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culties which the agricultural interest has so long and so severely suffered.

"Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

"We have it in command from his Majesty to thank you for the supplies which you have granted for the service of the year, and to assure you that he has received the sincerest pleasure from the relief which you have been enabled to afford his people, by a large reduction of taxes.

"My Lords and Gentlemen, "His Majesty has commanded us to inform you, that he continues to receive from all foreign powers, the strongest assurances of their friendly disposition towards this country.

"Deeply as his Majesty still regrets the failure of his earnest endeavours to prevent the interruption of the peace of Europe, it affords him the greatest consolation that the principles upon which he has acted, and the policy which he has determined to pursue, have been marked with your warm and cordial concurrence, as consonant with the interests, and satisfactory to the feelings, of his people."

Some time before the end of the session, an attempt was made, but without success, by the regency, which had been established at Madrid immediately after the arrival of the duke of Angoulême in that capital, to open a correspondence with the British government. Don Victor Saez, in the name of the Regency, wrote to Mr. Canning, on the 7th of June, announcing the installation of that body; and he transmitted to him at the same time a letter to the king, communicating that event together with copies of documents relative to it. Mr. Canning, howVOL. LXV.

ever, refused to acknowledge this Regency, or to hold any communication with them. The following was his answer to Don Victor Saez:

Foreign-office, June 19, 1823.

Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the letter, which your excellency did me the honour to address to me on the 7th inst., announcing the installation of a new regency at Madrid, and enclosing a letter, addressed (as you inform me) by that body to the king, my master.

The regency of Urgel some months ago, and more recently that which was instituted after the entrance of the French army into Spain, successively addressed letters to nie, announcing, in like manner, their assumption, respectively, of the government of Spain.

To neither of these communications has it been thought necessary to return any answer; and if I now deviate from the course pursued in those two instances, it is only because I would not appear to be guilty of incivility, in sending back your messenger without a written acknowledgment of your letter.

I have, however, nothing to add. to that acknowledgment. The king, my master, having a minister resident near the person of his catholic majesty, cannot receive a communication of this description; and it is therefore not consistent with my duty to lay before the king, the letter addressed to his majesty, which I have the honour herewith to return. I have the honour, &c.

(Signed) GEORGE CANNING. His Excellency Don Victor Saez, &c. &c.

One result of the success of France [L]

beyond the Pyrenees was, that it produced some change in the avowed character of our relations with the states of South America. In the month of July, an application was made to the foreign office, by a number of respectable merchants connected with the South American trade, submitting to the consideration of that department, whether it might not be fit to recommend to his majesty, that commercial agents should be appointed to protect British interests in that quarter of the world. On the 22nd of August, an answer was returned, by the direction of Mr. Canning, which stated that the subject was under consideration; and shortly afterwards, consuls and consuls-general were appointed to the principal stations in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chili, and Buenos Ayres. The consuls were to receive 1,000l. a-year, and be at liberty to trade as merchants. The consuls-general were to receive 2,2001. a-year, but were not to engage in traffic.

In the latter part of the year, communications, with respect to these countries, took place between our government and that of France. The language of Mr. Canning on this subject was manly and consistent" We will not interfere with Spain in any attempts she may make to re-conquer what were once her colonies; but we will not permit any third power to attack them, or to re-conquer them for her; and in granting or refusing our recognition of their independence, we shall look, not to the conduct of any European power, but to the actual circumstances of these countries."

During the autumn, Mr. Canning extended his influence among the commercial classes by a visit

to some of the principal commer cial and manufacturing districts. He received every where, but more especially at Liverpool, the most flattering testimonies of the popularity of his conduct. In October, being in Devonshire on a visit to the earl of Morley, he was voted the freedom of Plymouth; and on being presented with it, addressed the corporation in a speech, which, though de livered on an occasion of ceremonial compliment, excited much attention at the time, on account of the manifestation which it contained of the views and feelings of the most important member of the cabinet. "Our ultimate object was," said Mr. Canning, "the peace of the world; but let it not be said," he continued, "that we cultivate peace either because we fear, or because we are unprepared for, war: on the contrary, if eight months ago the government did not hesitate to proclaim that the country was prepared for war, if war should unfortunately be necessary, every month of peace that has since passed has but made us so much the more capable of exertion. The resources created by peace are means of war, In cherishing those resources, we but accumulate those means. Our present repose is no more a proof of inability to act, than the state of inertness and inactivity, in which I have seen those mighty masses that float in the waters above your town, is a proof they are devoid of strength, and incapable of being fitted for action. You well know, gentlemen, how soon one of those stupendous masses, now reposing on their shadows in perfect stillness-how soon, upon any call of patriotism, or of necessity, it would assume the likeness of an animated

it

thing, instinct with life and motion-how soon it would ruffle, as were, its swelling plumagehow quickly it would put forth all its beauty and its bravery-collect its scattered elements of strength, and awaken its dormant thunder. Such as is one of these magnificent machines when springing from inaction into a display of its might such is England herself, while apparently passive and motionless

she silently concentrates the power to be put forth on an adequate occasion. But God forbid that that After a occasion should arise ! war sustained for nearly a quarter of a century-sometimes singlehanded, and with all Europe arranged at times against her or at her side, England needs a period of tranquillity, and may enjoy it without fear of misconstruction.”

CHAP. X.

FRANCE Pretended violation of the neutrality of the French soil-Am biguous conduct of the French Ministry-Speech at the opening of the French Chambers-Duplicity of the Minister-The subsequent explanation attempted to be given of the doctrine contained in that Speech-Respective departures of the French and Spanish ambassadors-Debate in the Peers on the Address; amendments moved; speech of Talleyrand-Address of the Peers-Debate in the Chamber of Deputies on the Address; Address of the Deputies-The BudgetDiscussions on the War in the progress of the Financial measures; Chauteaubriand's speech-Course of observation pursued by Manuel : proceedings against him; his expulsion from the Chamber-Protest against this measure tendered and rejected-Secession of the Opposition-Riots-Addresses against the War-Annunciation of the commencement of the War-Exultation of the French in the success of the Spanish Campaign-Proceedings in Paris-Communications with England as to South America-Dismissal of the Duke of BellunoRemarkable Trials at Paris-French Clergy-English artizans employed in France.

S the Spanish troops, at the

pursuit of the Royalist-insurgents to the very frontiers of France, it would not have been surprising if the animosity of civil war had led to some rash and partial inroad upon the French territory. The prudence of the chiefs, however, prevented any thing of this kind from taking place; and a transaction, which, in the early part of January, called forth the invectives of the French ministerial journals as an act of open hostility, turned out, upon further examination, to be of a character altogether different. The alleged violation of a neutral territory occurred under the following circumstances: On the 29th of December, 1822, after an engagement between the Constitutional troops

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fled, part into France, and part to Valcarlos, the Spanish colonel Assura, at the head of 200 men, presented himself at a village common to both countries, and requested guides from the French to point out the road. There was nothing hostile in this proceeding; on the contrary, it indicated a desire to respect the French soil. In the absence of the mayor, his deputy made no scruple to furnish the guides who were demanded : and the Spanish troops, having arrived at Valcarlos, completed the defeat of those enemies whom they had previously routed. When the prefect was informed of this proceeding, he suspended the civil officer who furnished Assura with guides.

The 28th of January was the day fixed for the meeting of the French Chambers; and up to that time the suspense with respect to the hostile designs of France to wards Spain continued unimpaired. The elevation of Villèle, who was now president of the council of ministers, to be the acknowledged head of the administration, made no alteration in the conduct pursued by the government. The journal Des Debats, indeed, teemed with articles which delineated the dangers of war in glowing colours; that paper was known to be entirely in the interest of Villèle; and in fact, some of the most important of these articles were corrected with his own hand. Military preparations, however, went on; every thing that was done, bespoke war; and most of what was said tended to excite suspicion. Still, hopes were entertained, and more strongly in England than elsewhere, that peace would not be disturbed. But these hopes had no stable ground; they emanated from our wishes from the clear conviction entertained by all reasonable men, that an aggression upon Spain was alike impolitic and unjust, and that it could produce no beneficial result for France, but might endanger her throne and involve her in a maze of evils.

So little was known of the real purposes of the administration, that on the very day fixed for the meeting of the chambers, the complaint of the duke of San Lorenzo, the Spanish ambassador, against certain individuals who had attempted to negociate at Paris a loan for the Regency of Urgel, came on to be heard before a court of justice. For the defendants, it was objected, most unexpectedly, that the

diplomatic character of the plaintiff, in which alone he was entitled to prosecute the proceedings, had ceased on that very morning. The objection was sustained; and this was the first public intimation, that there was no longer any accredited minister of Spain to the court of the Tuilleries.

On Tuesday the 28th of January, the session of the chambers was opened, amid intense anxiety, and a numerous attendance of diplomatic personages. Among these, however, the ambassador of England was not to be seen; and it was well, that he was not to be found among them; for it would not have been becoming in the representative of England to have honoured with his presence a ceremony, in which he must have remained a silent acquiescent witness, while the first principles of rational government were trampled under foot. The king, in his speech to the chambers, began with describing the flourishing state of France and the blessings which she had derived from her return to legitimate rule, he then proceeded to consider her relations with Spain. "Divine justice permits," said he, "that after having for a long time made other nations suffer the terrible effects of our disorders, we should ourselves be exposed to dangers brought about by similar calamities among a neighbouring people. I have made every endeavour to guarantee the security of my people, and to preserve Spain herself from the extremity of misfortune. The infatuation with which the representations made at Madrid have been rejected, leaves little hope of preserving peace. I have ordered the recall of my minister; one hundred thousand Frenchmen, commanded by a prince of

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