The Sun.
London, England, 1820-05-26 00:00:00

SPAIN AND FRANCE.

PARIS, NIAY 42.—The Spanish Government on the Ist of
May sent the-fullowimt note to M. Laval-Moututoreney, the
French Ambassador at Madrid
_ _

.
" The recent law, which re-establishes in France a pre-
vious Censorship over all periodical works, evidently ',Lees
them entirely at the disposal of Government : yet, for all
that, 'several of them have not ceased to display a spirit no
less hostile to Spain than inconsistent with the sentiments of
the age in which we live.
" The Spanish Government, eysally strong in the glorious
adhesion of a people worthy of the liberty fur which they are
indebted to their King, and in its conscious rectiinde of the
principles which direct it, despises, as they Jest' ve to be de-
spised, those productions, at mice short-lined and violent, of
a faction which, affecting not to understand the advantages
of the Political System established in their own country, con-
:blues to feed itself with chimeras, and, breathing out
impotent desires, incessantly prays for the resurrection
of superann❑ated institutions, incompatible with the intel-
ligence of the age. sat the same time, the. Spanish Go-
vernment cannot omit to call the attentio❑ of the en-
lightened Cabinet of his Must Christian Majesty to the
nielancholy results of such culpable conduct, because
it sees clearly that the object is to spread everywliere dis-
quietude, fear, and distrust, by inventing stories of insurrec-
tion and dissension, and by thus alarming Europe with the
impious edit, of their mischievous predictions. No one is
better able than your Excellency, by the rank which you
so worthily ' occupy, to appreciate bow much bail faith
and imposture such writers combine with the erroneous
maxims of their politics. Your Excellency, who sees
Spain present a great spectacle of peace and concord,
without any other alterations or difficulties than such as I
most necessarily be felt in a slight degree in a numer-
ous family which changes its plan of managing its domes-
tic affairs ;—your Excellency, who is a witness of the sublime
uniformity with which the Spanish people declared for the
constitutional system, which promises them numberless days
of tranquillity and of happiness;—your Excellency, who doubt-
less observes with a penetrating eye the salutary tendency of
our fundamental laws, which, far from beingthe product of
rein theories, are derived, for the most part from our ancient
laws of Castile, consecrated by time and experience, and
which are eel:tally separated from humiliating despotism had
ham the fury of a in id denincracy;—yunr Excellenes,in short,
who doubtless admires the greatness of semi and the rare vir-
tues displayed by a magnanimous King, cordially united with
his faithful people. and rejnieing in not possessing any other
power than such as is necessary to govern in Treace., and to
labour effect tinily for their glsry and happiness ;—yonr EXcel-
fence yourself wilt he surprised at reading in certain public
Papers, and certain despicable Journals of France,that Spain
is the prey of a handful of factious men, that she is now op-
pressed under the yoke of phrensied demagogues, that rivers
of blood must yet flow, and that Europe is menaced wits► the
sudden contagion► of these frightful evils; such things would
surprise your Excellency, if any thing could excite surprise
on the part of .fhen who hare the direction of
sinch writings,
and if indignation were not the only sentiment which they
ought to excite.
" But the Spanish Government, unacquainted with the
obscure methods of tortuous diploniacb sure of the noble and
unanimous wish for a fraternal union pronounced by the na-
tion, is very far from wishing to .remand from any govern-
ment, laws of exception, laws of restraint, the extinction of
intelligence, or, in short, any thine: not conforetahle to the
principles which it glories in professing• It will content itself
with pointing out to the French I 'abitiet that which its own
good sense cannot fail to suggest—the ill effects which might
result among two nations formed to reciprocally esteem each
other, to see that, under the rules of a Censorship dependent
'on ministerial authority, such gross calumnies are caramitted
against a neighbour and a friend, whilst r+r►ieles intended to
counteract them, to elucidate concealed truth, and to support
the cause of reason and justice, are rejected.
" His Catholic Majesty, who has received from his august
uncle so many proofs of tender affection, and who in return
has answered his Most Christian Majesty with sentiments not
less elevated—convinced that it cannot escape the high wis-
dom of that Monarch, how important it is that the most-cur-
dial esteem and friendship should reign between two nations
which paternal sceptres govern under analogous institutions,

and which possess a multitude of common interests, has no
doubt but that the French Government will adopt the most
efficacious means of preventing the breaking of those ties, and
of tearing up those pernicious seeds whicl) imprudent or cul-
pable hands are sowing, in order to reap their bitter fruits.
In presenting these observations by order of the King, t take

this opportunity of renewing to your Excellency the assurance
of thy high cunsideration."