“Paris, September 16, 1810.
“——The decrees of his majesty the emperor are the same for all the generals. The prince of Esling, who has traversed all the provinces to the borders of Portugal, who appears to be forming immense magazines, and has much greater necessities than the governors of provinces, has applied to the Spanish prefects, who have made the arrangements, and supplied him with even more than he required; and this speaks in favour of the Spanish people, for the prince of Esling receives the blessings of the inhabitants of the provinces through which his troops pass. Such is the effect of good order and humanity amongst a people who know the rules of justice, and that war demands sacrifices, but who will not suffer dilapidations and useless vexations.”
SECTION 5.
Intercepted letter of comte de Casa Valencia, counsellor of state, written to his wife, June 18, 1810.
“Il y a six mois que l’on ne nous paie point, et nous perissons.
“——Avant hier j’écrivis à Almenara lui peignant ma situation et le pryant de m’accorder quelque argent pour vivre; de me secourir, si non comme ministre, du moins comme ami. Hier je restai trois heures dans son antichambre esperant un reponse, je le vis enfin et elle fut qu’il n’avait rien.”
“——Rien que la faim m’attend aujourd’hui.”