The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-02-06

ment together at so early a period. On
the contrary, we here see, that the prince
has nothing but HIS satisfaction to express
upon the situation of affairs, and that really
does not seem to form any very good ground
Tor rather hasty meeting of the parlia-
ment. However, we shall by and by see
something which may better account for
the measure.
BY transferring the war into the interi-
or, & by the glorious victory of Salamanca,
the enemy has been compelled to raise the
siege ofCaoiz, and the southern provinces
OF Spain have been delivered from, fhe arms
Of France ). although ] cannot But regret
that the efforts of the eneriIv have rendered
it necessary to withdraw from the siege of
Burgos, and evacuate Madrid. These eff
forts, nevertheless, have been, attended
with important sacrifices on their fart,
which must materially contribute to erfend
the resources and facilitate tnr erer.ions of
the Shanish nation, l am confident may
rely on your aforGing' rpery assistance in
support OF the great contest which has first
given to the Continent of Europe the ex-
ample OF persevering and successful resist
ance to the power of France and on which
not only the independence Of the nations of
the PENINSULA but the best interests of his
majesty's dominions essentially depend"
So far am from believing that any adj
vantages have been gained in the peninsu-
la, that am pretty certain that the cause
OF England in those countries has, during
the last year. lost ground. 1t is true, that,
by the valor OF our countrymen, victories
have been gained, and glorious victories
they were, because they were gained over
valiant armies. commanded by skilful and
brave generals. 1t is true, that, our army
has penetrated into the heart of Spain, and
mat j. even took possession of the capital !;
out, 1t is not less true, that our army has
subsequently been compelled to retreat !;
tAat 1t has been driven, not only out of the
capital of Spain, but great distance back
wards towards Portugal. Now, am of
opinion, that the cause has suffered by
this; and am persuaded. that, with the
exception OF the prince regent and his mi
nisters, there is scarcely any one who will
not agree with me, that, unless we could
have kept Madrid, it would have been bet
ternot to take it. Who has not observed
IN almost every week of his life. that to
succeed ina small degree, and to be able
to hold your ground, is far preferable to
succeeding. to very great extent, if you
are compelled to abandon any considerable
portion of what you have obtained. The
man who is gaining fortune is in better
heart, and is looked upon is being. more
prosperous. when he has secured. the first
thousand pounds, than he ,wouid be if he
had gained hundred thousand and lost
fifty Fit; and there can be little doubt,
that the people ofSpain have, at this mo,
ment, less hope ct final success from the
efforts of lord Wellington. than they had
before he moved forward from the walls of
the city of Rodrigo. They now see, and.
OF course, they will now say, that though
vaIor may put him in possession of part
OF Spain, he has not, and we are not able
to give him sufficient force to maintain
that possession. Inanswer to all those who
shall tell them that the English army will
come to their assistance. it will always be
said. fhe Ehgiiah< army has already been
once in Possession Of N1adria.-There is
nothing that SO strongly tends to the produ-
cling OF despair. as disahhointed hofse.
When the unfortunate TRENk. shut ND
in dungeon, and bound in chains, by or
der OF the despot of Prussia, the donninions
OF whose successors have since been sub
dued by the French when the unfortu-
nate TRENX was endeavoring by almost
more than mortal efforts, to extricate him
self from his chains and his dungeon, and
when there was but one door standing be-
tween him and liberty whca, i'm that mo-
ment OF most lively hope, the knife, with
which he was working his way through,
snapped asunder, he, with the remaining
stump, enaeavored to destroy his own life,
though he wasa man of, perhaps, as much
tortItude as ever man possessed. If the
knife had snapped at the beginning of his
efforts; if it had snapped at the first door
that he had to work through, no such des-
PIRATE effect would have been produced
upon his mind and l think that we set at
defiance the dictates of reason, if we do
not conclude, that our friends in Spain will
be much more likely to despair now than
they would have been IL lord Wellington
had been driven back from Rodrigo. The
regent has been advised to tell us that the
southern provinces of Spain have been de-
AUered from the arms of France. To deE-
ger means, generally, to SEE free from
but, it means further, that the party deli.
vefed is placed beyond danger of being
again placed in thraidom Tor the same
cause. 1t, therefore, appears to me, that
this phrase is aot proper one. The south
ern provinces of Spain have, indeed, been
evacuated by the French for the moment.
but they have not been delivered from the
arms of France, under which arms they
may fall in a month or two; and, perhaps.
have already fallen. The prince, in speak
ing Of the sacrifices which the French have
been obliged to make, should not, it appears
to me, have omitted TO express some senti-
ments or other respecting our sacrifices
during the campaign. The French official
report, after a pretty ample detail of the
several actions which took place from the
time that lord Wellington begun to retreat,
saws. that we lost seven ttousend mon in