The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-12-01 00:00:00

-

--- -
....I.' has therseere'reSeilred that tlinGeneral Cortes
.f. lb, Monarchy, annotiated to the decree of the
:! • ! shall he convoked oh' site lit day of h-
ear, in the n •xt yes:, in Pnter un their
east fimetious the Ist dot of March following.
its that happy tiny has arrie..d. the Junta shall
s.y to the R preseit'avives of the' 'teen
Ye Aro met t ,geth r, 0 Ir ethers of your
! and re-est thlesseed ire all the plenitude
your right-, after a lapse of three cent :ri.•s,
-.she's des. arbitrary putter dissolved
von, in ord. r to ilibj..ct this nation to all the ev.ls
Servitude. The aggression which we hare suf.
fused, aid the war o hien oe maintain, are the
'suits of tree e most shameful oppression end the
-1 st liajest tyranny. l'he Provincial Jiimas,
.ho were able to resist and repels,• the enemy
.11 elle firs; mooing of his isevasisei, invested the
;strews J inee with the Sovereign Authority,
which the) -se• eked for a finer, to give unity to
the Slice and collet...trate its power. Called to
the exereisa of this authority, not by am.
bition or intrigne, but by the unanimous
voice or the iirsovsnce• of the liisigd-m, the in•livi-
• disal, of the Sie,weine Jienta themselse•
orth of the high euoti..l nee reposed in then',
4.y em;.loyine all their vigilance and exertions for
• 41; prostrsatiost acid prosperity of Ow Stale.
• magnieed•• of oitr til iris Ain be apparent
• ai She colieolcrati,l of the enormity of the evil
yowls. preceded. When the rover w.ss placed in
our maids, our armies, le tlf fur mil, were itroit.
video and destitute of every thing, our treasury
was a opty, and our resources uncertain and die.
tam. 'The despot of l'sratire availing hiisself of
the tranquillity in which the North then was,
poured upon the Pcitinsolts the military power
under his command, the most formidable that
hat been known in the most warlike legions,
better provided, and above all more numerous
th its ushers, rushed on every side, though muc:.
•11841wie rust, against our :omit's, destitute of the
;Mane mr,otrtieess anti ctinfidelece. A. new inuntli.
flied so ba7.eartatis who carried desolation through
.all the provieres of wiech th 'y took possession,
was the euoseatence of these revers.s, and the
ill tit,* it *winds of sir iiii•ortunate country be.
gin aiiifully to open and pour with blood in tor-
rents. The lute thus lost half its st rength ; and
whets the Jima, bound to save the honour, the
init•pead e, r, and the unity of the 114 tttt I from
flit leisperuous i sv.tsaun of the tyrant, took refuge.
in Aollatii•ia. a division of 30,01)0 men repaired to
• the nails of 5ar.004.4, to bury thenmelves ire its
ruins. The army of the centre being thus de.
privet of a great part of its strength, did nut give
to its tuiwratisoth that activity and energy which
multi h tie had very ditlereet results (runt those of
th.• nettle of :telexes. The avenues of the Sierra
Morena and the banks of the Tagus were only de.
fended by ill-armed handfuls of men, to whom
Cwilti scarcely be given the name of armies. The
J how. ter, by means of activity end eases.
tiers, rentiered theut such, so routed and
versed in the twit battles of Coulad Keel end Me.
fain, in•ti ail or clespairi sg of the country,
they redoubled their ettorts, and in a few days
collected and oppusel to the enemy 70,000 ist-
faietry and 12,000 cavalry. These forces hare
since fought, it is true, with ill success, but al.
way with gallantry and glory. The creation,.
the reparation, and the nibsistence of these scenic*,
have snore than absorbed the considerable supplies
which have been sent us by our brethrea in •Ame-
rica. W have maintained its the free Provinces
unity, order, and jellifies ; and in those occupied
by the enemy we have excited our endeavours to
preserve, thiet4li secretly, the lire of otriotisre
and the bo ute of loyalty. We have vindicated
the national honour anti iiidepend.soce in the most
enmplecated and difficult diplomatic negotiations;
and we have made held against adversity, with-
out suffering ourselves to despair, ever trusting
that we should overcome it by our constancy. 11.8
have, without doubt, committed errors, and we
would willingly, were it. possible, redeem them
olio our blood : but in the credulous* of events,
among the mountains of diffieulties which surround-
ell us, who could be certain of always being be the
right ? Could we be responsible because one body
of troops waisted tabour, and another confi-
dence ; because one General had less prudence,
and another less good fortune ? Much, Spaniards,
is to be attributed to our inexperience, much to sir.
ctinimiares, but notkiitig to our intention. That
user has been to deliver our anfortunateK ins' from
slavery, and preserve to hint a throne for which
the Spanish people have made such sacrifices,
and to maintain it free, independent, and happy.
We bare, from the time of our institution, pro.
miscd him a country ; we have decreed the aboli.
ties of erbitrary power, from the time we an.
sutinced the re-establishment of uur Cortes. Such
is, Spaniants, the use we have made of the wilt,
tatted power and authority cesitided to us ; soil
when your wisdom shall Imes established the basis!
and form of Government most proper for the in.
dependeace and goad of the State, we wilt resign
the aetbority into the 'hoods you shall point out,
ionteitted with the glory of befall given to the
Spaniards the dignity of a nation bgitinsately bon.l
stituted. May this whops and nsageseficent anew.
bly be pro,inetive of efficacious means, energy,
and fertility ; nay it be ass immense inutile-
gieshable vieleastit, from wheel) flow tor.
tents of pairieliatn to revivify every part of
this vast motes. chy, to inflame all minds with that
sublime colltuii.iSao %hires produce..,the safety and
glory of inslooS, and the despair of !paws ; and
y.burseivea, uolik Fathers of the country, tie the
ekes's°, of y our high ditties, :tail Spins exalted
with you to an tiVially brilliant destiuy, shall see
returned new her b.,sten fur tier hemlines', Fey-
• divand 7th, and leis uefortunate family ; shall see
her sons enter on the path of prosperity and glory
which they ought beim, forth to power, sad re.
• •
„ceive thecruwn of the sublime, and almost divine
.ettorts *hide they arc sucking.'—(Rorie Aeca-
, east or SaTILLE, OCT. 28, 1809.)
" Marvels of Afirtlett;.l. Presides,.
`• PLIIRO DE RIVERA), See.-Uve."
vim:

Malt.. Due
I 2 1 D•lefunii o
lYa
: 1 (hamburgli ..
0 . Lisboa I