Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1821-04-16

at nought. The ministers OF that re i'g'oh
are looked upon with sanctimon'ous regard,
and though the recent doctrinr o' po''t'ca'
liberty have made the dismissal Of many OF
them necessary, they are nevertheless heia
by their very betrayers as an Indispensable
mediation between them and their Maker
for all their manifold transgress ions.
"The fundamental principles of their
creed are inimical to the primary maxins
of civil liberty, and yet nearly eight thou
sand of the Apostles OF the former must be
subdued to confirm the disciples of the lat
ter!
!" The doctrine of free government may
charm them while by its novelty, as does
the first proposition OF an abtruse science
please the youthful student, who may be
encouraged in his studies by the assurances
OF his teacher, that latent beauties will I'M
fold themselves 10 repay all his study and
attention, but when be fn6s that his tacul.
ties are not competent To the right under
standing of his lesson, that it involves great
desideratum in physics, some coro!lary at
forwards 10 be understood. and 10 which its
practical beauties and pleasures are TO be
referred. he abandons the study with dis
gust, rendered doubly notifying by the self
abasement he feels in he want Of mind and
intelligence TO comprehend it as others
have done. So with Spain--Bigotied to
old systems until the mind is incapable of
perceiving The beauties Of the new, an at
tempt to explore them will be short and
abortive; it will be abandoned in disgust
aud the old one returned to with increased
affection.
The Spanards are devoted 10 royalty
The pageantry aud extravaganza OF mo-
narchical government are best suited TO their
INDECENT habits and general ignorance. With
all the complaints you hear about the go
vernment of Ferdinand, you have plainly
seen be is popular king. Against all his
abuses, and all bis folies, no voice of real
indignation is raised. The great mass of
the people, it is true, know but little OF him
- but those who have the talents and adj
dress to control the public opinion, repre-.
sent him in light which, il it does not com.
mand respect, saves bin from outrage and
abuse. lie is necessary scape goat for all
the alterations OF ministers and courliers,
who, as they must have king, are satisfied
they could not find one more plant aud &C
commodating. In the rewards and grandeur
of royalty, he find, his compensation Tor this
humilia;ion-But it is more hypocrisy than
ignorance in Ferdinand: though not very
profound, h. IL by no means as great "a Ounce
as he is generally represented TO belle has
sense e,onsh to know exactly what he out
10 appear to be in such country as Spain.
He has succeeded in fictitious character so
long, and the people believe it TO he real
one; and he has wit enough 10 indulge them
in the delusop They have relieved HIM
at present from much of The weight and con-
Germ Of government. But he understands
their character well enough to know that it
is burthen they will not bear long First,
because they know no more about it than he
does; and secondly, because they will find
il too troublesome. 1t was said in times of
old, by Spaniard speaking of the charac-
ter of his nation We leave the troubles Of
Government to those Who are fond of labor:
we should no more think OF meeting at cleo
tions to elect deputies to representus. merely
because we had right TO do so, than we
should be willing to carry burdens because
We have shoulders 70 bear them The OBJ
servaiion is just as good in the present day.
Tin preceding part OF this letter in
formed you of the resussitation OF The Pa
traot Societies in Spain, al The instigation
of ministers. II now appears, that this act
was prelude TO the farce played off on the
king in. Madrid, on The 10th November last;
and the sequel will shew you that these in
strumenls of ministerial intrigue have fallen
in the general mutability of all institutions
in Spain. A pamphlet has been published,
giving an authentic narrative of the base,
infamous and criminal means taken by mi
nisters TO keep the loaves and hsheslto them
selves, which they were on he eve of los
ing. They again urged on the orators, or
rather brawlers of the Sociedades Patrioticas,
whose suppression. at the mstigation and by
the efforts of ministers, had beer decreed by
the Cortes. and had, in fact, ceased! desir-
ing fhem To renew theie declamaiinns and