The absolute King of SPAI...
The Times, 1824-01-28T00:00:00

The absolute King of SPrxtI has issued orders to Don FRANYCISCO VrE6, Governor of Cuba, announcing that he has been " restored to the plenitude of his sovereign rights ;" that "'he has alnulled every thing done in vir- "tue of the constitution ;" that "' the first care of his pa- rternal heart has been to destroy that odious system ;" that on re-establishing the wise and ancient laws (Query, what laws ?) of Spain, his royal mind cannot rest without making the immense provinces of America partakers of the same benefits; and that, wliile he meditates upon the means of dloing so, he has resolved, that his royal and legitimate auithority shall be iinmnmediately be re-establislied in all his ultra-marine dloininions, in the same state, and with the same prerogatives, as before the month of March, 1820. Such are the official communicationsof FanRDNAND to the Vice- roy of Cuba, testifying at once the moral principles by whlch he has been actuated, andl the political projects which novw engagehis mind.T his is not the first occasion on wvliich King FERDINAND has talked of his bitter captivity, and of annulling every thing done in virtue of the constitution. It may be therefore worth while considering the necessary import of such language. FaRnSAin affirvs that the con- stitution was treason to his legitimate authority.WThy, tllen) did lie swear to maintain it inviolate ?He took the oatlh, not once, but repeatedly. He alleges that force was exercised up- on him; but where is the evidence of such force? Was his lifo threatenedl? Never. What, then,we ask, vas the vio- lence practised? It consisted in this alone-that public opinion was powerfully expressed in favour of the Consii- tutional Monarchy ; and the written Constitution did un- tloubtetlly declare, that wvhoever meant to be King of Spain inust take the oaths prescribed to him. Now we make a large concession when we admiit the fear of personal danger to be a sufficient motive for swearing a deliberate falsehood. In a private individual it may be pardonable: in a King, it is at best a pitiable weakness. Monarchs there have been, who, in the face of dcath, scorned an act of perjury as an inexpiable ofLence to the honour of Sovereigns, and to the majesty of Heaven: but if there be no penalty be- yond the loss of power, who that has a spark of dig- iiity or virtue would hesitate to refuse an oatb, imposing a vicious, anid therefore sn untenable obligation ? We have saidl that nio force was applied to the will of FEitDI- ANAD. His life was indisputably never threatenied. His sovereignty might have been; but so was that of VICTOR EAIANUEL: the latter resigned, and was honoured by the very people whose desires and hopes he disappointed. WVe go further, aiid affirm, that no demonstration nor shadlow of reluctance was sulfered to appear by FERDINAND, when lie took the oaths to the Constitution. He displayed, on the coixrary, the most eager signs of alacrity andself- gratulation. He exercised freely and openly the charac-. teristic prerogatives of a Sovereign-he chose MIinisters- Made official speeches-borrowed money-signed treaties. Yet now he turns round and exclaims, all these acts were void-they were "; forced zpon me by a faction." Then let us iinquire of this more than semi-barbarous Prince, what acts of his life have been spontaneous ? Is it only when he signed the death-warrant of some noble Spaniard that the nature of the deed must go for proof of free agency in the actor? or shall it henceforth be set down as a first principle, that the loiiarch who consents in any instance to the slightest restraint upon his own prerogative, vields a forced acquiescence ?-that if he binds himself by oath to such an abridgment of power, the very character of the oath absolves himn frorn fulfilling it ?-that no Molonarch is to be believed but when he swears that he will rendler himself -ore despotic ? Tlhen, if all this be true, it follows of ne- cessity that no King can be spared by any prudent people anxious for a redlress of grievances; and that the first step towards political reform must always be the execution of the reigning sovereign. VERDINAND may not, inideed, become a convert to this doctrine, but lie may yet be an example of its trtth.