more the plough in your hand; come and cultivate in peace and repose the inheritance of your fathers; hasten to fertilise those fields which have been too long deserted : and you, ye faithful Spaniards, come and receive the happy fruits and rewards of your fidelity. Join your voice to ours; call to those unhappy wretches, your brethren, who are led astray; tell them that we love them, that Napoleon will forget their errors and their faults; and that your felicity will be the constant object of his concern as your parent; tell these wandering brethren, that they will ever find me ready to carry their cries to the foot of that monarch's throne, who is the friend of truth; that they may depend on the protection of our arms, which, formidable against rebels and the ill-disposed, however numerous, will ever be the defenders of the faithful citizen; and that we will avenge offences committed against them: but tell them at the same time, and above all things, that mercy has its limits, and that, at length, the day of vengeance will come. A powerful army is dis. persed throughout your territory; a formidable army is coming, and woe to him that shall dare to resist me; for I shall then hearken only to a just indignation, a most just rage, and none of you will escape a terrible vengeance.

Saragossa is yet smoaking; and you, ye towns of Catalonia, who please, or dare, to follow its example, behold its ashes, its ruins tremble.

ANGEREAU.

Portuguese Government.--Decree of the Prince Regent of Portugal, dated Rio Janeiro, July 6,

1809.

Governors of the kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves, friends! I, the Prince Regent, send unto you greeting, as unto those whom I love and prize. It being my principal care to secure, by every means possible, the independence of my dominions, and to deliver them completely from the cruel enemy who so inhumanly, and contrary to the good faith of treaties, has invaded the states of my Crown in Europe, and has never ceased making upon them the most unjust war; and as it is, on the one hand, acknowledged that, in such a difficult crisis, nothing can more contribute to the defence of the kingdom than a government composed of a small number of individuals; and as, on the other, it is indispensable to preserve, with my ancient and faithful ally, the king of Great Britain, not only the best understanding, but likewise to prove to him, in the most evident manner, that my intentions are not different from those by which he is animated in the promotion of the common cause, that his Britannic majesty may continue, in the same effica cious manner, to succour Portugal and the whole of the Peninsula; and as it cannot be doubted that this glorious purpose, which I so ardently desire to effect, can only be attained by the most extensive, firm, and reciprocal confidence; and his Britannic majesty having made known his principles on this subject, and what he judges will most contribute to a happy result, and is most essential to the defence of the kingdom and of the Peninsula; I have seen fit to order that

that you shall be immediately reduced to the number of three, or two governors, having a deliberate vote on all objects of the public administration, and that these shall be the patriarch elect of Lisbon, the marquis das Minas, and the marquis Monteiro Mor, president of the board da Consciencia e Ordens, don Francis Xavier de Cunha e Menezer, performing the functions of president of the privy counsel, to which place he is appointed by the present decree. It is further my pleasure to direct you to acknowledge sir Arthur Wellesley as marshal general of my armies, as long as he shall continue in the command of the allied Portuguese and English forces, taking then his rank over marshal Beresford, as commander in chief; and as soon as he shall have been recognized as such, you will invite him to all the sittings of government, in which matters come under discussion which concern the organization of the army, or important determinations, whether financial or others, which it may be necessary to adopt for the defence of the kingdom and of the whole peninsula; taking his opinion and advice on all subjects of that nature; and should he be absent in such cases, and not be able to assist at your deliberations, you are to apply for his advice in writing, if possible, giving him full information on the subject under discussion, in order that he may be perfectly acquainted with your discussion and determination of matters of the above description. In this manner the affairs of government shall be conducted with the utmost energy and harmony, as long as unfortunately it shall not be possible to conclude a permanent

and general peace. His Britannic majesty will thus be convinced that it is my earnest wish to eradicate the general vice of difference of opinion between the powers who make common cause; and he will be made perfectly acquainted with the orders which I have given, and shall continue to give, that the most strenuous efforts shall be made to attain that safe and permanent peace which is universally desired, by means of a grand display of all the forces and resources of my kingdom, which I can only flatter myself completely to recover by the most powerful means and exertions. THE PRINCE.

At the Court at the Queen's Palace, the 12th July, 1809; present, the King's Most Excellent Majesty in Council.

It is this day ordered by his majesty in council, that a general embargo be forthwith laid (to continue until further orders) upon all ships and vessels in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, except his majesty's ships and vessels of war, and except such ships and vessels as shall be laden by the especial order, and under the directions, of the lords commissioners of his majesty's treasury, or the lords commissioners of the admiralty, with any kind of provisions or stores for the use of his majesty's fleets or armies; and also except such ships and vessels as are employed by the officers of the navy, ordnance, victualling, and customs: and the right honourable the lords commissioners of his majesty's treasury, and the lords commissioners of the admiralty,

and

Proclamation of the President to the United States of America. Dated Washington City, Thursday, August 10, 1809.

Whereas, in consequence of a communication from his Britannic majesty's envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, declaring that the British orders in council, of January and November, 1807, would be withdrawn on the 10th of June last (and by virtue of which an act of congress was passed, entitled "An act to interdict the commercial intercourse between the United States and Great Britain and France, and their dependencies, and for other purposes,") I, James Madison, president, &c, did issue a proclamation, on the 19th of April last, declaring that the orders in council aforesaid would bewithdrawn on the 10th of June, after which the trade might be renewed, and as it is officially made known to me, that the orders in council are not withdrawn, agreeably to the declaration aforesaid, I do hereby proclaim the same, and that the acts above still remain in force. JAMES MADISON.

Message relative to the Pension which the States are to allow to the late King, Gustavus Adolphus, his Queen and children. Dated Stockholm, Aug. 15.

The period is now fast approaching, when a prince, who lately go.

verned Sweden, but whose claim to the Swedish crown has been solemnly cancelled by the unanimous resolution of the states of the realm,must absent himself from this coun

try.

His own spontaneous wish agrees, on this point, with what the public tranquillity and security require. His royal majesty has taken the advice of the secret committee on a matter of so much importance, which, however, the state of public affairs does not yet permit his majesty to communicate to the diet, and he, therefore, confines himself, at present, to the question, “What pension or yearly allowance, are the states of the realm willing to grant to their late king, his queen, and children?" Which question being answered, another will occur relative to the country, which it will be most proper to assign for the residence of Gustavus Adolphus and his family.

His majesty does not deem it superfluous to add some observations for the states to bear in mind in their deliberations on this subject.

The states cannot but be aware, that their decision must bear that stamp of dignified generosity, which becomes a noble-minded nation; that misfortune craves respect; and that humanity itself commands forgiveness and oblivion of the past. His royal majesty is anxiously desirous that the states of the realm, by deciding the subject under discussion on these principles, should meet his wishes, and thus give a pledge to Europe of the purity of the motives which induced Sweden to revise her system of government, and renew the structure, of the

state.

CHARLES.

Pro

Proclamation of King Joseph, dated Head-quarters, Toledo, Aug. 19th, 1809.

Soldiers !-It is scarcely fifteen days since 120,000 enemies, consisting of English, Portuguese, and Spaniards, who marched from different points, rendezvoused under the walls of my capital; but united on the 26th of July at the bridge of Guadarama, the 1st and 4th corps, and the reserve, defeated on that day the enemy. On the 27th, he repassed in great haste the Alberche. On the 28th, attacked in a position judged unattackable, 80,000 men have not been able to contend against 40,000 French.

From that time, renouncing their chimerical project of conquest, they have thought but of safety, and have abandoned the field of battle. More than 6,000 English wounded are in our hospitals; the least of our corps, the 1st, was judged sufficient to observe and keep in check this army, still so numerous, in spite of its losses. It remained upon the Alberche, whilst the 4th corps, and the reserve, set out on the 29th, to succour Toledo, besieged by the army of La Mancha; and that of Madrid, menaced by the same army, has forced the enemy, already within four leagues of the capital, to relinquish its prey. It has repassed the Tagus in the greatest haste, and flies towards the Sierra Morena, after having abandoned some thousands of killed, wounded, and prisoners. The 2nd, 4th, and 6th corps are following the rear-guard of the enemy's army. These corps formed a junction with the 1st corps, at Oropesa, on the 7th of August.

The English fly every way, in disorder, and by roads hitherto

judged impracticable to artillery. The 2nd and 5th corps are pursuing them.

Soldiers, you have saved my capital, the king of Spain thanks you; you have done more, the brother of your emperor sees fly before your eagles the eternal enemy of the French name.

The emperor will know all that you have done, he will acknowledge the brave, who have made themselves conspicuous among the brave, those who have received honourable wounds; and if he says to us, "I am content with you," we shall be sufficiently recompensed.

(Signed)

JOSEPH.

Letter of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of France, M. Champagny, to General Armstrong, Minister of the United States at Paris.

"Altenburgh, Aug. 22nd. "Sir;-His majesty understanding that you are about to dispatch a ship to the United States, commands me to make known to you the unalterable principles which have and will regulate his conduct in the great question respecting neutrals.

"France admits the principle, that the flag protects trade. The trading vessel which carries the licence of its government may be considered as a moving colony. To insult such a vessel by search, pursuit, or any act of arbitrary power, is a violation of the fundamental law of colonization, and is an attack upon the government of the same. The seas belong to every nation, without exception; they are the common property, and the domain of all mankind.

"Consistently with this doctrine, merchant

merchant vessels belonging to individuals may pass by inheritance to persons who never exposed themselves to be made prisoners of war. In all her conquests France has considered sacred private property deposited in the warehouses of the vanquished state, and such have had the complete disposal of matters of trade; and at this moment convoys by land of merchandize, and especially cottons, are passing through the French army and Austria, to proceed to the destination commerce directs. If France had seized the monopoly of the seas, she would have accumulated in her territory all the products of the earth, and she would have obtained unmeasurable wealth.

"Undoubtedly, if England had the dominion of land which she has acquired on the ocean, her acquisitions would have been equally enormous. She would, as in the time of barbarism, have sold the conquered, and distributed them as slaves throughout her land. The avarice of trade would have absorbed every thing, and the government of an enlightened nation which has brought the arts of civilization to perfection, would have given the earliest instances of the return of the savage ages. That government is fully impressed with the injustice of its naval code. But what has that government to do with justice, which only inquires for profit?

"When France shall have established her naval power, which, with the extent of her coasts and her population will be soon accomplished, then will the emperor reduce these principles to practice, and apply his mandate to render it universal. The right, or rather usurpation, of blockading rivers and coasts by procla

mation is palpably contrary to reason and equity. A right cannot possibly spring from the will of an interested party, but must always be founded on the natural relations of things. A place is not properly blockaded unless it be besieged by land and water. It is blockaded to prevent the introduction of assistance, by which the surrender of the place might be protracted; and then we have only the right to prevent neutral ships from entering the port, when the place is thus circumstanced, and the possession of it is matter of doubt between the besiegers and besieged. On this is grounded the right to prevent neutrals from entering the place.

"The sovereignty and independence of its flag, like the sovereignty and independence of its territory, is the property of every neutral. A state may transfer itself to another state; it may destroy the archives of its independence, and pass from prince to prince, but the right of sovereignty is indivisible and unalienable; no one can renounce it.

"England has placed France in a state of blockade. The emperor has, in his decree of Berlin, declared the British islands in a state of blockade. The first of these regulations forbid neutral vessels to proceed to France; the second prohibited their entering English harbours.

"England has, by her orders of council of the 11th of November, 1807, levied an impost on neutral ships, and obliged them to enter its ports before they sail to France. By the decree of the 17th of December of the same year, the emperor has decreed, that all such ships be denationalized which had entered English ports, or submitted to be searched.