History of the Peninsular War, Volume 3 (of 6)Southey, Robert
History
History of the Peninsular War, Volume 3 (of 6)
Southey, Robert
Peninsular War, 1807-1814
During these discussions, the two regiments under General Mackenzie,
which Sir George Smith had so precipitately ordered from Lisbon,
arrived in the bay. About the same time Mr. Frere received a copy of
the instructions intended for Sir John Moore, directing him, in case
he could not keep his ground in the north, to embark his troops, and
carry them round either to Lisbon or to the south of Spain. These the
ambassador communicated to the Junta; and at the same time informed
them that the British government expected Buonaparte would have driven
back the English army into Galicia, and marched himself into Andalusia
to make himself master of Seville, and shut the door against every
hope of succour. Expecting that he would pursue this plan, government,
while it sent these instructions to Sir John Moore, dispatched the
corps under General Sherbrooke, with a view of preventing at least the
surrender of Cadiz, and ensuring to the auxiliary army ♦MR. FRERE’S
REPRESENTATIONS TO THE CENTRAL JUNTA.♦ some safe landing-place. In such
a scheme, Mr. Frere argued, there was nothing unreasonable; it did not
become the British ministers to risk their army without any place of
retreat from an enemy who was less formidable for his military force
than for the means of corruption which he employed, ... means which
the capitulation of Madrid evinced to have been not less successful
in Spain than in other countries. Should the English then expose
themselves to the danger arising from the enemy’s intrigues, only in
deference to the injurious suspicions which that very enemy wished
to excite against them in the minds of the Spanish government, ... a
government to which that of his Britannic Majesty had never ceased
to offer proofs of disinterestedness and of good faith? “The members
of the Junta,” said Mr. Frere, “will do me the justice to admit that
I have never endeavoured to promote the interests of my nation, but
as being essentially connected with those of their own. If, however,
I have always been guided by the same sentiments and the same views
which a Spanish politician might have, I do not think it is to depart
from them, if I deliver the same opinion which I should give had I the
honour of occupying a place in the council of your nation; namely,
that the whole policy of the Spanish government rests essentially on
a persuasion of perfect good faith on the part of England, and that
it is important to confirm it more and more by testimonies of mutual
confidence, and by avoiding the slightest appearance of distrust
between government and government.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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