The National Register.
London, England, 1811-09-22 00:00:00

OFFICIAL ARTICLE.

NOTE TRANSMITTED BY 111 F. HON. H• wrt.tr.stnr, THE ENCI-
LISII MINIS rElt, TO DON EUSEBIO DE BARDAX A AZARA, FIR S
SECRE t ART OF S FATE.

" 4 MOST EXCELLENT SIR—I have hitherto abstained from
ealleig tee attention of the Spanish f :overnment to the rumours
and writings which have for some time been circulated in Cadiz,
In the belief that my forbearance and moderation misfit diserin
those who have endeavoured to weaken the bonds of friendship
and confidence which so happils, and with so many advantages
to the cause, have hitherto subsisted h tween Great Britain and
Spain. But the Papers that have been publi,hed, as well as the
reports that have been circulated, have at length become so in-
jurious to the British good name and character, and so adapted
to promote the interests of the enemy, and sow dissentions be-
tween the Allied tedious, that I should be wanting to the duties
of my charge, and to all the 'sentiments of an Englishman,
anxious fur the happy issueiof this glorious and interesting cause,
if I could look with indifference on the unjust and unfounded
calumnies which are daily accumulated against my country. To
give a specimen of the terms in which these assertions are con-
veyed, and which originate, as it appears to me, front a certain
class of persons, I think it will be sufficient to request your Ex-
cellency to read the subjoined paper, in which are im uted to my
Sovereign, to his Government, and the British nation, intentions
destitute of honour, of justice, and of good faith, and entirely
subversive of all the principles with which Great Britain has
come forward to aid the cause of the Spanish nation. The ru-
mours noticed in the month of March last, are again revived, that
the Spanish provinces, bordering on Portugal were placed under
the military command of Lord Wellington, that the Spanish
army was to be placed milder English officers, and, in a word,
withdrawn from subordination to the Spanish military authori-
ties, in order to form an army truly British To the British Go-
vernment is also attributed the design of sending to Cadiz a re •
enforcement of troops \sufficrent to take possession of that city and
island, and retain it in the name and possession of his Britannic
Alejesty.
" Considering the sacrifices which Great Britain has made
In support of the Spanish cause; considering her repeated decla-
rations of the conduct which she has resolved to observe with
respect to the Spanish colonies, some of which have been pub-
lished fn The Garette of the Regency; considering the decisive
proet which she lets just given of her disinterested views, by
offering her mediation bet weed Spain and the Colonies which
have refused to acknowledge the authority of the Mother
Country, I ought to be far from being under .the necessity to re-
fute the charges such as those contained in this Pape:. In fact,
It was necessary that we should find ourselves so critical as that
in which we are, reduced to the narrow limits of this place, the
salvation of which depends on harmony and good understanding,
bo indispensible at all times, but especially at this critieel mo-
ment, to consent to suffer the humiliation of vindicating the ho-
nour of my country, attacked, as it has been, by puitlicetions,
the malignant tendency of which are apparent. Desirou;, how-
ever, to preserve, without the least alteration, the sentiments of
mutual respect and esteem, with which the two nations are mu-
tually animated, I consider myself as under an obligetion to deny,
in the most positive and solemn manner, in tile name of his Bri-
tannic Majesty, and that of his Goers, 'lntent, and that Of the
whole British nation, all imputation of views of n3erandizement
or terrestrial acquisition, either in Europe or America, at the
expense of the Spanish nation. With the same positiveness, I
deny that there is any found:viol, for the intet psetation given
to the notes which I presented in the month of March last,
suggesting that the Spanish provinces on the birders of Portugal
should be plated under the tempos ary authority of Lord We!lieg-
ton, as by this no more was intended, than to authotl•a-t him to
derive from them the teilitary supplies which they were capaile
of furnishing. I, in the like manner, solemnly affirm, that
neither my Sovereign, nor his Government had any intention to
render themselves masters of Cadiz, and that if any reinl-orce-
anent, were sent to this city, it was soleiy and exclusively in or-
der to contribute to ,the d fence of this importeet position, and
preserve it to the Crown of Spain ; lastly, I repeat, what on
meny occasions I have deciared to your Excellen, y that Great
Britain in tekina part in this contest, h d no other vi..v than to
assist the glorious iffot is o the Spanish nation to recov•. r i:s li-
berty ate; aulepentlatice ; and that she perseveres in it without
any idea of her own aegrandizernent, or any exclusive ae ventage
winch she neght de rise r on the unfortunate circtenstances to
which the flush natiou has Beal reduced, hot 'solely to eon
triuute to the expulsion of the enemy and the .'e-establishme-t
of the integrity isnd independence of the Spanish Monarchy. . In