The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-05-18


aspect inspires horror The remainder q
the CITY does not OFFER spectacle less
rnournful. Ruins, rubbish, balconies loosely
hanging, stones displaced walls buig'ng out
this is what remains of = commercial
place which viviied all che neighboring
country, and most agreeable and pleasing
population, which Attracted the strange
The D,under and he other excuses, which
have been briefly stated, although S. horTid.
would nor have Carried despair otis height,
had not the coDfiagration completed our mis-
fortunes, leaving more than fifteen hlndrSd
famiHcs houseless, without subsistence, aud
dragging out 30 wretched an existence, that
death " ould ALMOST be pcesocab.e. the arti
zens are destitute OF b,eGd-.he merchants
ruined--the freehoidsrs penn, less-everv
thing has been stclea or Eurnt--evcrv ching
belong ng to them WAS annhllated. Eli
fects, jewels, furniture, merchandise, most
valuable stores, shops we'll assorted, were
the prey. either Of IN insati1ble rapacity, or
of the violence ofthe flames. IN short, moth
ing has been sa red, for even the eciiccs
have beeu dcstTo}c@. 81 Se1aetan, so well
known for its comme rcisl relation IN both
hemisuheres, s. Sc laStisn, which was the
soul of this province, IS NO MORE! The
amount OF the Losses which IFS inhabitants
have sustained. exceeds one hundred mi
ions IF reals and this fatal blow will BE-
felt Throughout the Spaui monarchy, and
will have its influence in the commerce with
other nations.
But this is not ALL Not only ev nv thing
which e,cisted has been DESTROYED, but even
the small remains Of the fortunes pf mcr-
chants and others, abroad, will DC lost by the
destruction Of their papers and documents,
All the public records. writings and docu
ments of the different Offices os the city
those that were kept in is aNcis nj and pre-
cious archives & tnose of the illustriouS con
suladC Iboard IF comrlerce1 all those in the
possession Of private iNdivi.iu Is, books am
papers OF merchants, the p2rochiai b,nks,
all have been reduced ashes; and who
can calculate the fatal cons, Quences tina,
such loss must produce9 P~sterity will
have to weep over so rta;lfu and unexam-
pied calamity, winch nov reduces almost
tomadness its unfortunate victims. fRn0Cent
victims, undeseTvilg of so ameatzble fate
Before, the victims IF French tyranny, and
now of an unparalleled barbarity and rapa-
city--a rapac.ty, ~hicl not Content with the
total spoliation before recitrd, continued to
search among tae Ssooking rnips icr further
pluuder Us rapariy which cpd not spare
even the hailowed roalb ard which coniinu-
ed It's ou;ragcs four and twenty da. S after
the assault.
II-fated city, lcstre and honor Of Bscay !;
fruitful mother of sem, iustrious in arms
& letters winch hast produced 50 many de-
tenders whicn hast rendered % many
services to the country ; coudst thou have
expected such cruel and dreadful destruc-
ton, at tke very nlnm cut that thcu thcuSht-
est thy happiness and prosperity secursd /?
At that very moment wh5I, with iacrsdi-
bic constahcy and extraordinary fidelity,
thu 10, kedsi always Al the termination OF
thy evil, and The 5 rR.cgenl5 of our impla-
cable enc. ny? Thou chat sayest public de-
mOnstratiOhS, n ~ay eq4iYocai, end doubt
less imprudent, o. thy eXsNSed love for toy
King, and { thy perfect contempt for the
intruder, " ten ca the 3th e July, 1878, he
walked THROUGH thy stresgs and lodged
within toy precincts those dem on ,trations
we're such thar they induced tie forbear-
ing Joseph to manifest 20 ore - tue y2irGides
abe surprize they hid caused him, couldst
tirOu have ,ho't that the end OF fve years
of opp ession. ycXAt!rn and troubles, thou
WSu At be deStToy ID cy tha>e very hands
thot thou expect DIT 70 break thy chains
is it not poss bic 70 e&2ggerats the weight
Of these CHAINS, when It is considered mat
By tEose carly demonstrations, thsu gavest
u the French pGetences 20 aggrayaye them
more and more, and hat with lily Constant
adherence to the just national Cause, NAM
tested, notviths sndiHg the hes obe!s that
oppresss thee, thou gatost occasion that
many Of thy citizens we're scOutg d v IN X
traordiaary Contributions, win mpri-oR-
IHehts. and deportatioaS % France! Ii .ne
intruder though Supported VITA al toe
power Cf bis haug ~ brother, as for nee
an object 4 mockery and rerro ch, c u'd
the subalJern sattehIes Of tyraury exuect
~ re rega az Hv@ ,h grn, d ntSe ,he
French II crs b ct, not - nave succee q d
during Eve years re sidsnce, III icing nt-o-
duced int any respectable Spanish aoeie '
or house How great mus. have been tn ar
aS;onishment ana SUPP ise, % see those We
ny people VINO had tre.ted them wtl. So
mucn dsdain. aging TO the a:sis ance Of the
English and Portuguese prisoners. taken ou
the 25 n OF Ju y, all the Inhabitants v.eing
with each other, the most delicate young
ladies not b iu; excepted, in carrying men
lint and Whatever cou couduce 70 tie re-
lief of lie wounded oi born naioss! and was
nor the mos decd eL ana even hero p.tri-
otisIn necessary 20 IN apfes: s. r1Och arecti
on tor the allies. at the same time diet hey
disregardt 4 at the n r1iJcnt hazard Of her
lives the orders OF the French, thy inhab;.
tants Absolutely refusing all aid IN the work.
of the seiSe, whie the English u Port guese
prisoners were obliged 10 vot& IN .heGl
from tie same maadaJs-Aad c1uldst thou
expect that thy reward Of such t,Ied hlcli.
u would be Thy destruction ,&at e"en this
las not beca sufficient 20 abatc ~ the I, IS,
thy enthusiasm Ia tGe rid-t If these
Smokl rsihs, upon these faEal wrccks.
flOu hast prcCltnnt With i0y tlou bast