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

believe, that the policy of his Majesty, in a contest between
France and Spain, would be other than neutral.
In pursuance of this request, and of his previous declara-
tion at Verona. His Majesty's Plenipotentiary received in-
structions at Paris to make to the French Government the
offer of his Majesty's mediation. In making this offer, the
'British Government deprecated, from motives of expediency
as well as from considerations of justice, the employment to-
wards Spain of a language of reproach or of intimidation. They
represented as matter of no light moment the first breach,
by whatever power, of that general pacific settlement which had
been so recently established, and at the cost of so many. suffer-
ings and sacrifices to all nations. Nor did they disgtuse from`
the French Government the anxiety with which they looked
forward to all the possible issues of a new war in Europe, if
once begun.
In addition to suggestions such as these, the British Govern-
ment endeavoured to learn from the Cabinet of the Tuileries
theuature and amount of the special grievances of which his
Most Christian Majesty ,complained, against Spain ; and of
such specific measures of redress or conciliation on the part of
Spain, as would arrest the progress of his Most Christian Ma-
jwity's warlike preparations.
The French Government declined the formal mediation of
his Majesty; alleging, in substance, that the necessity of its
warlike preparations was founded, not so much upon any direct
cause of complaint against Spain, which might be susceptible
of accurate specification and of practical adjustment, as upon
the. general position in which the two kingdoms found them-
selves placed towards each other; upon the effect which all
that was passing and had been for some time passing in Spain
produced upon the peace and tranquillity of his Most Christian-
Majesty's dominions; upon the burdensomenesa of that de-
fensive. armament which France had thought herself obliged
to establish on her frontier towards Spain, and which it was
alike inconvenient to her to maintain, or without some change
of circumstances which would justify such change of counsel
to withdraw; upon a state of things in short, which it was
easier to understand than to define ; but which, taken alto-
gether, was so intolerable to France that open hostility would
be far preferable to it. War would, at least, have a tendency
to some conclusion ; whereas the existing state of the relations
between France and Spain might continue for an isMefinite
time, increasing every day the difficUlties of Spain, and propa-
gating disquietude and alarm throughout the French army and
nation.
But although his Most Christian Majesty's Government de-
clined on these grounds a formal mediation, they professed an
earnest desire for peace and accepted his Majesty's " good
offices" with Spain for that object.
Contemplating all the mischiefs which war might inflict upon
France, and through France ultimately perhaps upon all Eu-
rope; and which it must inflict, more uninydiately and inevi-
tably, upon Spain, whose internal anhnosites and agitations a
foreign war could not but exasperate and prolong, the Bri-
tish Government was deeply impressed with the necessity of
peace for both kingdoms, end resolved, therefore, whether invest-
ed or not with the formal character of mediator, to make every
effort, and toavail itself of every chance; for the prevention of
hostilities. The question was now become a question simply
and entirely between Spain and France; and the practical point of
inquiry was not so much how the relations of those two govern-
, ments had been brought into their present awkward complies-
' tion, as how that complication could be solved, without re-
course to arms, and an amicable adjustment produced, through
mutual explanation anti concession.
Nothing could have induced his Majesty 'to suggest to the
Spanish nation a revision of its political institutions, as the
price of his Majesty's friendship, But Spaniards of all par-
ties and descriptions, admitted some modifications of the Con,
stitution of 1812, to be indispensably necessary; and if in
such a crisis as that in which Spain now found herself, dis-
tracted at once by the miseries of civil war, and by the ap-
prehension of foreign. invasion, the adoption of mockflcations
so admitted to be desirable in themselves might afford a pros.
pect of coniposing her internal dissentions,and might at the same
time furnish to the French Government a motive for widrawing
from the menacing position which it had assumed towards
Spain, the British Goirernifient- felt that no scruple of deli-
cacy, or fear of misconstruction, ought to restrain them
from avowing an earnest wish that the Spaniards could prevail
upon themselves to consider of such modifications, or, at least,
to declare their disposition to consider of them hereafter,-
It is useless now to discuss what might have been the result
of his Majesty's anxious endeavours to bring about an accommo-
dation between Franco and Spain, if nothing had occurred to
internipt their progress. Whatever might be the indisposition
of the Spanish Oovernment to take the first step towards
such an accommodation, it cannot be disguised, that the prin-
ciples avowed and the pretensions put forward by the French
Government, in the speech from the throne at the opening of
the Chambers at Paris, created new obstacles to the success of
friendly intervention. 'the communication of that speech to
the British -Government was accompanied, indeed, with re-
newed assurances of the pacific disposition of France ; and the
French Ministers adopted a construction of the passage most
likely to create an unfavourable impression in Spain, which
stripped it of a part of its objectionable character. But all the
attempts of the British Government to give effect at Madrid to
such assurances and explanations,. proved unavailing. The
hopes of success became gradually fainter, and have now va-
nished altogether.
It remains only to describe the conduct which it is his Ma-
jesty's desire and intention to observe, in a conflict between two
nations, to each of whom hit Majesty is bound by the ties of
amity and alliance.
The repeated disavowal, by his Most Christian Majesty's
Gov r. nment, of all views of ambition and agg,randisement, for-
bids the suspicion of any design on the part of France to esta-
blish a permanent military occupation of Spain ; or to force
his Catholic Majesty into any measures derogatory to the inde-
pendence of his Crown, or to his existing relations with other
Powers. • /
The repeated assurances'which his Majesty has received, of
the determination of France to respect the dominion of his
Most Faithfid Majesty, relieve his Majesty from any appre-
hension of being called upon to fulfil the obligations of that in-
timate defensive connection which has so long subsisted be-
tween the Crown of Great Britain and Portugal.
With respect to the provinces in America which have
thrown off their allegiance to the Crown of Spain, time
and course of events appear to have substantially de-
cided their separation from the -mother country although
the formal recognition of those provincee, as indepen-
dent States, by his Majesty, may be hastened or retarded by
various external circumstances, as well as by the more
or less satianictory progress, in each State, towards a regular
and settled form of Government. Spain has long been up-
prised of his Majesty's opinions upon this subject. Disclaim-
ing in the most solemn manner any intention of appropriating
to himself the smallest portion of the late Spanish possessions
in, America, his Majesty is satisfied that no attempt will be
made by France, to bring under dominion any of those posses-
sions, either by conqueet, or brcession, from Spain.
This frank explanation upon the points on which perhaps
alone the possibility of any collusicn of France with Great
Britain can be apprehended in a war between France and
Spain, your Excellency will represdnt to M.-de Chateaubriand,
as dictated by an earnest desire to be enabled to preserve, in
that war, a strict and undeviating neutrality; a neutrality not
liable to alteration towards either party, so long as the honour
and just interest of Great Britain are actually respected by both.
lam commanded, in conclusion, to direct your Excellency
to declare to the French Minister, that his Majesty will be at
all times ready to renew the interposition of his good offices,
,for the purpose of terminating those hostilities, which his
Majesty has so anxiously, although ioeffectually, endeavour
to avert.—l am, &c.
(Signed) GEORGE CANNING.
His Excellency the Right Zion. Sir Chas. Stuart, KALB., acc.

We have this morning received. Lisbon Papers
from the 21st to the 27th instant, but although
their contents are important, the greater import.
once' of the Parliamentary proceedings of last
night compels ua only to notice briefly the ac,
counts which they bring of a victory gained by
General REG° over the whole force of the in-
surgents, at Amarante, on the 23d ult. The
rebels lost 16 killed, 40 wounded, and 250 pri-
soners, and were obliged to fly in the direction
of Galliaes.

ientobt A COItitESPONDENT.I
STOCK EXCUANQE, Twelve o'Ciock.--in conse-
quence of our strict neutrality, the funds are
gradually improving. Consols opened at 781
ut which price they remain 'steady, with

little doing.
FOREIGN MARKET.--This is settling day in
Foreign Securities, but I do not hear of any de.
limiters. Spanish Bonds opened at 304, and
went up to 3111.

•
The interesting Lady COCHRANE embarked a
Gravesend, on Sunday last, to join her gallon
Lord in South America.