The Sun.
London, England, 1823-04-15 00:00:00

No. 8.

.
Sir William i Court to Mr. Secretary Canning.—Received
• ' January. 2, 1823. •
(Extract.) Medrid, Dec. 24, 1822.
Mr.:Jackson is arrived, and. has delivered to me your Dis-
patches of the 9th ult. I am now really inclined to'belieVe that we shall- come to an
amicable and Satisfactoiy termination of. OUR discussions with
the Spanish! Government:
My conversation With M. san Miguel this morning began
by his pulling from his ..poeket a large roll of papers, with
Which, he said, he was going &win immediately to the Cortes,
with the view of requesting authOrify from that Body to settle
gYery, question at i sue between England and Spain. . - 1
"We are sure f England," he, said, " and satisfied with
,her Position ; and e hope that the Cortes-will enable- tis to
make hersitlifiell with Spain.-4.We eatimitrexp,ect.her to range
herself on our side, nar to send Troops or Fleets to assist us
but we are persuaded that she.• will never assist our enmities,
nor furoith them with the means of itivading 0: • 'lt Is, More-
overi, 047)Soll .her Interest to prevent War breaking out be-
tween us and France, that it is OM unnecessary to ask for her
Mediation. Thera is, certainly nothing ui.indUce uftb ask for
Such a"Mediatien at present; but :re fire at sea surrounded by
dangers, and menaced by Worms, and it is impordble' io say that
tee may nor yet' require a friendly hand. ' But We see nothing
yet to make it necessary for us•to ask any Mediation, nor have
we at present any
.intention ;to solicit one. '. • '
1 have thopih t. it advisable, Sir,. to 'repeat to you' this conver.
tuition, that' yeti May he able to draw from it your own conclu-
sion as .to tha-prObability of out. Mediation being solicited. I
ant myself Of opinion, that such a-step will be resorted
to, till . every other, hope has failed 2 and - certainly there is
NOTHING in the Dispatches from Paris, nor in the eversa-
tions or conduct of General La Garde, im
to snake this Govern-
ment despair qf avoiding a War without our Mediation.

Mr. Secretary Canning to Lord Fitzroy Somerset.
Foreign Office, Jan. 6, 1823.
My Lord—ln returning to your Lordship the, Memorandurn
which the Duke of Wellington has put into your hands, of the
points upon, which it may be advantageous to the King's ser.
vice,_.that your Lordship should . communicate verbally his
Grace's sentiments to such of the persons now taking a leading
part in the affairs of Spain., as may be likely to be influenced
iy communication of this confulential nature, I have very
tde.to add to the contents of the ltlentorandum ; and that little
relates to rather to the mode of )(our acting upon it, than •to
the substance of the paper itself. -
Important as the aid which your Lordship will bring to Sir
William Court.must be, you will, I am sure, be aware of
the absolute Nvessity of not appearing to be invested with any

separate mission, which might detract, in the eyes of the
Spanish Ministers, from that Gentleman's official or personal
authority.
Your. Lordship will be so good as to CONSULT Sir William
a Court's WISHES and OPINIONS as to the occasions on which,
and as to the, persons-Withwhom, you should enter upon the
topics entrusted' to =YOUR discretion ; 'and you will report to
him your several. conversations, not disguising from the indivi-
duals with whom those conversations are held, that you are to
do so.
At the same time, however, that you will be thus careful to
mark your relation to kis Majesty's established Minister, it will
be essential to avoid creating the impression, that the sugges-
tions which your Lordship has to offer on the part of the Duke
of Wellington, as the friend and well-wisher of Spain, are only
in another shape demands on the part of your Government.
A voluntary adoption of the suggestions of the Duke of Wel-
lington would enable us to mediate for Spain with France,' with
an effect infinitely more powerful. But we do not, like France,
demand any thing of this sort, as the price of our fisrbearatice
to break with Spain.
What is necessary to enable us to mediate for Spain with lib.
nour, is the redress of the grievances which WE have against
her. But that matter-is in Sir William a Court's hands; and
is, I hope, in a train of settlement.
With regard to the length of your stay at ',Madrid, I have
only .to refer you to your -own and Sir William il Court's joint
discretion. • .
• I shall hope to hear from your Lordship soon after your arri-
val, and as often as there is a safe opportunity of writing.
I have the honour to be, dm.
(Signed) GEORGE CANNING.
The Right Hon. Lord Fitzroy Somerset.

(lnelosure in No. 9.)
Memorandum by the Duke of Wellington for Lord Fitzroy
Somerset.

London, January 6, 1823.
It is important to make the Spaniards feel, that a King being
necessary for the government of their country, and a part of
their system, as established by themselves,—it follows, as a
matter of equal necessity, that the powers and prerogatives as-
signed to the King in the system, shoubl be such as to enable
him to perform. his duties, and such as, in reason, a King ought
to be satisfied with. , • • ,
If the situation of the King is not what it ought to be ;—if
he has not the power to protect himself, . and those empleyed
under him, in the performance of their duty in the service of
the public; and.if the,King has not reason to be satisfied that
the power allotted to hint by the law is sufficient, the country
will never be in a state of tranquillity, be the system of Go.
vernment. what it may.
There will be perpetual, successive Royal:insurrections in
one .part of the country or the• other; and the King and his
Government will be objects of never ceasing jealousy and dis-
trust.
. The family connection' betweea his Catholic Majesty and the
King of France —and the interest which the latter naturally
feels for the welfare Of the former,—will occasion a perpetual
irritation between the two countries, so long as the situation of
the King in Spain is not what it.ought to be ; which it may be
expected will, sooner dr later, occasion war, and the invasion of'
the weaker country.
Thus, then, those Spaniards who really desire the peace and
welfare of their country, must look to an alteration of their
Constitution, which shall have for its object, to give the King
the power of executing his office. I confess that Ido not see
any.objection to this alteration, either in the antecedent conduct
of the King, or in the apprehension that his Catholic Illaiesty
will abuse lie power thus4onfitled to him. The King wilt feel
the advantages of the position in which he shall find himself,
and will . have no motive for wishing to Overthrow the system
established, particularly if the alteration is made in concert
with him ; and, moreover, the spirit of the people, and the
exertions of thoae individuals who have prevented the existing
system from being overthrown, will preserve that to be esta-
blished, even'though the King should be desirous of overthrow.
ins it, by the abuse of the power entrusted to him.
This will be the case particularly, if the proposed alterations
of the system are concerted with.the King. Indeed, no other
mode of making those alterations,eanliave the desired effect :
as, if they 'are not made in •cOneeri with the King, his Catholic
Majesty will not 'cordially Barry into execution the system pro.
posed; and, both King and people beingdissatisfied, there will
still be the same causes for internal disturbance and for exter-
nal war as exist at present. The concert with the King on the
alterations must be a real one ; and the King must be satified
that the Constitution,' as altered, will secure the foundations of
his power over the Executive Government, and will give him
the means of protecting himself, his family, and his servants.
Neither do I see any reason for deferring to make these alte-
rations in the recent transactions of Foreign Powers. Those
transactions are all professedly defeniive. France professes,
by her Army of Observation, to be defensive; and declares that
she will not pass the frontier, excepting on the occurrence of
certain .cases. The alterations of the Constitution, on the prin-
ciples proposed, would render those cases so improbable, as
that the continuance of the Army of Observation would be an
useless expense ; and there is no doubt that it would be imme.
diately withdrawn.

Then, another advantage which would result from this alte-
ration in.aid of internal tranquillity is, that France would most
probably immediately adopt some efficient measure to prevent
the assembly of the Royalists within the French frontier. All
Spaniards who pass the frontier, might be ordered to 'reside at
such a distance from the frontier, as to render their intrigues or
their operations within the Spanish frontier nearly impossible ;
and thus the asylum given in France to persons of this descrip-
tion, would not beinconsistent with the peace and tranquillity
of Spain.
But this is not all. The Spaniards must see that all the
sources of the prosperity of their country are nearly destroyed ;
and that the very foundations of social order and government
are in a state of risk. There is no trade, no private or public
revenue : the national property cannot be sold : the interest of
the national debt cannot be paid ; nor can the army, or any of
the 'public servants or establishments; and no money can be
borrowed.
I happen to know that the principle monied people in Eu.
rope will not lend their money to Spain, till they shall see a
system prevail in that country, which shall affbrd some hope of
the re.establistnent and permanence of peace and good order.
If all this be true—if it be true, besides, that the best chance
that Spain has of coming to some arrangement with her Colo.
nies, is to be found in some settlement of her internal dissen.
Lions and distractions, it• is impossible that any reasonable
Spaniard can doubt that the time is come to effect those alte-
rations, which the common sense of mankind points out to be
necessary.

No. 10.
Mr. Secretary Canning to Sir William h. Court.
Foreign Office, Jan. 6, 1823.
Sin,—This Dispatch will be delivered to yod by Lord Fitz-
roy Somerset, who has the goodness to undertake a journey to
Madrid (without any official character), in the hope of being
useful to you in the very difficult and complicated state of your
present negotiations, through his acquaintance with some of the
prominent characters among military and other public men in
Spain; and through the knowledge. which he possesses,_ and is
known to possess, of the Views and opinions of the Duke of
Wellington:
There may be those among the leaders of the Cortes, or in
offices of the 'Exeiutive Government, who would listen to
friendly counsels, coming from a man to whom Spain is so
deeply indebted se the Duke of. Wellington, and to whom her
welfare is naturally so dear, from the very services which he
has had the glory of rendering to her, though'they might turn
a deaf ear to any other suggestione.
The object of England is toyreserve the Peace, of which her
exertions have prevented the immediate interruption. Zit it
is much to be feared that ?race Jaime be preserved, if things
remain in theirpresent state, bah at' Madrid and on the frog-.
tier of Spain.
France can hardly be expected to withdraw her Army of
Observation, without some assurances froduSpairt, which she
may plead as satisftietory, We ask no such assurance: ,for our.
selves, and we annex no pepalty to the refusing or withhold-
ing them i but it would enable us to do much that such as.
surances should voluntarily lie given to us ; anti perhaps they
may be given less reluctantly through the confidential friend
of the Duke of Wellington, than directly to yourself, even if
you were authorised officially to receive them. The interval
is precious, and it is hoped that it may not be thrown away. •
I inclose to you a copy of a Letter which I address to Lord
Fitzroy Somerset, and of a Memoranddm with which he is fur.
nished by the Duke of Wellington.
You will see that he is to consult TOUR. judgment as to the
OCCASIONS on which, and. the INDIVIDUALS WITS! wHom,
it may he expedient that he should enter into communication ;
that he will repeat to you whateier passes in such conferences;
and that the length of his stay and the time of his departure
are to be determined with vomit advice.--I am, &c.
(Signed) GEORGE, CANNING.
The Right lion. Sir Wm. A'Court, Bart. G.C.B. &c.
• No. 8. and Inclisure therein.
. N. 11.
Mr. Secretary Canning o
to Sir William A'Court.
(Extract.) Foreign Office, Jan. 9, 1823.
Inclosed is a copy of an * official Note, which I have received
the King's commands to address to the French Charo d'Af-
faires in London, in reply to the Duke de Montmorency's
answer to the Note of the Duke of Wellington of the 17th
ult. which tendered to the French Golrernment the mediation
of his Majesty for the adjustment of its differences with
Spain.—You will communicate my-Note -to the Spaniiii Mi-
nister.

•
Our position between Francs and Spain is strictly mediate.
vial, even though neither of. tho tat States should clot. dif.

ferent reasons) think fit to avail itself of our formal media-
tion ; and though we are not invested with theatEce, we must
endeavour practically to perform the duties of it.
I have received the King's commands to signify to you his
Majesty's gracious approbation of the ability, zeal, and perse-
verance with which you have executed the instructions hereto-
fore confided to you, with respect to the commercial and mari-
time claims of his Majesty's subjects,--the settlement of
which, after so long a course of complaint and remonstrance,
will be mainly to be attributed to your exertions..
The difficulty of the task imposed upon you by the tenor of
those instructions, contrasted as they are with the more ac-
ceptable communications which you have subsequently had to
make to the Spanish Government, is 'fully acknowledged;
and your success in reconciling two apparently opposite courses
of conduct, and producing (as it is hoped you may do) a fa-
vourable result in both, will be proportionably appreciated by
your Government.

If any thing of personal indisposition towards yourself shall
appear to have been excited in the mind of those with whom-
you have had to negotiate, from the pertinacity with which
you have been directed to press the unpleasant topics of your
late conferences, you will not scruple to set yourself right, by
throwing the whole responsibility upon your instructions.
It would have been very desirable indeed, it' it had been pro-
per, to qualify the unpleasantness of those instructions, by ac-
companying them 'with some distinct intimation of the part
which the Plenipotentiary of his Majesty was taking in Spanish
affairs at Verona : but such an intimation of our separate opi-
nion could not be given, in fairness to the Allies, while their
deliberations yet continued, und while the result of those deli-
berations was undetermined or unknown.
Now that the whole of our conduct is before the Spanish
Government, you will assuredly find no difficulty in convincing
them of the correctness of both parts of it ; in shewing them
that a determination to vindicate our rights against Spain was
not incompatible with a respect for hernational independence;
and in availing yourself of the removal of that dissatisfaction,
which must always have tinged onr intercourse with the Spanish
Government, while our just grievances remained unredressed,
to impress upon' M. de San Miguel our desire to prove, by our
good offices in Europe, how little any feeling of hostility en-
term' into the measures to which we were compelled to re-
sort for the defence of our honour and our interests in America.
* See No. 13, in Verona and Paris Papers.
No. 12.
Sir William A'Court to Mr. Secretary Canning.—Received
• Jan. 9, 1823.
(Extract.) Madrid, Dec. 26, 1822.
I saw M. de San Miguel again this morning, who continued
to speak in the same friendly tone as during our last conference,
and repeated his assurances that every thing respecting our
claims should be arranged to our entire satisfaction, provided
the Cortes granted him the faculties he demanded—This I
trust will be done.

In the course of this conference, M. de San Miguel said,
that he fully understood our position, and our friendly inten-
tions towards Spain ; which arose indeed from a conviction of
our own interests. It never could (ally with English policy
that France should be in military oceltpation of Spain.
lie then added, that from every report which had lately
reached him, he did not believe that any war was likely to take
place. The Congress was over, and the Great Continental
Sovereigns had retired to their respective States, leaving every
thing to France: and he had reason to believe that Francewas
by no means in those decidedly hostile intentions, which there
had once been reason to apprehend.
With respect to the possibility of any future solicitation of
British mediation, he gave me to understand that it was a
question of so delicate a nature, and necessarily so dependent
upon contingencies, that he wished, at present, to say nothing
upon the subject. If ever such a solicitation took place, it
would be done in the most open, frank, and unreserved man-
ner, by an official written document, which should leave no
doubt upon the mind of one party as to the intentions of the
other.

I shall draw no inferences from this conversation, nor argue
upon the probability or non-probability of our mediation being
solicited,. as you, Sir, will be much better able to judge cor-
rectly of this matter, from the communications you receive of
what is passing in the Cabinet of the Tuikries.
This Dispatch will be forwarded by a Spanish messenger
who leaves Madrid for London, either this evening, or to-mor-
row morning.