Star.
London, England, 1810-12-12 00:00:00

'

THE CalttES.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17.
is day's debate, Senor TORRERO, after a speech
-nor Creus, who declared himself hostile to the
m of the Press, spoke to nearly the following
" Mr. President, I differ from the last speaker
lee he has taken, but in rising to give my opi.
wish to recall the assembly to the funklamea-
iples on which we have to argue this ques-
id from which I perceive we have strayed. I
,e this question to be divided into two parts ;
its justice, the second its necessity. Justice is
I principle of civil society, and the child of
is the Liberty of the Press. I wish to prove
it which mankind is possessed of to obtain that
and if I•succeed, the detention of it will be
:e, and all injustice is wrong.—Let us apply
inciple to the present moment, and let us look
land for an,example. The grand cause of that
i independence is the power which every man
sof canvassing actions of public men, of
ing the conduct of the representatives of the
in Parliament, and of making known an opi-
pon it. It is impossible *to describe the error-
importance of this weapon, and of the power'
smanates from the Press. England knows its
she protects the Press, and in return the Preu
itected England.
ieright of canvassing the actions of the Govern-
an7
imprescriptible right, which no nation can
without •ceasing to be one. But let me recal
ttention to the memorable Decree of the 24th
tember. 'What did we then do ? We declared-
crees of Bayonne unlawful and null ! and for
Cason ? Because the act of renunciation was
into without the consent of the nation. To
has that nation now devolved its cause ? To
We.are its Representatives, and by our
Constitution could take few steps without the
our Constituents. But when the People placed
in our hands; did they deprive themselves of
iportant right of inspecting and canvassing our
? Why did.eve on the 24th of September, de-
responsibility Of the Executive Government ?
id we assure to ourselves the power of review.
actions ? Because we were placing power in
ids of men who might easily abuse it, if there
io bridle to check them, and there is no bridle
Cortes. . But are we infallible ? Are we not
to err ? Can the people on our first assembling
xch confidence in us as to require so precau-
Hake not the people the same right over us
have,over the Executive Power ? Suppose the
.ative and the Executive were to unite to restore
ism, have the people no defence? No resource ?
not here be perplexed by metaphysics, but let
guided by facts, reason, and experience. The
have one resource, the Press. But if that be
red them, what signifies it, whether they be en-
by one, by five, by twenty, or by an hundred?
tatety% for their right have the people after our-
, The people of Spain have ever detested ci-
trs. But there is a pacific mode of obtaining re-
namely, the bold expression of public opinion.
the people's safeguard, and we are not yet suf-
,y awake to its vast power of forcing Govern-
to be just. Yet by this, and by this alone, can
tion be saved. But if
.you deprive the people
liberty of speaking and writing, how is thie
to be declared ? If I were to tell my Conti-
in Estremadura of n previous censorship of the
what would they say to me when they found;
express their opinions they must send to the
for a licence ? It is, therefore, one of the
of mankind to have free liberty of the Press ;
m both wise in theory, and confirmed by prac-
id experience. England, by enjoying it, has
;tally resisted despotism. Whilst the Liberty
Press exists, Parliaments cannot be suppressed:
ccintrary, they gather strength to curb the
. • The high situation in which England now
arises from the Press ; for a free Press, in
Country, gives that powerful arm of public
to without which all others arc vain.

-he second point I hive to call to your notice is
Grounding, as I have. done, the liberty
subiect on a free Press, I next declare, that in
3- way can Spain be saved.. I repeat, that if
litations with which we propose to curb the
.ire Power are netessary, much more so.are
'istraints oil ourselves, which afford our Con.;
is the means of watching over our conduit. I
tpolten Of experience. If Spain had been able
:pest her 'public opinion, would all those itga-
scenes' of intrigue have been permitted in the
1 Would Godoy haie long retained a poWer
has proved •so fatal to:his country ?. the
of Wales .in England were placed a prisoner.
ortt Palace,..under•the' will of bad Ministers,
the •Etiglisli nation be silent?' Yet we have
lemur:and this sufficiently proves' that liberty,
a free Press, although it may be the good man':
willfstlll.beahothmg a dream. .1 wish to
ibis
_question dispassionately, and with calm
lag.: • ence between Myself and. My
uts that they
.40nceive the evils .of a free
,; be as niMion," the good as twenty.. I, on
trary, tliiiikthe evils are as twenty, and the
~,411ion::: They ilave Warmly digressed on
lament, .• If twere now to run over all tlt
,cr'&9lt ciVil suck ty, .the curses of anibit ion,
airs Of war, the
.woes. of famine, and the' de-
cf.pestilenie, I couldltighten yotr all,• But
dxf441.11 picture k might draw, woold yOu
ht. good: of Csvil society, and conchhie to de:
here wahave no' Republic of Plato. Here.
fallible men, with la the mixture of.good
behroging to our c ntiition, and it is from a'
e atone .ot adv.intage and inconvenience that•
form' jits decision on any question. A g*.tt
ut desiroutot tr-Anslating the bible
Urpit torrents of abuse were poured
I. for the attenipt.t. 'The
„same-language was
.to LI'S efforts:4s to ours. Whsttwas his an-.
46 Ide not deny its. ittcoroixtsienciet, hi i, iraltiffi
,a the balance'?" The s.true is our case. 'Mud
t:,e gnosl.wopld have been
• or:*
•41 t 01 our Matures.
rvtt„.
COl:Citlde.•• I believe:4lie nation to possess a
and inviolable right to the aved.:m of the press,
••••1-.1).,',Ayr.411-3 by, which Olty ,;.;) 4ssert their just.
11S user' the. conduat,ol their yepresentaiives.
i 4.4.1411 la is general,- but at ti.i.*3 1131nlont they
leg4ite tiHu the .vacate of their beloved ifsing.'

4 •
N.
•
•
WE
In this day's c
from'Senor Cret
Freedom of the
effect:—"
en the line he ha
Ilion, I wish to,
tal principles on
tion, and from v
conceive this qtr
th: first its justic
the vital princip
Justice is the Li
the right which
liberty, and if
injustice, and a
this principle to
to England for :
station-1s indeper
• possesses of can
inspecting the c
people in Parlia
nion upon it.
mots important
which emanates
shoprot
bas protected E
The right of
inert is an .imps
resign without •
"-your attention I
of September.
the llccrees of
what reason ?
entered into wit
*horn has. that
-Ourselves. We
.
original Constiti
rtrillrof our Cons
power in our h;
the important r
-*cams ?- Why
stree.the.respons
Why did we as
Ong its actioni
the hands of nu
trere•tO bridle
but the Cortes.
liable to err ?
bave such confi
Cons ? Have
that we have4av
Legis.ative and
despotism, have
Let us not herc
'es be guided b:
people have oni
debarred them,
slaved by one, I
ICI It safety
selves ? The
wars. But
dress, namely,
This is the peol
Eciently awake
, • tnents to be just
the nation be sv
of the liberty t
opinion to he d
tuents in Estrei
Press; what wo
that to express
Cones for a lic
fghts of monk
*system both
• 'bee and. experi
res
•f the Press exi
On the cdntrar
Crosyn. • The i
iii3laced, arises
* tree Country,
withou
" The secon,
. itinecessity.. (
6f the subject o
00' other way c.
tile limitations
~Executive Pow
those restraints
stituents the me
have spoken *ot
to express her
mous scenes of
-Estwial ? Won
which has pros
. Prince of
in his own P..la
wouki the Eng
been-silent ;
without a free I
dirrarn, xt•i!l still
argue this vie
xeot swig.
opponents
Press t.; be es a
• ,the,Ctiti.trarYt
.godd ati aonnifil
ail its dartsios.
evils iricidept 'ti
itor4-ors of
vi
,
V •'-ttpti (r.pes
frOrn the cixe.t..tt
forget the'grsod
•stroy here
we-statai, land
and
b trance 44/41;
•.we can fs.irtti ii
. inquis:tr,r or Sp,
• into SP intsfs.
on kin) fill. the
01-6,24 to Vl's' 4
r « Ido
•Pnlt on the fral
tittt i;.(114, nr
tits‘). n Fi
"1 o man
sacred and,mri)
r
P o,)i4ytifi Weir
DIM&
4414; rccpin
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