Star. — London, England, 1808-10-11 00:00:00

tions, if necessary, that had been given him; but always in vain. Notwithstanding this, Seignor Champagny talked of the last propositions of the'Ern peror, which were somewhat different from those presented by General Savary, but not less irritating e i nd violent ; and he concluded with telling Seignor Labrador that the prosperity of Spain and his own were at that moment within his power. 6 1 This Minister answered that he would communi cate to the King his master these new proposals. He made those-reflections upon them which his talents, his zee . 1;foi- the service of his Sovereign, and for the good of his country,' naturally suggested • and he stated that the welfare of his Sovereign, and that of the na tion, were inseparably united. Me added, that to these two objects he had directed all his . attention in various situations ; and, lastly, he said that he readily admitted that his own prosperity depended on the issue, because his fidelity to the King of Spain, and to his native country, as well as the reputation he had ac quired by the faithful discharge of his duty, were con nected with it. Seignor Labrador, before-he termi nated the conversation, asked M. Champagny if the King was in a state of liberty ? To which the.Freneh Minister replied that there could- be no doubt of it. On this, Labrador rejoined, Then he should be re stored to his kingdom.' To this the Frenchman re‘ plied, that, in respect to his return to Spain, it was necessary that his Majesty should have a right nnder standing with his Imperial Majesty, either personally or by letter.' _ _ This answer, added to the other circumstances, left no doubt in the mind of the King, that he was actually at Bayonne in a state of arrest ; however, to give more ostensibility to this violence extended to wards his Majesty, I sent a note (No. 5.). by his Royal order, to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, tell ing him that the King was determined to return to Madrid, to tranquillize the agitation of his beloved subjects, and to provide for the transaction of the im portant business of his kingdom ; assuring M. Cham pagni at the same time, that I would continue to treat with his Imperial Majesty, on affairs reciprocally advantageous. No answer was given to this commu nication, nor had it any other effect, than to increase the caution and vigilance before applied for the deten tion of his Majesty. Senor Labrador was certainly not a fit person for their purposes, for he was immediately got rid of under the pretence of his not holding a rank corresponding to that of Monsieur Champagny, and that his natural dipsition was too inflexible. " The tricks of diplomacy could not prevail over the firmness of the King, or tl e zeal of his represen tatives, and the individuals of his Royal Household, , who deliberated at a Council (his Majesty being pre sent), upon the interests of the King and the nation ; so that the Emperor saw himself under the necessity of changing his plan, in order to accomplish his Fur pose, and he wished that the Royal Parents should depart for Bayonne, in order to make them the ins:rA ments of the oppression and disgrace of their son. For this purpose he ordered the Grand Duke of Berg to employ all his arts to accelerate their journey to Bayonne. " The Royal Parents required, that the Favourite should precede them in their journey, and the Grand Duke made various applications to the Junta of Go vernment to obtain his liberty. The Junta had no authority to liberate him, having in this point been hid under positive restraint by his Majesty's orders from Vittoria, as has been already mentioned ; but the Council, misled by the suggestions of his Impe rial Majesty, and intimidated by the threat that the Grand Duke would obtain by irresistible force what would not be conceded as a favour, the Junta order ed the release of Don Manuel Godoi, who was im mediately conveyed to Bayonne, under an adequate escort. The decree No. 6, in the hand writing of the King, is an authentic proof of the determination of his Majesty as to this particular. " The Royal parents undertook their journey, and proceeded in it with too much rapidity for the un happy state of health of Charles IV. ; but the inex orable will of the Emperor had determined that it should be so. " What his Imperial Majesty undertook • was a most arduous task. It was necessary to his purposes to deaden the sensibility of the King ; to destroy his affection for his first born, which the most infamous Court intrigue ever contrived had not yet wholly ex tinguished. Further, it was necessary, that these loving parents, affectionate to some of their children, should, with respect to him, substitute for their na tural tenderness the most frigid and cruel indifference. To fulfil the purposes intended by Napoleon, in the end, with. respect to the royal parents, they must be come the instruments of misery, correction, and im prisonment ; they were to become the jailors of their children. His power, by triumphing over all the feelings of nature, accomplished his purposes. " I have proved that the abdication of the Royal father at Aranjuez was a spontaneous act, and that the motive to it was the partiality of his Majesty M. wards his disgraced favourite. In Bayonne, he told the King, his son, that he did not wish to return to the throne of Spain ; notwithstanding that, he desir ed his Majesty should renounce the Crown, to make a present of it to the Emperor ; that is, to present it to a Sovereign, who, in part at least, has been the origin of the difficulties of Spain, the only cause of the loss of our squadrons, the mover of the disturban ces at Court, and in the nation, and of the intended journey of the Royal Family to Seville, and from thence to America, prevented by the explosion of the 17th of March. " I leave to the wisdom of the Sovereigns of En rope to judge whether it be possible that a Monarch, affectionate to his children, highly enlightened, pene trated deeply by the principles of religion, and pious willout superstition, could without violence forget for a int.rtimt all his duties to Inc family, and proscribe his whole dynasty, to call another to the throne, for whom he has no e-!eem, and, on the contrary, detests, as the plunderer of those thrones which have come within the reach of his ambition. If such be the change, it is the most extraordinary revolution that history has presented to the world. " Ferdinand VII. over-awed, a prisoner, and con trouled by ciicumstances, on the Ist of May made a conditional renunciation of his crown, in favour of his august father. (No. 7.) To this followed the letter of the Royal Father to his son, (No. 8.) and the very discreet answer of the .Royal Son to the Fa ther, (No. 9). l , !1 c 1 11 --C " On the Stl - vi the same month of MAT, e at. four in th e a f ternoon , the Emperor went to visit the royal Parents, and continued in conference until five o'clock, when King Ferdilaad was called in by his august father to hear, in the presence of the Queen and the Emperor, expressions so disgus.ting and humiliating, that Ido not dare to record them. All the party were seated except King Ferdinand, whom the father ordered to make. an -absolute renunciation of the crown, under pain of being treated, with all his household, as an usurper of the throne, and a conspi rator against the lifeof his parents. ss His Majesty would have preferred death ;—but desirous not to involve in his misfortunes the number of persons comprised in the threat of Charles IV. he assented to another renunciation, (No 10.) which bears on its front all the indications o f constraint and violence, and which in no respect answers its pur pose, to colour over the intended usurpation of the Emperor. " These are the only instances of renunciation in which I have interfered as . Minister and Secretary of State. That which is spoken of at-Rourdeaux, 1 have not the least knowledge of ; but I know the Emperor, in the last conference with King Ferdinand VII. said to his Majesty, ' Prince, itfeint offer entre la cession et la most.' ' Prince, you have only to choose between cession and death.' " With respect to the rest, the whole world is ap prized that Charles IV. renounced the Crown to the Emperor at the time that the Prince of Asturias, his brother the Infant Don• Carlos, and his uncle the In fant Don Antonio, were forced to surrender their tights. The Emperor, now believing himself pro prietor of the Crown of Spain, placed it on the head of his brother Joseph Napoleon, King of Naples. " It has already been explained, that although the King left his Court for a few days, he thought fit to sanction a Junta, of which the Infant Don Antonio was to be President,'svith full powers to determine for him and in his Royal name, all subjects that would not permit of delay. Every night I sent a' courier to this Junta, communicating what appeared necessary for its information and direction. - _ _ 41 When the King arrived at Bayonne (and on the day of his arrival," the ambitious and violent inten tions of the Emperor were communicated to him. )= I began to fear that the extraordinary couriers would be intercepted, as was found to be the fact. Among the various disputes that I had with the Minister, Champagny, on the different accidents that occasion ed the detention of the Cabinet couriers, the answer that he gave me to a remonstrance of mine is suffi ciently remarkable. It is to be seen among the do cuments in justification (No. I 1.) In this situation of things, I took the precaution of sending duplicates by different conveyances. By such means, I succeed ed so far as to give information to the Junta Of Go vernment of the arrest and oppression to which the King had been exposed. It was easy to foresee that the freedom of the Junta would not be respected, since, notwithstanding all the offers and assurances of the Emperor, the li berty of the Sovereign was violated at Bayonne ; and that the noble designs of some Members of the same Assembly would be obstructed (although boldly de• clared) by the irresistible power of the representative of the Emperor. To this, no doubt, is to be attri buted their not having consulted upon the awful con. dition of the kingdom, and the remedy for such a calamity, as well as not having appointed a Junta to assume the Regency, in a place where the bayonets of the enemy could not penetrate. 46 The King was surprised -hat the Junta had not written ; and the following post, when - his Majesty had come to a determination in consequence, without losing a moment, I sent a Royal order to the Junta, that they should execute whatever was expedient for the service of the King and the kingdom, and for that purpose they should employ all the powers which his Majesty would pastels ff he were himself resident in the kingdom (6). 66 Nothing could be written that could be more in telligible. The security of the means of communi cation diminished every moment ; for I could not expect that the Emperor would regard the sacredness of a correspondence, since he paid no respect to the person of the Sovereign to whom it was subservient. " The Junta, notwithstanding, thought it was ne cessary to consult his Majesty, and to obtain his orders as to various measures which appeared to them necessary for the salvation of the country ; and for -this purpose they sent to Bayonne a confidential per son of known zeal i the Royal service, to transmit 'verbally to the King the following propositions : 1. Whether his Majesty thought fit to authorize the Junta to substitute, in case of need, some person or persons of their own body, or otherwise, to hold a Council in a secure situation, where , it could freely act ; and they entreated his Majesty to signify who should compose the Council for that purpose, should he think the measure expedient. 2. Whether it was the wish of his Majesty that hostilities should be commenced against the Frenclh Arlay ; andin that case. when and how the..purposel should be executed. _ _ _ _ _ 3. Whether it were likewise the wish of the King that we should endeavour to prevent the entrance of more French troops into Spain, by guarding the passes on the frontiers. 4. Whether his Majesty thought it would be right to convoke the Cortes, for which purpose a decree of his Majesty would benecessary, addressed to the Royal Council. It being possible that at the arrival of the answer of the King, the Junta would not be at liberty to act,rthey asked whether any Chancery or Audience of the kingdom should be empowered, which was not within the reach of the French troops. Further, if the Cortes should be assembled, on what subjects of discussion it should proceed. The person charged with these propositions, ar rived at Bayonne on the 4th of May, at night : he came to me immediately, and having disclosed to me his business, I introduced him to his Majesty without losing a moment. " The King having taken into consideration the four propositions submitted to his attention by the Junta, sent in answer two Royal Decrees in the morn ing of the following day, the one written by his Ma jesty with his own hand directed to the Junta of Go vernment—the other signed by his Majesty (41 Yo el Rey") addressed in the first instance to the Council, (6) The Cabinet Courier conveying this Royal Order was in tercepted, on which account I sent a duplicate, which was rt• eeived by the haul, the nisinsnotions-o/ wltich I have act been able to preserve. - • . --, here stated. (Signed) , slmafin,P.:Z[l.o:::::: and, to any Chancery or Atdi enoo o f the . Flo- a confinement within the frontier of Prance, to.lti ‘ti. o roc uld ee,, c i o n i g is s id c e ( r m i l lAat n m ot y d ri c a , rr tr ; o u , i; . + , 1: t ,.. to any should neit- be under restraint. ~ ~. in . me wrath all se -f litese i '. • tee ,eo, the utmost importunity to be lee-ne tted .ie or care, an . d un or de g r n selu d re etries coni di tict sP , ate it hCd is well bi known, ar- fabric of the new Spanish M onarchy. In r. : f . • rived in the hands of one of the Members of the Junta two months, I applied to the Minister ler r em e lt .to returnee Ty beloved country. The deter m i ne * . e an j d uit w ta ho i s s e. a na n m ri e co w t a h s a; fi 4 r,s; • m m 4 e 4 n o. - no use of it, nor did he ever send to the Council resistance I "asle to the attempt:of us/in - rat - mi l m:4 , w mrnt i i s on n e o d 4l ; a b bSe la n t t h l V decree which was addressed to it. (7.) the French Government deaf to i my ntreat es, be. _ " The minutes of - these two decreed are not in my lieving, not without . gond reason, that I shntild endet possession, because the 'critical situation the - King 'arnur to inflame heroilrft lenif cistriitry, denominated at Bayonne, and the necessity of avoiding the expose e insurrection in the Journals of. Bayonne. tion of his views, obliged me to • destroy them. Not- . "In such unfavourable circumstanc es , a mode ~..„,_ withstanding this, I preserved them in nly memory, sensed itself to me of avoiding a state of..i n d e e; ; ; and they are testified and certified by the three Se. banishment. Such were the repeated entreaties cfl o cretaries of his Majesty, 1). Eusebio Berdazi y Azara, 'situation Napoleon that I should continue w i t h h i m i n the D. Luis de Onis, and D. Evaristo' Perez de.Castro, situation of Minister, to which I accci.e.l with rep ue . who were with me at Bayonne, and saw and read nance, and from constraint, but without prejtelice7,s the two original decrees, the substance of which is as my right to abandon it at a coiwenient opportunity • follows : " This opportunity occurred the mon: t I ' • L " Set 1 . 6 t • " The King said to the Junta of Government that in Madrid.. From that instant . I oo'y thmerlit tg he Was, not in A state of freedom and consequently in. availing myself of the most early means of res i gn i nv , capable of taking any measures for the pfesereation my new character, which. I did in the manner :hen; of the Royal Person andthe Monarchy. On that ac- in document No. 12. • count the Junta was entrusted with most ample powers " Joseph Napoleon could not be grieved at the die, to repair to any place that should be deemed most appearance of a Minister who so frequently op • convenient ; that in the name of his Majesty, and his wishes (11), and who, in the Opinion a me representing his own person, they . might exercise of those who immediately, surrounded him, was . 1 all the functions of sovereignty—that hostilities a Quixote in his maxims, who could not eongiroial e / di should commence the moment when his Majesty sublime intention: of the greatest of heroes in favour of* should proceed to the interior of France, which he regeneration of Spain. would not do, unless so obliged by violence. Lastly, " I have shewn in this narrative with clearness a n & that in. suck a case, the Junta should prevent, in the fidelity, the series• of the principal events in this il l . best manner theycould, the introduction Of more troops portant epoch, carefully avoiding to enter into mixes, into the peninsula (8) !particulars foreign to my object, or which should MAR " In the Decree directed to the Royal Council, and • this exposition too prolix; and I have eudeavouned t e next to any Chancery or Audience, his Majesty said, place before . my readers,, in its true point of view, al that, in the situation in which he found himself, de- I the injustice and violence with which the French C i e. prived of his liberty, it was his Royal will that the •L verninent has conducted itself towards our belo ve d Cortes should be assembled in such place as should . . Sovereign, and the whole nation. appear most convenient; that at first they sheik' 6.c,.., i ,. f. It has already been proved, that the renunciation. cupy themselves exclusivelyin attending to the leieies.:,,if Charles IV. in favour of his son Ferdinand VIL is and subsidies necessary for the defence of the king e esitiated in no respect. In the slight sketch whi c h 1 dom, and that their sittings should be pet ne ,tp,• 'have drawn of the perfidious and deceitful a rts w i t h determine what should be done on future eyeao,4)). which the. Emperor has made the progress we hare " The disgraceful means of which the EMperer ! seen, the series of atrocious insults offered to Spai n , ,availed himself to obtain the renunciation of the and to the unfortunate King Ferdieand VII. rem a i ns. 'crown of Spaip in his favour have already been depicted in indelible colours. . known ; but the violence of Bonaparte to accomplish i " The Emperor alarrps.Charles IV. in order that j his purposes did not terminate there. Blinded as he it may induce him to . take flight for America, with e n • was by the extravagance of his ambition, he could the Royal Family, .and abandon the. Peninsula to the : yet discern how easily these acts of renunciation former; he lights up the flame of discord betw et . would he disposed of ; and therefore he endeavour- t' le Royal Parents and their child, in order to &hill ed to confirm them by the means of a Council which tate Spain, dividing it into parties, of cr haying di:- he called a National Assembly, and which was to be , graced the Royal persons ; he draws Ferdinand VIL convoked at Bayonne (10). I from his Court by false promises ; he makes hini cap. " He named about one hundred and fifty Spani- tive in Bayonne, and when be saw that the virtue of ards, of different classes, conditions, and corporations, I the young King knew how to resist his designs, and to constitute this Assembly, but only about ninety of . that Ferdinand could not be induced to renounce his them were convened. A part of these representing.; Gyown, he occasioned him to be brought to Bayonne, some cities, tribunals, or public bodies, brought with with all the other personages of the Royal Family, as them instructions in the nature of powers given them : if to present them bound before the Imperial Trans. by those whom they represented, but wholly insuffi. I nal, which was both judge .and party in the same cient to answer the purpose intended. The Minis- I cause. He endeavours to deprive the parents of the ters of the Council were without any powers or in- ! sensibilities of nature, and forces them to become the stenctions whatever, a precaution adopted by this tri- I instruments of the oppression of their chili!.* From burial, in conformity to the opinion of its Commis- 1 the latter he extorts a rentinciation, the most irrcga-. sioners, in order to avoid ell involuntary compro-Ilar and illicit transaction amongst the affairs of man e mises. Most of the Deputies had no other powers . and by a series of abdications exacted by the same than merely an order to take their departure, and ; illegal and_ violent expedients, he belierec that helms many of them did not belong to any public body or. become the proprietor of the Crown of Spain; he acknowledged class of the community. treaters it to his brother, without c.onsidering the in. 44 The Emperor fully expected, from the acquies- famy to which he would beexposed in the Cabinetsoh cence of these itidividuels, a mask under which to Europe, by the usurpation of the throne of a Mo conceal his usurpation. But he was utterly deceived. narch, his friend and ally. . • - Instead of finding weak men convenient to the de- I " Who can doubt, from this clear . evidenc e , t h ee signs of his mercenary ambition, he was met by Mi- I the renunciation executed by. Ferdinand VII. in fa:' lusters incorruptible, Grandees Worthy of their rank, I your of hie august father, and that which succeeded and representatives who were faithful defenders of I in favour of the Emperor, are aba)lute.mt)liiesi the interest and qi the honour of their country. They ' Who will doubt, but that i.f the last should have all with one accord informed him that they held emanated from the free exercise of the will, the rights.. i powers much restricted, that they were not the legi. of the dynasty of Bourbon are not .prejudiced - sr . timate representatives of Spain, and that they could it ? Who does not know that in case of Melee; . not compromise her rights. / tinction of such a family, aed by the very, establish, " These and other similar reflections were treated , lislintent pf the Spanish Monarchy, the nation alone with insolence in the tribunal of the Usurper,.who, far can invite another dynasty, or can introduce such a from being discomfited, put into activity all the form of Government as it shall most approve. - means of oppression, flattering himself, that by vic- "In another part of this narrative, I have shewit tories on the one hand, and corruption on the other, that Ferdinand VII. was too honourable to suppose he should so colour over injustice that he would not that the Emperor could entertain, such atrocious de be considered by_the world as the subverter of gene- signs. The King desired to free Spain from she op. ral tranquillity. . pression of the French troops, and at was promised " I do not enter into the particulars that occurred him that this and all other matters should be regulated in this Congress, but oneof the Ministers of the Coun- with the Emperor, and that he should return to his cil of Castile, who does so much honour to his robe, kingdom with the fruit of his exertions for the geed will satisfy the curiosity of the public as to this par- of his vassals; and no hour of his life was unseasoe ticular. able to him to exert himself for their happiness. This . . " I ought not to speak of what 1 have suffered for. I saw, and can testify. . my King and Country ; the truth is, I have not suf- " During his confinement, nothing afflicted his fered, for all I have done has been required by my generous heart so much as the sufferings of his people most sacred duties. It was to me the highest satis- ......and when his liberty began to be doubtful, be faction to see my lodging in Bayonne surrounded by adopted the means the most agreeable milk . paternal the satellites of Government ; to these spies succeed- solicitude ; such was the order which he gave for the •ed, who abound always where those are in authority regency, naturally sought, when his freedom was is. who in history usurp the characters of heroes. My terrupted—and such was the command that theCcv steps we* reckoned—my visits obserred r —espionage tes should be assembled to deter:title those questioes, under the mask of compassion, approaChed to eta- which in their proper places have been noticed. mine the secrets of my soul ' • but nothing disturbed " Valour and patriotism have succesfully armed ' the tranquillity of my mind. What I could not be. I the whole nation in its own defence, and fot the Toe hold with patience was to see myself condemned to I teeth= of their legitimate Sovereign, elthough the (7.) When these two Royal Decrees came to the hands of tge 1 people had no knowledge of the will of their beloved Junta, the Grand Duke of Berg bad been for some days President j Ferdinand as to this mov.etnent. That patriotism, nth and the affair of the 2d of May had taken place. The Emperor, 1 ted to wisdom, will - • • ,them • irresistibly to after the departure of the Royal Parents, precipitately and inde- 1 p erform with pronipitmlerlae. most impartatte work of cently forced from the capital all the Members of the Royal Fa- mily, and sent them to Bayonne. But yet he had to take the I the Central Government or Regency, which may ad- • important step of taking complete possession of the Government, I minister the affairs. of the .kingdom in the name of lit in order to which the bloody scene of the td of May . was exhi- : Majesty. . • e bited—a scene of horror and iniquity, similar to what the modern I u Th u w ill b e French have executed in other cmunteks with similar designs. I 4 ,„ --s - completed for theailvantage.of all, " (8) The perfect agreement between the recommendation of '''; las t .expression of the will, of the: Kin, which he . the King given to the Junta, in his Royal Decr ee o f t h e st h o f i condescended. t o use t h e monienthefeee be WA forcee: May, and the determination of his faithful vassals, is very re- i torenouncetheCrown;Ahus will thi.niltion be prow . rya makable. We have sten that all the provinces of the Monarchy from this dreadful tempest Ci,sellfli V hibi sl ice rose spontaneously to resist the oppressor, without having any •f o 41 • - "!•• ". a - &ex • te . - knowledge of the will of their Sovehign. I te .e.neope an example of ley•alty,,tioilept, and geng. s ' ts (9) Wet, the three Secretaries of the King, for Decrees, cer6 roux energy, which will he . theisUbject °Cadmiutt. dry, that we have seen and read in Bayonne, the two original in every Age,. and in every country. ( Sigr:ed) . Decrees sent by his Majesty Ferdinand VII.' on the sth of May, ; Madrid, Sept.l, 1808. 4 p 4;) ere . in this year, which are mentioned shove+ anti the substance of 1 ..• - , the contents of them, as far as we can recollect, is the same -is I, , .t - .ne at , " ICUs/1110 Di VAITI4III r Azwa.a. . . PPCUMFARIft; .. • , ;.i. -.. • .. a Luis nit 0115. [Nos. I • " rvaanircs Piari Di 'MT.*. I. and 11. were given imam Graz 01 viten:llA a Madrid, September 1, 1808." No. 111. • •-• •'' , .. hkt ?may the F-snAttne or Oa Peench9 rat Et .' igt ftl arl y, and Protector of theColife.aeraiion of *Rhine. • • (10) It is well known that this fonts was auresbled at Bayonne, according to printed notice given on the lath of May,. ..• as M y . c ol iab,_ . I have veedve d Tour , Roy - al ja w - ow , leier ' to treat, as it was said, of the moms of searing the happhstesof (11) linayparticulariy in,stanre the affair of the.oagetyrben . 10. Spain, but in fit, t i propose the condratase of ill the evils of the former system, sad such reforms and alterations iiirere most t om' kntla t'at e "tieing at Utdtid.‘wanted to cir•Pul e'e• - e, I °4 swear allegiance to Wan; and that .of the ianistuneat 41 tlie likely to dsetrey the whole woozy, and, ritzy pow** lotk.4e- to 1 1 og to it. • . Loaned of Castile to Bayontw, fur its noble resistalwa„ '4" .