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XII.

1822.

was, that M. de Montmorency tendered his resignation, CHAP. which was accepted; and M. de Chateaubriand, whom public opinion rather than the private favour of the monarch had already designed for his successor, was appointed in his stead.

26.

like pre

France con

Although, however, M. de Chateaubriand was borne forward to the portfolio of foreign affairs by a movement The warin the Cabinet which implied an entire change of national parations of policy on the vital question now at issue between France tinue. and Spain, yet no such alteration in effect took place; and he was compelled, nothing loth, to fall into the system of his predecessor. The pacific note drawn up by M. de Villèle, and approved of by Louis XVIII., was sent to M. de Lagarde, at Madrid, on the 25th December, soon after the more decided notes of the other Continental powers had been presented; but the warlike preparations were not for a moment suspended, and the march of troops to the foot of the Pyrenees continued without intermission. In truth, the current of public opinion in France ran so strongly in favour of war, that, like similar transports which have prevailed in other countries on similar occasions, it was irresistible, and, for good or for evil, must work out its destined effects. The war party in the legislature, always strong, had been greatly augmented by the result of the annual election of a fifth in the preceding autumn, and it now comprehended five-sixths of the entire Chamber of Deputies. On this occasion, too, for the first time since the Restoration, it carried a vast majority of the French nation with it. All classes concurred in demanding hostilities. The Royalists felt their blood roused at the prospect of strife, as the war-horse does at the sound of the trumpet. The army rejoiced at the prospect of a contest, and joyfully wended their way to the Pyrenees, hoping to efface the disgrace of Baylen and Vittoria; the peasants trusted that the days of the Empire and of glory were about to return, and the fields of Spain to be laid open to their ambition or their plunder; the mercantile

VOL. II.

2 s

XII.

1823.

1 Cap. vii.

CHAP. classes and shopkeepers apprehended, indeed, a diminution of their profits from a rupture of peace, and approved the cautious policy of M. de Villèle, but they were not in sufficient strength to withstand the general current. The revolutionists and democrats in secret were not disinclined to hostilities; they hoped that the troops, when 23,25; Lam. brought into collision with the tricolor standard, would desert their colours, and that, in an attempt to restore the throne of another monarch, Louis would lose his own.1 The British government, however, aware of the diviFailure of sion on the subject which prevailed in the French cabinet, tions at Ma- and of the aversion of the king to war, did all that was possible to avert hostilities. Sir William A'Court, the French the ambassador at Madrid, received instructions to exert

vii. 111,

112.

27.

the negotia

drid, and

departure of

ambassa

dor. Jan. 18.

himself to the utmost to procure such a modification of the Constitution from the Cortes itself as might take away all pretext for French interference; and Lord Fitzroy Somerset was, in the first week of January, despatched from Paris by the Duke of Wellington, in order to co-operate in the same object. All their efforts, however, were in vain. The Spanish government, with that confidence in itself, and insensibility to external danger, which is so characteristic of the nation, obstinately refused to make any concession, or modify the Consti* Duke of tution in the smallest particular. The consequence was, Wellington that the ambassadors of Russia, Prussia, and Austria, Fitzroy after having delivered their respective notes as agreed on at the Congress, withdrew from Madrid; and although the French minister remained behind, and with Sir W. A'Court continued his good offices, yet they viii. 36, 39. came to nothing; and ere long M. de Chateaubriand despatched a note to M. de Lagarde,2* recapitulating

to Lord

Somerset,
Jan. 6,
1823; Ann.
Hist. vi.

705; Lam.
vii. 113,
114; Cap.

"Le Gouvernement Espagnol rejetait toute mesure de conciliation; nonseulement il ne montrait aucun espoir de l'amélioration que l'on pourrait attendre des sentiments qui avaient, pendant si longtemps, uni les Espagnols et les Français; mais il allait jusqu'à exiger que la France retirât son armée d'observation, et expulsât les étrangers qui lui avaient demandé asile. La France n'est pas accoutumée à entendre un pareil langage, et elle ne le par

XII.

1823.

all the grounds of complaint which France had against CHAP. Spain, and directing him forthwith to demand his passport. This was accordingly done, and the rapid concentration of forces on the Pyrenees left no doubt that war in good earnest was approaching.

28.

Speech of

the king at

of the

Jan. 28.

The French Chambers met on the 28th January, and the speech of the king, delivered with great solemnity to a crowded assembly, resounded like a clap of thun- the opening der throughout Europe. "France owed to Europe a Chambers. prosperity which no nation can ever obtain but by a return to religion, legitimacy, order, and true liberty. It is now giving that salutary example; but the Divine justice permits that, after having made other nations. long feel the terrible effects of our discord, we should ourselves be exposed to the dangers arising from similar calamities in a neighbouring kingdom. I have tried," said the king, in a firm accent, "everything to secure the peace of my people, and to preserve Spain herself from the last misfortunes; but all in vain. The infatuation with which my efforts have been rejected at Madrid leaves little hope of the possibility of maintaining peace. I have ordered the recall of my minister. A hundred thousand men, commanded by a prince of my family

donne à son auteur qu'en considération de l'exaspération qui règne en Espagne. Quiconque met le pied sur le territoire français est libre, et jouit des droits d'une hospitalité inviolable. Les victimes des commotions qui agitaient l'Espagne s'y étaient réfugiées, et étaient traitées avec tous les égards dus au malheur. L'Espagne s'est-elle conduite d'une plus mauvaise manière envers la France? Nonseulement elle a donné asile à des hommes coupables, condamnés par les tribunaux, mais encore elle leur a promis des emplois dans ses armées. La confusion qui règne en Espagne actuellement est préjudiciable à quelques-uns de nos plus grands intérêts. Sa Majesté avait désiré que son ministre pût rester à Madrid après le départ des ambassadeurs d'Autriche, de Prusse, et de Russie; mais ses derniers vœux n'ont pas été écoutés ; sa dernière espérance a été déçue ; le mauvais génie des révolutions préside maintenant aux conseils de l'Espagne, tout espoir est éloigné; comme l'expression des sentiments les plus modérés ne nous attire que de nouvelles provocations, il ne peut convenir, M. le comte, à la dignité du roi, et à l'honneur de la France, que vous restiez plus longtemps à Madrid. En conséquence, veuillez demander vos passe-ports pour vousmême et toute votre légation, et partez sans perdre de temps immédiatement après qu'ils vous auront été remis."-M. de Châteaubriand à M. le comte de Lagarde, Paris, Jan. 5, 1853; CAPEFIGUE, Histoire de la Restauration, viii. 37, 38.

XII.

1823.

CHAP. (the Duke d'Angoulême), are ready to march, invoking the God of St Louis to preserve the throne of Spain to a descendant of Henry IV., to save that fine kingdom from ruin, and reconcile it to Europe. Should war prove inevitable, I shall use my best endeavours to restrict its circle and abridge its duration; it shall only be undertaken to conquer that peace which the present state of Spain renders impossible. Let Ferdinand VII. be free to give to his people the institutions which they can never hold but of him, and which, in assuring the repose, will dissipate the just disquietudes of France; from that moment hostidu Roi, Jan. lities shall cease. I venture to take in your presence, Moniteur, gentlemen, that solemn engagement. I have consulted 1823; Ann. the dignity of my crown, the honour and security of France. We are Frenchmen, and we shall always be united to defend such interests." "1

1 Discours

28, 1823;

Jan. 29,

Hist. vi.

668.

29.

King of

England's speech at

Parliament.

Feb. 4.

Such was the war-cry of the Royalists in France, and the aristocratic party throughout Europe, against the Spanish revolution, in the composition of which the fervent opening of genius and poetic mind of M. de Chateaubriand appeared tempered by the statesmanlike caution of M. de Villèle. It was first responded to on this side of the Channel, in the king's speech, delivered by commission, at the opening of Parliament on 4th February. "Since you last met," it said, "his Majesty's efforts have been unceasingly exerted to preserve the peace of Europe. Faithful to the principles which his Majesty has promulgated to the world, as constituting the rules of his conduct, his Majesty declined being a party to any proceedings at Verona which could be deemed an interference in the internal concerns of Spain on the part of foreign powers. And his Majesty has since used, and continues to use, his most anxious endeavours and good offices to allay the irritation unhappily subsisting between the French and Spanish governments, and to avert, if possible, the calamity of a war between France and Spain. Discussions have been long pending with the Spanish

XII.

1823.

government respecting depredations committed on the CHAP. commerce of his Majesty's subjects in the West Indian seas, and other grievances, and those discussions have 1 Ann. Reg. terminated in an admission by the Spanish government 1823, 4, 5; of the justice of his Majesty's complaints, and in an en- viii. 1, 2. gagement for satisfactory reparation."1

Parl. Deb.

Span

March 1.

The official reply of the Spanish government to the 30. French declaration was not given till the opening of the Reply of session of the ordinary Cortes on 1st March. "The Con-ish governtinental powers," said Ferdinand's ministers, "have raised ment. their voice against the political institutions of that country which has conquered its independence at the price of its blood. Spain, in solemnly answering the insidious accusations of these powers, has rested on the principle that its fundamental laws can be dictated only by itself. That clear and luminous principle cannot be attacked but by sophisms supported by the force of arms; and those who have recourse to these methods in the nineteenth century give the most complete proof of the injustice of their cause. His most Christian Majesty has declared that a hundred thousand French shall come to regulate the domestic affairs of Spain, and correct our institutions. When did soldiers receive the mission of correcting laws? In what code is it written that military invasions are the precursors of the felicity of people? It would be unworthy of reason to attempt the refutation of such anti-social errors; and it does not become a constitutional king of Spain to make an apology for the national cause, in order to defend it against those who cover themselves with the veil of the most detestable hypocrisy to trample under foot all sentiments of shame. I hope that the I hope that the energy and perseverance of the Cortes will furnish the best reply to the speech of his most Christian Majesty; I hope that, firm in their principle, they will continue to march in the path of their duty-that they will always remain the Cortes of the 9th and 11th January, worthy of the nation which has intrusted to them its destinies. I hope, in fine, that

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