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THE. .MESSE.VGEU.
VIEW OF SPAIX.
From, the London ■Morning Chronicle.
Ti e French already begin tofind
that the conquest ol the Peninsula,
with 100,000 men, although com
manded by a descendant ol Henry
IV. and a protege of the God of
St. Louis, is not so easy a matter
as they at first imagined, notwith
standing also the aid of a Royal*
Regency, armies of the Faith, yiu
the pray ers of all the bigots and
lunatics, both French and Spanish,
whom the Pavillion JVlarsan have
been able toenlist into their service.
The fact is, the French and their
friends have been over sanguine,
and have totally mistaken the leel
lings of the Spanish population at
large; neither have the distances
and natural difficulties of the coun
try been taken into proper account.
On entering Spain, the French be
haved not only with the most stud
ied politeness to the inhabitants,
but also with rigid justice, effecting
the greatest scrupulosity in payiug
for every thing they received, in
order to establish, if they could,
the character off riends, instead of
foes. The experiment however,
has not succeeded. —Whereever
the French over-awe, the inhabi
tants receive them with a sullen
gloom, and every compulsive dem
onstration of resignation is accom
panied by mental reservation. —
The young and aged are alone left
“ to strew flowers under feet of the
French Generalissimo,” the able
bodied men have either fled to the
mountains, or joined their com
raders in arms, to be ready to act
when the signal is given. Even in
the very ranks ol the Faith are
men pledged to the cause of their
country, who watch the movement
of the French, communicate with
the Constitutionalists, and will join
them the moment the invaders meet
with a reverse, or the T reasury
from which they are now paid is
exhausted. The Spanish govern-
ment formed a peculiar policy, as
so on as they found the French were
in earnest, suited to the nature of
their country, and the strength of
the invader. On this they are
now acting, and the people, by the
greatest sacrifices, second their
exertions. A brief elucidation of
of this policy, the soundness of
which is already seen, we shall now
attempt.
The Spaniards were early aware
that the object of the French would
be to push for the capital, in order
to establish the Regency there,
trusting that the moral effect of
this measure would be great,
without reflecting that Madrid,
besides being an extren\ely dan
gerous position,’ is nothing more
that a common town of Spain,
when the government and princi
pal inhabitants have left it, all
which has been done. It was the
wish of the Spaniards that the at
tempt should be made, and fora
moment we will suppose the French
leave Bayonne with 60,000 effec
tive men. Independent of sick
and contingencies, let us see how
-the / would stand when they got to
Madrid. To keep their commu
nications open with France along a
line of 400 miles, they must neces
sarily leave 8000 men, at least,
in Irun ; 6000 before St. Sebastian ;
6000 before Pampelona ; from Irun
to and in Tolosa, 3000; from the
latter, to and in Mirada, and thence
to Burgos, 2000; in Burgos, 2000;
in Valencia, lOOO; Valladolid,
1000; Arada,Samosierra, Buy trago,
and all the mountainous country
from Burgos to Madrid, a distance
of 4-2,J leagues, 6000.
Any military man who has sur
veyed the road alluded to, will
readily agree that the number of
men have we allotted for each place
is extremely small, more particular
ly when we recollect that St. Sebas
tians is defended Ly 3000 picked
men, commanded by Brigadier Por
ras, a real old Spaniard ; that To
losa, besides being a capital, has
the Guerilla chief called the Pastor,
with 3000 men in its neighborhood,
ranging about as far as Alvava,
and the man whom of all others
the Duke d’Angoulemc most feais :
then Vittoria being a capital, is the
centre of several roads, and must
ha.e a good garrison ; and that
Pampelona is defended by 4000
Spaniards. Tudelaand Salamanca
aie st-,11 on the Hank, and no provis
ion yet made for them. The defiles
of Samosierra might more over ea
sily be defended, as well as the Gau
dararaa.
W e have, however, brought the
French to Madrid, with an army of
28,(XX) men, 80CX) of whom, at least,
must remain there in head quarters,
and to protect the Regency. I hey
have therefore only 20, (XX) left for
ulterior .operations, and Abisbal on
their flank with 15,000, and the
Portuguese from Almeida besides,
with at least 10,000 more. What
then are the French to do in Mad
rid ? the place in which they have
most enemies, because there they
are best remembered. Besides a
strong force, they would have to
build a citadel, which would cost
immense sums, to defend them
selves from a coup de main , and the
guerrillas which would form in the
mountainous country round the cap
ital. By The inhabitants they would
’ be betrayed at every movement. —
To administer each town and
province of which they are able to
take military possession, they would
have to organize new governments,
for, the local authorities of every
place as they advanced joined the
Constitutional army nearest to them
so as to enable the General to act
with more promptitude. The
French and their auxiliaries would
therefore have plenty of work on
their hands, as the Spaniards would
begin, from the moment the line
was extended to its furthest ex
treme ; and that they are disposed
to fight, is very well proved both at
St. Sebastians and Logrono, in
each of which places the F"reach
lost I,4<X) men.
The possession of Madrid would
therefore weaken and embarrass
the French more than they at first
anticipated, without being attended
with any one political advantage,
for the instant they should sit down
there, they would be cut off from
all communication with the rest of
the Peninsulacorps d’armee, which
would close in around them, expo
sed to all sorts of contingencies.—
When Bonaparte attacked the Pen
insula, he established a basis of
operations by taking possession of
St. Sebastian and Pampelona on the
one side, and Figuerasand Barcelo
na on the other. He besides ad-
v..need with at least 150,000 men,
yet he lost the battle of Baylen,
and was compelled to retreat, in
like manner as his brother Joseph,
after the battle of Salamanca, who
I , ,
was obliged to go to Valencia in
search of the second line, although
he had 15,000 men in Madrid -
These difficulties the French
already begin to experience, and
they see that their force is not ad
equate to their original object. —
The Duke, therefore, demands
30,000 more, and it is yet a query
with us whether, with this addition
al strength, he will venture to ex
tend his line to Madrid ; if he does,
so much the easier work for the
Spaniards. Spain now posseses a
large body of excellent and expe
rienced officers, an advantage she
did not enjoy when invaded by
Napoleon. These officers are the
most cnthuseastic Costitutional
ists, and they will be able at any
time to rouse and wield the pop
ulation, and the Guerrilla system
has this advantage, that it is or
ganized with little or no expense.—
The defence of Spam has hitherto
been psssive ; but when the ener
gies of the coutrv are called forth,
the F’rench, in all probabality,
will be obliged to confine them
selves to the line of the Ebro, even
if they add 50,000 men more to
their present strength; for they
would very naturally anticipate the
bad effect from establishing them
selves in Madrid with their Regen
cy, and having to quit it a fortnight
afterwards.
Yaw ope an Ve\\s.
The following are some further par
ticulars, by the same arrivals, from
which we extracted the foreign news
that appeared in our last.
Paris, May 15.—Mina lias entirely
oat-generaled his antagonists—both
the French ami Spanish Royalists—
both regular officers and men of the
Faith. A dispatch arrived this morn
ing from Marshal Moncey, dated the
18th inst. in which the Marshal an
nounces a severe check to the invading
army. It was the intention of the
commander of the united French and
Spanish forces 1o compel Mina to
fight near Vich or to drive him within
the walls of Barcelona. For this pur
pose all the divisions of their army
had been inanveyering for ten days.—
I refer ydu to the Journal Jes Debats
of this morning for an account of the
movements which they had made, and
the objects at which they aimed. The
Constitutional General saw their in
tentions and he entirely defeated them.
Instead of retreating by Olot and Cas
tlefollit, upon Cauipredon, as was at
first said, he turned right upon Ripoll,
drove before him Romagots and a di
vision of French troops, and with the
greatest part of his force has matched
upon Berga. He has now a free pas
sage into Arragon. Having gained
the vallev of the Scgra, he can either
proceed towards Dei iga, occupy Cer
tlagne or threaten the rear of the alli
ed troops in Catalonia. This able
movement excites the admiration of
his antagonists. Some of those antag
onists will be reprimanded, and others
most likely recalled for allowing
themselves to be so out-generalled. —
Curia!, D’Eroles, and Donnadieu,
have got orders to exert themselves to
repair the fault which they have
commited, but that will not be in their
power. Mina and his troops are ac
customed to the mountains and the
climate. The French are already suf
fering from heat, scanty subsistence,
and fatigue, and there is no chance
now that they can do any thing in
Catalonia.
The Government here is in great
eonsternation. Moncey has ordered
the Generals engaged to be repriman
ded ; at the same time orders have been
given to palliate their fault, by saying
that Mina is flying before them.
“It in said that an army of reserve
will be organised immediately, to be
marched into Spain.
Paris, May 18.
The report yesterday circulated of
the complete defeat of a corps of Roy
alist Spaniards, 2000 strong command
ed by Romagosa, by Mina, who fell
unexpectedly upon them, becomes to
day more probable. It is said that the
plan of Mina, was to attack in order
to disperse the two divisions of Eroles
and Romagosa, before coming to hand
with the French army.—lt is said that
Gen. Quesada, who was blockading
Santona w ith 3 or 4000 men of the Ar
my of the Faith having attempted to
cause some soldiers to be shot, for
want of discipline, was suddenly aban
doned by his whole corps d’armee.—-
It is even said that there was a sort of
mutiny, and that the general of the
Faith was obliged to fly, accompanied
only by a single aid de camp. Accor
ding to the same story, several battal
lions had been detained from the
French army in the vicinity, in order
to keep up the blockade of Santona.
It is said that the Marshal, Duke of Al
bufera, (Suchet) is about to take his de
parture for the army.
The Constitutionalist prisoners to
the number of 60, taken at Logrono,
have arrived at Vittoria. All efforts
to incorporate them with the bands of
the faith have proved unavailing,—all
refused, declaring with the greatest en
ergy, that they preferred to be shot.
Perpignan,May 10.—Gen. Denadieu
entered Vith on the 6th. There was
only a slight skismish in the wood of
Tosea, between Olot and Laspresas,
where we had about 30 men wounded.
The enemy continued his retreat, pas
sed over the bridge of Roda, over the
Ter, where he abandoned the left bank
of that river,and retired upon Isucanes.
Then it was that Gen. Donadieu en
tered Vich, and that the enemy de
tached 4000 men tore-ascend the Ter
by the right bank, and taking the road
from Vich to Rippoll, passed through
this last city and arrived the Bth at
Catnpredon. a place situated about
three leagues from our frontier, in or
der to cutoff our communications with
that place, whence Gen. Donadieu
draws all his munitions and provisions.
The entry of this corps in Campredon
was announced by the sudden and un
expected arrival of those same monks,
who, on the 4th, at six o’clock in the
morning had gone out of the town, with
ringing of bells, to repair to their re
spective convents, and take possession
of their rents and emoluments.
Latest erom Spain.
By the arrival at Boston, of the brig
Canton, from the north of Spain, the
editors of the Daily Advertiser are
furnished with verbal intelligence from
that country some days later than the
advices before received.
The Canton arrived at St. Andero,
Qor Santander, a town in the North of
Spain, in the province of Biscay, and a
bundled miles West from St. Sebasti
ans] 27th April, and Captain Tunison
has regularly kept a Journal of events
from that date to the day of his depar
ture-some extracts from which fol
low. April 27th, Gen. Longa entered
St. Andero at the head of 300 militia,
in opposition to the Constitution, and
immediately pulled down the stone,
on which was inscribed, “ Long live
the Constitut ion,” and erected another
in the same place on which was en
graved “ Long live Ferdinand the
VII” May 3—3000 French troops
entered St. Andero, commanded by
Gen. Dabion on their mrsvHi to M; did.
May s—the5 —the French left St. Andero,
leaving the Spanish General Longa,
to keep out the Constitutionalists.—
At 10 o’clock at night one of Longa’.-
spies brought intelligence that a paity
of the Constitutional troops w ere with
in six leagues of St. Andero. Longa
with all his men immediately embark
ed in boats, and crossed the harbor to
the opposite shore, leaving upwards of
100 stands of arms behind them.
May B.—Gen. Longa and his men en
tered the town again, who were sup
ported by 1300 French troops in their
rear. May 10th—the French troops
entered the town, consisting of 1500
men, and at 6 P. M. loft it again tor
sSt. Antonio, or Santonio, to attack that
place, in co-operation with a French
squadron, w hich was blockading it.—
St. Antonio is about six leagues east of
St. Andero, and is very strongly forti
fied. The garrison consists of three
thousand Constitutional troops com
manded by good officers, all of which
have sworn never to surrender, llie
squadron blockading St. Sebastians
and St. Antonio, consists of two ships
of the line, one frigate, one corvette,
and three brigs of war. On the 15t.h
May one of the brigs came into St.
Andero harbor, and on this day, 18th,
she left it again, and again re
turned having lost both masts by the
deck by a gust of wind from W N W.
She was towed oft'by the boats belong
ing to the squadron, 3 of which were
near at that time. May 20—By this
day's post the defeat of the French is
confirmed, the battle was fought with
in a few leagues of Catalonia, (in Cat
alonia.) The two armies amounted to
20,000 men each, the loss of the French
is stated to have been 5,000 men—
that of the Constitutionalists’ army
3500. May 22.—Gen. Longa’s 300
men were all taken prisoners by a par
ty from the garrison of St. Antonio—
also a French detachment was captu
red by about 200 men with from 3 to
500 mules laden with stores and amu
nition of various kinds, with gIOOO in
money, all intended for the French ar
my which they supposed to be besieg
ing that place. M. * 24.—9 A. M. all
the officers of the Custom House, and
all the people of the town that are in
opposition to the Constitution, left St.
Andero and crossed the harbor to the
opposite shore. This flight was occa
sioned by a report that four hundred
Constitutional troops were within
about two leagues of St. Andero. At
4 P. M. the Canton left the harbor of
St. Andero—at 5, saw the French
squadron to leeward. The Canton
was 32 days at St. Andero—during
that time the town w as left four times
without a Governor and not a single
person to transact any kind of business
in the Custom Flouse. All the Span
ish vessels in the harbor were obliged
to take on shore their fire-arms—those
of the Canton were also, demanded, but
not given up.
In addition to the foregoing, we learn
verbally from Capt. Tunison, that he
saw a copy of the official account of the
battle mentioned under date of the
20th May, which represented the
French to have been completely defea
ted. The Spanish forces were com
manded by Gen. Mina. —The greatest*
enthusiasm prevailed at St. Andero
and the neighborhood, and even the
females volunteered their services to
the Constitutional army in defence of
their Country.
Accounts had been rccieved in Lon
don from Rome, that the Pope had
already ordered petitions to be offered
up in all the churches in favor of the
French invasion of Spain.
IRELAND.
Dublin papers to the 17th May,
have been received in N. York, they
detail numerous outrages of the
White Boys. Within a few days,
6 or 8 houses had been burnt in Li
merick. In Cork, an attempt was
made to assassinate Mr. Bernard
Low, a magistrate.
Mrs. Sullivan, a widow with 13
children, in the South part of Cork,
a tenant of Sir J. R. Millar, having
taken some legal measures to recov
er rent from an under tenant, on
Tuesday night received the follow
ing note at which time her house
was surrounded by a number of
men, some of them mounted.
“ Capt. Rock begs leaf to acquaint
Mrs. Sullivan if she doant Return
Recumpence for the act so commit
ted on the poor thats in her neabor
hood that I will consume her and
her substance to ashes and take care
you will obey thies order or eles I
will visite you speedily and he may
have his lot after your Deth for I
will car) Distruction in my hand my
Sword is drawn for that country take
cave you woant Partaket of first of
my roath I have a little more in this
Neaborhood
“Sind “General ROCK.”
Westmeath, May 7.
During the week, several families
have passed this town on their way
to Dublin and Liverpool, io pr Cu;f
a passage to America, i hey a i
appeared to be in comfortable cir
cumstances.
It appears from the Belfast
Chronicle, that William Macnatn.
ara,the celebrated Irish Pedestrian
has realised his boast, that h*
would walk or run, as he pleased,
ninety-six miles in twenty.f oUr
hours, encumbered with a wheel
barrow the whole way. He pe r ,
formed his undertaking tn twenty
three hours and ten miutes, carry
ing one vvheell barrow for ninety,
four miles, and troo w heelbarrows
for the last two miles. He tvas
excited to this attempt by no other
consideration than to throw, if
possible, the celebrated Russell in.
to the shade ; he surpassed his ar
rival, as Russell occupied twenty,
three hours and thirty minutes in
walking the same number of mij es
unencumbered.
Mr. Houlton, a Catholic clergy,
man at Westmeath in Ireland, was
lately convicted and imprisoned
forjatiending at'her owmequest,she
belie veing herself to be dying, Jane
Moffat, the wife of a protestant.—
The clergyman was charged with
an assault ; and the testimony of
Mrs. Moffat being rejected, he
was condemned.— Moffat, the
husband, “ swore in court, that he
would stab any Catholic, who, pro
fessionally, should dare to visit
any of his family!” On this man’s
testimony was the clergyman im
mured in jail! But the Loid
Lieut, the Marquis Wellesley, on
a representation of the case, much
to his credit, despatched an order
for his immediate discharge.
FROM SOUTiTaMERICA,
FROM THE NATIONAL ADVOCATE.
Reported capture of Maracaibo, and to*
tal defeat of Gen. Morales.
Curacoa, May 30, 1823.
We have had for several days
past, flying rumors of the fall of
Maracaibo, and defeat of Gen. Mo
rales, —all of which, however want
ed confirmation. By an arrival to
day from Aruba we have received
the grateful intelligence that the re
ports are true, and that Maracaibo
has actually surrendered to the vic
torious arms of Colombia, a nd fell
in the following manner:
On the 19th inst. two Spanish ar
med schooners sailed from Mara
caibo for Porto Cabello, not know
ing that the Colombian Admiral,
Padilla, had crossed the bar a few
hours previous, and by whom they
shortly captured ; the whole
fleet thferi Ifeod to the Lagoon, and
at day lighq Admiral Padilla man-
these two Spanish schooners
with &amen and marines, ordered
them to hoist Spanish colors and
make sail Tar the citv, and that he
would send a few sail in chase,
wTitch, however, should net over
take them ; all things being prepa
red, at 7 A. M. the manoeuvre com
menced, the whole Colombian fleet
made sail in chase of these two de
coy vessels, —they were seen by the
forts, which, not suspecting the
trick, began to fire on the Colombi
ans and protect the supposed Spa
nish schooners, which anchored
close under fort St. Carlos, and re
mained in battle array, firing blank
catridges at Padilla, till his fleet en
gaged the forts. A landing was
then effected from the schooners,
and the crews entered the fort with
three cheers ; in a few moments,
however, the Spaniards found out
the cheat, and were thrown into con
fusion ; this gallant little band of
Colombians harassed them in the
rear whilst Padilla in front was put
ting in a galling fire—the carnage
now became dreadful, the Colom
bian brig of war Mars was sunk by
a point blank shot, and nearly all
on board perished. Morales, find
ing his situation a bad one, retreat
ed with his army to Gibraltar, leav
ing Admiral Padilla and the Co
lombian forces in possession of hi ?
stronghold ;the forts being manned
by the Patriots and their flags hois
ted, they proceeded towards the ci
ty, “ which immediately rallied
round the standard of Liberty.”—
Morales, nist thinking himself safe,
went on Porto Cabello, ta
king Coro in his way. When two
days march from Coro, near Valen
cia, he fell in with the advance guard
of Gen. Paez; an action ensued,
and Morales’ army was completely
routed. In this, as in several other
actions, the Spanish General d’ s *
played a want of courage, leaving
the field of battle, and his army to