Star.
London, England, 1823-11-07 00:00:00

ADDITIONAL DOCEWENTS

REFERRED To IN TRE STATE/NEKTON'. SENORS num DE
LA VEGA AND OLIVRR,
(GIVEN IN TUE STAUDT...YESTERDAY.)
.••
•N. ^ Ntr 5. • •

The undersigned Secretary of State for Foreign Af-I
fairs to his Catholic Majesty has received the.: Note
which Sir William A'Court, Envoy Extraordinary and
:Minister Pleripotentiary to his Britannic Majesty, has
dime him the honour to direct to him from Seville, un-
der date of the 11th inst. arid he thinks it.his duty, in
reply, to inform him -that the involuntary delay expe-
rienced in the delivery of the official communication
which the undersigned hastened to make to his Excellency
on the 16th of June last, has been so much the more dis-
agreeable to his Majesty's Government, as it has given oc-
casion to the continuance of SirW.A'Court's stay in that
city during the whole of that time. He also thinks it neces-
sary to state that his Majesty's Government is no less sen-
sible to the unexpected deterrninatism adopted by Sir W.
A'Court to transfer his residence to Gibraltar, in await-
ing fresh instructions from-his Court, seeing that under
the present circumstances there exists to all appearance
no reasonable cause to prevent his Excellency from re-
suming his important functions at the Court of his Ca-
tholic Majesty, and thus destroying the misrepresenta-
tions of calumny, whatever they might be. The under-
signed also thinks it necessary to state, that under this
view of the subject it is not easy to doubt that the com-
mands which his Excellency may receive from his Go-
vernment on the subject, will.he altogether conforma-
ble to the just desires of his Majesty, and agreeable to
the sincere friendship subsisting between the two au-
go st Monarchs; a nd that, in the meanti me, until the under-
signed is assured of this fact, he vtill have the greatest
satisfaction in pursuing his official communications with
Sir Wm. A'Court. The undersigned has also the ho-
nour to assure Sir Wm. A'Court, that his Majesty's Go-
vernment duly appreciates the friendly intentions and
isterest towards Spain which have doubtless dictated
the offer with which his Excellency has thought fit
to conclude his before-mentioned note: and at the same
time the undersigned must be permitted to observe that
his Excellency is too enlightened not to be aware that
a Government, the victim of the most wilful and immo-
ral oppression that has ever been known, and the real
motive of which, the object at which it aims, has
never been manifested, is absolutely incapable of ad-
dressing to its iniquitous oppressor propositions of any
nature, without evidently compromising the national
honour, the most sacred interests, and the dearest
principles. The only opinion, therefore, whichthe under-
signed can entertain on the present occasion, on so im-
pot cant a subject, is'simply this, that if Great Britain truly
desire (as his Majesty's Government is persuaded shedoes)
that tranquillity should be restored to Europe, and that
Spain should be delivered from those evils which so
unjustly oppress her, her Government should not besi;
tate to employ the necessary measures to induce the
Frenc't Cabinet at once clearly to explain its intentions,
in order that, with this precise knowledge, his Majesty's
Government may take it into consideration, whether or
not to establish, through the mediation of his Britannic
Majesty, the basis of a solid and useful peace ; and above
all, one which m iy be perfectly honourable to Spain.
The undersigned takes the present occasion to repeat to
SirW. A'Court the assurances of his igitest consideration.
JOSE MARIA DE PANDO.

Cadiz, 20th July, 1823.
To Sir W. A'Court, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary to big Britannic Majesty.
N 0.4 is the letter of the Duke of Angouleme to the
King or Spain, dated fioin Port St. Mary, August 17,
stating that Spain vk as delivered from the revolutionary
yoke, and iccommending► the convocation of the an-
cient Col tes.

No. 5 is King Ferdinand's answer, vaiich begins by
remarking, that the intentions of the King of France,
had never before been stated to him. This correspond-
ence has already appeared in the Slur.
No. 6.

The undersigned Secretary of State ad Waving of his Catholic
Majesty has the honour to transmit to Sir William A'Court, Eire)),
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipocntiary of his Britannic Majesty,
a copy of the lute which his IJepartment addressed to his Ex-
cellency on the 20th of July last, the original of which has probably
been mislaid, as its receipt has not yet been acknowledged, not-
withstanding the urgency of the business of which it treats. The
undersigned being also desirous again to express the satisfaction
with which his Catholic Majesty's Government has received the
friendly offers contained in Sir William A'Coures last letter of the
11th of July, hastens to transmit to his Excellency the annexed co-
pies of the autograph letter addressed to his Catholic Majesty by
his Royal Highness the Duke d'Angouleme, dated Port St. 'Mary
the 17th instant, together with the autograph answer which the
King was pleased to return to that extraordinary communication.
The undersigned if fully persuaded that Sir W. A'Court, in render-
ing to his Britannic Majesty an account of these important docu-
ments, will not fail earnestly to call his Majesty's attention to the
contrast presented on this occasion between the conduct of his
Catholic Majesty and the ill-advised, not to say insulting, intimation
which the Duke d'Augouleme presumed to make to hint in the
name of his august uncle, the King of France.
If any doubt could hitherto have existed as to the real intentions
of the French Government with respect to Spain, all such dendni
must vanish at sight of the Dake d'Antouleme's letter, which ex-
presses a wish not for the prudent reform of our political institutions,
in order to impart the necessary force to the Royal authority, and
to obvi.,te aU danger or cause of jealousy to other Powers ;
but to gain possession of the King and his Royal Family, to make
them the instruments of the French Government, and, without leav-
ing the Spaniards in possession of any moderate Constitution, to
overwhelm the Spanish nation with disgrace, and to deprive it of all
irdepcitdence, liberty, and security. It supposes the King is not
free, and proceeds to maintain this evident and absurd falsehood,
in spite of the many solemn declarations of his Majesty to the con-
trary—in spite of his many unequivocal acts which set aside all idea
of edeiciou, and in spite of the uninterrupted tranquillity and good
order which are well known to prevail in Cadiz, the respect that Is
entertained for the august person of the King, and the character and
principles of his Ministe rs. The Freech alone drove the King from
his palace of 51adrid, they alone drove him from Seville ; and in what
way do they :low pretend to restore to hint the liberty of which
they alone have deprived hint ?—by requiring that he should sue.
renderhimseif absolutely to their disposal and their influence. 'lsis
is. the only explicit proposition curtained in the Duke d'Augou-
leme's letter; it is the preliminary situ qua net; and they who pre-
tend that the Monarch is nut free in the hands of his faithful sub-
jade, wish to place hint in the power of the foreign troops who have
invaded 1,15 kingdom, of the traitors and rebels who are assisting the
enemy in desolating his dominions. Let Ferdinand VII. be free,
said the King of France, to give to his subjects institutions which
they Lan receive from hint alone, and instantly the war shall cease.
The civilized world has bZheld with amazement an aggression
founded on such a pretence, and scandalized to bear a maxim which
is calculated to subvert the most sacred rights of nations. But
in fact, his Most Christian Majesty did nut say that he would only
consider his Cathohc Majesty tree when he should bean the midst of
the French army; and as fink did he announce the Intention of
dictating or suggesting the institutions which he was to give to his
subjects. Now the Genet-el-in-Chief of the French arusy assumes
the power of deciding when the King of Spain shall consider himself
free, and even when he should be declared at liberty. His Majesty is
only to use his freedom for the purpose of giving us such institutions
as May be agreeable to the Calmuct of the Tuillerles; for that ,Cabi-
. . .
• off.es the

Ment ; the least,tonforrnable with the spirit of the age, and the pre-
sent condition and customs of the nation, and the most likely to
perpetuate division and oppositioie offinterests and party conflicts-
ribose men must he ignorant of the history cif Spain who pro:I/Moe,
fii the present state of things, tendatablish the ancient Cortes of
the kingdom as the guarantee of order, jttstlce, and good govern-
ment. Juntas, or particular establishments; in e!ach of the throe
Rieman provinces, different Cones h ..Nirrarre—others of three
distinct classes i!' Arragon, C.:tato:lM; and Valencia, which for a
length of time bier ceased to exist in those quarters, others of
very different kinds in the kingdoms of the Castiles, which never
possessed a fixed form. and which underwent so many vicissitudes
—such is the chain by which it is proposed. to unite the Spanish
people together, and to consolidate the Monarchy. Congresses of
this heterogeneous nature, in which no real national representation
ever existed—in which men calling' themselves representatives
of the people were so frequently seen to prostitute and sell them-
selves to power—in which the Royal dignity was so often outraged
and oppressed by the ambition and preponderance of subjects—
such are the means by which it is wished. to invigorate the monar-
chical authority, and to secure just freedom to the nation. It
is excusable to pause and reflect on this point; and it is only
possible to explain the Duke d'Angoulerne s proposition, by at-
taching to it the same sense as that in which the ancient Cortes
was spoken of by the authors of the royal decree of the 4th of
May, 1814—a vain word, the object of which was to leave a little
hope to those who do not reflect, and to restore absolute govern-
ment. Thus it would easily have been directed from Paris, and
thus, after the lapse of a century, the plan of Louis XIV. would have
been executed, which is doubtless the real object of the war. It was
not sufficient to effect this object by a measure se extraordinary as
the establishment of the self-styled Madrid Regency, and to render it
the means of subverting all that had been done during the space of
three years by the legitimate Government, acknowledged by the in-
vaders themselves, and by all Europe ; it was not sufficient to de-
prive the Spaniards of the right of establishing such a Constitution
for themselves as best suited them ; it was necessary to deprive
them of any Constitution whatever, slid because they wished to en-
joy liberty without licentiousness, although without prejudice to
France ; they now suffer, together with the King, front the yoke
attempted to be imposed on *ern, &c. &c.
No. 7.

CORTES EXTRAORDINARY.- -FIRST SECRET SITTING.
SEPTEMBER G.

The sitting opened at half-past seven in the evening,
when the Secretary of State for the Home Department
lead an exposition made by the Government, which de-
scribed the melancholy-situation of the nation, and the
last communications of the Government-with the Envoy
of his Britannic Majesty, Sir Wm. A'Court and those of
his Catholic Majesty with the Duke of Angouleme.
After the exposition was read, one of the Secretaries
asked whether it was the wish of the Cortes to continue
in a secret sitting on this subject, and it was resolved
by an almost unanimous vote in the negative. After-
wards some Deputies suggested, that in making a pub-
lic report on what had passed, it would be proper to
suppress some passages of the exposition, and the other
documents. Don Cayetano Valdes in the meantime
read a kind of intimation which he had just received
from the besieging General, and the Secretary of State
ft,r the Home Department having pointed out the in-
convenience which in his opinion would be experienced
by the Government if all the documents, presented were
made public, it•was resolved that the President and Se-
cretaries of the Cortes should, in concert with the Mi-
nisters, fix upon the documents or passages which ought
not to be read in public. The sitting then terminated.
No. 8.
SECOND SECRET SITTING.-SEPT. 9.

The minutes of the sitting of the 6th being read
and approved, the President observed, that the Govern-
ment having summoned the Cortes to this sitting, it was
for the Ministers to state the business on which they
were convoked.
The Secretary of State for the Home Department
then delivered four documents which had lately been
interchanged for the suspension of hostilities by the be-
sieging army, but that the Government not having
agreed to what the Duke of Angouleme proposed, hos-
tilities were about to be renewed.

The documents presented were-1. A copy, of his
Majesty's letter transmitted to the Duke of Angouleme
through General Alava, in which, as a proof of his
Majesty's sincere desire of peace, he offered to treat
alone with the Duke on the means of re•establishing it,
on board the ship ora neutral Power, or in a point at
equal distance horn the two armies, with the precau-
tions and formalities usually adopted in like cases.-
2. The dispatch of General Alava to the Government,
stating the result of his mission. 3. An unauthentic
note, in French, without date or signature, accompa-
nying the other letter, in which were expressed the con-
ditions on which the Duke of Angouleme would enter
upon an adjustment. 4. The opinion of the Council of
State on the examination of these documents.

These documents having been read; the Minister with.
drew, and the sitting terminated.
No. 9.
THIRD SECRET SITTING, SEPT. 18. _ _

The Dispatch of yesterday's date was read, in which
the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs stated, that
the Government had to snake a communication to the
Cortes in a secret sitting.
The same Secretary of State then intimated, that the
Government considered it necessary to inform the
Cortes of some circumstances which had occurred since
the communications made on the 9th.: He accordingly
proceeded to read a paper which related to the little
hope there remained of deriving any effective advan-
tage from the intervention of the English Government,
solicited through the medium of Sir W. A'Court—The
answer returned by the latter—the invitation made on
the part of the enemy through an indirect and purely
confidential channel, for again opening communications
—the ultintatutn recently proposed, which could not fail
to be rejected with indignation by the Government—
the protest of the Government that it had not Omitted,
though without result, the employment of any of the
means in its power for terminat►ng the war, and pre-
venting the dange►s which the defence of this island
mi3,lit bring upon its worthy inhabitants--the resolu-
n of the Government to per►sh rather than to see the
throne despoiled of its dignity and the Spanish people
of their liberty—and the consequent result, that the or-
dinary course of war was returned.
The Cortes having received this information closed
the sitting.

No. 10.
FOURTH SECRET SITTING, SEPT. 25.

Read a Dispatch from the Secretary of State for the
Home Department, stating the resolution of his Ma-
jesty for convoking the Cortes, to inform them of what
had occurred in San Fernando. _

The Secretary of War being called upon by the Presi-
dent, rose and said, that though the first object of the sit-
ting was to receive an account of the mutiny of the soldiers
of the battalion of San Martial, there were other occur-
rences posterior to that event, of which it was thought
proper that the Cones should also be informed. At mid-
night on the 23d, the battalion mutinied, in consequence
of which the General-in• Chief proceeded to the spot with
troops of every description ; having arrived yesterday
morning with 3,000 men, he found that six companies
had already returned to obedience, and the other two
companies submitted on his command. The companies
were removed from the points which they garrisoned,
and distributed among those of the battery of Offal/.

In Campo Soto they were septrated and decimated.
those selected being executed. He then relied vat ious
other events and incidents, which shewed the bad spirit
of the army, and the Conversations and means of se-4
duction which were employed. In conseqUence of these
seductions, the General had assembled the principal
Ocers on the preceding night, in Campo Soto,
where they endeavoured to promote good spirit among
the -troops : but though many were decided, the con-
duct of all could not be relied on. Among other mea-
sures, the General had disbanded the second provi-
sional battalion.

The Secretary for the Home Department then read
a Dispatch 'received last night from the General-in-
Chief, in which, after stating in detail the causes Which
rendered the defenCe of the Gaditanian Island dirli•
cult, the General stated that he, believed it would be
necessary. to concentrate the army on the territory be-
tween Cadiz and the Cortadura.• The reply of the Go-
vernment directed; that until
.the concentration should
be definitively determined upon, the general should in
the meantime transfer to Cadiz all effects which might
not be absolutely necessary in case of attack. The Se.
cretary of State further observed, that the Government
considered it above all things necessary to consult a Junta
of Generals. The Officers, on the view of all the points
which they. had to consider, and the notoriety of
the absolute impossibility of defending the line now oc-
cupied, unanimously agreed that the concenttation
ought to be instantly effected, as well as the other mea-
sures proposed by the General-in-Chief. They added,
that the army, considering its number and quality, did
not afford security fin. the defence of the new line pi
posed, nor yet for that of this city, which wanted re-.
sources of every kind, and that a determination should
be come to without loss of time. The Alinisters, not
possessing sufficient experience on the subject, had not
ventured of themselves to order the concentration.

After some conversation, ►Senor SAAVEDRA suggested
that the Ministers should be asked whether the Govern-
ment intended to submit to the Cortes any propositiOn
on the communication which had just now been made?
The SEcaErAnx of 'VAR replied, that the Govern-
ment had nothing to add to the exposition which had
been made, as it had formed no opinion on the subject
of the concentration, and he only state his individually.

Various questions were put by other Deputies re-
specting the object of the communication, and the rea-
sons which bad induced the Government to convoke the
Cortes ; to which the War Secretar7 again replied, that
the Government had formed no opinion, and that what
was wished was, that the Cortes should declare them-
selves fully informed by this communication, and wait
for the propositions to be made by the Government. A
question to this effect was put to the vote, and decided
in the negative.
A -motion signed by Senores Conga, Arellano, Me-
lendez, Reillo, Buruaga, and Moreno, was then read ;
it was to the following effect:—" That the Cortes
should appoint a Committee to confer with his Majesty
on the measures which might be calculated to termi-
nate the evils that afflict the country, the farther effu-
sion of blood, and the ravages of' civil war, and-to se-
cure the liberty and independence of the nation."
The Secretaries of, the Cortes intimated a doubt of
the competency of the Congress to discuss this proposi-
tion, which had not been remitted to them by the Go-
vernment. It was put to the vote, whether the motion
should be taken into consideration, and resolved in the
negative. The sitting was then concluded.
No. IZ.
/MTH SECRET SITTING, SEPT. 26.

Read the dispatch for the convocation and the pro-
posal submitted by the Government. It was put to the
vote whether the sitting should be continued secret ;
and it was resolved in the affirmative by a majority
of 43 to 38.
SENOR ADAK proposed that the consideration of the
subject before the Cortes should be suspended until the
following day, because many Generals were absent in
consequence of there not having been time to summon
them. This proposition was declared not to be included
in article 100 of the regulations.
It was then ordered that the exposition of the Go-
vernment should be referred to a special committee,
consisting of Senores Calderon, Cuadra, Escobo, Maran,
Adan, Gener, Ruiz de la Vega, Surra, and Tomas.
Read the particular vote of Senores Meca, Maran,
Lillo, Tegeiro, Posed°, Salva, Adan, Rico, Ruiz de la
Vega, Gomez, Galiano, Septiem, Villanneva, Buruaga,
Bertran de Lis, Roso, Reillo, Lagasca, Llorente, Soria,
Escobo, Afonso, and Calderon, against the resolution of
the Cortes to consider the exposition of the Government
in a secret sitting.
The present sitting was then adjourned, and the next,
for receiving the report of the committee, was fixed for
to-morrow at twelve o'clock.

thiaet out uu;y dictates whit ese institutions shalt be, but off:rs the
co-operation ul France and her Allies in consolidating them. And
that are the institutions which, with such it .contrived diraiatulam
lion, are preset Wed to his Catholic Majesty to be given to his sub-
j.:us? Precisely such as are least recouciieable with the dignity of
tue Crown; the most calculated to enfeeble the Royal authority,
to enervats and to destroy the unity of the functions of Gornto-
.