April. In consequence of the orders I with me, which I thought it my duty to parapets that were undermined ; in short I believe that no precautions to render unserviceable all that might be useful to the enemy were omitted. And here I ought to return thanks to the talents and acti vity of the officers of artillery and engineers.-On the 9th all the cavities were charged, but the works for the destruction of the artillery were not finished, and I. stayed one day more in order to leave nothing to regret.-On the morning of the 10th I assembled the principal officers of the garrison, I read them the orders of the Prince of Essling, I did not conceal that our expedition was full of difficulty and danger, that once out of the garrison, the fire set to it, we should find ourselves obliged to cut our way through to rejoin the army in the midst of obstacles of all kinds, or to fall with honour; that the place once destroyed the intentions of his Majesty would be perfectly fulfilled, that that single object ought to animate us, that we were Frenchmen, and ought to prove to the universe that we were worthy of being so that if our expedition succeeded it would cover us with glory, whatever the effect might be to us personally. All testi fied the most courageous devotion. I then informed them of the dispositions I had pices of glory and honour.-1 went out the last. I then sent orders to the Chief of Battalion Morlet, to place the fire in the boxes. It had been agreed upon that this single order should suffice, because it was to be a private signal, as soon as he had the certainty that the lighted matches were placed, in order that the fire should be set to the powder at the same time. Every thing was perfectly well executed. My two heads of columns began to be engaged with the enemy's posts at the very moment of the explosion. All were penetrated, and I continued my route rapidly, always harassed on my rear and flanks, as I had foreseen. The baggage was pillaged. I would not have any guide, because he could only shew me the ways which I would not take, and because he could only infuse uncertainty into my movements; not being able to find out by night the different points of direction which I had long studied by day, the moon served me as a compass. The different brooks or rivers which I crossed, and whose existence I was acquainted with, also contributed to insure my direction. I was harassed as far as Thuronethere they abandoned me-in fine at daybreak I was between Villar-de-Cuervas and Barba de Puerco. I took my way to the Agueda. Between those two villages, before I arrived on the summit, the ene determined upon, as well as the manner in which I reckoned upon reaching the enemy's posts, and I shewed them the route I meant to take. And wishing to march in two columns to have less depth, and to overthrow a larger front of the enemy, which gave me beyond their line more latitude for my movements, I gave them all the necessary instructions for the march of the two columns, and as a basis, I announced, that the left column should be the column of direction; the two elite companies of the 5th battalion of the 89th regiment were to march at the head of the left column, composed of the said battalion, to clear the passage for the column that followed them. The two companies of cannoneers marched at the head of the right hand column for the same purpose. This column, commanded by the Chief of the Battalion of Engineers, Thruiller, was composed of different detachments of the 6th and 8th corps. The Sappers were to remain in the town, part to set fire to the train, another part to hinder the inhabitants from deranging our operations, and to protect the sortie of all-they were afterwards to form the rear-guard-they were commanded by the Chief of the Battalion of Engineers, Morlet, who remained in the place till the train had been lighted, and who was obliged to cut his way a second time with hissappers through the enemy's posts, which had joined in our rear.-Imy's cavalry had reached my right, and placed the baggage at the tail of each co- marched in a parallel line after me, to lumn. I foresaw, that in any case it could stop me, or to point out to the troops that not follow us, and I was not sorry to place were on their march in pursuit of me, the it in a way to be taken in order to occupy route I had taken. I saw on my left the enemy. After having agreed with all some elevations crowned with troops. I the officers about the preliminary details of manœuvred to avoid them, and I arrived at our operations, I went, as usual, to walk length at a path which led to the bridge of about the town and the ramparts. I con- San Felices.-The two columns which had versed with all the soldiers; I was ena- always marched in sight and within reach bied by an air of security and confidence, of each other, arrived together on the left to remove from their minds all doubt or bank of the Agueda in the same order in uneasiness upon the result of our opera- which they had left Almeida. They had tions, and I saw every body full of confi- always marched in order in spite of rocks, dence, and even enthusiasm-at night fall, rivers, and precipices.-The rear-guard of I made all the garrison take arms to pre- the Sappers had joined some moments bevent any one from being absent, and to be fore the rear of the left column. ready as soon as all the dispositions were ceived some troops on the other side, completed, for we worked to the moment which I found by my glass to be French, of our departure-at 10 o'clock, all being and we descended rapidly to the bridge. ready, I sent orders to all the advanced The enemy poured in on all sides; they posts of the half moon and covered ways, had reached the rear of my column; I to come in the greatest silence within the had the grief of seeing some of my brave Barrier whence we were to depart. At comrades perish. At length General Rethe moment of beginning the movement, nier, commanding the second corps, sent 1 gave, as a watch word, Buonaparté and troops towards the bridge and protected Bayard, and we all set off under the aus- our passage. He received all the wounded, I per (Signed) BRENIER. and sent them to San Felices, where we ence and military knowledge; your poall united. I lost in this operation but verty is great, your ignorance greater; sixty men, and the whole garrison is ar- you must lose every battle which you harived. annex the report of the Com-zard against the most practised troops in mander of the Engineers, and also M. Le- the world; the war will disorganize, will chene's, the Captain of Artillery. I also ruin every thing; and your impotent efannex a plan of the place: all marked in forts, instead of saving that shadow of a black shews the works that were blown country which you adore, will plunge it up. (The Letter concludes with bestow- in misery and desolation, and load it with ing praises upon different officers.) much heavier chains than those you now wish to escape."-Spaniards, you rejected with horror these vile suggestions and devoted yourselves to adversity, certain of of finally establishing, though at the exshaking off ignominy by resistance, and pence of immense labours and numberless exertions, that independence and happi ness to which you aspire. True it is, that the stupid tyranny to which you were previously subject had left you without mounds to oppose to the inundation. A furious sea broke in, and covered with its SPAIN. The Council of Regency to the must one day abandon it again; and the inundation, though now destructive, (in like manner as the earth is fertilised by the conflagration of forests or the ashes of volcanoes) will deposit in our soil all the germs of prosperity and abundance.→ What combats, what vicissitudes, what contrariety of events, have you not experi enced during these three terrible years! Conquerors at first, then conquered; for That memorable day, Spaniards, on which the nation rose to the Majesty of independence, from the depth of servitude and dismay, has now come round for the third time. What grand, but, at the same time, mournful recollections does not its return excite! When Napoleon was issu-waves an unprotected country: but it ing from Bayonne his decrees of bloodwhen, madly impatient, he was accusing Murat of remissness for not precipitating the means of terror-he did not perceive that these atrocious counsels, recoiling upon the very iniquity which planned them, would be destructive to their treacherous agents: The second of May dawned; the French had fixed upon it for completing their murderous plots; and the people of Madrid, indignant at the out-midable again by the force which you oprages which they suffered, rose at once to revenge them, or to die. Ill armed, without plan, without chiefs, they did not he sitate a moment to attack those veteran battalions, formidable by their arms, their victories, and their union. The patriots died fighting nobly; or they perished by treachery, while thinking themselves protected by the truce which disarmed them. But the blood which was shed could not be confined to the Prado of the Capital; it spread itself over the soil of the Peninsula; it every-where excited enthusiasm; and at one and the same time, and with one voice, the signal was every-where given for this rancorous, sanguinary, and desolating war, similar in all respects to the execrable aggression which gave it birth. It was then said by our treacherous enemies, and their unworthy partizans," How rash and unavailing your attempt! You have neither arms, magazines, nor soldiers; your Generals and Officers want experi posed to your enemies; favoured by the war of Austria against the Tyrant, but too soon deprived of that powerful assistance; condemned again to experience all the rigour of destiny, and reduced to extremity; threatened witth the dissolution of empire by the separation of some distant provinces; yet always firm, always magnanimous; encountering adversity without being overcome by it; forming new establishments amidst your very ruins, and dismaying the enemy by your ceases less efforts. If from this stormy and uncertain spectacle impartial Europe and posterity turn their eyes to your political and civil march, how much will they see to compensate for your military misfor tunes! What were you before the second of May? Grief to recollect it, and shame to utter it!-slaves, bending under the yoke of tyranny; obeying, like a worthless herd, the empire of despotism and caprice. (To be continued:) Pablished by R. BAGSHAW, Brydges-Street, Covent Garden :-Sold also by J. BUDD, Pall-Mall, LONDON :-Printed by T: ̊C. Hansard, Peterborough-Court, Fleet-Street, "Some landlords have continued to grant leases; and there will still be some found to do it for "a year or two longer perhaps. Habit is very powerful; and, besides, the canse is not well enough "understood to prevent all landlords from believing, that a good swinging addition to the old rent will "secure them for the next 14 or 21 years. But, if the present system of finance be pursued, this "purblind state will soon go off: the consequences of letting leases will become visible to the dullest eyes: and, then, as Mr. Kent, the Surveyor, says, the landlord will, indeed, as soon alienate the fee simple of his estate as demize it for a term of years."- -POLITICAL REGISTER, 23th February, 1805. 1601] TO THE READERS. The next Number of the Register will be published next SATURDAY, and, after that, the publication will be continued on the Saturday, as formerly, and not on the WEDNESDAY any more. - [1602 "Continent will not be disturbed. The "King of Spain is come to assist at this "last solemnity. I have given him all "that was necessary and proper to unite "the interests and hearts of the different " " people of his provinces. Since 1809, "the greater part of the strong places in Spain have been taken after memorable "sieges. The insurgents have been beat "in a great number of pitched battles, SUMMARY OF POLITICS. England has felt that this war was apNAPOLEON'S SPEECH.-The Speech of proaching its termination, and that inthe Emperor of France to the NATIONAL "trigues and gold were no longer suffCOUNCIL has excited that degree of pub-"cient to nourish it. She found herself, lic attention, which a set speech from a "therefore, obliged to change the nature person of such power must naturally ex- "of it, and from an auxiliary she has be cite, especially when, in part at least "came a principal. All she has of troops it relates to ourselves and to that ob- "of the line have been sent into the ject more particularly, in which we all "Peninsula. England, Scotland, and Irenow feel the most direct interest. I al- "land are drained. English blood has lude to what he says of the war in the "at length flowed in torrents, in several Southern Peninsula, of which he speaks in "actions glorious to the French arms. a tone that seems not to have been anticipated by many of our writing or speechmaking politicians. The words are these" The English bring all the "passions into play. One time they sup " " * * * "This conflict against Carthage, which "seemed as if it would be decided in fields "of battle, on the ocean, or beyond the "seas, will henceforth be decided in the "plains of Spain! When England shall “be exhausted-when she shall at last pose France to have all the designs that "could alarm other Powers, designs "which she could have put into execu tion if they had entered into her policy. have felt the evils which for twenty "At another time they make an appeal "6 years she has with so much cruelty to the pride of nations in order to ex- "poured upon the Continent-when half "cite their jealousy. They lay hold of her families shall be in mourning "all circumstances which arise out of the "then shall a peal of thunder, put an end unexpected events of the times in which" to the affairs of the Peninsula, the des"we live. It is war over every part of the Continent that can alone ensure their "prosperity. I wish for nothing that is not in the treaties which I have con'cluded. I will never sacrifice the blood "of my people to interests that are not immediately the interests of my Empire. "I flatter myself that the peace of the "tinies of her armies, and aveng Europe "and Asia by finishing this second Punic war. There is, as the reader will perceive, a passage left out here, and, as I cannot get at the original, I suppose this passage must have contained something calculated to offend some person in power here, or, perhaps, the whole_adrainistration, or government; it must, I suppose, have contained something libellous, but, the reader will please to bear in mind, that the passage might have been very true for all that, because, according to the law of libel, in this country, truth may be a libel; truth may be a criminal libel; to write or publish truth may be a crime, and a crime, too, for which a man may suffer years of imprisonment and heavy fines and bails.Aye, aye; this is even so; there is no denying it; and, therefore, because this part of Napoleon's Speech is suppressed, let us not conclude that it contained any falsehood: nay, let us rather suppose, that it contained some striking but disagreeable truth, for such are, of all others, the most odious publications. Now, as to what those who publish in England have thought safe to give to their readers, the part that most interests us is that which relates to the war in Spain and Portugal, which war many, in this country, looked upon as touching its close. We are not to place implicit reliance on what Napoleon says: we are not to be lieve that he will act thus, or thus, merely because he says he will: we are to make allowances for big talk; but, with all due caution and all doe allowances made, I cannot help considering this part of his speech pretty fully descriptive of his de-length of time. signs and his expectations; and as I so seldom have seen his designs and expectations thwarted and disappointed, I cannot say, that I am disposed to join with my brother Journalists in laughing at this speech, in which we are, indeed, told by Napoleon little more, about the war in Spain and Portugal, than I had said before. He says, that England could not get on longer with the war without becoming a principal in it, which is very true; and, from the moment she did become a principal, it was evident, that, if she failed at last, that failure would be much more fatal" being taken for more than 21s-10s. 6d. to her than it could have been, if she had not become a principal. As long as she was able to move the Spaniards and Portuguese by mere pecuniary aids, he war was, in fact, theirs; but, when we began to send armies, and to take Portuguese into our pay, then the war became ours.-To exhaust England must necessarily be an object of the very first importance to Napolcon; and how could he possibly effect this object by any means so sure as inducing us to make war with him in Spain and Portugal?--If this war end unfaourably, it will be the most fatal war in which we were ever engaged. It will be the last blow previous to the attempt upon this kingdom itself.--We are now sending out of this kingdom men and horses and food and raiment to an astonishing amount. We have been at this work for nearly three years; and, if we follow it for two or three longer, it is impossible that the consequences should not be dreadful. The able men of the country are drawn away; boys are now enlisted for the service; the country is drained of all that is most precious to it; and if this drain should continue for another year or two, and if we should fail even then, the consequence must naturally be a state of debility and discouragement, after which it would be extremely difficult to revive the people, and after which, perhaps, it would be impossible ever again to screw them up to any great exertion.--The icea is, and long has been, that we are fighting the battles of England and Ireland in Portugal and Spain; and the Peninsula has been called the outworks of Ireland." I never liked this idea. It has always had something very frightful in it to me; for, when the outworks are taken, we know that the town seldom holds out long; and, it has always appeared to me impossible, that these outworks should be defended for any PAPER AGAINST GOLD.Lord StanHOPE,I have broken off from the above subject to come to one of more importance than that and all other political subjects put together; that subject, which I have before called the ALPHA and OMEGA of politics, in this country; that thing upon which all other things depend. In the House of Lords, on Thursday, the 27th instant, LORD STANHOPE brought in a Bill for "preventing guineas, half gui"neas, and seven shilling pieces, from " and 7s. respectively, and for preventing "Bank Notes from being taken for less "than the sums expressed in them." Of this Bill he is reported to have moved the first reading, upon which a debate ensued.> --But; this debate 1, must insert as I find it reported in the Morning Chronicle. I declare this debate, to be immortal. No human being ever heard the like of it. After lifting up my hands and eyes in admiration at its contents, I have looked at it again, lifted up my hands and eyes again, then looked at it again, and even now, in sending it off to the press, I take |