I No. 8. EXTRACT of a Letter from the Right Ho- Sir John Moore K. B., dated Merida, 14th WAS laft Night honoured by your Letter of the 10th, and was fincerely gratified at learning that with Hopes infinitely lefs fanguine than I confefs myself to entertain of the Succefs of the Spanish Caufe, you had determined to make an Effort in its Favour. A Refolution taken with fuch Views must have been in a great Measure founded upon Feelings fimilar to those which you will have feen very strongly expreffed in a Letter of which Mr. Stuart was the Bearer, and of which I wish now to fay nothing more than that I feel highly gratified in the Idea of your having partaken them with me, and that, without Communication between us, the fame Sentiments which at that very Moment were influ encing your Conduct, were guiding my Pen." Your Letter happened to be delivered to me while I was with the Junta, and I communicated fuch Parts of its Contents as were most important and gratifying to them, with the Referve which you pointed out. You know, I prefume, that General Romana is invested with the Authority of Captain General of *No. 5. of these Papers. Leon, Leon, Caftille, Galicia, and Afturias, and I can congratulate you on having to do with a Man whom you will find perfectly of a right Mind, and determined to keep every Man to the Performance of his Duty. The placing the Towns which you mention in a State of Defence fuitable to the Means of Attack which the Enemy might at present be able to direct against them, would, I should imagine, fall within the Limits of his Authority; but I fhall flate the Subject to the Junta, and I have no Doubt of their Approbation of any Meafure which you fuggeft. The one of giving a temporary Species of Defence to the open Towns, has, I think, great Advantages in a Country like this, which is not overrun with Luxury and Timidity, and where a kind of Provincial Pride exifts, not only in every Province, but almoft in every Town, the People would be animated not only against the Enemy, but in Rivalry with each other. The Enemy would be obliged to overcome, at the Price of his Blood, Obftacles which had been oppofed to him by mere Labour; and a Thoufand Barriers would be interpofed against that Deluge of Panic which fometimes overwhelms a whole Nation at once; and of which at one Time I was afraid I faw the Beginning in this Country. With refpect to what you mention of directing the public Mind by Proclamation and other Means of po pular Impreffion, Marquis Romana is, with very few Exceptions, indeed the Man the most capable of judging judging rightly that I have ever feen. I fend inclofed an Ordonnance, which has been publifhed * in Arragon, and which has not yet appeared in the Papers. I will thank you to forward it to Romana by your next Opportunity, if it is not printed in the mean while. You will be glad to hear that it is much approved of by the Junta, and that they are well perfuaded that it is only in this Way that Things can be done. The Extinction of the popular Enthusiasm in this Country, and the Means which exift for reviving it, would lead to a very long and delicate Difcuffion; I would only say, that if I am at all right in my Judgment of the Caufe of the Evil, it is already done away by the Acts of the Junta, and I trust that its Effects will not long furvive. I have been preffed to write to the Commander in Chief in Portugal to reinforce the Army under your Command with all the Troops that he can fpare, and have already tranfmitted Home a Reprefentation to that Effect. No official Report has yet been received of the Capitulation of Madrid, nor is it as yet by any Means certain that any formal Stipulation exifted. Nothing has been heard from Morla, Caftellar, or Caftel Franco, nor is it known where they are. An Order has been drawn up, and is to be published, prohibiting all Perfons concerned in the Capitulation, Not tranfmitted. or or holding any Command in the Town, from ap proaching the Residence of the Junta. The Army of Arragon have repulsed an Attack on the 2d. Palafox's official Report reprefents the unfortunate Action of Tudela as an exceedingly bloody one, and that the French confefs to a Lols of 4,000 Men. All the Reports from Madrid reprefent the Force of the French as very much reduced. I have heard no Eftimate above 26,000. Indeed all thefe Eftimates are vague; but Officers who were Witneffes of the Attack are confirmed in the Opinion of the Weakness of the Enemy by what they observed of his Appearance and Mode of Approach. The Junta are on their way to Seville. I follow them from hence To-morrow. This Province is raifing Horfes and Men with great Zeal, and fending them forward to defend the Paffes of the Tagus, parti cularly to Almaraz. The Junta have been received with uniform Refpect by the People, and with great Deference by the inferior Juntas. I have the Honour to be, &c. |