They were to accept,—­and, if the terms offered were flagrantly presumptuous, our commanders ought to have rejected them with dignified scorn, and to have referred the proposer to the sword for a lesson of decorum and humility.  This is the general rule of all high-minded men upon such occasions; and meaner minds copy them, doing in prudence what they do from principle.  But it has been urged, before the Board of Inquiry, that the conduct of the French armies upon like occasions, and their known character, rendered it probable that a determined resistance would in the present instance be maintained.  We need not fear to say that this conclusion, from reasons which have been adverted to, was erroneous.  But, in the mind of him who had admitted it upon whatever ground, whether false or true, surely the first thought which followed, ought to have been, not that we should bend to the enemy, but that, if they were resolute in defence, we should learn from that example to be courageous in attack.  The tender feelings, however, are pleaded against this determination; and it is said, that one of the motives for the cessation of hostilities was to prevent the further effusion of human blood.—­When, or how?  The enemy was delivered over to us; it was not to be hoped that, cut off from all assistance as they were, these, or an equal number of men, could ever be reduced to such straits as would ensure their destruction as an enemy, with so small a sacrifice of life on their part, or on ours.  What then was to be gained by this tenderness?  The shedding of a few drops of blood is not to be risked in Portugal to-day, and streams of blood must shortly flow from the same veins in the fields of Spain!  And, even if this had not been the assured consequence, let not the consideration, though it be one which no humane man can ever lose sight of, have more than its due weight.  For national independence and liberty, and that honour by which these and other blessings are to be preserved, honour—­which is no other than the most elevated and pure conception of justice which can be formed, these are more precious than life:  else why have we already lost so many brave men in this struggle?—­Why not submit at once, and let the Tyrant mount upon his throne of universal dominion, while the world lies prostrate at his feet in indifference and apathy, which he will proclaim to it is peace and happiness?  But peace and happiness can exist only by knowledge and virtue; slavery has no enduring connection with tranquillity or security—­she cannot frame a league with any thing which is desirable—­she has no charter even for her own ignoble ease and darling sloth.  Yet to this abject condition, mankind, betrayed by an ill-judging tenderness, would surely be led; and in the face of an inevitable contradiction!  For neither in this state of things would the shedding of blood be prevented, nor would warfare cease.  The only difference would be, that, instead of wars