The enemy had entered the country with a numerous army. It appeared scarcely possible to resist him; but he soon learnt the power of courage, when led by a chief so brave and able as our minister of war, Prince Poniatowski. Poles! Your battalions, which the great hero has created, and in whom he has inspired that valiant spirit, the best proofs of which are before his eyes, have shewn they were worthy their creator. Inferior in number, they not only resisted the enemy, but successfully attacked him. They have carried victory into his provinces, and have every where covered themselves with glory. The whole nation have on their part shewn that the valour and patriotism of the ancient Poles is theirs. The invasion of a numerous enemy, far from intimidating them, has only stimulated them to voluntary and extraordinary offers to sacrifice their private fortunes. They have wholly devoted themselves to the defence of their country. The departments have emulated each other, in filling the ranks of the armies, and furnishing the necessary contributions. They have proved that the love of their country is a national quality, and have rendered themselves worthy to become models of that quality. Providence has also crowned those generous efforts with success. Our council of state has, by its zeal and wisdom, seconded by all the other constitutional authorities, succeeded in maintaining the measures of the government, as far as circumstances would permit. ⚫, Poles! Your country owes its safety to you; it owes to you the approbation of your great regene rator, whose notice the brave conduct of the army, and the ardent zeal of the nation, will not have escaped. It owes to you increased respect among its neighbours, and the glory which the sovereign feels iu reigning over such a nation. Though at a distance, our heart has ever been with you. Your situation was ever present to us. Your fidelity and attachment to us, has increased, if possible, ours to you; and if we have been unable to afford you the assistance our heart desired, it was with pain we were prevented by circumstances. Polish people!-Tranquillity is restored to you, and the constitutional government. Our great solicitude shall be to endeavour to heal the wounds the war has occasioned, reward merit, and restore order; which your future happiness requires. On your part you will contribute to this by entire confidence in the government ; which will be guided by our paternal intentions. Given at Frankfort, on the Maine, June 24, 1809. "FREDERIC AUGUSTUS." that they are happy whose felicity is entrusted to us. We had last year especially reason to bless the goodness of God, when a generous conqueror restored to us our estates, which were already lost; and this felicity became more precious, when a personal acquaintance with this great man, added to affection and the sincerest gratitude, our admiration and our veneration of his great qualities, which have never been sufficiently, appreciated; and fixed the basis of a genuine esteem, on which our mutual alliance is as firmly established as on treaties, and which renders it doubly indissoluble. Even at the present moment of trouble, it was to me a great consolation to behold our country enjoy an almost perfect tranquillity, while the torch of war was enkindled in other states, and there spread its ravages anew. We believed it necessary to abandon for a time our good city of Dresden, and fix our abode at Leipsic, which is no great distance. We hoped that we could continue there, to apply our labours to the government of our faithful subjects; the more so, as, according to the course the war had taken, an hostile invasion of our country was by no means probable. fidence that Divine Providence will bless our efforts for the deliverance of our country, and that, supported by the forces of his majesty the king of Westphalia, our faithful neighbour and ally, we shall return. We believe it to be our duty, faithful and beloved Saxons, to impart this confidence to you, removed as we are from you, in order to tranquillize you. In the mean while we thank you publicly for supporting your situation with tranquillity and dignity, that you have lent no ear to the enemy, and in this given new proof of that love and attachment towards us which are our felicity, and which we feel equally for you. It is therefore with confidence that we exhort you to attach yourselves more and more to our principles, which, hitherto, thanks to God, have always constituted the happiness of the country, and at the same time to consider and avert the evils which the ill-intentioned might seek to scatter among you, by propagating an erroneous doctrine. For it cannot be unknown to you, that there are in our dominions, people weak, seduced, or wicked, who not only do not approve of our system, and the principles on which we have only from conviction adopted it, but who dare to avow and even act in a contrary manner. We were so much the more painfully affected at beholding this hope vanish, and being obliged to remove from Leipsic to a considerable distance, in order to place We seriously enjoin by these preourselves out of danger, by avoid-sents all the authorities of our kinging the route in which the troops dom to observe with great attenwhich were advancing from Bohe- tion those who render themselves mia, upon Saxony and Franconia, suspicious by a like mode of thinkmight seize our person and royal ing, and especially those who disfamily. turb peace by rash discourse, or by open acts, as well as those who But we live in the entire con spread spread intelligence which may disquiet well-intentioned citizens, and deprive our constant efforts for the permanent tranquillity of our subjects, of a part of their effect; and, in general, we charge them to neglect nothing in order that our subjects may conduct themselves according to the principles above announced, and that our benevolent intentions may be entirely fulfilled. In testimony of which, we have signed these presents with our hand, and annexed our royal seal. Given at Frankfort on the Maine, June 18, 1809. "FREDERIC AUGUSTUS." Proclamation of Marshal Ange reau, Duke of Castiglione, &c. to the Inhabitants of Catalonia. Dated Perpignan, July 2. Spaniards! Catalonians! I am come in the midst of you. His Majesty the Emperor of the French and King of Italy has given me the command of his armies in Catalonia. Spaniards, I know you and love you. Seduced by perfidious insinuations, unhappy victims and blind instruments of a Cabinet, the enemy of France and humanity, many and many of your brethren are obstinate in prolonging a war, the issue of which could never be doubtful. They deny and reject the benefits and favours which an august Sovereign provides for, and is anxious to shower upon them: an hero whom heaven created, in its beneficence, for the felicity and glory of Spain and the world. Spaniards, the hero of France loves and esteems you; his virtuous VOL, LI, heart requires and needs your felicity. God, who granted to Napo leon his invincible valour, gave him at the same time his goodness and tender humanity. Napoleon sighs over your afflic tions; he has a paternal heart, and as such suffers over the terrible blows which are inflicted upon you, and which will be inflicted still more upon you, by his formidable armies, if you delay long in listening to the voice of truth, and continue in your fatal blindness. Lay aside useless hopes; a false love and a criminal honour, which, arming against a king who is truly paternal, the august brother of the great Napoleon, irritates Heaven against you, which gave him to you in his mercy. Abandon vain illusions. God protects France, a God walks with Napoleon, covers and shades him with his wings, and enchains victory to his triumphal car. Brave Spaniards, submit. Europe is submitting and surrendering herself. Spaniards, I know you, and you have to know me. I have long esteemed you; and when you submit you will find in me a true friend. Yourselves, and your property, shall be sacred for me. Errors and faults shall meet with indulgence: moderation, loyalty, and fidelity, may be secure of our aid; but let perfidy fear and tremble. But obstinate rebels, the evilminded, who blow up the flames of dissension, shall meet with no pardon. The lightning is ready to fall on their heads. Erring citizens, return to your hearths; artisans, resume your labo and useful pursuits; good villagers, quit the sword; take once 3 D 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 be withdrawn 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, agree ably 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 approachng, 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 country. 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, contines 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 resi dence 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. 19, 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 2d, 5th, and 6th corps are following the rearguard of the enemy's army. These corps formed a junction with the 1st corps, at Oropesa, on the 7th August. The English fly every way, in discrier, and by roads hitherto "Altenburgh, Aug. 22. "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 couduct 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, 3D 3 merchant |