The Sun.
London, England, 1823-10-07 00:00:00

SPAIN.

[From the Madrid Gazette.]

CORTES 'EXTRAORDINARY.—SyTTING or SEV'r. 7,

Senor SAAVEDRA appeared in the tribune, and
read as a report the following draught of the
answer to be returned to the King's Speech :

" Senor !—The Cones, alWaya ready at your Majesty's call,
have assembled, in Extraordinary Congress, prepared to
make the utmost efforts for saving the vessel of the State, and to
labour in concert with your Majesty's Government in defend-
ing the sacred and inviolable person of the Constitutional King,
the honour of the Spanish name, and the independence and
liberty of the country. In the fulfilment of these great objects,
they will take into consideration whatever communications
your Majesty may be pleased to make to them. And, without
being dauntA by any danger, they will unshakenly sustain the
dignity of the Spanish nation, and your Majesty's liberty—a
liberty which you can only enjoy amongst your faithful sub-
jects, and which you would inevitably lose amidst the bayonets
of that army which, contrary to all law, and with the most sus-
picious intentions, lies invaded your kingdom, and introduced
into it war and demoralization.

" Great, Senor, doubtless are the difficulties of the nation,
but great also are the constancy and resolution of your faithful
subjects; and although in those times of general degradation,
lbrce is more esteemed than reason and justice, the Cortes will do
nothing which may in the slightest degree stain the dignity of
the King and the honour of the nation."

The above report was laid on the table, and
one o'clock was appointed for the period Of its
consideration : at that hour it was again read,
and approved without discussion.

Senor Gillian° read the report of the Select
Committee appointed to draw up a reply to the
Memorial which was presented yesterday by the
Government, and for which solely the Cortes
Extraordinary had been convoked. The report
was to the following effect :
The Committee appointed to examine the Memorial pre-
sented yesterday by his Majesty's Government to the Cortes
Extraordinary, as the sole object of theirpresent meeting, have
examined maturely, though rapidly, the important matter which
it contains, paying, at the same time, due regard to the accom-
panying documents.
These documents enhibit the deplorable state of the nation,
the defection of some military commanders, and the reverses
consequent thereon; fresh disasters, and the absolute want of
funds; the endeavours of the Government to obtain a suspen-
sion of arms, and a negotiation which might lead to an honour-
able peace ; its hitherto fruitless efforts to cogage a great neu-
tral poi/a in the mediation, and the answer of the enemy, re-
fusing to admit any other basis for an armistice or treaty than
the delivery of the King and the Royal Family and the Gadita-
nian Island to the French troops, with the expectation that his
Majesty, being in the enemy's power, would give, or at least
would promise, to the nation those institutions which be might
judge best adapted to the habits and character of the people.
His Majesty's Government regarding such propositions as
dishonourable and inadmissible, expresses a determination to
perish rather than to accede to them ; but at the same time,
anxious to avoid the reproach' either of faithlessness or rashness,
the Ministers seek the support of the Cortes, represent to them
the misfortUnes of fluf country anti our critical situation, and
desire to learn through the Congress the will of the nation, in
order to act consistently with it, and to obtain new means, at
!
pmient not possessed by the Government, for maintaining the
defence to the last extremity; and .in case the nation should
consider any other course proper which may not appear to be
within the competency of the Government, the Ministers pray
that the Cones will decide thereon, in order dint, in a matter
so grave. and
,so important, the need prudent steps may be
taken.

The Committee are of opinion, that the course which the
Cortes ought to follow in their reply, is pointed out to them by
the, nature of their power and their present situation.
With respect to the dishonourable nature of the proposal to
deliver up the King and the destiny of the nation to an invad-
ing enemy, the Committee think that cannot be disputed. The
Governmettt has characterized that proposal as dishonourable
as well as inadmissible, in regard to its powers ; and the powers
of the Cortes being neither greater nor different as to that point,
the Committee conceive that they are bound to concur in opinion
with his Alajesty's Government, and to approve and applaud
the sentiments the Ministers have expressed.
As to the investigation of the national will which the Govern-
ment solicits from the Congress, that is what cannot be done at
present; when the nation is oppressed by a foreign force, and
a faction which, under the protection of that force, practices
every kind of violence, the nation has no means of showing its
opinion; The fact, however, of the election of the Deputies,
according to all the constitutional forms, without impediment
or embarrassment, is an irrefragable proof that they were freely
charged with their present mission. The permanence of the
constitutional system, during the anterior periods of the exist-
' ence of the Congress, is another proof of the fact that the nation
wishes to preserve it. The enthusiasm manifested in January
last, and manifested not merely by ords but by acts, proves
the continuance of the same ideas. Since the territory has been
occupied by the enemy, the nation has had na opportunity of
declaring its iv;11 ; and in the extreme case of admitting the
supposition that it has changed, to manifest that change in an
authentic manner it is indispensable that it should be freely
declared by the nation itself. It is the duty as well as the wish
of every nation in the world to defend its independence, as it
is of the individual man todefend his existence. In the opi-
nion of the Committee they neither ought nor can acknowledge
any other national will than that which has already been ex-
pressed.

With regard to resources, the Committee are of opinion that
those already granted by the Cortes to the Government are the
most ample that could be given. Nevertheless, to remove every
scruple, and to avoid any kind of mistake, the Committee would
recommend that the Cortes should renew the grants which have
been made, and .extend them as far as possible ; so that the
Government may be folly authorised to make use of all re-
sources within its reach, purposely seeking the means best cal-
Mated for obtaining the end. As to the last point, the Com_
mittee think that the Corers, in reply'ng► to the second,will have
replied to that. Notwithstanding, the Committee are of opinion,
that the Cortes may -be pleased to declare that, as the Govern.
meat is in possession of the proper powers, they have no doubt
of those powers being exercised according to the dictates of
duty and of prudence.

This Report was laid on the table, to be exa.
mined by the Deputies. The Secretaries of State
afterward attended in their place, when it was
read a second time,and it was declared that there
was ground for putting it to the vote.

The two first piats of the Report being ap-

'proved, the third, relative to the application of
the resources necessary for the defence of the
Gaditanian Island, was submitted to discussion.
Senor Sitiva observed, that it appeared proper
that the Cortes should grant to the Government
powers to the filll extent recommended by the
Committee, for seizing-upon all resources within
its reach, or over winch it might have jurisdiction.
He could not, however, agree to the renewal of
the powers which had already been granted, as
in his opinion that kind of conf►rmation was not
necessary ; and surely it was not decorous that
the decrees or resolutions of the Cortes should
require to be renewed in order to insure their
observance.

Senor Galiano remarked, that among the grants
were some determinable duties, and others which
were accidental and depending on circumstances.
Those were the grants, the renewal of which had
been recommended by the Committee ; and for
this weighty reason, that the Government had
manifested some scruple or hesitation with re-
spect to their collection.
The Secretary of State for Finance admitted
the justice of the principles laid down by Senor
Galiano, and confirmed what the Deputy had
stated respecting the existence of accidental
duties. Those duties were of no trifling considera-
tion, and it was indispenSahle to renew the autho-
rity granted by the Government, in ;order that
they might be levied, and that advantage might be
derived from them which had not hitherto been
obtained. The Government, however, wished
that instead of enlarging its powers to the last
extremity, some duties should be pointed out
which could be made available to cover the daily
demands. The Governtnent had already stated,
with the greatest frankness, that it had exhausted
all the means within its reach to obtain the ne.
cessary resources, and had not succeeded. On
this account the Government applied to the
Cortes, in time hope that they world, with supe-
rior wisdom, and perhaps also with better for-
tune, resort to efficacious and sofficient means.

Senor Arguelles, without prejudice to the turn
of those who had asked leave to speak, wished
to explain a fact.' The Committee were desirous
that the Secretaries of State should not he igno-
rant of the subject under consideration. They
requested that. some of the Secretaries should be
present, or at least some of them to confer with
the Committee on the arduous and urgent subject
under consideration. he Committee, however,
waited in vain for the Secretaries. Ilis only ob-
ject in stating this fact was, that it should not be
supposed that the Committee had refused to con-
. sider this subject in concert with the Government.
Senor Canga was surprised that the Govern-
meat should require the Committee or the Cortes
to enumerate the duties which alight be applied
to the wants Of the moment, when the Cortes
neither could, nor in his opinion ought to do,
more than authorize the Government in the way
proposed by the Committee. He had, however,
risen to speak for the purpose of opposing the.
report : for' he
,thought it roost properrttloiliam)atotstLitmyoe
Government,•considering the resources which the
Gt
dCi tti:m;jeasnwilmBrmitancl
'consid'ers i tnfeltr(fill ismimmouridde order
may adopt the, necessary measures. At a crisis
like the present, every thing should yield to the
great object of the defence of this most important
point.
The -Secretary of. State for Finance persisted
in his opinion that the authority proposed to be
granted to the. Government would not have the
desired effect. The resources must of necessity
be temporary, and limited to the circuit within
which the -Government was placed ; and there
being some resources which the Government did
not consider itself empowered to employ, it was
requisite that the Cortes should give the proper
authority. For example, it might in some eases
he necessary to make use of foreign property,
and that the Government could not do without
the express authority of the Cortes.
Senor Isturiz was of opinion that the Corks
ought to confine themselves merely to enlarg-
ing the powers of the Government. By itself or
its agents the Government best knew the ex-
tent of the resources of the country in its occu-
pation.
Senor Adan thought that there was no neces.
sits for giving particular authority to the Go-.
vernment or to any person whatever, as the de-
crees of the Cortes empowered the Generals of
districts and places declared in a state of siege
to, adopt every means necessary for defence, even
to the last extremity. Cadiz was in this situa-
tion, and consequently the Commander-in-Chief
was responsible for its preservation. It was his
business to avail himself of every means and of
all the resources of the country, for the defence
of the place intrusted to his care.
After further debate, in the course of which
the Secretaries of State repeated their wish that
time particular measures and resources to be em-
ployed should be specified by the Cortes, • Ar-
guelles, in- order to conciliate the Opposite
opinions, moved the suspension of time debate on
this point, and that a select committee of finance
should be appointed to propose, in concert with
the Government, to the Cortes the necessary
measures.and resources. This motion was agreed
to.

On the last part of the report bein,c,, read,
Senor Albear asked whether, without prejudice
to it, the Government would still he authorised
to continue negociations with any Power with
which they might have commenced for the pur.
pose or obtaining an honourable peace, capable of
securing Political and civil liberty and the throne
of his Majesty.
Senor Arguelles observed, that the making of
war or peace belonged exclusively to the Go-
vernment, and that the report ought to impose
no fetters on that prerogative.
The question was declared sufficiently dis-
cussed, and this last port of the report was also
approved.

The particular vote of Rodriguez Paterna
against the approbation or the report as a whole.
was ordered to be entered on the journals.
rrhe In Pill hers of the corm-duce of finance
►moved for by Senor Arguelles, are, Senores
Ferrer (1)on Joaquin), Oliver, Zulnetta, Surra,
Sanchez, Ovalle, Escoveclu, and Alvarez (Don
Elias.)