Although this absurd anathema was neutralized by its very extravagance, while every act of the Cortes flatly contradicted imputations that were never more palpably misapplied than to those brave men, who had displayed so much gallantry, and made such sacrifices in defence of their country, yet was it sufficient to produce an almost immediate effect on the opinion of the army. The expressions of the Deputy spread with rapidity through all the regiments, and to complete the mischief, they were represented as conveying the sense of the assembly at large. It was in vain that numbers of the military, including officers of the highest rank, laboured to prove, in opposition to those employed to circulate the poison, that the Cortes had given numerous proofs of a desire to better the condition of the army, and place its members on an equality with the citiAll their efforts seemed ineffectual, and to such a degree of exasperation had the minds of the soldiery been worked up, that the only reason given by the officers and men who formed the corps under Elio, why they considered the constitution as having been justly abolished, and the liberal members of the Cortes imprisoned, was by repeating the offensive expressions I have quoted, as being the opinion entertained by the whole Congress!

zens.

Having thus endeavoured to give you some notion of that change in public opinion, which led

to the revival of despotism, other facts, tending to throw additional light on that chaos of disorder and crime which preceded the catastrophe of 1814, remain to be noticed; but as these belong more immediately to the personal history of Ferdinand, it will perhaps be better to connect them with the following account of his return to power.

CORTES AND REGENC◄.

33

LETTER III.

Regency and Cortes of 1812.-Refutation of the Charges against them.-Treaty of Valengay.-Correspondence between the King and Regency.-Decree of Cortes.-Return of Ferdinand.-Journey to Zaragoza, and arrival at Valencia.—The Cardinal de Bourbon.-Policy of the British Ministers.--Assemblage at Valencia.-Decree of May 4th.-Servile faction.-Arrest and imprisonment of the Patriots.

Madrid, July—, 1821.

THOSE memorable events which awakened Spain from its lethargy of three centuries, threatening, at no distant day, to erase this country from the list of civilized nations, are, doubtless, fresh in your recollection. You cannot, however, form a correct notion of the perfidy and ingratitude experienced by the Regency and Cortes of 1812, without taking a retrospective view of all that occurred in the Peninsula, from the abdication of Ferdinand and his father Charles IV., pronounced at Bayonne, on the 5th May, 1808, till the triumphant establishment of the Cortes at Madrid, in January, 1814. Notwithstanding the calumnies to which they have been exposed, their public acts, no less than the persevering assiduity with which they conducted the affairs of Spain, in times of unexampled difficulty and danger, labouring to introduce reforms analogous to the new code which their wisdom had framed, will always furnish an unanswerable reply to the assertions of their enemies; and, many as are the brilliant eras of Spanish history, posterity will surely regard

D

that in which so much heroism and constancy were displayed, as most worthy of its applause and imitation.

Although the circumstances which induced the reigning family to forfeit every claim to the crown, were overlooked by the partizans of tyranny, they have not hesitated to assert that there had been no legitimate government in Spain, except those appointed by Charles IV. and his son; yet, is it worthy of attention, to compare the conduct of both parties: the Sovereign and Heir Apparent tamely resigning their rights to the Throne, while the Provisional government and Cortes, were making the most strenuous efforts for its preservation in their family! The latter assembly, is also represented as having been illegally constituted: this charge, like every other made against them, has been ably refuted by so many writers, that I shall merely adduce the wisdom and moderation with which they exercised their legislative functions, as affording the best possible title to legitimacy. Had they retained the Inquisition, suffered the Church property to remain in the hands of an indolent and overgrown hierarchy, or taken no steps to remove those monstrous abuses which had sprung up with, and been tolerated by the old Government, then indeed, might there have been some ground for the obloquy with which that celebrated body of patriots has been assailed. Having, by the most unwearied exertions, and the co-operation of their allies, reconquered the Peninsula, and laid the

foundation of that reform, which was effected to a considerable extent, both the Government and people of Spain looked forward to the arrival of the King, with the exultation of men who felt they had performed a sacred duty: proud of the victory they had achieved, his return was hailed, as the termination of all their sufferings, and since the best blood of Spain had been shed, to secure his crown, they had certainly a right to calculate on his gratitude, and even to consider it as the best guarantee of their future felicity.

How these just expectations of a generous people were requited, is but too well known to Europe: as, however, many of the facts connected with the Restoration of Ferdinand may have escaped your memory, I shall shortly recapitulate the result of my own inquiries, on an epoch, by which the historians of other times will naturally estimate the character of this deluded monarch.

When, during the disastrous campaign of 1814, Napoleon had determined to negociate with Ferdinand VII.* a treaty was concluded at Valençay,

* I have been confidently informed, that there was at this period, a party in the Cortes, who wished to transfer the crown of Spain to the head of Lord Wellington; and that his fears lest such an event should take place, greatly influenced the conduct of the French Emperor. It was also said, that had it not been for his anxiety to conciliate the people of Spain, Napoleon would in conformity to the last arrangements at Bayonne, have restored Charles IV., instead of his son.

Referring to the first point, it would have been a novel incident in the history of our time, to see a French and an English