The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-05-06
FoEIGN.


htu~'s9n more diihcalt cyific2l u.v1ncomfort-
Cd G. ih1a that IN which Ferdinand &c Spain was
leli q the last dates FROM Etiropc Noiwisistan-
ding what las been said against has monarch,
from all that we can learn. we believe him 10
posses sounder head, aud naturally better
heart, than have generally been allowed him.
tits prominent faults rs 4 sovereign, are lndecis-
Ion OF character AMI iYres0iution. His Hlc--at
least ms public Hfe--iIas been one OF peculiar
trouble and vicisiiu6c. Every intelligent rea-
der viii rec3 Iect the lettering condition 10
which the Kingdom Of pain had been brought, BY
the mismansgenent and treachery Of the avari-
clous fayoIite Of Charles the Fourth, Godoy the
Prince Of Peace and the circumstance under
which Charles abdcated in favor Of his son Fer
dinand. The latter had scarcely placed the
cornet upon his brow, before lie was invited to
BayOnne to a conference with Napoleon, then
IN the zenith of lis power, an . playing with
crowns and sceptres like SO many baubles. At
this conference he was entrapped, carried of a
prisoner, and confined during the bloody con-
fret which followed the attempt 70 establish Jo-
sept Bonap4rte upon the Spanish throne, and
VIII CD terminated in the overthrow OF tho whole
Boaaparte family. On reascending the throne
Of his fathers, he found his kingdom exhausted
in resources, stripped, in fact Of lis American
possessions, an1 divided and distracted al home.
ceeded 10 cabaI, ana faction to faction, alter
nately clothing him with absolute power, and
stripping him Of every thing but the empty uamc
of King, matii tho present crisis, which must soon
resultin events disastrous 10 every germ q hber-
~ in EGrOpc, or overwhelming 10 the CToWIed
consprators against tic rights Of man. Mon
archs, Ike all others in Office, are apt 10 lean
towards The silc Of power. To strengthen our
selves, in whatever situations we may be placed,
AMI ID take measures 70 perpetuatc our good
fortune whether in public or private life, is nat
ural-it is human nature But notwithstanding
tins principle il does not follow that Ferdinand
has been altogether blameable for the yacila-
ting course which has marked ms lnauspicIOus
reign. He NAV have been the Child Of circun-
stances wholly beyond his coutroui-now thrust
forward BY the bigotted priests as the head OF
cruel despotism. aud then again cast abroad upon
the wild, ternpestuols, and conflicting pillows Of
a fierce democracy, unaided by experienced
counseOH, sn intelligent people, or the lights
df practical knowledge. But such have been
the changes in Spain from one extreme to the
other, and snch the apparent weakness and r.
resolution Of the Sovereign, that we do not MR.
vel that al confidence has been Withdrawn
from him. Ii has even been stated in the latest
accounts that a motion had been made in the
Cortes 10 declare tie Sovereign impotent and
unable TO rem1i1 longer even as The nominal
head Of The rovernment-f0r at best he IS moth
ing more. And paragraph now before us re-
peats the fact that Ferdinand was opposed to a
removal Of the government from Madrid, and
asked one Of his Ministers, if they intended 10
compel him "a 60 against Ills will. " Yes" an
swered the Minister, = hed if necessary and
then began hum,ninr the famous ar . Trag Ia
&c. English, . CUP "a dotCa." This story is
doubtless exaggerated, if il be not altogether
untrue. There is gree Of rudcness about II,
WHICH under any circumstances would have been
inexcusable Insult should not he added 10 mis-
fortune II moreover behoves the Spanish ma
ton - treat the King kindly, and a al events
10 protect him from Insult and injury. ihe pol
lev Of England. at present, IS neutrality. But
even this lucrative exhibition Of her friendship,
will he of vast importance to Spain during the
approaching struggle, By enabling the former
To supply the latter with arms provisions, and
stores Of every description and il IS not improb
able, should tie war be prolonged for year or
two. that England NAV be drawn into the con-
troyersy in behalf of the peninsula. Tie inhu-
cnce Of England has been strongly eZcrted in
favor Of peace; but powerful IS she has been
hitherto in COLLATION., her efforts against tie
meiitated aggression and invasion, have been
eKerte1 il vain. Put not hair Of the head Of
Ferdinand mus be touched with viocnce' for
the rood viii Of England will depend entirely
upon he moderation, toTbearlnce, and respect
with ,vhic lie is treated. Should the hing be
brought 10 IT, block, England would join ID the
crusade to crush the revoIuiionists and avcnge
bis death. Should France, backed by the pow
ers of the North inva!e--aad we do not see how
she can retrace her steps--the conflict viii be
long and sau~uiuarv. All accounts represent
the IpaniarIs IS fnll Of eagerness to meet their
threatened invaders; and, we doubt not that
thew WILL as they always have done, exhibit
splendid proofs Of their courage and devotion TO
their country's cause. BIT il is not BY mere
1i.sor that battles are now gained, and Kingdoms
uyerrun: and 10 the most essential elements OF
v.ctorv-in discipline-numbers and resources-
the French are 50 vastly superior, as 70 make Us
;renble for the result Bat the war will DE I'M
like any former one. Should the allies maIcA
over every province-spreadd esolation over ev-
cry plain-raze every castle, and LAY in ashes
every town-Spain will not be conquered unless
she chooses to bow the neck. Lett be suppos
cd that Spain is overrun. and the old dcspotsm
again estabhshcd-it would probably DOT stand
month without the support of at least some
hundred thousand French, German and Russian
bavonets. Nor is this all ; for, TO borrow an cX-
preston from the second edition Of Lord Frs
kines celebrated letter 10 the Earl of1iverpool,
when speaking of the Holy Alliance" With all
the force thew can collect there Is one empire
which they can never hope 70 sublue-the en-
pire Of opinion, whose throne is the liberty q me
press" n. y. Spectator.
The papers brought BY the Florida, furnish us
with nothing more decisive than we had before