202 ANNUAL RE GI S T E R, 1809. 



the southern provinces of Spain, 

 and indicating a disposition to re- 

 sume offensive operations. To- 

 wards the end of the year Buona- 

 parte poured fresh troops into the 

 peninsula, and resumed the de- 

 sign of reducing Cadiz, the most 

 important point in Spain, and 

 planting his eagles on the towers 

 of Lisbon, which the war with 

 Austria had suspended. 



The aspect of affairs became 

 now more alarming than ever ; 

 and the junta, whether from a con- 

 eciousness of their own imbecility 

 and want of authority, or an ap- 

 prehension that the public dissatis- 

 faction with their management, 

 for it can scarcely be called go- 



vernment, might burst into some 

 fatal explosion, issued a procla- 

 mation for the meeting of the 

 cortes.* The first of January, 

 1810, was fixed for the assem- 

 bling of the cortes, and the first of 

 March following that for entering 

 on their functions. But if this 

 great national assembly had been 

 convened in January, 1809, when 

 Buonaparte set out from Valladolid 

 to make war on the Austrians, the 

 French troops he left behind him, 

 before the conclusion of the year, 

 might have been driven out of the 

 peninsula ; and at all events, some 

 efforts would have been made 

 worthy of a great and high-spirited 

 nation. 



State Papers, p. 797. 



CHAP. 



