Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-02-05
YGessnereial Advrr Sser:)
WAR WITH SPAIN.

WAX VII II SPAIN.
!, TIE opinion, which We have expressed
upon several occasions, that a wa with
Spain was inevitable, appears uuaer rvers
circumstance Of intelligence which the ma.
,ure of the case admits, to be fully'cot6rm-
ed. That unfortunate country, Distracted
as it has been by the plague, the fatl ra-
wage. OF which has not yet altogether eeas.
ed, exhausted Gifts wealth BY the Unsuitable
rapaciey of France, reduced to the most
servile dependence upon the caprice of the
Emperor Napoleon, aad liable to expert.
,ence the n,iserles resulting from the priva.
ton of the most necessary article of human
subsistence, must now add 20 the cata-
logue of her ealamities, the horrors of
warfare.
That Spain cordially wished to maintain
the accustomed relations of peace and ami
ty, no man can entertain a doubt, who
views in just light her relative situation
with respect to Fraaee and Great Britain.
BY the consinsanceof peace She would have
kept up the main spring OF her commerce
and resources, aud preserved her colonies;
by decisive rupture, the sources OF her
trade must be choaksd up, and her posses.
sions in the new world may be wrested
from her BY no very uncommon exertions.
She is, however, in this, as she must be
in every other instance, the mere iastru.
ment of Bonaparte's will, and to the iniu.
cnce of France, which roles uncontrolled
over thr councils of his Catholic Majesty,
she is to attribute the sad aggravation of
her distresses. That influence has unques-
tionably been exercised through the medi-
um of general Bournonviilr, lately sen. to
Madrid with the Imperial rescript; and
she is forced TO take part in the war, or
sink into a department of the frensh EN-.
pirs. F@ .ss.g -
The most recent dispatches respecting
that important subject, are those received
from AID. Cochrane, commanding the squa-
dron off Fsrrol, announcing that Mr..
Frere, our Charge d'Afaires at the Court
of Madrid, had informed him BY letter,
thar he had obtained his passports to leave
Madrid. on the 10th inst" The answer
of the court Of Spain has been Of course.
decidedly hostile, and although no dis.
patches havereached government from Mr..
fgere himself, his arrival is daily expected,
as frigate was appointedso convey him
to England from the Tagus.
The conquest, or absolute Submission
Of Portugal, is a:Ana,ufal consequence of
our contest with Spain. The idea uf our
entering into the dangers and exp.ntes of
a single campaign, for the pre.ervation OF
that country, is too absurd to call for
moments reflection. Portugal my.reon.
form to any line OF conduct which France
NAV think proper TO dictate. Ike state of
public affairs is completely eilanaeJ,taad
nothing at present resemsls, tho cIisi. ct
1854. when Portugal succeeded, Win the
assistance Of this country, in ex,rieaRog ID
self from pertous situation, and m, ai..-
taiued its neutrality. lie reduction of
that kingdom is no distant or doaaiul e.
vent. The extinction of all pubic spirit.
the want of discipline and numbers ID the
army, the wretched STATE Of IA frances,
all forebode its approaching destruction,
should the government rel, ing upon assi...
anee from US, be SO desperate a. 10 clsal-
lense the invasion of a French army.
II the fate Of Srra;n excites our CO pas.
sion, We arc surely called upon by more
Pa|ettu' motives to eonmiserasiye the 81.
tuation OF Portugal, eur old and faithful
ally, and to anticipate. with sincere sor.
row, the disu, sSes 70 which she mus, bs
ultimately reduced. As an, appesd.ge OF
France, Portugal must sink into absolute
tinsigniheance; she viii be deprived of tina.
commerce which has hitherto besn her sai<
support: her merchants, who may recon.
sidered in no other light shaaas the inter.
mediate agents or, factors betws,n Great.
Britain ana the Brazils, viii be utterly
ruined: the direct trade to her Americas.
settlements will devolye Upon our trader.:
and thus the entertainments of France.
aud the spread Of ner Pernieiou. Empire,
will only tend to open new sourses Of CON.
merce and wealth n, ,Is in the .rou;s;,;oo.