It is now positively affi...
The Times, 1824-07-28T00:00:00

It is InOw positively affirmed, that all thoughts of send- ing troops to Portugal have been given up by the British Government. It is not, perhaps, for the single reason that such a measure would be inconsistent with the professions of this Cabinet-or disgraceful to its character-or likely to involve and complicate the politics of England with those of the Continental Powers-or even that a foreign' force may not be necessary to secure the King of PORTUGAL on his throne; but that a diversion of any part of the strength of England, or of Hanover, which is disposable by England, to purposes which cannot be justified fbr their morality and importance, miglht weaken the means which this country now possesses, of restraining other States from the prosecu- tion of schernes more detrimental to the cause of public freedom, and to the interests of the British Empire, than anyof whiclhPortugalonlycould become the victiin. France, we are sure, and Russia, moreover, have abstained from an open co-operation with the servile Spanish Government, for the ruin of the South American Repuiblics, from no earthly motive but a dread of the power of Great Britain. The meddling impmoltunity of Russia, which seus in every despotism of the world an outwork to her own, never ceased to stimnulate Franee to her ill-fated outrage upon the Peninsula, by holding forth the recovcry of Spanish Ame- rica as a natural consequence of that aggression,and as a cer- tain fund from which the French Court might secure an in- demuitieation for its expenses. The threat of England and of the United States came, however, at an unlucky moment; for France had engaged herself too deeply to withdraw from the unprofitable moiety of the scheme, just as 'the warn- ings issued by the free States of Europe and of North America cut her off from every chance of achieving that portion of it whence she miglht have hoped to be compei- sated. Judging on mercenary and selSsh principles, there- fore, it is not without some apology that the papers coun- tenanced by the French Gove-rnment have endeavoured, through all the arts of fraud and misrepresentation, to blindl themselves and the rest of the world to the desperate condition ef the Spanish cause in South America. France cannot s4ueeze a single farthing out of Spain herself. Every sous of the millions which she has advanced for the restoration of the Spanish tyrant must be paid out of the coffers of legitimacy, unless a contribution can be levied on those of freedom on the other side the Atlantic. This being impracticable, what remains for the unfortu- nate Cabinet of Louis XVIII.? 1st. They may prevett any further accumulation of debt and indigence, by recall- ing their troops from the Spanish territory, where they are maintained at double the cost of the same army subsisted at home. But, in that case, what becomes of the boast that they havepacifled tlie Peninsula ?-that they have re- stored oyder to the dominions of King FERDINAND ?-that they have re-instated hiim in the full exercise of his prero- gatives, and in the secure and undisturbed enjoyment of all his personal inmulgences, and all his kingly powers? WVhy, these consequences would follow the retreat of the French army-the exile of the Constitutional chieftains having left their followers no protection but in the presence of the foreign troops the priests and other serviles, would hang, burn, ard destroy, until the whole country became oue scene of terror aad confusion. The suffering people would cry out for their chiefs; a speedy re-action would spring from the general despair-the hanging, burn- ing, and persecution, would be apt to change sides insen- sibly-and the business of the Holy Alliance wouldl hiave to begin over 2gain. 'his is the natural, this, thank God! the seldom varying cnd of immorality. France at this mnomenit, from the centre to the remotest extremnity of her doi-inions, curses the fruits of her wicked and tyrannical aggression upon the lights of an independent people. Her embarrassments are intolerable; and, so far as can yet be see3a, they are inextricable; but by, 2dly, forcing the Spa- nish Court to follow the steps of the Coonstitutional Go- vernment in its appropriation of the monastic pronierty to the security and discharge of the national debts-a 'measure without whiclh it is easy to see that the state will have no means whatever of supporting its own most necessary ex- penses, and which it is, therefore, not difficult to predlict, will, after much delay, much repugnance, and, perhaps, no small tiumber of violences and convulsions, be adopted at some future day. It nmay be added to the above remarks, that France and Russia have been earnestly pressing the British Govern- mnent to sen(d a force to Portugal-one reason, amongst others, why 7dr. CANNING has prudently resisted the temptation.