The Sun.
London, England, 1822-12-11 00:00:00

SPAIN.

' ( From the Espectador of the 2d inst.)
"One of the English Journals, of the highest
reputation, stated on the 11th of November, that
much credit was given to the report that the
Members of the Congress of Verona had address-
ed a note to the Spanish Government, expressive
of their dissatisfaction at the actual state of the
Spanish Monarchy.
" We have no knowledge of any such note
having been received by our Ministers previously
to the date mentioned, nor of any other note of a
similar tendency having been delivered at a pos-
terior date. It is possible, however, that the
correspondents of The Times may have penetrated
the determination of the Congress of Verona, and
thus taken the thing to be done—that is, that a
note in the terms described, or similar terms, had
been transmitted.
" But let us for a moment suppose that the
announced note, though not yet arrived, will be
received. In that case, what ought to be the
reply of our Government is in our opinion per-
fectly clear.—Do you, Gentlemen, understand
by what you call the deplorable situation of the
Spanish Monarchy the agitation and disorders
caused in the provinces adjoining France by those
who have revolted against the existing institu-
tions sworn to by the King, and by all Spaniards
after his example ? Then you have only to de-
sire France not to collect, superintend, equip,
arm, and maintain the factious rebels.—Are you
sorry that there are among those calling them-
selves Liberals a party who make war on the
great body with even more bitterness than the
enemies of our institutions ? Then do not light
up the torch of discord among the Constitution-
alists, nor alarm the friends of liberty by com-
mercio-diplomatic stock-jobbings, or base in-
trigues.—Do you complain of the abuse of the
liberty of the press, or take for the opinion of
Constitutional Spaniards that which is expressed
by only a feeble and well-known faction ? Then
read the Journals which have with the greatest
zeal defended liberal institutions against the at-
tacks which have been constantly made, and still
are made, upon them, both by the partizans
of absolute power and these of a modified
system, and from them you will learn what
is the real opinion of all the Constitution-
alists of Spain—men equally resolved to defend
their country against the despotism of an absolute
Monarch, and that which any faction, by what-
ever means it should attempt to overthrow the law,
might attempt to exercise.
" The real Liberals will never abandon the
work of their own hands to enemies of the
country of any class, for the nation and the
law are the idols of those who broke the chains of
the Spanish people. If the wise men of the Con-
gress are acquainted with a mode whereby laws
can, suddenly and without the natural gradation
which belongs to all other things, obtain that
vigour which time, education, and the progress of
new ideas and habits are usually supposed to be
alone capable of giving, let them point it out,
and we shall be glad to adopt it ; but there must
not be included in their admonition any propo-
sitions for modifications, or amendments of any
sort whatever, to be made in the fundamental
law of the state ; since, in the defects which they
are supposed to attribute to it, we find no incon-
venience, and we have no desire for any improve-

occupied by the factious. The Secretary of
Finance said he had not the paper with him,
but he believed it was dated about six weeks ago.
The debate on the report then proceeded, and
most of the speakers ,supported the opinion of
the Committee. Senor Ferrer and some others
insisted that the calculations of the Minister pro-
ceeded upon a mistake. The sum which the
Committee proposed to grant was the real deficit;
the balance which it was thought proper at pre-
sent to withhold was not a deficit, but consisted
of arrears which might be eventually collected.
The two first articles of the report were agreed
to, and the further consideration of the third was
postponed.
The report in the French papers that the King
had refused his assent to the law on the patriotic
societies, appears to have been unfounded. In
the account of the sitting of the Cortes of the
27th ultimo, we find it stated, that " the law re-
specting patriotic societies, sanctioned by his
Majesty, was read and passed."
[These papers contain several long official dis-
patches and reports from Mina's army ; the prin-
cipal facts in which have been anticipated by the
French papers.]