Star.
London, England, 1809-12-01 00:00:00

promise ,us this security i What inconveniencies, ; the ante expertness and confidence, . A new inunda-
what daggers, how many-divisions, how many parties, tion of barbarians, who carried desolation throughout
how many ambitious pretensions, within and without the provinces of which they took possession, was the
the kingdom—how much and how just discontent in ' consequence of these reverses I and the ill-closed
our Americas, now called to have a share in the pre- wounds or our unfortunate country began painfully •
sent Government I What would become of our to open, and pour forth blood in torrents. The State
Cortes, our liberty, the cheering prospects of future thus lost half its strength ; and when the Junta, bound
welfere and glory, which now present themselves ? to save the honour, the independence, and the unity
What would become of the object most valuable and of the nation from the impetuosity of the Tyrant,
sacred to the Spanish nation, the preservation of the took refuge in Andalusia, a division of 00,000 men
rights of Ferdinand? repaired to the walls of Saragossa, to bury themselves
" The advocates for this institution ought to spud- in its ruins. The army pf the centre, behig thus de-
der at the immense danger to which. they exposed prised of a great part of its strength, did not' give to
themselves ; and to bear in mind, that by it they af- its operations that activity and energy which must ,
• forded to the Tyrant a new opportunity of buying and have had very difficult results from those of the battle
selling them. Let us bow with reverence to the ye- of tides. The avenues of the Sierra Morena, and
I nerable antiquity of the law ; but let us profit by the the Banks of the Tagus, were only defeaded by ill-
' experience of ages. Let us open our annals and trace armed handfuls of men, to whom could scarcely be
1 tho history pf our Regencies. What shall we find ? given the name of armies. The Junta, however, by
I A picture equally melancholy and frightful, of deso- • means of activity and sacrifices, rendered them so.—
' lation' of civil war, of rapine, and of human depra, Routed and dispersed in the two battles of Ciudad-
-1 vity, in unfortunate Castile. Real and Medellin, instead of despairing of the
Doubtless, in great States power is more benefi- country, they redoubled their efforts, and in a few
daily exercised by few than by many. Secrecy in days collected and opposed to the enemy 70,000 in-
deliberation, unity in concert, activity in measures, fantry and 12,000 cavalry. These • forces have since
"and celerity in execution, are indispensable requitites fought, it is true, with.ill success, but always with
, for the favourable issue a the acts of Government, gallantry and glory. The creation, the reparation,
1 and are properties of a concentrated authority only. and the subsistence of these armies have more than
!
The Supreme Junta has, therefore, just concentrated absorbed the considerable supplies that have been sent
! its own, with that prudent circumspection which nei. to us by our brethren in America. We have main-
I ther exposes the State to the vacillations consequent taiped in the free provinces unity, order, and justice ;
upon every change of Government, nor materially and in those occupied by' the enemy, we have exerted
affects the unity of the body which is intrusted with ; our endeavours to preserve, though secretly, the fire '
it. Henceforth a section, composed of the remov. !of patriotism, and the ties of loyalty ; we have Yin-
able members, will be specially invested with the ne- 1 dicated the national honour and independence in the
cessary authority to direct those measures of the exc. ; most complicated and difficult diplomatic negocia.
cutive power, which, frpm their nature, require Sc- 1 tions ; and we have made head against adversity, with- :
crecy, energy, and dispatch. i out suffering ourselves to be ever beaten down by it, '
,
" Another opinion, hostile to the Regency, equally Itrusting that we should overcome it by our coestancy.
contradicts whatever innovation may be attempted.to We have, without doubt, committed errors, and we
be made in the political form the Government has at would willingly, were it possible, redeem them with
present, and objects to the inteoded Cortes as an in- our blood ; but, in the confusion of events, among
sufficient representation, if thsty ate constituted ac- the mountains of difficulties-which surrounded us, who
cording to the ancient formalities ; as ill timed, and, could be certain of always being in the right ? Could
perhaps, hazardous, in respect to present circum- we be responsible, because one body of troops wanted
stances ;in short, as useless, since it supposes that the valour, and another confidence; because one General'
superior Juntas, elected immediately by the people, bad less prudence, and another less good fortune.—
are their real represer&tattves. Much, Spaniards, is to be attributed to our. inexpe-
" But the Junta had expressly declared to the na- Hence, much to circumstances, but nothing to our
tion, that its first attention in the great object would intention. That ever has been to deliver our uafor-
be occupied with the number, mode, and cless with tunate King from slavery, and preserve to hinf4
which the meeting of this august assembly, in the throne, for which the Spanish people has made such.
present situation of affairs, should be carried into ef- sacrifices, and to maintain it free, independent, an 4
feet; and afterahis declaration, it is quite superfluous, happy. We have, from the time of our institution,
not to say malicious, to suspect that the future Cortes promised him a country; we have decreed the aboll-
are to be confined to the rigid and exclusive forms of tion of arbitrary power, from the time we-announced
our ancient ones. the re-establishment of our Cones. Such is, Oh, Spa:
" Yes, Spaniards, you are going to have your niards ! the use we have made of the unlimited power
Cortes ; and the national representation will in them and authority confided to us ; and when your wisdom
be as perfect and full as it can, and ought to be, in an shall have established the basis and form of Govern-
assembly of such high importance and eminent dignity. ment most proper for the independence and good of
You are going to have Cones, and to have them im. the State, we will resign the authority into the hands
mediately, because the urgent situation in which the you shall point out ; contented with the glory of hay-
' nation is placed imperiously demands it ; and at what ing given to the Spaniards the dignity of a nation,
time, gracious GOD, can it adopt this measure better legitimately constituted. May this solemn and mag-
than at present, when an obstinate war has exhausted nificent assembly be productive of efficacious means,
all the ordinary means ; when the selfishness of some, energy, and fortune ; may it be an immense, inextin-
and the ambition of others, debilitate and paralyse guishable volcano, from which may flow torrents of
, the efforts of the Government by their opposition or patriotism,to revivifyeverypart of this vast monarchy;
I indifference ; when they seek to eradicate the essential to inflame all minds with that sublime enthusiasm,
principle of the monarchy, which is union ; when which produces the safety and glory of nations, and
the h7dra of federalism, so happily silenced the pre- the despair of tyrants ! Raise yourselves, noble Fe-
lceding year by the creation of the Central Power, ' thers of the Country, to the elevation of your high
daces again to raise its poisonous heads,and endeavours duties ; and Spain, exalted with you to an equally
to precipitate us into the dissolution of anarchy ; brilliant destiny, shall see returned into her bosom for
i when the subtilty of our enemies is watching the mo- her happiness, Ferdinand VII. and his unfortunate
Iment when- our divisions disunite us, to destroy the farnily—shall see her sons enter on the paths of pros
I State, and to erect their throne on the ruins which our perky and glory, which they ought thenceforth to
I distractions afford them ? This is the time, this, to pursue; and receive the crown of the sublime, and
Icollect in one point the national dignity and honour ; almost divine efforts which they are making.
and when the Spanish people may will and decree the " Marquis of ASTOROA, President.
extraordinary surplus which a powerful nation ever 1 • • .." PEDRO DE RIVER°, Secretary-General"
has within it for its salvation, it alone can en- " Royal Alcazar of Seville, October 1:8, Ist.T."
counter and put them in motion ; it alone can encou-
rage the timidity of some, and restrain the ambition
of others; it alone will suppress importunate vanity,
puerile 'pretensions, and enfuriated passions, which,
unless pfevegted, go to tear in pieces the Government.
It Will; in fiae, give to Europe a tresa example of its
religion, its circumspection, and its discretion, in the
just and moderate use which it is about to make of the
glorious liberty in which it is constituted.
" Thus it is that the Supreme Junta, which im-
mediately recognized this national representation as a
right, and proclaimed it a reward, now invokes and
implores it as the most necessary and efficacious re-
medy ; and has therefore resolved, that the General
Cones of the Monarchy, announced in the Decree of
the 22d of May, shall be convoked on the 1* day of
January, in the next year, in order to enter on their
august func•ions the Ist day of March following.
" When brat happy day has arrived, the Junta
shall say to the represeetatives of the nation : • Ye are
met together, 0 fathers of your country, and re-esta-
blished in all the plenitude of your rights, after a
lapse of three centuries, when despotism and arbitrary
power dissolved you, in order to subject this nation
to all the evils of servitude. The aggression which
we have suffered, and the war which we maintain,
are the fruits of the most shameful Oppression and
the most unjust tyranny.
" The provincial Juntas, who were able to resist
and repulse the eeenly in the first impetus of his in-
vasion, ins ested the Supreme Junta with the sovereign
authority, which they exercised for a time to give
unity to the. State and concentrate its power. Called
to the exercise of this authority, not by ambition and
intrigue, but by the unanimous voice of the provinces
of the Kingdom, the individuals of the Supreme Junta
spewed themselves worthy of, the high confidence re-
posed in them, by employing all their vigilance and
exertions for the preservation and prosperity of the
State.

PRIVATE LETTERS.
" Li.be N.avember 16.
" Lord Wellington has been for some days at Se-
ville with the Junta, and the Marquis his brother.
Afterwards he accompanied the latter to Cadiz, from
whence it is expected he will proceed to Badajos to
join the arniy.
" Marshal Beresford has not left this city yet, but
he is to go from hence in a short time for the purpose
I before told you, of inspecting the Portuguese army
in its different cantonments from Oporto to Elvas.
After he has performed this duty, he is to meet Lord
Wellington at Badajos, to whom he is to make his
report of the condition, discipline, supplies, &c. of the
Portuguese troops.
" From some officers tint have just arrived from
Elvas, I am informed that. the mortality is prodi-
gious, amounting to more than double the number I
mentioned to you on a former occasion. Head-quar-
ters are still at Badajos.

" I isbon, November

" The news tve have heard from Spain is rather
of a firvourable nature, and many sanguine people in
this city flatter themselves that the common enemy
wiil at length be expelled beyond the natural boun-
dary of France and Spain. The natives are reported
to hive gained several advantages, and even to threaten
the capital, from which Joseph had ietired. The oc-
cupation of Madrid by the Spaniards has been often
reported, and I hope it Is the 'anticipation of an event,
it they have not yet so far succeeded, which is likely
to take place.
a A lassitude prevails in this city, and I fear I may
say in this country, highly unfavourable to the cause
of inifependence. The people have no-energy, no ac-
tivity, and they will sleep, lam great apprehension,
till they are waked. by the artillery of the enemy.—'
It thf,•pet-ple had their liberties at heart, is it to be
believed, that out of such a population only 20,000
tun have been raised ?

4, The magnitude of our efforts will be apparent
from the roSidfration of the enormity of the evils
which preceded; when the power was placed in our
bands, our armies, half formed, were unprovided
and destitute .of every thing ; our treasury was
empty, and our resources uncertain and distant.—
The despot' of 'Prance,' availing himself of the tran-
quillity in which the forth then was, powed upon
the Peninsula th . wattary poWer under his command,
the most formidable that has Veen known in the
world. }lit exetisced leginds, tetter provided, and
above all Morernerons,rushed on every side, though
mach to their cost, sena our armies, destitute of
•••••

66 The English sailors belonging to the transports
have volunteered to man the Portuguese ships of war ;
but I have little doubt that their services will be re-
jected.
66 Affairs in Catalonia, according to recent intelli-
gence, do not go 'on so well as could be wished. Ge-
rona is said to be tottering to its fall ; but every de-
pendence is to be placed upon the undaunted spirit cf
the inhabitants. Before tie accounts respecting the
Toulon fleet arrived, fears *ere entertained that Blake
could not maintain his ipsition near Barcelona; Out
hopes are now revived,"