The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-10-24 00:00:00

THE STATESMAN.

1.

beets cruelty to. his Lterdship, to have permitted
this, with the aggravated ill of public having I
formed exaggaated notions of the extent of • hie I
Lordship's forces. A genie was playing ante for
my Lord Weeertioxos, io which he had:v.44lEL
to win, but.iecransiderable.prespect of lois. Ititti.
1)10$ the enemy, that would be taken as matte et
course, from the strained accounts given of his Lord.
'eliiega strength, acid the enemy's weakness ; while, if
he lost with inferior numbers, and under very seri.
sous disadvantages (we means disadvantages, iude.
pendent ofany error he may have fallen into), then
he alone would have to bear all the disgrace of the
defeat, neither circumstances, nor other people's
faults being. put hi the apposite scale, to check the
abruptness of his descent. It was fair and candid
in The Mot ning Post to ;et the matter right with
the public, and thus give my Lord IVELLINGTON a
chance for the due enjoyment of the glory be
may wine and a just protection from undue
disgrace if he should fail. The Times had
much better have acknowledged its own errors, than
ten about
.to seek tacks in The Morning Post,
w
when
there were none. The Times has dune more
mischief, in one day, than The Morning Post in a
whole season ; and fur this palpable reasone—that
when it errs in politics (at present) it misleads the
!people, who have much confidence in it, whereas
the adherence of The Morning Post to the present
!Ministers destroys all public confidence in that
Paper. Now, The Times has sedulously, and
often with ability, upheld the destructive po-
licy of wasting the nation's blood and treasure,
in building castles on the sands, that crumble with
their own weight—and it has aided Ministers
(Ministers whom it justly despises), to carry the
nation on, from point to point, with falacious and
impracticable expectations. Why ! that Paper has
told us, that MASSENA'S situation was desperate
tong ago, with noground but what his army covered,
'.and yet that General has my Lord WELLING.
TON shut up, literally with no ground but his
position, and the City of Ltsoom to retreat
through, if disaster should arrive to him, while he
(titssitim) has all Portugal beside at his command,.
when he chuses to move. We do not believe, that
the lines of Torres Vedras and Maffra arc the
best positions fur Lord WeeeinGTON to fight in—
for in any of the positions' be had previously
chosen, be had good ground to fall back upon, and
opportunity to repair disaster ; whereas, here if he
fails he cannot rally, and he cannot move, ex.
I cept to escape! Bet be that as it may, no
one will demy that what The Times said of
Messzere was net true respecting him, and is
true respecting my Lord WELLINGTON. But
if The Times did not chuse to retract its own
error, it might have served the public by skewing
the errors of Government, in this very affair.
My Lord WELLINGTON is left to fight a battle on
which the fate of this country does depend, with
disadvantages Ministers might have removed, and
which he was led (if the public arc nut misin.
formed) to believe would be removed. My
Lord WELLINGTON would rather have fought
this battle with something like a force, in
British troops, equal in number to the enemy.—
Then he would have feared nothing—then he
could have feared nothing. But who believes my
Lord Weeettrozox relics with any steady confi.
• donee in the Portuguese troops, in this fearful con.
filet ? If there is any man believes that, he has
credulity, of which we do not envy him. But
had :Ministers sent out British troops (in this ape.
culation in my Lord Weeevicroe's behalf we
bar all foreigners, all legions but our own),
equal in number to what they had reason to
believe the enemy had, then, we say, neither his
Lordship, nor the nation, could have had one mo.
ineut's anxiety, except what arose from pity at the
quantity of blood that must be shed. Ills Lord.
ship, however, is left to fight such a battle with
half the number of the enemy in British troops,
and his e derisive position liked up with foreign.
:en, with Germans, and Portuguese! We must
say, that this would have been a good theme for
The Times to have descanted on ; and the morees.
pecially as The 7'inies does hold this battle as like.
ly to stttlo the fate not only of Elighind, but of
France, and fallen Europe! As to this last idea of
The Times, we cannot agree: in it, although it is
argument against their silence on this gross error of
1 Ministers. We look upon the approaching
battle with nothing less than terror, because
it may decide the fate of England against
her, and cannot avail her one jot, except in
adding to that glory which cannot be surpassed;
in aggrandizing the reputation of her unmatched
troops ! It was fur this reason, we argued against
the policy of hazarding our troops in Portugal,
and lamented what we deemed to be the errors
of the campaign : we lamented those errors, as
throwing the troops away, by tactics that could
not crush the enemy ; and we reprobated the
policy at home that placed the troops in such cir.
cumatances, without au object that cuelai demand
, the sacrifice. Perverseness, or party artifice, may
bate effected to mistake us ; but they have not in
reality done so, for they know wo loathe the
common enemy as much as they fear him, The
passion that excited all our ssmarks respecting this
campaign is made up of anger mai* Meister& for

... a ...~

this:wanton and useless waste:of British blood, and of
surprize at the weak ness of my Lord WELLINGTON'S
scheme of the campaign. We have endeavoured to
chew that weakness is the true character of that
scheme, and we have laid our seasonings, we believe,
its:Unassailable principles. But, however that may
be, we shall have few, at this time of day,. to deny
that other proposition—namely, that the war in
Portugal is without object. It is true, that on
this subject The Tines• runs riot, and one battle
Ja to recover, not only Spain and Portugal, hut all
Europe, and to free France herself from the tyrant's
hands. Wby ! this is too much, even for the Trea-
sury Print, and The Times might have stopped
-short of this. Why is France not able in feeling
to bear the loss of one army ? If there be any
reason for that, it is because she is spoiled with in-
dulgence of victories won by the genius of her mas.
ter, and cannot bear one reverse! Suppose this
to be so, she may pine over her lost army, but ahe
will turn to her Victor to lead her to new
conquests and fresh triumphs. Will she Incur
anarchy again, the horrors of a civil war,
and the worse horrors of the reign of the
multitude, to avenge herself tot the loss of One
battle? How idle is that thought I sad as to the
fallen Nations of the- Continent, will you bring
them up, and place them In the field again, by
saying to them—lookrye here BONAPARTE bas;
lost a battle, and an army !-.41111.1, yea have laid
them too low for that! Many a battle and many as
army must he lose before you will reins their 'pie'
tits, to listen again to your deceitful prophesies 1....,
But MASSENA'S arty annihilated would not even
give you Portugal. Yon cannot hold Portugal,
sinless you some way dethrone, or destroy the.
TYRANT. Come ! we will call him TYRANIT- with all
the Ministerial tribe, and as cordially and hoar.
lily. But, let us not be led by that, or any thing
elm, to run away from the true object of thii dis.
cession. To think of holding Portugal is as grave
a folly as my Lord HA WILESEURY'S scheme of
marching to Paris. It is of the same nature
and complexion. England is fighting there. I
faro fur nothing ; but Gon knows, and Goo
only, what she has to lose. This battle may
decide the fate of Edgland--no other nation's
fate can it touch, except for au interval that is not
worth the purchase of one Englishman's life. And
now, we turn with exultation to speak of our brave
troops. Let my Lord WELLINGTON give them any
thing practicable to do, and (as we have said bet
fore) they wilt bring him through the victor
And, really, we do look fora ;Wary, if one can be
gained in my Lord WELLlNarors's circumstances.
Once more, we have no fear) but for my Lord
WELLINGTON'S position !

A Mail from Jamaica has arrived, and brought
papers to the 18th August. they inform us, that
an attack was expected to be made by a British
force upon the island of St. Bartholomew ; and that,
according to the recent accounts from South Ame•
rica, the province of Santa Fe had become a scene
of disorder, in consequence of the Viceroy's wishing
the Regency in Spain to be acknowledged by the
inhabitants, but to which they were completely
averse. The people obtained the ucendancy, and
seized and imprisoned the Viceroy.

PRINCESS AMELIA.—The account which has just-
reached us of the Princess Anzt.ra, from Windsor,
is truly distressing. Her Royal. Highness had an.
other bad night, having only one hour's sleep, *bd.
is this day about the same as yesterday.
The !broke, WHITESI DES, from London to
Africa, fuundered utf Beachy.head, 9th inst. crew
all lost.
The Hussar brigade, consisting of the 7th, 10th,
15th, and 18th regiments of cavalry, expect im.
mediately to go on service.
A detachment of the 3d Dragoon Guards, sta.
Belied at Blatchington, arc under orders to proceed
to Portsmouth, to embark, with other detachments,
to reinforce our army iu Portugal.
A new mete-drama is in preparation
ceum Theatre, from the pen of Mr. Dissents son
of the Proprietor of the Bath Theatre. We hope
that the comic put will sparkle with wit.
Munoss has returned to town in perfect health,
after hating been much efilicted with a fit of the
gout is Liverpool.
DORTON is so far recovered from his late frac.
toted arm, that he will be enabled to perform
Doctor Can:will In the Hypocrite, in the course
of the ensuing week.
JOHNSTON the Mechanist, late of Drury lane
Theatre, died within these few days, of an exhausted
Iconstitution and a broken heart.

A gentleman, named Buctiimax, was lately
ehoaked at Jamaica by a live sprat, which he at.
tempted to hold in his teeth whilitiewas fishing. .
It was Lieutenatit.Colonel IllaiivaY, of the 79th
regiment (and not Captain Itaittily, as stated by
mistake), who received a wound in the arm, in
Ono of the late skirmishes with the enemy's att.
'zinced pests. Colonel ll.4,itvav is on excellent
°Seer, and has brought the Portuguese bripde
under his command to a proficiency in
not inferior to that of Britith troops. .
Box eas.—The lonpexpected match bOwite Crio
and Afolinews. vis at length made. The blends of
Kolioeaux, some American C..ptsins, have. at
Itiogth. come forward to bind the match, by stakini
601. Thu battle will be fur ItOctgitineas aside, and
it is fixed to-take place on the 51bod* January next,
play or pay, the day when Doilietty and Sam.
terra arc already matched to exhibit. Crib is the
favourite as about six to four.

■e

-'S

I

•

I

BRITISH ARMY IN PORTUGA,

As a tribute of justice to the very gallant achieve.
in Portugal, we iii
mtheeaftsololefwtlanegi3cropitiyshoUfaavaClrayvalry Order, Which,
cords one of many recent instances in which Noy have nobly upheld' their lung established reptib, tion • .

- -
CAVALRY DIVISION ORDERS.
Lima(.-General Sir STAPI•6I-0/1 COTTON WOCT. 6, IN
as tomb pia*.
with &he steady and gallant conduct of the squadrons 01,
gee ts which were engaged yesterday with the enemy's asil
ad
guard. By the repeated and successful attacks made spill the head of the'eonny's colorists (Which was supports,'
pieces of artillery), be was kept in cheek, nor was it atitilh
infantry came up, and the country became aafavotwattle to*,
operations of cavalry, that be ventured to push oo
vaaced guard.
_ _

The Lieutenant-General returns his warmest thinks N tit
OfSeers and Afro of the 16th Light Drapes!' And jia,v; •
welt ai to those composing the picquets of the Rsyah anal l%
Light Dragnets., for their steady and suldier-like belkuin4
and Captaia.Ber.t. will be pleased to accept, and ecm,,,
the Dicers mod bleu of his Troop of &yet Horse Artieft,. the Lientsaant-General's best thanks, fur the seal and/sot&
which was yesterday, and has at
and Me
and thoOf allup. times been,
'ben. 41144'
lficen Men of his Tro
Lieutenant-General Sir STAP‘ETON COTTOM is issth
dabted to Lieidessas*-celauel lieLsr, Assistant Ailjoisabc„
areal, fur the andsedtced and able assistattee white IM deri,y4
OA the civilises Of that Colikset, and whic tendo ,6 h
to that order mad steadiness displayed by the troop!
iari'
beat of coasiderabla instate, before a smog, wham
of
neer.
The Liostiesaat4leneral begs the Marquis of TWCtODALI,
and the eta is ssaf, will also accept his watzat
stloae-
ledgmeats fat their *Mous ismi&ince.

TiIE4TRES.

COYENT•CIARDM
The T ragedy of The, Gamester attracted a no.
Ineretie audience last night, chicly to witness tho
pathetic acting of Mrs. S i DDO Ns in the Character of
Mrs. Beverly. The domestic interest of this Tragedy
comes home to m caetes business and bosonss,"ind
while it inspires the audience with respect fur the
•amiable qualities of Mrs. Beverly, it slush a
mural lesson against indulging in the rice of
gaming. Mrs. SI !MONS performed with uncommon
feeling, and ovary person in the house 1)16.
cipated in her woes, while tears in abusdauts
were cicited by her afflictions. 'loom, in Ile.
verlif, appeared to great advantage, and portray.
i:d Um chewier with much truth and discrinduatin. ,
&time was respectable its Slukely; bat the rot
does not suit him; his voice and manner arc, u fit
nature and habit go, ill suited fur the villain.
C. KritieLt acquitted himself exceeding sell in
1 Lemsow, and the Tragedy on the whole was dm.
r rably performed.

LYCEUM.
That excellent Comedy, The Belle's Stratagem,
Was performed at this Theatre last night. Dati.
court does not find a sufficiently elegant representa.
tive in swum, yet his conception of the character
is good, and he plays-with great spirit. The
novelty of the eveuing was Miss DuNcart is
i
atitia Hardy, being her first appearance
season. She was most warmly greeted on her
entre. The chiracter was throughout sustained
with great effect ; but there is a coarseness in Wu
DuNc4u4's kctilig that destroys much of the pies.
sure that is really given by the vie consica,which this
Actress possessesktia .a very high degree. In the
third act, where shdAseuases the hoyden to banter
Dericourt, she convulsed the house with her witsi.
resits delivery of the laughable points with Atli,
the author has enriched this charming character.-
t 1 Where are you- going my pretty maid" MN lb
lightfully sung, and loudly encored. The rest eli
ettactecters were very welt sustained.—The WTI/
Windsor gave Jou NSTOIII' IN :opportunity ot
playibg his talents to great advanilage, in the puts!
Looney Mactwolter.

• CORN

~ Oar. 24.
day tioellOrket has, bet . few fresh :mirth
of Wheat, but tolerable remaining quaiititin ut
hand, and sales fully support Monday's OM
Barley in short supply, and, rather dearer. Mill
and Beaus of both sorts continue to wary. bat
But few White Peas, and those higher. Oits to
again in short supply; and this article ouotedsore•
what dearer. Flour remains at. our last gurratio.
Wheat, - - - 65.. SO.. tio. Tick Beare, -
Fine ditto - • - Oats
Rye (new) • - 441. .414. Poliads . 1%.164110'
barley, - 411.. Potatoe ditto • - •*-
Malt, -
W. Yeas (Boilers) WI. 661. I Floe Flour -• • 0
Grey Peas, - - SI-. Secaadb wilt+ ab
Beane.

JETFERY the seaman was in town on Mondry Inds
when the Lords of the Admiralty gave him his fru
discharge from the service; and the friends of CipL
LAKE made him a compensation, which, of coon
they deenaml an adequate one, for the hardships St
had sustained. He it a good looking young fellovi
and confesses he made the Pitl for his frame, 000

he can write; but he says that it is common smog
sailors to use the cross for shortness. lie says 0
was eight days on the island of Sombrero, daring
all which time he had nothing but rain water to Flip,
sist on, which he drink out of the crevices of 10
rocks—that several vessels
passed within sight,
•ht; sas too weak to hail them ; and that be ass
it
IA
the very last stage of starvation when the Oak°
vessel touched at the island. lie kft town yawn's!
in high spirits, with his money, to see his mother,
Some people were after him, to make him exhibit
himself for money ; bailie got his discharge fry
the service expressly onlhe condition that he thr
• iapnediatelN quit London.
Public curiosity, which, perhaps, has never, nn
similar occasion, helm so strongly excited, *ill
length, be gratified by a perusal of Mr. llaorrie
tivo American Tales, Wieland and Ormond;
editi°"l having been announced fur publication bi
Mr.. ;Colima, of the Public Library, Coduilli
street. ,The former, we understand, is rich"! 1,
to Mr. SHERIDAN, who, among other distiogut
personages, was struck with the originality aid.
genius displayed by the Author in tbearr 4117
traordinary Narratives.

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