Star. — London, England, 1822-12-10 00:00:00

; IVCI '44 VFW " {. r _.~ ; ! • ft. V i t s:4l " Sete; gib, • e" 'll% FIMgCE •AND SPAIN. . . • FROM Tilt JOURNAL DES DEDATS OF SUNDAY.. Our readers are too well informe4 to require from us, sky by day. new view , on the political situation Europe.-• The great interests which determine that situation, and the great difficulties which render it complex, are not of a nature to change eveay morn ing and every evening at the will of certain writers who make it their business to alarm ardent imagina tions and uninformed minds. It is.perfect quackery, and unworthy of any Journal which lays claim to self-resnect, to indulge in an eternal iepetitien of the same chimeras, the same declamations, and the same invectives, on the subject of a question which is doubt less highly important, bat which, on that very ,pc count, ought not to be approached but win the con-' scientious intention of speaking only truths at once certain and useful. It is, however, easy to understand the object of the revolutionary Journals, skilfully disguised as it is, in daily representing war with Spain as a solemn re aolution of the Congress of Verona, though nothing yet announces that aay Power is disposed to such a war, and though the preparations nowhere corres pond with a hostile determination definitively adopted. To describe such a war as a continental crusade against Representative Governments, is an amuse ment in which the revolutionary writers are the more ready to take part, as they confound, under the vague name of Representative System, Governments of the most different kind, and even things of a to tally opposite nature—the Charter of Louis XVIII. end the Constitution of the Cortes—the anarchy of Madrid and the liberty of London. Besides the ad._ vantage of being this able to calumniate Monarchs, the declamations of the Revolutionists have the far ther object of impelling to this truly incalculable war, some sincere, but not well-informed friends of the cause of Monarchy. We know very worthy persons who have fallen into -this. snare. " The Liberals," say they, " do not wish for war .a.itnst Spain; there fore we ilnyali sts ought to wish tOr it." puerile reasoning ! deplorable blindness ! The re spectable Liberals are doubtless sincere in their wish that there should be no war with Spain ; but the re- Nolutionary Liberals wish it, anxiously desire it, and pray for it from the bottom of their hearts. They wish for it, because it would involve, at least so they hope, the King's Government in the most cruel em barrassments—because it would render necessary an extraordiary expenditure of 200 millions a yearbe cause, by draining the sources of public wealth, it would mortally wound that credit which is alone ca pable of supplying the means of such an expenditure— because it would create obstacles to our commercial navigation—and finally, because it would open. a series of chances which no human prudence could previously calculate, but among which there would be a thousand possibilities of events, fatal to legiti macy and favourable to convulsion. But the Revolutionists will not avow these criminal topes; they cannot advance except by an oblique path. They place high the interest which they take in Spain, the Respect which they bear to the Consti tution of the Cortes, and the chimerical hopes which attach them to the success of institutions founded oft that anarchical code. By this plan of tactics, they drive into a dangerous warmth those who, having their political opiuions composed merely of sentiments and phrases, forget to calculate the true interests of their country, and to balance certain sacrifices against possible tesolts. NVe congratulate ourselves for having spoken of Spain only with reserve, and at intervals; by which means we have been enabled to establish what we said on facts. Were we to pay attention to the pains 'aliich all the journals of Europe have taken to discuss, ex plain, and investigate our articles, we should be tempted to believe that we had said more on this great question than those who have every morning and even ing expatiated on it with such admirable confidence. The long silence of Verona has proved that the crfficultie, with which the affairs of Spain appeared to us to be environed were far from being vain sub tilties. The august Council of Monarchs paused long in sight of the dangers which we pointed out, and also of others, to which, from prusleace, we did not choose to allude. The official declarations which have appeared, and which clearly indicate great circumspection, are in no way opposed to the principles which we have laid down on those interventions by force of arms, which, though excusable in a case of extreme necessity, are, as Lord Londonderry justly observed, always excep tions flom the true law of nations, and which may . . give birth to great misfortunes when directed against a generous nation of high patriotic feeling, and im patient not merely of a foreign yoke, but even of ibreign succour. Those good men, who appeared at first surprise , at the nature of the view we had taken, have has, tened to renounce their error ; and now, enlightened by reflection, do us the justice to acknowledge that we have opposed useful truths to a dangerous delu sion.—The dispesition to listen to reasoning and facts, in preference to declamations and reveries, having become almost general, we shall now indicate a par ticular point of view, which is one of the most im port.mt, and to which little attention appears hitherto to have been paid. France, it is said, possesses the right of putting Clown a state of things is Spain, which keeps France herself in constant danger. We have no need here to examine the limits and conditions of this right. We shall merely spew, that the exercise of this right is very difficult—very ha zardous to direct in the particular situation of France' with respect to Spain. We set out at first with the principle that every idea of conquest, of aggrandize ment, or of territorial indemnity, is out of the ques tion. The pure and noble object which alone can enter into the views of the King's Government, is to establish in Spain an order of things which shall not menace legitimate Monarchies—a desirable end, if it were possible to attain it. But what a responsibility for us, if in choosing wrong our means, we fail of our object ; for to fail or an object is in all cases to make it recede further horn our reach, in many to render future success imposible. The continual danger re sulting from the situation of . Sparq might qot cease With.thepresentsta(e of thingsq; would be necessary that those . who (ken rew the . existing Government should substitute another Government which might afford us a pledge of tranquillity. Now Nm 7 ‘" 77 - 'rir 7 r • ik • • we are convinced that no haraan po t k could, eta., by , means-of a protracted military tkcesipatien, : gos rantee a stable and tranquil state of things in Spain. Bet a military occupation appears to us pregnant with dangers still more pressing, and of a nature far more important. _Suppose the present. state cf affairs changed by an armed interference, however suceessful—suppose us at Madrid, surrounded by a victorious army—the King and his august lamay have' been respected by the Revolutionists —they have not been dragged to the Isle of Leon! What Government could be ista bli.,bell in Spain?. It is, pot forms only• which v are-in question here—it is men. There have been hi Spain, between the yeats 18 2 14 and 1820, at least ten coin plete changes of Mintstiy ; • there exist from forty to fifty persons who have successively tilled the . places of Ministers, and who, almost all, have been disgrace fully dismissed. Siich, espeCially,was the lot of MM., Pizarro and Garay, 'AM acknowledged on all hands, that. absolute power ought *not to be restored in Spain —that it is morally/dead ; and who alone excited a certain expeciatioo of stability, resting on their well known talents. We know that thesecontinual changes were attributed to the inherent 'defects in absolute power, as it is . ,mcreover, no one wishes to raise its ghost. But three years Of constitutional rule have not been less fruitful of change, dictated by dissensions suc cessively created among remarkable men, and their coteries improperly *called parties. There have been nearly two Ministers for each year, and without reckon ing protiisiohal Ministers, Ministers ad' interim, and Ministers refusing - to act, we may compute at 30 or 40, the number of men who have sat iii" Council, all in turn sca'ndaliied anddiscredited in public opinion. Now, from whence r will you take men invested with that superior moral - force which is especially neces sary to a Government, legislative and restorative? The Ministerintniatter seems to be exhausted. Every combination has been tried.—all classes of citizens have been put to the proof—Noblemen of rank, Pre lates, Advocates, Journalists, Monks, Naval' Cap tains, and Engineers, figure in the diverse lists of ad ministration. • Spain is arrived at the point to which perpetual changes must conduct every nation delivered over to this dangerous sport. Men are for the moment without moral credit, and authority only inspires ephemeral confidence. Suppose, however, a French army of 80,000 or 100,0041 men master of Spain. What means exist of orpnizing a Government capable of duration, and Of securing the future tranquillity of the coun try, after the return of the liberating army? • Where are to be found the elements of such a Government ? It is necessary, then, always to recur to a pi longed military occupation. But might not as much security be produced by an army of 30,000 men stationed on the Pyrennees, as by 100,000 men scat-' tered over the whole Peninsula? This difficulty is therefore a very weighty reason in addition to all those which render the mere possi bility of a political situation which would force France to make war against Spain a subject to be regretted. We admit, rnd we always must admit, that the revolutionary violence of some Spaniards may-, in spite of all the prudence of the Fr euch Go vernment, occasion this unfortunate necessity. But we think that one of the means of abating the violence of the Spaniards would be to refrain from expressing with vehemence a desire forcibly to change in Spain an order of things which might be ' succeeded by one still worse, from the mere attempt or even bare threat of change. By wishing that Spain should be allowed time to reflect and to com pose itself, we do not aid the revolutionists of Ma drid; on the contrary, we believe that such a pro ceeding would paralyze their power, for it is founded only upon fears and the illusions of passion ; reflec tion would destroy' it, and more rapidly than is pro bably imagined. We. desire, and always shall, that in time, and with the consent of the King, there should arise. in Spain, we will not say a party, but a union of men sufficiently powerful and sufficiently skilful to acquire and retain in their hands an autho rity adequate to effect, without foreign interference or civil war, the modifications which assuredly all enlightened men in. Spain wish for, but which they have.good reason for not approving of as long as they are proposed to them. in a hostile manner. It is in this view of the subject that we agree with the Aloniteur in regarding the friendly relations subsist ing between the Bourbons of France and Spain as a source of hope. A foreign Power could not give to a Spanish Mi nistry the necessary qualifications to enable it to sup port itself without assistance. Must an army of oc cupation, then, be left in Spain? No, it will be said; improved political institutions would suffice to conso- I lidate the state of things that would be established. It is a very .dangerous thing for a foreign Power to form, or to assist in forming, Constitutions. It is pos sible, at this moment, to strike off at a heat, a good Constitution for Spain? Spain swarms with Nobles, but it has few of a de scription to compose a political aristocracy of any strength. Have we not seen how the vet y small num ber of landed proprietors who exist in Spain were de lighted with the law against majorats, and how they hastened to sell their feoffments one after the other ? Have we not seen, and do we not still see, Spanish Grandees of the first rank Members of Patriotic So cieties? A Chamber of Peers in Spain vi•ould doubt less be an institution capable of becoming a guarantee hereafter ; but at present it would be itself without a guarantee, as well as without power. The mass of persons who take a part in politics in Sp'ain is at present composed of three classes; or, more properly speaking, there are in that country three democracies naturally distinct. The first con sists of the beneficed Clergy and the Monks ; this class i; the least friendly to the existing Constitution, but it is not favourable to any other Power than its own —it inclines in a great degree towards a Republican theocracy. Merchants form the second class ;, pro bably indifferent as to the political institutions, but decidely opposed to military occupations. The third class is compoied of the Liberal Nobles, Military Officers, Lawyers, and of all persons who are actively connected with the present state of things. The rot of the nation have no political ideas. I mistake—they possess one which prompts them to shoot or stab every toieigner who would attempt td enter their Fountry in a hostile fiitmier. Now, frame wise, well-balanced Constitutions for people thus strange to the manners and social state received. 177 7 ' . • finer Eurbpean nations. Thetiest"constiiution wi • put an end to Guerillas, or conspiracies, nor ime f ur ious contests of parties. persons, doubtless full df ezuditiont propose to re-establish the ancient Cortes of Castile, and Arras' son. Tais proposition tas been favburably received by all that party . who are desirous of .armed interfe rence; but to induce its abandonment, it is sufficient . to point out that the old Assemblies of tortes (that of Artagon especially) possessed a still more extunsive power than their actual successors ; and that the famous oath of the Arragonese," If' net, not," is a principle of insurrection far more popular and dan gerous than the abstract theories set out in the Con , stitution of Cadiz. Chatters, ancient or modern—theories, good or evil—Lthese things have no power to cure the fever of civil commotion. Force—wisdom—these are necessary:. but where shall .we look for them in a nation agitated—dis tracted ; in a nation which foreign invasion may drive to acts of irremediable fury ? Take the case as we may, any central power esta blished. at Madrid, by the, assistance of foreigners, would infallibly be met with opposition in the pro- 1 vinces ; and that opposition, in the present moral state of Spain, will never have to look far for melidisposed 'to rush to the field with muskets on their shoulders. - We will add, too, that we have hopes from the cha racter and ft om the spirit of the Spanish nation,which did -not commence a revolution to establish anti monarchical institutions—to crush the throne and the existing dynasty ; hut which, having taken up arms to defend its lawful Sovereign against a usurper, found itself compelled, by events, to create a Constitution for itself by war of a rallying point —a Provisional Constitution, of which it foresaw the defects, and which it reserved to itself the right of revising. Will i the Royalists forget that Cadiz was the La Vendee , of Spain ? Shall we despair of seeing those wig° de fended their legitimate rulers against Bonaparte, cor rect, cf themselves, those excesses which have not ori ginated in their plan of Re solution, but to which the coincidence of circumstances only has given birsh ? • Implying chat if the King failed of his duty, the subjects 'ed from their allegiance. . 'l'l!ii:, EVE:vsIING til'Altl LONDON. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1822. TUE FUNDS. STOCK EXCHANGE, TWELVE O'CLOCK. Consols opened this morning at 110(t I, and are, up to this hour, steady at 801. An Express has arrived from Paris with Papers of Sunday, consequently no price of the French Funds can be FOREIGN TOMS. The most business.done this morning was in New Spanish and Prussian Bonds, which appear to be on the rise. Current Prices :..—Chilian 71 to 72; New Spanish &I, Old. 59 to 60, New Prussian • Bs} 86, Old 851.8.6, Russian 84, Danish 89} to 90, Neapolitan 77} (Scrip), Colombian 71 72, Peruvian 79, Spanish Scrip 10 di*. STOCK EXCHANGE, ONE O'CLOCK. There is little business transacting, and the prices continue steady. Consols 80i. FOREIGN MA REF.T. Spanish Bonds are rather heavy within the last hour, arising, as it is supposed, from the payment which is to be made on the COth, and this is the day when the determination of the parties is to be received. Bone., of 1821, 54%. • • 'PRICES OF STOCKS ATONE O'CLOCK. Bank Stock 20 1 / 4 %.-3 per Cent. Reduced 79% % 5 1 / 2 per Cent. 91 3 /s 1 / 2 -1 per Cent. 97 1 / 2 96A Bank Long Annuities 20 1 / 2 India Bo ids 345. 31s.—01d Annuities 79% Bills (1:1,000) 2s. 4s. 3s.—Small ss. ss. Consols for Acct. 80 7 /g . • The French Papers are still, on the subject of war or peace, " everything by turns, but nothing long." We yesterday stated that the Ministerial Papers were frequently obliged to counteract the ravings of the Ultra Journalists, by more moderate avowals, and an instance of this occurs in the last arrivals from Paris. The - Etoile of Saturday evening had a very warlike article, translated, however, from an English Jour nal, of which more anon. Whatever fears the Etoile might have excited were dissipated by the Journal des Debats of Sunday, which .has been received by express. It contains a long and most pacific article, which will be found at full length in our preceding columns, and to which we refer. It is unnecessary to inquire into the cause of vacillation in dip Cabinet of the Thuilleries. The threat of war was probably thrown out to try the feelings of the French, and now that is discovered they are decidedly hostile to it, the Government may have the good sense to pocket all the alleged affronts it was so ambitious to resent, and to leave to Spa niards the settling of their own affairs. This is the ad vice the best friends of Louts XVIII. could give him. The Courier of last night stopped the press to announce what it termed very important intelligence from Paris, and which, consequently, was blazoned forth with all the typographical distinctions usual on such occasions. This was neither more nor less than a very warlike article which had appeared in the French Journal the Etoile of Saturday evening.• The Courier, which has long been calling for war, and has professed great prescience on the subject, gladly seized on such a confirmation of its opinions. But, what proves to he the fact ? why, that this very im ,portant and warlike article of the Etoilc is but a li teral translation of one which had appeared in the Courier three days before! The Courier seems to have been as much startled at this offspring of its own brains, at second baud, as the cat appeaps to do when viewing itself in a boot polished by Warren or Turner's liquid blacking. As a literary anecdote worthy of being stored up in the third set ies of Mr. D'lsn.tet.e,s "Curiosities of Lite- 'rature," we give an extract from the original article in the Courier, and the new version of it, which wia slew that it has not suffered much in passing throuzb a French and an English translation. From the leading article in the Courier, of a: 0 sth December ; " Some intelligence front •Madrid would seem to chew that the Cortes anticipate the decision of the Congress;' or that thy are determined to reject any proposition that inai.ise enatle to them to change or modify their present Constitution' The nic, cess of the Constitutionalists, tinder the ferocious Mina, is con. firmed, to a certain extent, but these very triumphs may la : expected to accelerate the execution of whatever plans the French Government may intend to pursue in furtherance cf that discretionary power which the Congress-ilasAohceded to it, We have already said, it would he irration4 to supri g that France has strenuously urgesi the recognitfon.pf a right to the exercise of which she felt indifferent ; while , fi a y;p g obtained the recognition, the next atop would ohvipusly 1;4 to adopt the policy emanating from it. If the Royali-ts were themselves in a condition to bring about this obj , :ct, it might be sufficient for France to manifest its friemily disposition, and to remain a neutral, but prepartll spectator of the struggle. When, however, it is clear that the Kinz' s friends are not in a condition to make his cause triuotpharn— but, on the contrary, that they are sustaining disancrs and reverses, the moment of interposition cannot be sielayrd tvi i h_ out the certainty that every hour it is protracted will only multiply difficulties and accumulate clangers. Prompti7ud e and decision will of themselves accomplish half of %Oat :here is to do, with a proportionate diminution of the evils al te::.tant upon a state of war. We do think, 'therefore, that the advance u: Mina, and the retreat of the Army of the Faith, are two dr_ cumstatices decisively calculated to cut short all intermi.s . ton; and to force upon the French Government the nect.bsity of immediate action." 1. Postscript of the Eioile of &tilt - thy evening, as translated in the Courier December 9th : " Advice; from Madrid induce a belief that the - C v. , . hi ve anticipated the decision of the Congress, and that they .re ,-!ster mined to reject any proposition which might be Malie theral to modify the - ,;resent Constitution. " The success of the Constitutionalists, under the ~ rd !rs o' the . ferocious MINA, is confirmed, but these very triumph , most accelerate the execution of the plans, whatever they may which the French may have in view to adopt, in virtL , .t of the discretionary power granted to it by the Coggre.c. We hat: already said :hat it would be unreasonable to supra ;e that F:ar.c.: has urged the recognition of a right which :he sees nprFoit to enforce. If the Royalists of Spain could alone maintain th.!r cause, France might continue a spectatress of the ren,l; , 7, struggle, but now that it is known with certainty CIA .' Royalists cannot longer resist, unaided; the march of gilts r, 1 the retreat of the Army of the Faith, are two cii-cliaLittnr:t which ought to cut short al deb?y, and force the GnvermneLt to act forthwith." Dutch Papers to the Bth instant reached vs Enenoon. Accounts from Constantinople state that the eituation of that capital becomes every day time alarming: In Pera, where the Arblv.s:tdors rest Vic, great apprehensions were entert,ained since the order of . the SurTia, calling upon all tl:e Turks to take up arms; and it is leafed that the Janissaries viii jei:l the populace,.in order to plunder and murdei [Le Christians. Lettersfrrn Verona to the 13.1, state that Congrei; we►e much occupied with the dilTe►enccs betwecti Turkey and Russia. The Greek Deputies had rot been admitted to an audience. Letters from o,lesEa state that the Persian army, Which had advanced as far as Erzerum, had been obliged to retreat tor want of provisions, and that troubles had broken out in the southern provinces of Persia. Hamburgh Papers to the sth inst. reached us at a late hour this forenoon. Their contents are of little importance. An order has been issued at Vienna, prohibiting, in the Austrian States, the giving away or selling, at reduced prices, the bibles of the Eng lish or German Bible Societies. itos-Buitco, llec. 3.—Exchange o* London, 56. Si. ;6. El. This forenoon we received intelligence frdm Bay onne-to the 3d instant. The entiie kielectiuti of ti e bands of the Faith in Barcelona is Confirmed; M:N A had arrived before Urgel and was makinwprepar::- tions to besiege it. The accounts from Madrid, whit:i are to the 26th ult. state, that the probability of wit had occasioned a fall in the Funds. • are ext racts : MADRID, NOVEMBER 25. The news brought by the French Mail the night le fore last excited as much alarm as the preceding, not only a great number of private letters; but tr,i the mercantile correspondence spoke cf war as prcb,t ble. The paper currency has fallen three I:er cult ia four days, and the loans five or six; but isoll;im seems to intimidate the Liberals. The Ministry, ever, it is said, are much ethbarrassed, because. want of money is sensibly felt in all the departn.c . .: • of the Administration, and 'the decline of the Spa:.:, Funds abt oad does not facilitate the contract for 1: new loan, without which the operations in may be impeded. Among other reports circulated resprttinz 'measures to be adopted in case of a los sion, is, that the King and the Royal Family be removed to Seville, and a Provisional' established at Madrid ; however, let what 'will L:, there is no reason to fear that he will be sactil4.t:' by the Liberals, but we must not be surerised it :It' should be r eplaced by a Regency, espeLially if Si) , .` should be forced into a foreign war. The majority of the Cortes and the Ministry on this point; and such a measure would be aN , ToveJ , not only by the Clubbists, but a great i•.O t 1 , 1 nation which has ceased to feel much inn.; elt in Sovereign. Ills people do not forget the benclits the misfortunes which they owe to the Mt:ire:is and it must be confessed that Ferdh l atud, r. ho P F