1

what sort of prospect does this conduct of
ours, as far as the language of these prints
is considered to be the langage of the
nation; what sort of prospect does this
conduct hold out to those nations, who,
with us, are still combatting against Na-
poleon, as the Dutch were a few years
ago? Is it not saying to those nations,
that, if their exertions should prove, at
last, unavailing, they, too, will be held up
by us as proper objects of scorn and deri-
sion? And, is this the way to induce
them to continue the struggle, at all ha-
zards, 'till it is out of their power to fire" in his power to procure.”
another shot? Am I answered by being
told, that these reproaches are bestowed
upon those nations only, who willingly
submit to Napoleon? This distinction is
good this is a good answer: but, then,
what does it do? Why, as applied to
Holland, it completely knocks down;
it lays in the dust; it utterly annihilates,
all that these same prints said, only about
a month back, respecting the feelings of
the Dutch towards Napoleon, who, we
were then told (see page 274) were "made
"to thank him;" while they "felt for his
"government hatred, loathing, and disgust,"
which, we were told, "was notorious.”
What, reader, I put it to your good sense;
what is the world to think; what can the
world think of this shameful blowing hot
and cold with the same mouth? It is
hard, that the whole of a good and just
people should suffer for the follies, the
madness (to give it no worse name) of a
few news-paper writers; but, I am per-
fectly convinced, that, in various ways, it
has done, and will, if persevered in, do,
great injury to this country, both at home
and abroad.

"terference, left the choice of a Crown Prince,
"without the least influence or compulsion, to
"the King and States; that the eminent
qualities and endowments of the Prince
"of Ponte Corvo, universally acknow
ledged, and not loose rumours of ad-
vantageous offers, determined the States
"of the Realm to grant to the said Prince
"the succession of the throne; and last-
"ly, that it would be perfectly incon
"sistent with the exalted character of
"that Prince to promise advantages to the
"Swedish trade which perhaps it might not be
Now, to

say the truth, I do not believe one word of this assertion as to the non-interference of the Emperor Napoleon, at whose special request, or, rather, at whose command, the choice, I have no doubt was made. But, the article is material as it pretty clearly shows, that there is none of that resistance to him in Sweden, for which we were led to hope. The thing has been done, you see, as quietly as the choosing of a "representative" for GATTON or OLD SARUM. No opposition; nor, as far as we hear, any other of the accompaniments of such an event; though, it is by no means improbable, that there may have been, some of those silent accompaniments, which, out of respect for candidates as well as constituents, both in Sweden, and England, shall here be nameless.The Em peror of Russia, too, and the King of Denmark, who, we were told, were highly offended at the choice, and were even preparing for war against France, on account of it, are, we are now told, contending for the honour of having the new Crown Prince passthrough their territories in his way to those, over which he is, apparently, destined to rule. " Invitations," says the COURIER, of yesterday, 20th instant," have been sent to Bernadotte, both

SWEDEN.- -Under the head of Stockholm of the date of August 29, our public prints, of the 18th instant, give us the" by the Emperor of Russia and the King following Article.- "That two couriers "arrived here on the 12th inst. from Paris, "is not correct; but on the preceding "day a traveller from that capital, and "on the following day, a Gentleman of "the King's Household: neither one or "the other brought any dispatches from "the Prince of Ponte Corvo, nor his por"trait. As to the statement that the "Prince had offered considerable advan"tages to the kingdom in case of his "being elected successor to the Swedish "throne, the thinking part of the public "will be best able to judge of its truth, "when they are assured that the Emperor" "Napoleon, refraining from any kind of in

"of Denmark to do them the honour to 60 pass through their territories on his way "to Stockholm. The route is a little cir"cuitous, no doubt, but the direct road "from Stralsund might expose the Crown "Prince to some perils which he has no "taste for encountering. Alexander and "the King of Denmark must feel great "pleasure forsooth in doing the honours of their Capitals to the future King of "Sweden.. In his election they may "read their fate. Buonaparté seemed to support the King of Denmark, and something was said in his favour in the French official journal to mask the "real intention, and to give the election

Number, will be found what the_government has published, from Lord Talavera, relative to the fall of the fortress of ALMEIDA, upon which subject some remarks were made in my last, at page 404. Fol

will be found, if I have room, the French account of the beginning, the progress, and the result of the siege.The Noble Viscount is very short and pithy in his account. "The Enemy," says he, "open"ed their fire upon Almeida late on Sa"turday night or early on Sunday morning, the 26th instant, and I am concerned "to add that they obtained possession of "the place in the course of the night of the "27th. I have no intelligence, upon "which I can rely, of the cause of its sur"render. An explosion had been heard "at our advanced posts, and I observed on Monday that the steeple of the church "was destroyed, and many houses of the "town unroofed. I had a telegraphic

communication with the Governor, "but, unfortunately, the weather did not "allow of our using it on Sunday, or dur"ing a great part of Monday, and when "the weather cleared on that day, it was "obvious that the Governor was in com"munication with the enemy."-Bre vity almost equal to that of the Spartans.

" of a French General' something of the "appearance of a spontaneous act of the "Swedish States. It would not have "been consistent with Buonaparte's po"liey to have permitted Denmark and "Sweden, by associating under one fo-lowing his lordship's account of that event reign crown, to form an empire, which, by its magnitude, might have assumed "a higher tone of independence than he "is willing to allow to any Continental State; and it would also have been yield"ing too much influence to Russia, to whom "Denmark has been but a satellite moving "within the sphere of her attraction. "The object of Buonaparté, as the present "direction of his policy shows, is to throw "back Russia northward, if not in territory, "yet in influence, and perhaps in both. "This has for many years been a favourite pro"ject with the French politicians, and Buo"naparte's offensive and defensive treaty "with Austria, cemented by the family "connection, has so far strengthened his " ability to accomplish it, that he will now "exercise less delicacy in taking the pre"liminary measures.' -Reader, I must beg you to cast your eye upon the parts, which I have here marked with Italics; and, even at the risk of wearying you, I must beg you, once more, to observe the means that are in continual use, by these venal writers, to deceive the people; to amuse them with imaginary facts, with idle tales and suggestions, and thereby to divert their attention from the dangers brought upon the country. "The object," we are here told, of Buonaparté, in putting one of his favourite generals upon the throne of Sweden, is ...... what? Why "to throw "back Russia northward;" and this, we are told," has, for many years, been a favourite ligence, upon which he can rely, of the "project with French politicians."Here "cause of the surrender." But, upon this is nothing new, then; nothing extraordi- cause, MASSENA is very clear; for he tells nary; nothing that might not have been us, that, at five in the morning of the 26th of expected; and, above all, nothing in the August, he had 65 pieces of ordnance least degree dangerous to England, all the throwing balls and shells against the works danger being to Russia and Denmark, and into the town; and that, at seven at who, in Bernadotte's election, "may read night, one of the principal powder maga"their fate." The Swedish navy, with,zines blew up with a dreadful explosion; perhaps, from 15 to 20 thousand seamen, the iron mines of Sweden, the timber of Norway, the key of the Baltic; all these, put into the hands of France, present no dangers, that the Courier appears to discover, except to Russia and Denmark.And, this; aye, even this, is published amongst the "thinking people" of Eng. land!

But, the reader, by referring to the paper, published by the government, will find, that it is only an EXTRACT" of the Viscount's dispatch, whence he will, of course, conclude, that there was something in the rest of the dispatch, which it was not advisable to make known, just yet, to the people of England.- -Viscount Talavera observes, that he has " no intel

and, my lord Talavera says, that he could perceive (when the weather became clear,) that the steeple of the Church was destroyed and many of the houses in the town unroofed. Here alone seems to have been a pretty sufficient "cause" for the surrender. Thus, then, was the taking of this fortress, of the strength of which our venat writers told us so much, the work of two days, after the enemy's batteries were PORTUGAL. In another part of this opened!The government have given

པ་་

us no account of the garrison; no account by the representations of the strength of of the number of men that it contained; the fortress which he lost at the end of and, it is very odd, very odd indeed, that two days.-Yet, while this most misno account of this is contained in MAS- chievous effect is staring us in the face, SENA'S dispatch, or, at least, in the transla- are these same writers again at work in tions of it, published in London.I am well exactly the same way, doing, apparently, aware, that it might be, and, in all proba- all in their power for the purpose of injuring bility must be, out of the power of the the character of the army itself, and especially Noble Viscount to give any detailed ac- of its commander, whose every act they, in count of killed and wounded; but, he words, admire and applaud. They are now must have known the total amount of the telling the public, that the fall of ALMEIDA garrison, and also of what particular corps has not made the situation of our army and officers it consisted, the reason for not any worse than it was before that fall. But, communicating which, we are, of course, let us have their own words; for they are to suppose of a very cogent nature; but, well worthy of present attention, and of as bad news travels apace, and especially being referred to in future." The across the Channel, we shall, most likely, Public" (ah! poor public!) says the have the account but too soon for our feel. Morning Post of the 20th instant, "have ings.- -The fall of this fortress, with so "now before them the official dispatches short (for I do not say feeble) a resistance," both of Lord Wellington and Marshal ought to be, though I will not say, and I"Massena" (an" Extract," it should have can hardly say that I have foundation for said, of the former)" with regard to the hope, that it will be, a lesson to the people "fall of Almeida, and the respective poof this country, not again to confide in the "sitions and determinations of the two. flattering prospects held forth by the "hostile armies, in consequence of that venal, or ignorant, men, who conduct some "event. Much stress has been laid upon of our public prints, and who, as the pub-"the disadvantages resulting from the lic must recollect, told us, that ALMEIDA was a place of great strength, that it had a garrison of several thousands of men, and that it was amply supplied with provisions, arms, ammunition, aud all the means of making a long defence; and, they branded with the denomination of " admirers of Buena-. parté" all those writers, such as the conductor of the Morning Chronicle, who ventured to express their doubts of the correctness of this statement, thereby insinuating, that such doubting writers were enemies of their country. Who, as things" now stand, was the greatest enemy of their country? Let MR. Cox, the unfor tunate gentleman, who was Governor of Almeida, answer this question." No,” the honest English reader exclaims, "will answer it for him! He is in the ene"my's hospitals; and be shall not be ca"lumniated at home, while, perhaps, the "breath is leaving his body!" And this" the fulfilment of their PATRIOTIC proanswer is, that those fluttering accounts were, "phecy, and, that, until then, they will al as to their most essential points, wholly false. "low us to indulge in a very different There is no man, who has any such thing prospect of affairs. On perusing the as sentiment about him, who will not feel" late dispatches from lord Wellington the injurious conclusion that those accounts "and the official report of Massena, rela. were calculated to produce with regard to "tive to the siege of Almeida and the this unfortunate gentleman, whose bodily" other operations of the French in the sufferings, great as they may be, can be "Peninsula, our Readers will perceive the nothing compared to those which his accuracy of our details upon these mind must undergo, when he is informed points before any of the official accounts of the impression produced in England had been published; while even the

I

"premature surrender of Almeida, even "by those who long since contemplated "its fall as a circumstance not at all affecting the final issue of the campaign. "For unforeseen accidents they had made "no provision, but even when these are "taken into account, there will be no room "for any serious apprehension.

We

again venture to repeat, that as to the is "sue of a general engagement, Mussena is "nearly in the same circumstances in which "he was placed before the surrender of Almeida. In making this assertion however we are well aware of what the ""Talent" Journals assert, viz. that the magnitude and rapidity of the effort

"to

reduce Almeida were a proof "of the resolution and of the means "of a decisive operation against the Bri"tish troops. We must request the "Ta. ""lents" will have the patience to wait for

"

lignant men will insist that there are ene-
mies to the country amongst the people
themselves; they will insist upon it, that
a whole party (nearly equal in numbers to
that of the ministry) wish our army to be
destroyed; they will insist upon it that the
country is thus full of traitors. This is the
picture of England, which they hold up to
the world; and, it must be confessed, that,
if the picture be false, the fault is not
theirs.
WM. COBBETT.

State Prison, Newgate, Friday,
September 21st, 1810.

OFFICIAL PAPERS.

BRAZILS.-Treaty of Friendship and Alliance between his Britannic Majesty and the Prince Regent of Portugul.-(Conc. from p. 416.)

"enemy's own account (vide our last | page) proves how little he has to boast "of on this occasion."Upon the assurance of this writer in desiring his readers to observe, that his former statements, relative to this fortress, were accurate, I will make no remark; but the two passages distinguished by italics, are worthy of remark, and, indeed, of the severest reprobation.In the FIRST, we are told, that" as to the issue of a general engagement, Massena is nearly in the same circumstances, in which he was placed before the surrender of Almeida.” Now, if this be so, why was the garrison of Almeida; why were several thousands of men why were the town and the people, exposed to the consequence of resist ance? Why, if the thing was of so little consequence, were so many Englishmen exposed to the chance of being killed in that fortress, or, of being sent to augment the number of our unhappy countrymen who are captives in France, and who are, as this same writer tells us, suffering every species of hardship and indignity? Am I told, that Lord Talavera thought the place would hold out longer? Oh! then, he was wrong, was he? And his error it was that cost us so dear? It was his error that sent so many of our Countrymen into French prisons? These, alas! are the "friends" of the Noble Viscount! Never had man such solid reason for exclaiming: save me from my friend!" But, such must be the fate of every one, who has venal men for his eulogists; it being a truth from which there is hardly an exception in an age, that venality and stupidity are inseparable companions, for which there is this very excellent reason, that talent is able to maintain a man without venality, and stupidity is not.Mischievous as is the tendency of this passage, however; injurious as it is to the army, and, of course, to the country, it is far less so, than the SECOND, that I have pointed out to the reader, and which assumes, that the "TALENTS," that is to say, all the party of the late Ministry, are impatient to hear of the destructive operation of the French against our army. That some of that party may deserve this at the hands of the mer-rights have formerly been questioned by cenary, mean, and malignant men, who propagate this, I do not deny; but, assuredly, if any thing has a more powerful tendency than all other things put together to cause the subversion of the government it is this. These mercenary, mean, and ma

...... X. His Royal Highness the Prince Regent of Portugal, being fully convinced of the injustice and impolicy of the slave trade, and of the great disadvantages which arise from the necessity of introducing and continually renewing a foreign and factitious population for the purpose of labour and industry within his South American dominions, has resolved to co-operate with his Britannic Majesty in the cause of humanity and justice, by adopting the most efficacious means for bringing about a gradual abolition of the slave trade throughout the whole of his dominions. And actuated by this principle his Royal Highness the Prince Regent of Portugal engages that his subjects shall not be permitted to carry on the slave trade on any part of the coast. of Africa, not actually belonging to his Royal Highness's dominions, in which that trade has been discontinued and abandoned by the powers and states of Europe, which formerly traded there, reserving however to his own subjects the right of purchasing and trading in slaves within the African dominions of the Crown of Portugal. It is, however, to be distinctly understood, that the stipulations of the present article are not to be considered as invalidating or otherwise affecting the rights of the Crown of Portugal to the territories of Cabinda and Molembo (which

the Government of France), nor as limiting or restraining the commerce of Ajuda and other ports in Africa (situated upon the coast commonly called in the Portuguese language the Costa da Mina), belonging to or claimed by the Crown of

so as to distinguish between friends and enemies. The King of England is actuat ed by selfish and narrow purposes; the Emperor of the French is governed by the principles of universal philanthropy.

-Portugal; his Royal Highness the Prince | sent, may be quickly realized; to awake Regent of Portugal being resolved not to resign nor forego his just and legitimate pretensions thereto, nor the rights of his subjects to trade with those places, exactly in the same manner as they have hitherto done.-XI. The mutual exchange-Tis true, the English have put arms into of ratifications of the present Treaty shall take place in the city of London within the space of four months, or sooner if pos sible, to be computed from the day of the signature thereof.-In witness whereof we the Undersigned, Plenipotentiaries of his Britannic Majesty and of his Royal Highness the Prince Regent of Portugal, in virtue of our respective full powers, have signed the present Treaty with our hands, and have caused the seals of our arms to be set thereto.-Done in the city of Rio de Janeiro, on the 19th day of February, in the year of our Lord 1810. (L. S.)

STRANGFORD.

(L. S.) CONDE DE LINHARES.

PORTUGAL Address of General Massena to the Portuguese Nation.

The following Address from Massena, intended to be generally circulated among the native troops under the orders of the British Commander, has been received from Lisbon:

"Inhabitants of Portugal; His Majesty the Emperor of the French has put under my orders an army of 110,000 men to take possession of this kingdom, and to expel the English, your pretended friends. I say pretended friends, because in no one instance have they proved your benefactors. Against you his Majesty the Emperor has no animosity. On the contrary, it is his highest wish to promote your happiness, and the first step to secure it is to dismiss from the country those locusts who consume your property, blast your harvests, and palsy your efforts. Believe me, in opposing the Emperor you oppose your true friend; a friend who has it in his power to render you the happiest people in the world. Were it not for the insidious counsels of England you might now have enjoyed peace and tranquillity, and have been put in possession of that happiness. You have blindly rejected offers calculated only to promote your benefit, and have accepted proposals which will long be the curse of Portugal.-His Majesty has commissioned me to conjure you to awake to your true interests; to awake to those prospects which, with your con

your hands, arms which you know not how to use. I will instruct you. They are to be the instruments of annihilation to your foes. Who those foes are I have already shewn you. Use them as you ought, and they will become your salvation. Use them as you ought not, and they will prove your destruction.-Resistance is vain. Can the feeble army of the British General expect to oppose any barrier to the victorious legions of the Emperor ? Already a force is collected sufficient to overwhelm your country. Snatch the moment that mercy and generosity offer. As friends you may respect us, and be respected in return; as foes you must dread us, and in the conflict must be subdued. The choice is your own, either to meet the horrors of a bloody war, and to see your country desolated, your villages in flames, and your cities plundered, or to accept an honourable and happy peace, which will obtain for you every blessing that by resistance you would resign for ever.

"MASSENA, Prince of Essling, and Commander in Chief. "Ciudad Rodrigo, August 14."

PORTUGAL.-General Orders relating to the
News sent from the Army by Officers.

"Head-quarters, Lageosa, Aug. 16.

"GENERAL ORDERS.

Commander in Chief of the Army, directs, "His Excellency Marshal Beresford, that the following Orders of Marshal General Lord WeHington be inserted in their Orders.

"Adj. Gen.'s Office, Celerico, Aug. 10. Order of the Day.

"No. 1.-Extract of a letter from Vice Admiral Berkeley, dated Lisbon, Aug. 6.

"No. 2.-The Commander in Chief makes publicly known to the army the following extract from a letter, from Vice Admiral Berkeley, and from two other letters enclosed therein.

"No. 3.--I cannot but conceive it is my duty to send you the copy of a letter from the Vice-Consul in Oporto to the Commander of his Majesty's cutter Dart, inclosing extracts from two letters. I shall