The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-12-20

mcrt ofthe MINISTRY, Of v.l,ch Z was Il the head.
was te;atsy uaacquantcd N.,A the treasures IL.
by Don E ;squicrdo, at Paris, as we,i rs
with his appomtnent, his instructions, his cor
resPondence, and every part OF his proceedings.
- The result OF this WAS to render the eripe-
ror master ofPortugal with very little cxpence |;
TO furnish him with plausible prctext for intro
duci.g his armies into our peninsula with the in
tent OF subjugating 1t at proper opportunity,
and TO put him in Immediate possession of Tus-
cany
!" The fayorite was to have for his portion the
Aigarves and Alantejo, in full property and So
vereignty, but the emperor's answer to the let.
tiers OF the royal father had not yet arrived ); it
was completely uncertain what it would be, and
this tiled him with fear and anxiety.
:" The intimate relations which the f.vorite
maintained at that period with the grand duke
OF Berg, through the medium of his confident
lsquiertlo, fattered him to a certain degreee
with the hope that every thing would be settled
20 his wishes, though the interposition of few
millions might be necessary. But neither the "a
vol1e nor his confident knew the real intentions
OF the person they were treating with at Paris
lr fact, the instant the emperor found that the
tavorite had committed himself, snd the royal pa
rents were brought into discredit, he Showed no
disposition TO answer his majcstys letters, for the
purpose ofkeepng them in suspence, and inspir
lt', them with dread, in the hope that they might
FORM Tie resolution OF withdrawing, though n,
mat time he had net completed ms plan for TIA
KING an advantage of such an occurrence.
Inc grand duke wrote to the favorite that
he would employ every means to support him.
out IT, the negotiation was rendered very del
icate, owing TO the extraordinary attachment
winch prevailed in Spain towards the prince. of
Asturias, ard the consideration due towards a
princess who wss cousin To the empress, and in
consequence or the part the ambassador Beau
harnois, her relative, took in the business.
Now 1T was that the favorite began to disco
yer clearly how much his credit had sunk. and
he gave himselfup for lost, in consequence OF be.
ing deprived fthe support of his imaginary pro-
tector, the emperor OF the French There were
.'V '''ears now neglected by him to endeavor to
ingratlate himself with the grand duke of Berg /;
every sort OF expression, every kind of Difference
was employed for this purpose; and the more
eiectuaiiy to avert the impending storm, he pre-
vailed on the royal parents to write 20 the e,npe
ror direct, and to request his consent to the mar
rage OF one OF his cousins to the prince of Astu
rias.
Meanwhile the Emperor OF the French an
Peared to be much dissatisfied witt, the conduct
CT lsquerdo, and kept him at distance, in or
der to cut Off this direct medic of communication.
and TO make himself more impenetrable.
:. His imperial majesty set of on Journey 60
Italy, with that studied parade which all Europe
mas witnessed, giving it such an air of impor
lance, that IT was TO be presumed he was poino
TO fix the destiries of the world But there is
reason to suimise, that his real object was no o.
tier than to divert the general attention to that
quarter, for the purpose of misleading the other
Statcs' whilst his real designs were directed TO
the INVASION of Portugal and Spain.
This article and discrimination did not. how.
ever, prevent the discovery of one of the articles
IN the Secret Treaty of Fontanbeau, by his ex
Peihng, with the greatest precipitation, from
Tuscany, the Queen Regent and her children
and plundering the Royal Palace, and seizing ali
the public funds OF a Court that was ignorant of
the existence of such Treat, and had commit.
ted no act of forfeiture.
To be Continued }