessia
seized and disarmed without bloodshed, the proceed•
ings of the French were now hrugane than those of the
English at Copenhagen ; for if Cassel was not bom-
barded, this surely was not owing to the forbearance
of the asigailants, but was occasioned only by the dif.
fentnt character of the two Princes. Had the Crown
Prince been summoned at Cassel, he would at hats

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