Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-05-14
L. dollars per annum.

"sNWS Va = coiNuiSrCtdt pace WHOA ViS-HSQ
All the neighboriIS country. and OF ,Iost
agreeable and pleasing population, nich at.
tracted the stranger. The plumber, and the
other excuses, which have been briefly sta
ted. although SO horrid, would not have car.
RED despair to its height, had not the con-
migration completed our misfortunes, lcas
ing more than fifteen hundred families house,
less, without subsistence, and dragging out
30 wretched an existence, that death would
almost be preferable. The africans are des-
titute OF bread--the merchants ed--the
treeholders pennyless--every thing has been
stolen or burnt--every thing belonging to
them was annihilated- Effects, Jewels, fur.
niture, merchandize, most valuable stores,
shops we'll assorted, were the prey, either
OF au Unsuitable rapacity, or of the violence Of
tne aames- IN short, nothing has been saw
Ell, Tor even the edi6ces have been destroys
ed 81. Sebastian, so we'll known for its CONS
merc,al relations in'both hemispheres-St,
SEBASTIAN, which was the soul Of this pro-
vince, is NO MORE The amount of. the
losses which its Inhabitants have sustained,
exceeds one hundred million frecls and
TINS fatal blow will be felt throughout the
spanish monarchy, and will nave its infiu.
ence in the commerce with other nations.
But this is not all. Not only every thing
which eristed has been destroyed, but even
the small remains of the fortunes of mer-
chants and others, abroad, will be lost by
the destruction OF their papers and docu-
ments. All the public records, writings and
documents Of the different Offices of the ci>
ty those that were kept in its ancient and
precious archives, and those of the iius,ri-
Gus consulate, (board of commerce) all those
IN the possession of private individuals,
books and papers oil merchants. the paro-
chial books, ALL all have been reduced to
ashes and who can calculate the fatal con-
sequences that such loss must produce D.
Posterlty will have to weep over so dread>
ful and unexampled calamity, which now
reduces almost to madness its unfortunate
victims. Innocent victims, undeserving of SO
lamentable a fate! Before, the victims of
French tyranny, and now, Of an unparallela
ed barparity and rapacisy-a rapacity,
which, not Content with the total spoliation
before recited, Continued 20 search among
the smoking runs for further plumber A
rapaci,y which did not spare even the hall
lowed tomb and which continued as outra-
ges "a days after the assault.
Ill~tated city, lustre and honor of Bis.
cay fruitful mother of sons, ilIustrious q
arms and letters; which has produced so
many defenders which has rendered so
many services TO the Country: could thou
have expected such cruel and dreadful de-
struction, at the very moment that thou
thoughtest thy happiness and prosperity Sc
cured !! AT the very mU0nciit when, with
incredible constancy and extraordinary Fl.
deity, thou iookedst always as the termi.
nation Of thy evils, and the stratagems of
our implacable enemy Thou that gavest
public demonstrations, no way equivocal.
and doubtless imprudent, of thy exalted love
for thy king, and for thy perfect contempt
for the intruder. when on the 9th of july.
1908, he walked through thy streets, and
lodged within thy precincts (; those demon,
STATIONS were such, that they induced the
iorbearing Joseph to masifest to one of the
aicaides, the surprize they had caused him;
couldst thou have thought, that at the end
of five years of oppression, vexatioa and
troubles, thou wouldst be destroyed by those
very hands that thou expectedst to break
thy chains IL is not possible to exaeger-
ate the weight of these chains, when it ia
considered that by those early demonstra.
tons thou gavest to the French pretenc-s To
aggravase them more and more, and thar
with thy constant adherance to the just ma.
tional cause, manifested withstaDdine th.
bayonets that oppressed thee, thou gavest
occasion that many of thy citizens were scolr.
ged with extraordinary contributions with
imPrisonments, and deportations to France
~ VIC supported WIN all
the power Of his naughty brother, was for
thee an object of mockery and reproach,
could the subaltern satellites OF tyranny ex.
pect more regard? How chagrined have
the French officers been, not to have sue.
ceeded during FIVE years residence, in being
introduced into any respectable Spanish So,
ciety or house ! How great must have
been their astonishment and surprise TO
see those very people who had treated them
with so much disdain, flying to the assistance
Of the English and Portuguese prisoners, Ia.
ken on 25th of July, all the inhabitants view.
ing witheach other, the most delicate Young
ladies not being excepted, in carrying linen.
lint, and whatever could conduce to the re.
lief of the wounded of both nations And
was not the most decided aud even heroic
patriotism necessary to manifest so much
affection for the allies, at the same time
that they disregarded. at the imminent haz.
ard OF their lives, the orders of the French.
thy inhabitants absolutely refusing all aid IN
the works Of the siege, while the English O.
Portuguese prisoners were Obliged to work
in them from the sarae mandates.
And couldst thou expect that the reward
OF such triec fidelity, would be thy destruc-
ton! But even this has not been sufficient TO
abate, in the least, thy enthusiasm In the
midst of these smoking ruins, upon these ia
tai wrecks, thou hast proclaimed with joy,
thou hast sworn with ardor, to support the
inestimable political constitution of ehe span
ish monarchy, thy most respectable inhabi,
| tants dispersed in different villages attend.
ing to such solemn act.-Unprecedented