The National Register.
London, England, 1815-01-08 00:00:00

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Ne. .367. , . SUNDAY, .TANUAItY 8).1815' '2"•tri3-°'/I'.1" . Piii 'til. ICE I.
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THE CORTES OF SPA IN. I success in the ecninsula with the utmost jealousy. • These
• , ;eaves • --data--- I philosoiters have experienced the weight of Ferdinand's vett-.
. ..• .1 ' F ":. [FROM A CORRE%P.)NDFR r• 1
geance ; Lut severe as it is, we have no doubt but that.it is
ssr .1 lit ir L -
l less so than would have been that of the Cortes,. peril-
The number of lamentations over the fall of this Body 1
I eularly if the philosophical party had prevailed, arid had. title.
woud lead an ordinary indi viduallo think that it's career had
- . s
been one of honour, usefulness and intelligence. On theessed his power, and been in plsce without an enemy in
contrary, during their whole existence, their proceedings were their territory. They were, we repeat, all atheistical all
their conversation was of a sceptical tendency, and the God
marked with ferocity to their own fellow citizens, infidelity
iii their eneagements with their allies, and, in short, of their idolatry was Voltaire. One of their disciples esked
a gentleman the best and cheapest way to obtain the writ-
by the most utter incapacity in the exercise of their duties ••
as legislators, as well as the Most ridiculous prejudice tugs of that author, and if it was a matter of case. The in-
dividual, to.whom the application was made, replied, that
and bigony that would have disgraced the- darkest ages.'
they would be cheaply bought in London. The idea of
. being
It is true the people of England never heard of any -their spoken of so lightly struck the enquirer with such sort of conduct. This the Cortes took care to prevent;
tonishmesit. At the close of the conversation the as-
fur,gentle-
place by that sort of understanding which we fear too often takes
man st...vested that as it was but. fair to read both sides of
between our purveyors of political information, and - s':'
certain great people, every act of atrocity was carefully con-, the question, he would advise
,the enquirer, who was well
, versed in the English language, to order Paley's Natural
cealed. Indeed, in this way the Cortes spewed much more
Theoloey to be sent with Voltaire. Natural l'hoilogy ! ex- •
ncereerethan their successor, who has not thought of having ,1 s•
• claimed the individual, absurd! Nature can have no God 1
lecourse to the satne means. For our readers will seen recol- ••
' This anecdote, which is authentic, will serve to shew what
leet that let the Government oraroops of Spain or Portugal il
act as they would, the public papers took little or no notice
o would have been the fate of Spain had she fallen wholly !
: under the Government of such people. Whereas, on the
of them : and Ministers more than once expunged from •
! e the dispatches in the Gazette, Lord Wellingtou's censure on ; other hand, the laity and nobility were incapable of any
k
: . . : ' • the Portuguese troops, although the very same censure ap-
useful effort.
! reared in the Lisbon (qfficial) Gazette. • It may be urged that Ferdinand is more violent, more bigot-
, and more tyrannical. But the truth of this fact is denied.
i - - Hence, we cannot shed one tear over the grave of the
Corks; we cannot behold in their disrersion anything more I However, whether the charge be true or false, the argument
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used before, namely, that one tyrant is preferable to oee.
than a benefit to society, so. far as one tyrant (not, however, 1
that we by any means affix this character to the King of ; hundred, will bear in full force. He may at last do richt.—
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• Spit)) is better than one hundred. Ferdinand mayteraneile, : the Cortes never , could. 1 • xperience will give wisdom to
but it will not be long, at le:ist if the people are indisposed to 1 one man, but no experience will enlighten a popular body;
his Government, before his tyranny shall be 'ter ininated.s at least, there is no instance on record of such an event.
It is of an exalted nature compared with that exercised I But, ai•e the charges against the Cortes fosinded ? %Vero
by the Corks ; and, however heterodox the opinion may seem they bigotted ? were they ferocious ? did they prove by their
0
we have no doubt but that eventually the cbange will be much ; conduct, that it was' impracticable for them to render erry
for the beet. I service to the community ?
The C . lortes.were composed
.principally of priests and phi- . As to the first we would quote their conduct on the :orb-
lase'/ter. The first were either very bigotted to their re- 1 ject of the Inquisition. Could any service have beet tle-
. l'gion or very lax in their opinions, but were by far the most 1 rived from their exist/nee, that odious institution would
useful and practical body of men. Indeed so much so, that' have been abolished by acclamation ; but no—debate upors
the story is told of Lord Wellington's always feeling a Spa- debate ensued, and, even so late as the spring of 1912, it yea:
• riards head, to see whether iris crown had been shaved, and .1 attempted to lie used as the means of prosecuting Meeks I, o.
it is said, depending most upon the clerical order. The phi- I a ridiculous (and, it is not depict', a blasphemous) pruchic:i•J i
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lasophes were headed by ArguelleseQuintana (though net in I of an irreligious tendency. •
• .the Cortes) Mexia, and some others- They were brimful of 1 As to the ferocity exhibited by this berly, e•e have ors.st
the philosophy
4 ''• regulated by of the French school; all their ideas were I •to recur to their condact, to the conduct of all of thein„
a.
French maxims; and all their estimates of na- whether they belonged to the clas es of Nobility. Clergy,
tional greatness formed by what theyuluierstood of the cha- I-4ity,.. or .Philosopheis, on the subject .of their Spaniel
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racter and attainments of that nation. On England, they American brethren; for all of them were unanimbussfor rt..!
-
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21wass looked with contempt, and visaed her pt•tli , li* ' ",• ans•e ssf ;be "maid sys!.em of eppeestion sander 44'! r a
ss.
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