Every day services to pro...
The Times, 1824-08-30T00:00:00

Every dlav servcs to prove the validity of onr prognostics, that In Enaland there is no clance of a loan ,'or the beg- g.rlv and unprinctpled Spanish G overnment, so long, at least. a>s Fannl.X AN D, sniscailed the" Legit;mate," shall cen- utiue in pessesion of those powvers which he first usurped froln his reputed parent-n,xt from his betraved and in- juredpeople-2nd vwhich in rLlation to both lie hasso wick- edly abu:se,. N'ew factc of great interest are transpirinig ai to the shifts and plunges of FERDINAND anld his emis- saris iri their search for monu.y. In a recent instanrce, the attempt was mnet by a repulse a-s decisive as it was honour-' able to the party who inflicted it. Not many days ago, an interrew took place between the agent wlho had under- taken the transactiou of a loan in Lonldoni, and a partner of a MoQt eminer-t comercial house. The latter gentleman, afLer hearing patiently all that the agent of the proposed borrowers had to urge, replied, in substance, as follows:- You must not deceive yourself with the expect~tion that out house will ever countenanice a loan to the pre- srnt Spanish Government. I object to it as a merehant, because Spain is bankrupt alike iTa honottr, ciedit, an.l ''Iovrces ; but as an AnglRAnmwn, I object to it still more strongly, and would refuse a share in such a contract were the sceurity ever so good, because it woulq be arming an unprincipled tyrant against tha best in- tCE&rsats of my ovm country." The Commissioner stood aghast at this piroud and utlooked-for speech: a broad- aide from a 120-gum ship could not have demolished hint m.nre efectually. Being now convin'ed thiat his a.lveowure muss fail, he set of tor the Contiiient re i.lrec-o. *I e ain iin,e the ds;"air of the Seryils anti tUhras a71 orer Furope at suck a castigation-.we ean paint to oui- ':cs 'foTr he who writes this staterr.ent l;n ws ihe man)---~- ecan paint the f-IrY of ProzO DI BRono, ib-:t old pensioner of the British Government, when he hears the catastrophe which has befallen his plom ami manauvrings for a " SFanish loar." Pozzo is the main mover of legi- timacy throughout the west and soutlpof Europe: his political principles are no disgrace to the memory of his defunct cousin; and in the varieus arts and quack- eries of mischief, he alnost exceeds him. It is this rsmercenary who has made himself the busiest in push- ing forwvar(d the "1 Spanish loan ;" but his overbearing importutnities with the mercharnts 'here, who are in any way connected with the- Russian Go-iernment, have failed, like his other expedients: so that a rope, or a strait- waistcoat, is all that reinains for Pozzo. As for the second antl thirsl rate houses, who may be disposed to catch at any contract, the commission of which they would secure for thiemselves, and its rirk anderuin for their subscribers, they will do no harm-the burdLen is altogether beyornd them. But, among the multifarious dlevices for bringing some sott of a bargain to a conclusion, it is an interesting fact in natural history, that, in spite of his embarrassments, his necessities, and his tcrrers, the only shape wlhich FEa- DiNAND bas never worn-thie single dirguise which he nev. r once thloughlt of assumving, was that of an honest man. One ol' the con(litions proposed on his behalf was, that no me?tion whatever of the Constitutional bonds should be matle in the contract ; that the conitractors should lend at 75 per cenit., but pay cash to the amslount ot' 45 only, and employ the rcst in a furtivo contrivaiiec to take the bonds out of the market. 'This wottld allow 3G for the securities of the Cortes. A sccon(d scheme bas been to call in the bonds at twen/y fvvi per ceoit., ands' make a se. parate contract for the new ! 'I'here mnay, it seems, be ha- bits of kinavcry so inveterate, as to rRake men ashamed of a single uptight action; and that such eonsequences msay, iin the present injitanee, have resulted fromn such a course of i.aling, we are the inor^ inclimneil to think, fi-onm its being notorious, thaL ivfQ many years bsfore the era of thc Consti- tUtiolI, FERDINANDInpid nUot a farthinlg of interest on the greater portion Of thle S panish dlebt; and onie description of' Royal security (viz. the vales reales) has long been at a dliscouint of 94) per ct'll.! Since his restoration, the crownied Insolvent lhas -dealt out impartial treachery" to friend and foe, not paying a single (liviLlenldL On any one loani, Consti- tutional or IRoyal, withi the exevption of that humnbug calle(d GUFHIAnRflT's, at Paris, whel the contractor reseryed monley in his hands frotn the principal of the loan, to satisf'y a cei tain nulmlber of' dividends. However, if it be t,ought that t'oreign capitalists, foreign prudence, or the honiour and intenrity of Englibii itioney-deaters, have held up to the despo- tie (GoVernment of Spain a too strict and impracticable standard of puiblic credit, there is another test by whielh Spaniard-s, at least, cannot well declinie to be appreciate(l. Perhaps thcre may not be in any countiy in Furope (this aloneexcepted) a more afltuent body of merchanits thani Spaini herself cG:n reckon. Why have niot thIe y, individually or collectively, comne forward to mneet the wanits of their own Sovereign ? No, not a dollar will they advance. Fhey are too mucii behind the scenes; thiey know wvhat they woltd lhave to trust to. Aniimnmodest mcndicant, theni, i; this bankrupt of tie house of Bou i(Bo r, to solicit fromim strangers wvho hate him, that rulief which lie is refused by his oWII subjects who " adlore him !" 'h'lie next attempt will perhaps be mza(le in l'aris; but, please the fates, we shall be in d(ue season at our pos'.