The Sun.
London, England, 1826-12-14 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.—We received late last night the
important document, the King of France's speech, on the
opening of the Legislative session. This speech proceeds
as such a thing ought to do (menacing France only with
that especial care of the liberty of the press which indi-
cates a mischievous intention towards ►t, and some im-
provement of the constitution of juries), till we come to
the last sentence, which was probably added to the original
composition after his Most Christian M ►jesty's Ministers
had received the account of Our warlike demonstra-
tions against Spain. This last sentence runs thus.:—
".France,_industrious and tranquil, will acquire fresh
geatness;. and ;her successes in peace will not shed
less lustre upon her than will be'. shed upon her by her
warlike virtues, if honour should again force, her to dis-
play these." This last sentence, we should fear, is not
casual,- nor referring to an i►riaginary case in the infinite
class of mere possibilities. It ►s more specific; and has
reference to a case in the view and contemplation► of his
Majesty aid his Ministers. It. agrees but little with the
following sentence in the middle of the speech:--" I con-
tinue to receive from all foreign Governments the assur-
.ance,of. the most amicable disposit►ons, and the most con-
formable to my own sentiments for the maintenance of
peace. Troubles have broken out in a part of the Pe-
ninsula. I shall unite my efforts to those of my Allies
to put an end to them, and to prevent their consequences."
•

It is curious enough that the studied compliments ant
flattering attentions which were recently paid to Mr. Can-
ning in Paris, should be folloWed so soon by a perfidious
attack on the ancient ally of England; by a power that is
in constant and intimate correspondence with
,the coed of
Verstsilles. That Ferdinand and his Government would
not undertake such- an enterprise without the connivance
of the French Cabinet, is as certain as that, the ", Divine
Rights" of his Most Catholic Majesty are supported by
the arguments of French legions. 'llie money that has
been distributed- among the rebel troops of Portugal could
not be , had from the exhausted exchequer of Spain, into
which the Monks and Friars, with all their miraculous gifts
and holy reliques, could not conjure tie many dollars as
would save their Royal Master from insolvency. Thus
has France, with one hand, been fomenting this new dis-
turbance of the peace, of Europe, while, with the other, the
se:mt.:pewee has been holding out ;4 houquel of flattery to
the nose of Mr. Cunning, who, delighted by the agreeable
incense, had his attention completely diverted from the
organization of a hostile movement, then in rapid prepara-
tion in Spain. That Mr. Canning endiobr whole Cabinet
have been duped by the superiority of ;French intrigue, is
evident from the factor the King's Speeel, at the opening
of the Session, containing the most confiaeht anticipations
of the preservation of peace with all our allies, while it did
not. make the slightest allusion to any thing like suspicious
conduct on the part of the Spanish Government. But his
Majesty's Message to Parliament, on Monday. night, an-
nounced that " hostile inroads into the territory,of Portu-
gal have been cnncerted in Spain, and have been executed
under the eyes of Spanish authorities, by Portuguese regi-
ments, which had deserted into Spain, and which the Spa-
nish Government had repeatedly and solemnly engaged to dis-
arm and to disperse." Here is deceit and perfidy on the part of
that Sovereign who owes England his crown !—the mendi-
cant on her patronage, whom her arms raised from a prison to
the throne of hie ancestors I But these preparations for
"hostile movements" must have taken some time, and our'
Ministry ought to have been aware of the fact. • What
nie is it to give large salaries to Ambassadors at Foreign,
Courts, if they -do not enable our Government to get'
tinnily intelligence of what is passing in foreign countries
to the detriment .of our own interests ? Though the.
Speitith .Government connived at the conduct ()file Por-
tuguese rebel regiments, surely our Ambassador was not a
participator in that connivance—and not being so, why did
be not give our Ministry information of the perfidy of the
Court of Meath' before now ? or if he did transmit such
information to one Ministers in time, why did°)they not utl-
• vise some intimation of it to be given in the
,King's Speech
that the nation might not be taken unawares by tot um:
nouncement of war ? Whatever may be the evil or in.:
, convenience of the problem posture of affairs, it may be all
'traced to the indecisive policy. which our Cabinet pursued
at the period of the last invasion of Spain by the French
• armies. The language of Mr. Canning, was, on that oc;
elision, when addressing the French Government, to this
effect: " We disapprove of your conduct in preparing td
make an aggression on Spain ; we think it quite unjusti4
flable. ; nevertheless, if you persevere ill it, England will
not offer you any resistance." The French Government
did not rare what Our opinion of the matter was, eo at
they could learn that we were resolved to interpose ne
Obstacle to their design. They learnt this front Mr. Cans
ninkete &elevation ;—" upon this hint" they acted; and all
men of eemmon sense foresaw that when they should have
got Spain 'oithin their grasp, and thrown garrisons into hel•
strongest 'deceit, their ambitious intrigue would not rest
until their pkiwer ~n 4 influence should also have extended
over. Portugal.—Moesnug Herald.
The Speech of the King of Prance,delivered on Tuesday,
On the opening of the two Chambers, lies been received.
From the Message to the two litnisee of Parliament, and
the declarations of Lord Bathurst and Mr. Canning, with
respect to :the assurances of friendly co-Operation of the
French Government, it was to be expected that his Most
Christian ' Majesty should hold a pacific language. Ile
says—
" l• continue to receive from all. Foreign Governments the
assurance et` the most amicable dispositions— dispositions which
ere entirely conformable to my own ben timents for the mainte.
lattice of peace.
_44 Disturbances have recently broken out in one part of the
Penfoula. I shalt unite my efforts to those of my allies, to put
an end ):0 them, and to prevent all their consequences."
Whed;er this language corresponds with the real in-
tentions of the French Government, time will show. Dif-
ferent persons will, of course, conjecture differently. It is'
generally believed that M. tie Villele is pacifically di
posed ;; and the Speech of the. French King very probably
repsent,,, his asotiteents very fairly. It was, however,
observed by Mr: Baring, who, we may suppose, knows as
mach of this matter as most tqen, " that a power existed ln
France at this time greater than the Government itself, I 0
ii
petioe acqintinted with that country would deny: He %yrs
perfectly convinced that 11101110 strong and essential points
of foreign policy were wholly out of the bands of the prin-
cipal Minister of France, and the seine observation mighit
be pecitely applied to Spanish and Portuguese politids.
The Right honourable Gentleman (Mr. Canning) had the
,- Mat Positive ationances of pine from M. de:Villle,
• when the French: troops were passing the frond* 043
AO he (Mr.' Tiering) believed, that. M. de Villele was sib-,
ci,cely • opposed to the occupation of Spain, but he wis
pushed and goaded on by it putty Stronger than hims f.
t
irbero; o relsewhere, Minister* would not always liana Ili
their plaee,e for their prineiplee." Which of the two p`r-
useetelaney ? This is the
ties, then,: is :ikelY to gain the
is,o,tie to whichi mere reasoniumis
, Feat question,itteld it
a I...nplieibie.. rho, Mr.... Aiming tines not, by any meats,
iigasoired
,of the pow.fr of the moderate party in France
to give effect to their vietve is evident, from the 64+
1101041 Ott Tuesday night. Whe could have counted tri
the French Government, he
certainly is too adroit to ha ~
.. addressed so many arguments to its prudence. ~ i win ad.
. : ,nit Ole says),. for argument's sake, that Ow oceuputionlef
'Spaiii by Franc•e was a disparagement to Oe Phaliwt„iloi
this country; I:will admit even that it was a blow to w
polier which ought to be maintained in the ree.latl6,, 4,
- thebelanee of power. What then was to be done r: ,tbri
*Mt two means to be adopted in our resistance ton— »
Of them was, to attack the French troops. which chit es
Spain, the other was to render the conquest harmless,*
fat as regarded us, and valueless, or something weree),4'.
tufty iiipoon. to the possessor ~ i , ~ .
it ..! -
Was necessary to blockade Cadiz, 11 say, to restore the
,situation
.of Engleed?—No ; I looked at the possessions
,A,upeipain pa the other side, of the Atlantic ; I looketl at
the Wick, and I called in the New World to restore -this
balance of the Ohl, Thie;theteie my 41111Wer to the question.