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judice and two measure^ for every thing! On this head seeagain Walter Scott’s measure for the French invadingPrussia, and the Prussians invading France , which I haveabove alluded to.
Towards the close of 1808 Napoleon was at Madrid .He had defeated several Spanish armies, but the English being strong in Portugal , extending their occupation toGallicia, with altogether forty thousand men, the Spanish national insurrection increased instead of diminishing. Thearmy of the talented and brave General Moore, in the begin-ning of 1809, had been, through the mismanagement and themisinformation of the British ministry, driven back uponCorunna, but still such was the state of Napoleon , with twohundred thousand men engaged in Spain , that his old andinveterate enemies, of England and the Continent, thoughtthis a fitting occasion to get up a fresh war in Germany against France . The first operations of the Austrians wereunfavourable to the French, in Bavaria, the Tyrol, Italy ,Corinthia and Stiria. In Italy , the Arch Duke Johnpenetrated even to Verona . King Joachim endeavoured toconceal these facts from the people, but they penetrated fromSicily amplified and exaggerated. Had the Anglo Sicilianexpedition sailed at that moment, far more chance wouldthey have had of success. But suddenly, like an eagle fromthe clouds, Napoleon rushed to the seat of war. Thebattles of Eckmuhl and of Ratisbone opened the gates ofVienna for the second time to Napoleon —and then did thearmy under Sir John Stuart appear upon the Calabriancoast!
A decree of the Emperor Napoleon dated Vienna , ---
1809, declared the temporal reign of the Pope to be at anend, and Rome to be a free imperial city . King Joachimwas charged with the execution of this decree, to effectwhich he named General Miollis and his minister Saliceti .