Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-05-27

reer OF the prince OF peace has been
almost entirely DESTROYED.
His power has far exceeded an. a.
yer possessed by the Oldest erandees.
he directed the proceeding of the ar.
my and commanded the whole funds
of the nation. In his hands & in tbosa
of his associates, the most absolute
authority was invested. The gram
dees, the heads of the church. and =
ven the presumptive heir to the crown.
trembled before a man who was des,;.
tute of patriotism and honor, and who
owed his elevation to the most base
intrigues, and his fortune to public spo.
liations. When .he successes of
France reduced Spain to the lowest
verge, recourse was had BY the king
to man who, to CRAFTY his own pur.
poses, would act as a sycophant, and
to satiate his ambition would descend
to the most degrading submissions.
Don Manuel Codoy in 1888 was a
private soldier, and from that humble
station he rose to the possession of
greater powers than were ever in the
grasp of Richlieu or Maxarin in
France. Like them, surrounded with
guards, and more immense riches. h.
exercised an uncontrolled dominion.
He was allied to the house of Bourbon
by marriage with princess of that
family, and after the commission of
innumerable crimes, it is re markable
that he himself never made an attempr
on the throne.
he extravaganza of this avaricious
being was boundless. He made all
the honors and dignities which were
heaped upon him, the sources OF ex.
tortion anu plumber. Throughout the
islands and the Spanish possessions of
Ameriea, he had agents who put in
operation his schemes ofplunder. We
are informed that contemplating to G.
rect palace suitable to his rank and
taste, he had dispatched orders to the
island OF Cuba, to cut down the finest
of mahogany in those extensive for
ests. He intended the. building Of this
ipalace, to eclipse the glory of Sole
mon, in the erection of the temple
which has immorta;ized his rame.
Don Manuel was certainly the Sc
cret enemy ofthe French nation, and
OF Napoleon. His reluctance in ac-
ceding 20 Bonaparte's views was ma
nifes'ed by the repugnance he dis
played tor the invasion of Portugal.
he great commerce which Great
Britain carried on with the Spanish
continent, and with the colonies in A.
merIca, and the vast sums which the
IPrince Of peace had deposited in the
bank OF England, plainly prove the ac-
cusation brought against him, of an IN
tention to give up the Spanish feet to
the English, who by transporting the
! Spanish throne to America, would be-
come, possessed Of the exclusive com.
merce of the two worlds.
Spain, which, under Philip ii. was
richer than all the rest of Europe,
fand was the terror of England,
has been reduced by this ambitious
minister, to the most degrading situa-
ton. They are cut off from all COM
nunication with their colonies, and it
is impossible for them to obtain their
former usual supplies from the rich
and valua bic mines in South America.
The English papers have, for long
time, been prophecying that dread
full revolution WAS about to take place
in Spain; but they little suspected the
result would have been rs il has hap
pened. England and France, both
cOvet the valuable dominions of the
Spaniards, and have exerted every po-
hey to possess, or to proht.by them.
fit is true that the prince of peace,
was attached to the intere SITS of Great
Britain, Bonaparte must have had no.
tice of his designs, and his manoeu-
Vres demonstrate that he had Intimate
on of his motives. The best of the
Spanish troops, were sent into Poland,
& are now operating against Sweden !;
Ianother army was destined for Gibral-
tar, whilst numerous French troops
have overrun the Spanish territory,
under the pretence of invading Portu-
ISal. Their fleets at Cadiz and Ferrol
are all exterminated. These strokes
Of policy must have been intended for
the purpose of keeping strict obser-
L.