country. No means were adopted, to detect the numerous misrepresentations, which continually went forth; nor even to arrest and blunt the vital stabs, so frequently, aimed at the honour of a faithful and active ally. No exertion was made, to refute those arguments, by which the sophists railed against England and her mediatory offers, on the grounds of illiberal fallacy; nor did she attempt to increase her friends, by a full developement of those honourable principles, by which she was guided. These, though objects of serious import, were not deserving the attention of the British government, yet, they would have added facility to many important measures. Though, within its reach, they were disregarded. Thence has it resulted, that with all her influence, England has been unable to awe the insolence of contending faction, into silence; and her indifference, as well with regard to Spanish America, as on many other essential points, became a standard, which served as a fresh resort, to the disaffected against her. Yet, could it be possible, that so much time had been spent, and the Spanish American question, or the grounds on which the war was carrying on, were not understood? Can it be believed, that after the supplies we had furnished, the sacrifices we had made, and the blood we had spilt, we had no influence over the councils of Spain; or that we had inspired no confidence or gratitude, into the bosoms of the people? The timely exertions of England, at the commencement of these dissentions, as already demonstrated, would have allayed every irritated feeling; and at this late hour, it will not be pronounced impolitic or unwarrantable, if England as an ally, with the principal burden then on her own back, had urged, remon

strated, or made it a sine qua non, that a reform should be granted, such as would restore harmony amongst all parties. England, certainly, could not be insensible to the gratification, of cooperating in the pleasing, though arduous task, of securing to the inhabitants of Spanish America, those blessings they had a right to expect, from a free, efficient, and equal plan of government, well administered. The anxiety of the Cortes, ought to have been awakened, by the magnitude of the interests which brought them together; and enabled, as they were, to deliberate in tranquillity, under the protection of British troops, and to fix on those reforms which were to advance the happiness of all, and secure a permanent union between the sister parts of the monarchy, they ought to have lost no time, in assuaging those bitter animosities, which had been engendered by the misconduct of the preceding governments; nor ought they to have distrusted in the good dispositions of an ally, who had been the anchor of their hopes in time of need, and from whom they had continued to receive, ample and unequivocal testimonies of regard and friendship.

The proper mode, of conciliating the affections of so large a portion of the empire, as Spanish America, was a subject of the most interesting enquiry; and, indeed, the most essential, on which the Cortes could enter. An agitation had been produced, so great and so extensive, as not to be easily calmed; yet, it had not arisen out of a licentious and turbulent spirit, bent on disturbing the harmony and tranquillity of the general state; nor was it an infection, occasioned by the wide spreading contagion of the times. The same love of country, still glowed in the breasts of the Spanish Americans; in Ferdinand

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the wishes of all parties confided, and in him the interests of all united. The sincerity of these feelings, rendered the refusal of redress, the more galling; nor is there any truth that can be uttered with more confidence, than, that if paternal affection had only glowed in the bosom of Spain, the duteous sentiments of filial love, on this interesting occasion, would have been kept alive, in her distant offspring. When the first legislature of the country assembled, under the form of the ancient Cortes, many matters pressed heavy on the attention of the members; yet, after the invaded state of the country, and the means of repelling a formidable enemy; the agitated and convulsed situation of Spanish America, demanded a serious and deliberate enquiry. The latter question, embraced two essential points; viz. harmony amongst the common members of a state, on which, national strength, depended; and next, the means of revenue, without which the French could not be repelled; and without which vital spring, the action of government could not long continue. It was to the assembling of the Cortes, that Spanish America, and the whole world, looked for a remedy to the fatal dissentions, which had so long, desolated the ultramarine provinces; and it was then, fully, expected, that England would, immediately, agitate something, for the liberties and happiness of her transatlantic ally. That no private disgusts, or individual irritations, should occur on the meeting of so heterogeneous a body; or that certain public measures, should not meet with some disapprobation, were things, beyond human expectation; but, under the persuasion, that justice and policy, demanded that negociations should precede any further

hostilities, it was thought, that both Spain and England, would promote a candid and fair revision of those motives, which had given rise to a cruel and unnatural war, between the two halves of the Spanish monarchy.

England, however, still kept aloof, and appeared insensible of the necessity of using her powerful exertions in favour of suffering humanity; and though, by this time, she must have been convinced, that local prejudices, separate views, and party animosities, had, hitherto, misdirected that comprehensive and equal eye, which ought to have watched over every part of the monarchy, thereby producing the most serious evils; still, she disregarded the prolongation of their fatal consequences. Bound by the most sacred ties, to the welfare of Spanish America, England could not divest herself of feelings of lively interest for the unredressed inhabitants thereof, unless clear and insurmountable conviction, had proved they were in the wrong. She could not but lament the horrors, by which their unhappy country was torn to pieces; to feel otherwise, was to surrender up sound judgment, to the caprice of party. She must have been sensible, that it was necessary to remove every cause of quarrel, by treaty, and by mutual explanation; and the undistinguishing vengeance with which the war was carried on, increased the necessity of greater circumspection, in those who administered government under a new shape. These were controversies, of so delicate a nature, as to require a great degree of moderation and firmness for their adjustment; but yet, their results were of that alarming aspect, as to demand an immediate attention, and they, besides, called for all the imposing weight of character and influence, which both England and Spain, could add to measures of pacification.

1

Unfortunately for Spain, as well as for England, as her ally, there has not existed in the Peninsula, since the loss of the rightful monarch, a constitutional, proper, and legal form of government, as often before inculcated; and what has existed, has rather been busied in its own preservation, in forms and ceremonies, in etiquettes, and in parade, than in seriously attending to the two most essential points; viz. the driving out of the French, and conciliating of the ultramarine provinces. I say not constitutional, because the ancient laws of the Spanish monarchy, do not admit of any other Cortes, than those formed out of the nobles, clergy, and procuradores or representatives of the cities and towns, entitled to vote therein; all of which, are specified by law. I say proper and legal, because, he only is correctly entitled to take his seat and vote in a representative Congress, who has been formally elected by a majority of votes, fairly given and duly summed up, in the districts, entitled to such representation. But this was not the case, with the new Cortes of Spain. When they entered on their functions, on the 24th of September, 1810, ninety persons only, took their seats as duly elected members, or what were called proprietarios. To these were added fiftythree substitutes or suplentes; picked up and placed in the Cortes, without any other requisite form, than that of being known to belong to the districts, for which they sat as representatives.*

Besides this glaring informality, twenty-nine substitutes were put in for the whole of Spanish America, to represent seventeen millions; whilst European Spain,

* These calculations, are founded on official statements, corresponding with the Court Calendar, published in Cadiz