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CHAP. XII.

SPAIN-Delivery of the French, Russian, Austrian and Prussian Notes at Madrid-Proceedings of the Cortes upon them-The Answers of the Spanish Government-The Russian, Austrian, and Prussian Ministers receive their passports—Address from the Cortes to the King-Proceedings in the Cortes after the communication of the speech of the King of France-Close of the Extraordinary Cortes-March of Bessieres and Ulman upon Madrid; their retreat; Ulman's inroad into Valencia-Ferdinand's refusal to concur in the transference of the Government from Madrid; the Ministers removed and restored on the same Day-Another change of Ministry -Opening of the Ordinary Cortes-Removal of the King and Cortes to Seville-Military Preparations-Commencement of the Campaign-French Refugees-St. Sebastian-March towards Madrid Operations in Catalonia-Arrival of the French at Madrid -Convention with the French-Attempt of Bessieres on the CapitalEstablishment of a Regency at Madrid-Treachery of AbisbalProceedings of the Cortes at Seville-They appoint a Regency-The Removal of the King and Cortes to Cadiz-March of the French Troops, from Madrid into Andalusia-Cordova-Seville-Operations in the Asturias and Galicia: Defection of Morillo-CorunnaOperations in Valencia and Murcia: Defection of BallasterosRiego's expedition: his defeat, and capture-Operations in Catalonia-Arrival of the Duke of Angoulême before Cadiz: his correspondence with Ferdinand: The Trocadero taken: Negotiation attempted by the Cortes: Military operations: Ferdinand repairs to the head-quarters of the French-Surrender of the FortressesTermination of the Campaign-Course of Administration pursued by Ferdinand-Change in the Spanish Ministry.

N the 5th of January, the note the most favourable hopes of their

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To mark at the same time their inclination to conciliate the friendship of England, a resolution was immediately passed for satisfying the claims of indemnification, which our minister had been urging at Madrid, in respect of losses occasioned to Englishmen by captures for pretended violation of blockade in the West Indies and the neigh

bouring seas. Spain admitted the claims generally, leaving their particular amount to be determined by future arrangements; and a sum of 40,000,000 of reals (400,000l.) was ordered to be inscribed in the great book, to answer them when adjusted.

On the 9th of January, San Miguel read, in an open sitting of the Cortes, the menacing communications from the four members of the Holy Alliance, together with his replies to them. These replies were in the form, the one, of a note addressed to the Spanish minister at Paris; the other, of a note addressed to the Spanish chargés d'affaires at Vienna, Berlin, and St. Petersburg [See Public Documents, 154* et seq.] These documents insisted on the right of Spain to manage her own affairs without regard to foreign interference, and on the inconsistency of the allied sovereigns in now assailing, with invective and threats of war, the very constitution which they had themselves acknowledged. The reading of the notes was listened to with unbounded applause, both from the members of the legislature and from the spectators in the galleries. Galiano, the head of the violently liberal party in the Cortes, then proposed an address to the king on the present situation of affairs all voices were raised in favour of the suggestion. Arguelles, the leader of the moderate party, marched, in this instance, pari passu with Galiano; and a motion made by him, to adjourn for eight-and-forty hours, that Europe might be convinced of the deliberate coolness by which the councils of the Spanish legislature were directed, was at once approved. Arguelles was appointed a member of the committee of

Diplomacy, charged with the framing of the address; and Galiano bore testimony to his conviction-that, however they might differ on the details of the public service, Arguelles would, whenever the safety and dignity of the nation were at stake, be the foremost in defending them.

On the 10th, the Austrian, Russian, and Prussian ministers applied for passports; which were transmitted to them on the 11th, accompanied by three exceedingly laconic communications.*

On the 11th, Galiano presented to the Cortes the draught of an address to the king, signed by

These notes were couched in the

following terms:

Answer to the Note addressed by the Prussian Minister.-"I have received the Note which your Excellency transmitted to me under the date of the 10th, and, contenting myself with stating in reply, that the wishes of the govern ment of his most Catholic Majesty for the happiness of the Prussian States are not less ardent than those manifested by his majesty the king of Prussia towards Spain, I transmit to your Excelwhich you have applied." lency, by royal order, the passports for

Answer to the Russian Note.-" I have received the note which your excellency transmitted to me yesterday, for my sole reply, to stating that you the 10th instant, and, limiting myself, have shamefully abused (perhaps through ignorance) the law of nations, which is always respectable in the eyes of the Spanish government, I transmit, by order of his Majesty, the passports you desire, hoping that your excellency will be pleased to leave this capital with as little delay as possible."

Answer to the Austrian Note.-"I have received the note which your

excellency was pleased to remit to me, dated yesterday, the 10th, and having now only to say, that the government of his Catholic Majesty is indifferent

whether it maintains relations or not with the court of Vienna, I send you, by royal order, the passports which you have required."

mies; how, in this respect, can I entertain the slightest doubt, when I am a witness of the effusion of the patriotic sentiments and generous resolutions, which will render the sittings of the National Congress on the 9th and 11th of this month eternally memorable?

"For myself, convinced more and more of the imperious necessity, that all the children of this great family should assemble round the constitutional throne, I will steadily follow the route which my duty prescribes to me: and if the spectacle of a nation, devoted to the defence of her independence and laws, do not restrain those who me ditate to invade her, I will place myself at her head, certain of vic tory in the most just of causes, which is, at the same time, that of all the free nations of the earth.”

himself, and by Canga, Alava, Arguelles, Saavedra, Ruez de la Vega, Adan and Salva. It was to this effect [See Public Documents p. 157*]: that the Cortes manifested to his majesty, that they had heard with the greatest astonishment the assertions contained in the notes of the cabinets of Paris, Vienna, Berlin, and Petersburg; because these diplomatic communications, besides being inconsistent with the established practice of civilized nations, were insulting to the Spanish nation, its Cortes, and its government; and that they had, at the same time, heard with the greatest satisfaction the judicious and decorous answer made by the Spanish government, exposing the falsehood of the imputations cast on the nation, and expressing its determination to maintain its rights. After some further observations on these points, the address concluded by declaring, that the Cortes were prepared to maintain, at every risk, the dignity and splendour of the constitutional throne, and of the king of the Spains, as well as the independence, liberties, and honour of the Spanish na. tion, and to decree whatever sacrifice might be necessary for the preservation of interests so invaluable. It was voted without one dissenting voice. The reply of the king was communicated to the assembly on the same day; it breathed the most ardent sentiments of patriotism. "The sentiments," said his majesty, "of hon→ The approaching war was the our and national independence, so only subject, which occupied the profoundly rooted in the hearts of attention of the Cortes in its sucSpaniards, offer me the securest cessive meetings; and on every guarantee, that the existing po- occasion the mention of it called litical institutions the object of forth expressions of the most stubtheir predilections will continue born resolution never to yield. unalterable, notwithstanding the The speech of the king of France efforts of their most violent ene- to the Chambers was communi❤

Amidst all this excitement, the British ambassador continued to exert his endeavours to preserve peace, The course, followed for this purpose, was, by recommending to the ministers to make some modifications in the constitution: for if that were conceded, we believed that France, on her part, would withdraw her army of observation, after which harmony between the two neighbours might easily be restored. The Spanish ministers, however, would not listen to any proposals of concession: such a suggestion, they declared, could not even be mentioned in the Cortes.

cated to the Cortes on the 5th of February by a royal message; and to the message was subjoined a series of propositions, which had for their object to accelerate and extend the preparations of the military department. On the 6th, a project of decree was discussed for giving efficacy to the ministerial demands of the day preceding. The eager patriotism of more than one of the deputies out-stripped the demands of the government for supplies, and led them to recommend a scale of enlistment even more liberal than that required by the ministers. The existing establishment of the army being about 87,000 men, the first article of the decree proposed an immediate addition of 29,973 men, to be drawn from all the provinces of Spain, according to their population. Young men, who had completed their 17th year, might be admitted as substitutes, or as volunteers. Soldiers, who had already served, might be re-enlisted by the government. The militia was to be rendered disposable. The importation of arms, ammunition, &c., was authorized; and 200 gunboats were ordered to be fitted out and manned, for the defence of coasts and harbours.

The finances, too, occupied much of the time of the legislature; and vain endeavours were made to remedy by enactments, those deficiences in the produce of the taxes, which arose, in some degree, no doubt, from the want of good official arrangements, but, infinitely more, from the poverty and the disturbed state of the country. One of the measures adopted was, to authorise the government, during the first four months of the year, to accept produce in discharge of the arrears due from the towns

and diocesan juntas, and to compound with individual debtors to the treasury.

On the 19th of February the sittings of the extraordinary Cortes were closed. "Some diplomatic relations," said the king, in his speech on this occasion, "have been interrupted during the sit, tings of these Cortes; but these misunderstandings between cabinet and cabinet have increased the moral force of the nation in the eyes of the civilized world, where honour, probity, and justice are professed. On seeing that Spain does not capitulate with her degra dation, a just idea will be formed of the firmness of her character, and of the happy influence of the institutions by which she is governed.

"The king of France has declared to the two chambers of the legislative body, his intentions with respect to Spain. Mine are already public, and are attested in the most solemn manner. Valour, decision, constancy, love of national independence, and the increased conviction of the necessity of preserving the national code of 1812-these are the vigorous answers, which the nation must give to the anti-social principles expressed in the speech of the most christian monarch.

"The circumstances, in which the public affairs are placed, are of a serious character; but there is no occasion to be apprehensive for my government or for the Cortes. My firm and constant union with the deputies of the nation will be the secure guarantee of a happy issue, and of the new days of glory which are preparing for us. The day for the opening of the sessions of the Cortes is near at hand. A new field of patriotism is about to

present itself to the representatives of the nation, and to me new motives for making my sentiments public."

While the Cortes were doing all that could be done by words to vindicate the dignity of their country, Mina was more usefully employed in prosecuting his operations in Catalonia. As the enemy had disappeared from the field, all that remained to be done was, to reduce the few places of strength which were still in their hands. In this the constitutionalists were successful. The Seo d' Urgel was defended by the partisan Romagosa with great obstinacy; but famine at last compelled him to abandon it; and, towards the end of January, that fortress was occupied by Mina. On the 28th of February, Mequinenza surrendered by capitulation. Many wandering bands, however, still continued to traverse Catalonia and Arragon, though they were almost uniformly defeated, whenever they were overtaken by the constitutionalists.

troops, as most of the other chiefs would have done, he formed the bold design of making a forced march upon the capital by Cataloyud and Siguenza. His band was increased on the way, by the junction of all the discontented, and when he passed Guadalaxara, he commanded not fewer than between 5,000 and 7,000 men. The troops, that could be despatched from the garrison of Madrid, hastened under the command of general O'Daly to oppose the assailants. The capital was thrown into the greatest alarm; the royalists were at the distance of only a few leagues; and if they were once within its gates, re-inforced as they then would be by numerous friends connected with the court, and masters of the person of the king, the consequences might be most fatal to the existing authorities. The result of the first engagement was not such as to diminish the alarm. On the 25th of January, O'Daly, with a column of 1,000 men, including 160 cavalry, arrived near Brihuega, between three and four o'clock. He there discovered a post of the insurgents, consisting of 60 lancers and a company of infantry. the in infantry. A squadron of the regi ment of Alcantara charged them, and they instantly dispersed. When O'Daly arrived in sight of Torrija, the royalists proceeded towards the heights of Levante, where they took a position. Some men, whom they had left as Guerillas, were obliged to retreat. The commandant of the constitutional troops sent forward the companies of Guadalaxara, and the squadron of Alcantara on the left of the road. Three pieces of artillery were left in the road with some infantry and a company of cavalry; while a battalion of militia advanced on

While the cause of the soldiers of the faith was thus unsuccessful in that quarter of Spain, where it had a few months before flourished in the greatest strength; the intrigues of France and the hopes of her support caused disturbances to break out anew in other provinces. Of these attempts to support the cause of despotism, the most daring was one which was conducted by two foreignersBessieres, a Frenchman, and Ulman, a Swiss. Bessieres had commanded at Mequinenza, on the Ebro; and in January, he had broken up from that place, in order, as it would appear, to march upon Saragossa. Being opposed by Velasco, he was obliged to change his purpose, and then, instead of dispersing his

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