The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-12-08

should not happen to AinIelis, snta perAnsled
the Portuguese to enclose themselves in that
place. But what purpose will it answer, said
the Portuguese, To shut up ourselves i'm Almei
da, since the French have all the requisites for 4
siegel fyou viii not give them battle, blow up
the fortress ifyou intended to succoor il, why
nave you not given the example at Cudad Ro
drigo ",The case is different" said Lord Wei
hngton7 had contrary orders respecting
spa'n--~l Rave noac such for Portugal. Be.
sides, could not engage in the plains OF Ciutad
Rodrigo against cavalry five times the number,
and better appointed than mine; but Almeida is
IN country intersected with rocks When the
fortress has been besieged, and the French IA.
tgued with the siege, will relieve it The
garrison must allow itself to be shut up i'm the
place." General Craufurd, by the most foolish
OF maneuvres, caused the regiments of his dvi.
sion to be completely defeated. The trenches
were opened before Almeida, the English from
their camp witnessed the fire from them The
portuguese came to Lord Wellington, and de-
manded that he would keep his pconise and re-
ce've their countrymen. can do nothing
ne replied " my orders are contrary" A few
days after Almeids was taken It is reported,
that on tilis occasion, Portuguese General said
to Lord Wellington, " IF you cannot defend us,
why ncite us TO resistance and cover with ruins
ana oiood our unfortunate country! Ifyou are
not IN sufficient force, give battle if you are too
weak and cannot bring greater forces, retire and
let us arrange matters with the conQuerors -
As his only answer, Lord Wellington sounded a
retreat, and, by barbarity unknown among civil
ilzed nations, ordered that the mills, farms, and
houses should be destroyed, and that a vast de
sert should separate by many marches the En-
glish and French armies. This conduct is afro
| cous, and without example in modern annals
Inc Turks and Tartars alone act thus
:" 1t the European Powers had adopted these
principles. every thing would have been devasta
ted upon the continent the provinces of Prussia
and OF Austria would be deserts-~@zs,l in them
would have been delivered to the flames and de-
VISITATION The French, the Prussans, the Aus
TRANS, the Russians, have never adopted these
atrociohs acts In an enemy's country. How can
general be excused, WHO, in friendly country,
OF which he declares hmseifthe protector, can,
not preserve If from fire, devastation and des
ruction! In 1T is exemplified the conduct of r.
nation to whom nothing is sacred, aud whose fe
rocity is felt wherever it exercises its power -
1t is thus that in India the English have caused
the destruction of thousands Of Indians. have
stripped the Indian Princes. accomplished their
deaths by poison, and seized upon their private
property The following constitutes the differ
enre which exists between France and ENGLAND :
--Whereyer France is predominant, noble and
generous sentiments govern In the provinces of
which the French are masters, the fortunes tn.
Particular POSSESSIONS, the store houses of goods
rems'n With their owners. They only make war
against the domains of the sovereign The shops
the fairs, the markets, are open as in full pe.ce
" II England had the influence upon the con.
tinent that France has, she would confiscate the
merchandise and the property OF indivicluels-
She would return TO the first age of barbarian.
make the population slaves, and chain then 10
prison ships.
" When France shall be mistress OF the sea
tne generosity OF her character will be felt ---
ihe lIberality OF her maritime principles will be
the same as those upon land The merchants
shall not be made prisoners fthey are not armed
every ship shall be protected by is flag. W..
conclude, therefore, that In the first expedition
OF the English they might have been useful TO
the Spaniards, but that they did not sssist them.
IN consequence of their ignorance aud ego,ism |;
that IN the second expedition they conducted
themselves without knowing with whom they
had to contend, and cruelty abandoned their al
lies, upon seeing the serious contest i'm which
they were engaged that in the third they com
United the same mistakes, and did nothing bu,
by spreading libels and calumnies. distil po;.on
upon the Peninsula, and stir up the fire of dis
cord and civil war in short, that they hsye no
respect for the rights Of nations that to then,
nothing is sacred that il they were powerful,
upon land rs they are unskiiful if they mad the
shadow OF the power of France, the continent
would wear such chains as the unfortunate In
dams are loaded with. The rights of natioBs, and
the liberslity of the continental code are due 70
France the barbarism Of the maritime code Is
the consequence of the influence of England hy
sea"