The Sun.
London, England, 1823-02-28 00:00:00

into those fatal proceedings, the real character of
which Ire has,so artfully endeavoured to render
agreeable by the richness and splendour of
his' decorations, and whose results, probably
destined to be the most peiniciOus for France,
he has boldly assumed as certain to be con-
ducive to her glory, her happiness, her
security, and her power !—But the argu-
ments of M. de CHATEAUBRIAND, when divested
of the glitter with which they are encompassed,
are as weak and inconclusive as the cause which
they are intended to vindicate is impolitic and
unjust. Louts XVIII. declared that he would
attack Spain for the purpose of' re-establishing
the absolute authority of .FERDINAND ! Nothing
can now destroy the fact that this was alleged
as a sufficient motive for war by the King
of FaArice himself, at a time when this
very Viscount de CHATEAUBRi INo was one of
his Ministers ; and when, therefore, he either
approved of plunging France into a. war for the
purpose ,411;c11 the Royal Speech expressed, or
it was his duty to resign his office in the Ministry !
M. de VILLELF, his Colleague in that Ministry,
has assigned, it is true, a new and a different
motive for the war, every time he has seen
called upon either to write or to speak upon
the subject ; but it was reserved for M.
de CHATEAUHRIAND to produce a new ground
for hostilities ; and to declare, that because the
poverty of Spain has diminished her purchases of
French mules, it has become necessary to carry
fire and sword' into her territory, and to 'enrich
her impoverished soil with the blood of its in-
habitants ! Bat, unfortunately for M. de CHA-
TEAUBRIAND, he is, like M. de VTLLELE, am-
bitious of attributing his hatred of the Spaniards
to so many causes, that, from their own
nature,. they contradict and neutraliz,e each
other. It proceeds, at' one time, from their
crimes, and from the fidelity with which in their
Itivolution they have copied the atrocities of the
Revolution of France! In the next breath, he
is only desirous of protecting this very people
from ruin ! Again, his sole object is to preserve
the life of King FERDINAND ! Then, it is the
expense of keeping up the Army of Observation
that renders it necessary that that army should
pass the Pyrenees ; though it is no sooner
on the other side of those mountains, than
we find that it is transported thither for
the purpose of interposing a generous hand
between the -hostile parties of Spain, whom
France cannot see destroying one another with
indifference ! All this, we hesitate not to say it,
is neither more nor less than downright quackery.
'As to the miserable attempt to justify the intended
aggression of France by the example of England
in 1792, it is acknowledged by M. de' CHATEAU-
BRIAN!) himself, that the two cases do not pre-
sent a parallel. Before England issued her De-
claration of War, Louts XVI. had perb.hed on
the scaffold ; France had openly exhorted the
people of all other countries to follow her ex-
ample, and to overthrow their G overnments ; and
in England itself, treasons had been organized,
avowedly forlhe purpose of fraternizing with the
revolutionary French; Societies had been formed
for the introduction of French Citizenship into
this country ; and a correspondence had been
commenced, one of the objects of which was to
invite the descent of a , French revolutionary
force upon the coasts of Great Britain ! These
were some of the circumstances which rendered
the resort of England to arms " indispen-
sable." Has France corresponding motives 2
--MOST CERTAINLY 'NOT ! The King of SPAIN
is. in safety ! If M. De CHATEAUBRIAND
has declared that the Spanish Revolution
has been distinguished by its crimes, we have the
not less respectable declaration of Lord LtvErt-
POOL that it has been distinguished by its mild-
ness and moderation ! And, instead of the inter-
nal tranquillity of Frauce being threatened by
domestic treasons, we have the authority of the
KI`NG OF FRANCE HIMSELF, in the same Speech
in which he announced that the object of the
war was to restore FERDINAND to absolute power,
for theaCt, as stated in his MAJESTY'S own words,
on the 28th of Jan. last that —" The situation of
the interior of the Kingdom is improved; the ad-
ministration of justice, loyally exercised by the
Juries, wisely- and courageously directed by
the Magistrates, HAS PUT AN END TO THE PLOTS
AND ATTEMPTS AT REVOLT WHICH THE HOPE OF
IMPUNITY EMBbLDENED."— France, then, had
nothing in her internal condition which should
precipitate her into hostilities with Spain !!
But the Duke of WELLINGTON, it appears, con-
sented to the keeping up of the Army of Obser-
vation ! Was it right ,to betray the confidential
communications of his' Grace, in his quality
of Representative of England ? Or has England
ever objected to the Army of Observation ? No,
it is M. de CHATEAUBRIAND who objects to the
continuance of that Army, because of its expense,