The Sun.
London, England, 1822-04-10 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MEMORIAL READ TO THE CORTES IN THE PUBLIC SIT-
TING OF THE 3D OF MARCH, BY THE SECRETARY FOR

THE DISPATCH OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

I have the honour and the great pleasure of informing the
Cortes of the kingdom, that the political relations of Spain with
Foreign Powers continue in general in an amicable state.
The ratifications of the treaty of amity for adjusting differ-
ences and limits, concluded on the 22d of February, 1319, be-
tween his Majesty and the United States, were exchanged on
the 22d of February, 1321. In conformity with the stipulation
in Article 4 of the said treaty, the King has appointed the Spa-
nish commission of limits, which in concert with that chosen
by the Government of the United States, is to trace out the
divisional line between the territories of the two Powers. The
Spanish commissioners, charged to execute the delivery of East
and West Florida within the term fixed by Article 7 of the
treaty, have experienced some vexations on the part of the Ame-
rican authorities appointed by those Provinces. The King
trusts that the Government of the United States will readily
give the satisfaction which has been asked for a proceeding so
little conformable to the relations of friendship existing be-
tween the two Powers ; and will thus confirm the hopes con-
ceived by his Majesty, that the conclusion of the last treaty
will draw close' the bonds of friendship which unite the two
nations.
We continue in peace with the Barbary Governments. The
Regency of Algiers has recently renewed its ancient pretensions,
and the Dey has urgently demanded, by a letter addressed im-
mediately to his ,Majesty, the million and a half of dollars
which he claims to. be due to him from Spain. A squadron
of the national fleet has been ordered to Algiers, which, accom-
panied by a part of the naval force of the Netherlands, cruising
in the Mediterranean, may be expected to contribute to the
happy issue of the amicable settlement which the Spanish Go-
vernment has proposed to the Dey. His Majesty hopes that
the Regency of Algiers will not reject a course which justice
dictates, and which the mutual convenience of both Govern-
ments recommends.
With respect to the internal dissensions of which the empire
of Morocco is the theatre, his Majesty proposes to ohserve the
most perfect neutrality, without favouring either of the two
contending parties which, with alternate soccess, combat for
the government of the country.
The Government of the Swiss Cantons have offered no oppo-
sition to the decree of the Cortes for disbanding the Swiss regi-
ments in the service of Spain, notwithstanding the term fixed by
the capitulation of iBO4 is not yet expired. The Helvetic Govern-
ment energetically, claims the indemnifications stipulated by the
said contract, in favour of the individuals disbanded, and his
Majesty's Government expects to bring this transaction to a
conclusion satisfactory to both parties.
'Our Minister at the Court of Russia has been recognized by
his Imperial Majesty • the diplomatic relations of Spain with
Russia are thus established ; and we continue in good harmony
with the Cabinet of St. Petersburgh.
The insalubrity of the climate of Sierra Leone has rendered
it necessary to remove the Spaniards, members of the mixed
commission which was there established for the purpose of
watching over the execution of the treaty relative to the-slave
trade ; but his Majesty, influenced by the feeling of humanity,"
and religiously scrupulous in the fulfilment of his contracts,has
authorized our Minister in -London to treat with the British
Government, in concert with the Portuguese representative at
that Court, respecting the removal of the mixed commission to
a more salubrious spot, in order that the security of the Com-
missioners may be combined with the important duty they have
to discharge.
Political institutions, analogous to those which happily pre-
vail in Spain, being adopted in Portugal, it might be hoped
that the time had arrived for putting an end to the differences
which have existed between the two nations. His Majesty has,
however, with much regret, seen from the proceedings of the
Portuguese Government, that his desire for drawing closer the
mutual interests of the two Powers, and forming the most cor-
dial friendship with the Portuguese Monarchy, do not appear,
from the conduct of the Portuguese Government and the events
which have unfortunately occurred, to have been met by corre-
sponding sentiments.
When it was ascertained at the Court of Rio Janeiro, that
the constitution formed by the Deputies to the Cortes assem-
bled in Lisbon had been sworn to in Portugal, and when the
King had also taken the oath to that Constitution, that mo-,
ment was chosen by the Portuguese Government for consum-
matingeits aggression against the Spanish provinces of Rio de
la Plata, by putting in motion the spring of an artful policy, in
order that the inhabitants of the said provinces, assembled in
Monte Video, should resolve, as, in fact, they did resolve, to
Separate from the Spanish Monarchy, and incorporate them-
selves with Portugal. To remove all obstacles from the medi-
tated plan, measures were taken for solemnly recognizing the
independence of the Insurgent Government of Buenos Ayres ;
a public agent was appointed to Buenos Ayres, and a promise
was made tl.at an agent, chosen by Buenos Ayres, should be
acknowledged in Lisbon.
As soon as the Court removed from Rio Janeiro to Lisbon,
and the Government of the King protested energetically to the
Government.of his Most Faithful. Majesty against so extraor-
dinary and unexpected a proceeding, and flattered itself that
that Government would disapprove the proceeding which had
been adopted on this delicate point, not only from a conviction
of the injustice and nullity of such measures, but in order to
put itself on a level with the policy which other Powers have
adopted relative to the emancipation from Spain pretended to
by the insurgent Governments of our ultra-marine provinces.
Notwithstanding such just considerations, his Majesty has seen
those well-founded hopes vanish, since the Government of Por-
tugal, far-from satisfying the-complaints and representations-of
Spain, excites apprehensions by the specious reply with which
it attempts to defend the transactions in Brazil.
The solemn declaration of his Most Faithful Majesty, that
there exists no treaty between Spain and Portugal, supposing
that those previously in force fell by the French invasion, is a
circumstance which also demands the serious attention of the
Government. In consequence of that declaration, the Portu-
guese Governmenthm disregarded some articles of treaties to
which we have'referred in support of the demands made for the
delivery of seditious refugees in that kingthim, and the fac-
tious liarca and Ciceron have been ordered to be set at liberty
in consequence of the recent resolution adopted by the Court
of Lisbon.
Notwithstanding the state of our relations with Portugal, his
Majesty does not doubt that the friendly intercourse which con-
tinues to be maintained with the Government of Portugal will
tend to settle the impending differences in a conciliatory man-
ner. The King cannot persuade himself that the reciprocal in-
terest of both Powers to draw close the ties of friendship and
good will, can be overlooked ; especially when the utility of a
firm and cordial union in the liberal principles proclaimed by
both nations is evident ; and equally so the prudence of not
putting to the test what the dignity and decorum of the Spa-
nish nation might demand, whose call would be answered with
the decision and heroism which belong to it.
Our relations of friendship and good harmony with the Court
of France have not suffered the slightest alteration. The yel-
low fever, which last year
:afflicted some of the provinces of
Spain, and more particularly Catalonia, induced the French
Government to place a military cordon of health on the fron-
tier, which, although it has occasioned some irregularities in
the communications and mercantile relations between the two
countries, afforded no ground for complaint, considering the
right which belongs to every nation, above all things, to attend
to its own preservation. It appeared naturalehowever, that the
cordon should be removed, when it was known that the conta-
gion had ceased. This has not been done ; perhaps from an
apprehension that the disease might re-appear : but various re-
Treat:mations have been made on this point to the French Go-
vernment. and our Minister at Paris has been instructed to de-
mand explanations upon the subject.
The Government of his Majesty being informed that some
Spaniards, whose impotent attempts to subvert the constitu-
tional system had experienced the disastrous result which
was to be expected from such schemes, had taken refuge in.
France, solicited and obtained from his Most Christian 31a-
jesty that these factious persons should, be sent into the inte-
rior, and distributed in different points. The French Govern-
ment asked, in' return, that measures' of reciprocity should be
adopted in Spain, and that we should order to withdraw from;
our frontier few individuals of that nation, who excited ap-;
prehensions in 'France. His Majesty was pleased to accede to:
this•dentand, founded as it was on principles of mutual conve-
nience. The late events in Navarra attracted some seditious
Spaniards to our frontiers, doubtless with the view of assisting
the movements of the. factious. His Majesty immediately
transmitted orders to our Plenipotentiary at Paris, that he
should demand the,removal of those persons into thelnterior,
and the French Government gave the orders which were desir-
' ed. His Majesty has also ordered his Minister-in 'France to
' state to the,Gsmrnment of his Most Christian Majesty, that

he hopes succours will not be afforded to the factious re'u-
gees in that country,and that means will also be adopted for pre-
venting the introduction into Spain of arms, or munitions of
war, destined for the supply of the seditious. The abuse which
has been made by some French Journals of their liberty of the
press to attack our'wise institutions, and to give an unfavoura-
ble idea of events in Spain, has also been made a subject of re-
presentation to the French Government. That Government
has promised to take the subject into consideration, but in ge-
neral has excused itself from adopting energetic measures
against those abuses, by stating that the Censorship which it
exercises is chiefly limited to the internal affairs of the king-
dom, and that it is not easy to restrain the indignation which
the Censors and Journalists of France feel at the gross insults
frequently given to French Public Functionaries by the perio-
dical papers of Spain.
To terminate the frequent dissensions which have arisen be-
tween the frontier population of Spain and France, occasioned
chiefly by disputes about pasturages, and to settle the doubtful
demarcation of the limits between the two Powers, the French
Government has pointed out the necessity of fixing precisely
the respective boundaries by means of engineers appointed ex-
pressly for that purpose. The demarcation of the course of the
river Reus has been verified for the boundary with respect to
the province of Catalonia.
The melancholy result which has attended the efforts made
in the kingdom of Naples and Sardinia for preserving the con-
stitutional system which had been there proclaimed, has re-
duced our relations with those Powers to a passive state.
We continue to maintain a good understanding with the
Court of Rome. His Holiness has acceded to several applica-
tions of the Spanish Government, which our political
institu-
tions rendered it necessary to make ; others of a similar nature,
and necessary to the welfare of the nation, are the subject of
active communications between the two Cabinets.

Such, in substance, is the state of our political relations with
foreign Powers. The attention of his Majesty is directed, and
will ever he directed, to preserve to the Spanish nation the in-
estimable blessing of peace ; to maintain it in the rank to which
it is entitled among nations by its repeated proofs of heroism ;
and to make known, that while he will religiously respect the
rights of other Powers, he will never permit his rights, nor the
political institutions which form the happiness of all Spaniards,
mtimateky united with their Constitutional King, to be violated.
• FRANCISCO MARTINEZ DE LA ROSA.
Madrid, March 1, 1822.