The Sun.
London, England, 1823-03-25 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN.

SPAIN.

Mn. EDITOR---I have just been reading the
(second edition) of " The Crisis of Spain," and I

cannot help, in this hasty manner, communicating
the impressions it has made upon my mind in its

avour. It appears to me to be full of excellent

reasoning, and of the best intentions, dispas-
sionate and- uninfluenced by party spirit, which

ndeed has not much shewn itself in this coun.

try on that question, or by any thing but pure
and enlightened public spirit and philanthropy,
and particularly in regard to the plan which it is
the interest of this country to act upon. It evi-

dently places the conduct of the Spanish nation
(or at least of the prevalent party in it,) in a dif.

'erent point of view, with regard to its interns

concerns, from what it has probably been consi-
dered in by many of the well-wishers to Spain,
(and I own myself among the number,) in this
coitntry ; and while it thereby, in some degree,
excuses the conduct of the French government,

it as justly reprobates the mode of its intended
interference in the affairs of Spain, and the ten-
dency which that interference evidently has to
bring mischief upon itself and the rest of Europe.
If the correction of its own abuses cannot be left
to the discretion and good sense of. a nation, es-
pecially after a proper representation of them,
it is in vain that any coercive measures shall be
adopted by a foreign power to supply that de-
fect ; for the acquiesence of that nation in the
plans that may be dictated to it, must be a forced
one, and will only continue as long as the com-
pulsion is•maintained. It should seem, indeed,
that the only effectual mode which monarchies
have of opposing the progress of democracy,
so alluring to the human passions, is by their
own correction and consolidation, which is
the best appeal they can make to the good
sense and feelings of a people, and the best
foundation for the security of a government ; nor
need this correction be carried to the wild ex-
cesses of theory, or to those of the Spanish Con-
stitution of 1812. It is to be regretted, indeed,
that France did not (prevented, perhaps, by na-
tional jealousy, or preferring a more practical ap-
plication), coalesce with England in proposing a
modification of their Constitution to the Spaniards,
instead of taking measures which tend to the sub-
version of it, and to the establishment of a totally
opposite system, which, if successful, must re.
duce England to the alternative either of ac.
quiescing in that, or of again embroiling itsell
and all Europe in a Continental war. But, per.
haps, we may reckon upon► the resistance that the
French will meet with in Spain to prevent evil.
Ely observing a judicious neutrality, England may
probably hate it more in its power to check the
designs (which are pretty evident) of the other
European States, and to induce them to more mo-
derate and conciliatory plans, that it would have
to frustrate those designs, if it provoked their
being carried into action. By its following such
a course, these designs will no longer have (at
least to the extent they now give them) the plea
of self-defence for their excuse.—l am, Sir,
Your's„&c.
COMMON SENSE.

Exeter, March 21, 1823.

Mr. 0 W E N.