The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1823-06-17
FRANCE AND SPAIN.
FronrNe Paris .Honiteur, .qpriI 1

sued the direction which the forms and
spirit of our Gov rnment have traced for
il. Opinion first subjected IL TO the indie
pendence OF its decisions, aud afterwards
rising to the tribune Of the chambers, II
found opponents in the most arden, lead
ders OF the opposition, and supporters and
defenders IN the Orators Of our Parliamen-
tary majority.
This grand debate, so novel in our man
ners aud annals, and which held the eye
of Europe fixed upon us, allowed every
thing 10 be said, aud afforded the time Ia
say it. Every passion made It's voice
heard every interest, even that most con
trary to France, did not want an exposition;
there WAS nothing even to the spirit OF fac
ton, which, lifting up its head through our
liberties, has not appeared with lis hatred,
its projects, lts turbulence, a1d its sophisms
The subject is then quite exhausted
Facts alone have now to speak; they folm
the historicalp part of n discussion, to which
il is time that they should lend their slap
port. Ii will be seen that the war with
Spain, far from being an aggression, as it
has been pretended, is undertaken IN the
exclusive interest oflcgitinate defence it
will be seen that far from attacking faith
ful ally, devoted, as 1t has been sought to
have believed, to the cares which It's mas
cent liberty require, we take arms to sup
port ON Independence against an enemy
who molests and threatens IT, Let us say
aloud, since il - so, that the Spanish rtfo-
luton is n wat against the French monar-
chy. The revolution, that blight of mo
dam, DID ,.{lsr nj arl tcnlf IN SnaIt
to extend ut later period 10 us. We
were surrounded, aud as it were, hesieged
by system of periidy, fraud and hatred,
from which il was necessary at ahy price
To deliver ourselves /; II Is not then the
thirst Of conquest nor the senseless project
of forcing back nation 10 its laws, which
urged and impeis rs beyond ouu frontiers
ii is the care of our political existence ia
word, ii is necessity, which marches, with
justice, nj the head ot eur leglons.
When revolt that common parent Of all
tlritnrs, gave in the isle of Aeon a signal to
tue reyoutlonisis of all countries, our eyes
were turned with apprehension towards
Spain. Her revolution, which was then
Dnly menacing to our future, already strip
ped the present of its security.
Very soon the events OF Naples, where
fhe Constitution of the Certes was pro-
claimed those ofTurln where the scenes
of Madrid and Naples were repeated, aud
Of which the repercussion was feit as far
as Grenoble, taught AS that the moment
was approaching when the ili-exungush-
ed cmbers OF our eivi discor6 were about
to be rekindlcd. Naples aud Turin being
diminished the danger, which
existed no longer except upon one point.
We believed that the Pyreuees would suf-
flee to defend us. A son Of France upon
the Throne of Spain, had lowered them
before us before the Cortes IL was neccs-
sary to raise them up. The political stu
ation of the two Kingdoms was then great
ly changed, and yet our relations were NOT
interrupted only Spain has ceased to
render them frank aud amicable. She
even dared, in the illusions of pretended
superiority, To hold language, which
France is more accustomed to utter than
to hear BY what the Spanish rcvolutionists
say, 10 bring down the tri colored flag from
the top Of the mountain which skirt our
frontiers, was sufficient to submersc the
throne of our Kings beneath the pillows ct ii
revolted populat'on. To dream ofthe tri
'colored flag was 10 reveal what design was
at the bottom ofthe Spanish revolution, &
what Interests II sought to set in action
This design maliifesting itself every day
more and more, Spain no longer concealed
her evidently hostile acts.
The arrival OF the scourge which desc
lated Barcelona, imposed on rs the duty Of
establishing Gordon oftroops to prevent
the contact OF the two nations. This
measure had in it nothing alarming, moth
ing hostile towards Spain. We employ
ed the same measure in 1870, against one
of our own Provinces which, being a vie
tim tn a contagious disease, found itself
thus separated from the Kingdom not
wlihstanding these precautions, we so little
regarded Spain as our enemy. that ave seat
to her FrenchNen, with the mission to
study the malaIy and afford relief. Sure
ly, good ncghborhood could not so far
ther Yet, what at that period was the
conduct of Spain? She received into her
bosom our State criminals, who, having cs-
capped our Tribunals, aud being enemies
to the Bourbons on one side of the Pyre-
nees, had only 10 pass those mountains to
find friends aud protectors in the Spanish
Government.
From that moment every thing assumed
"A serious character. The Spanish faction
obtained Insertion in the English Journals
for ARTICLES, aud even songs iesulting to the
House Of France. Our troops were cxcit-
ed to reyoIt by them, in the name of the
Spanish Revolution. Agents of that Re-
voution came to Paris to concert with the
tactious, over whom the Government ex-
ercise an active Surveillance. Obliged TO
conceal their plots at home, our conspira-
tors revealed them in the Preach papers
printed at Madrid. These papers denosn-
ced 60 Esrope our laws and Institutions
they held up our Magistrates, as saguinary
men a length, by a last degree Of auda