vaging armies, and the denunciations of heaven, are proposed as the means of subjection; but to discuss their rights, or to review, impartially, the grounds of the existing war, is thought beneath the dignity of the Spaniard. During the American war, the original ground of contest, was yielded by England; but in that waged against the ultramarine provinces of Spain, the Peninsular government never established any, but merely continued hostilities, because this was the voice of the town, in which it had taken up its temporary residence; and because faction and disappointed gain, vociferated for the measure, without demonstrating any substantial reasons. At any period of the colonial contest above alluded to, the prospects of England, certainly wore a brighter aspect than those of Spain, during the invasion of the French; and, most assuredly, the former had many more resources to wield. Yet policy taught her, that she owed it to her own honour, to improve every opportunity that offered for conciliation; so that, even in the spirit of Christianity, she was bound to put an end to the calamities of so distressing a war.

England, sought to make known to the colonists, the full extent of the beneficial tendency of the terms offered; but Spain offers none, and merely seeks to frighten her ultramarine provinces, by swelling the equipments she is making, and by repeating her threats, under a new shape. The commissioners of the one, even after their negociations had been refused by the American Congress, still expressed their readiness to proceed in their conciliatory endeavours, wherever there was an opening; but the others, conceive any advances to the same ends, as derogatory to the national character,

which could not stoop to such a degradation, as to treat with insurgents. The one, offered to treat with deputies from the colonies, conjointly, or with any provincial assembly, or convention individually; but the others, not only disregard the claims of all Spanish America, as established by her deputies, within their own legislature, but decree, that the very existence of an assembly, convention, or junta, is a crime of high treason. England, through her Commissioners, addressed herself to the North Ame rican inhabitants of every class and condition, ad adjured them, in the strongest and most pathetic manner possible, not to lose so favourable an opportunity of securing their liberties, and their future prosperity and happiness on a permanent foundation; but Spain, demands an unconditional submission, and only offers fetters, heavier than those her ancient kings had riveted. The one, published a pardon, sincere and binding, for all insurrections prior to a certain date; and the other, crouds her dungeons with victims, even after a solemn capitulation and promise of general amnesty. The one, in short, treated her prisoners as freemen, who at most, were deluded, and not criminal, thus endeavouring to alleviate the horrors of necessary warfare; whereas the other, in numerous instances, puts them to the sword, in cold blood, and after surrendry, commits the most wanton devastations, and tramples on laws, which every civilized nation, has, hi therto, respected.

But, alas, a strange and blind infatuation, had seized upon the minds of the Spanish heads of government, and liberality, no longer actuated those, whose weight of po litical character, enabled them to guide the public helm. The claims and clamours of the Cadiz merchants, were

still urgent and loud, and their resentments sustained no diminution. Men, indeed, recede, slowly, and with difficulty, from favourite habits, in which their interests are, besides, concerned; and as it were, to court popularity, the government listened and condescended. A general remissness and neglect, moreover, prevailed, and the differences with Spanish America, were treated as of little moment, though it was a point that ought to have been investigated with the greatest labour, and being a principle which involved the greatest interest to the monarchy at large, it ought to have been presented to the public, in all the views of which it was susceptible. No real and sincere disposition existed to discuss the various contraverted points, with cool and unbiassed judgment, or to consider them, with all the weight and attention the subject deserved, and the grounds on which the opposing parties acted, eminently required. The government seemed determined to avoid those full and satisfactory explanations, so essential, not only to the good understanding of the basis of the dispute, but also, to the application of a safe and consistent remedy, as a means to restore a connection, so wantonly broken. Nothing was devised, in order to remove those discordant materials, which had been substituted in the place of that strong cement, which, formerly, bound each part of the monarchy together; for the re-instatement of which, horrors of a variety of kinds, had been resorted to, instead of the rational and sober means of adjustment. The lessons of other nations, in vain laid open for the guidance of the Cortes, they were unheeded, and never produced an useful suggestion. Had Spain, at the momentous period of her rupture with her sister provinces, only been possessed of such a man

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as the Earl of Chatham, who it is well remembered, endeavoured to prevent our own rupture with North America, and afterwards exerted himself to produce a reconciliation; what blood might not have been spared, and what horrors might not have been avoided? England never can forget, the unavailing efforts of that great and good man, to prevent a dismemberment of the empire; but in the Cortes of Spain, scarcely does there exist, a solitary instance of an European, who has lifted up his voice in favour of Spanish America, even on the grounds of humanity.

§ In order, however, to give my reader a more complete idea of those principles which guided the legislature of Spain, in its general deliberations; and as a means to explain how England was affected by these controversies, I conceive it useful, here to subjoin the particulars and result of those attempts made by the British minister, to obtain a free trade with Spanish America, and for Eng land to be admitted as mediatrix, between the contending parties. That no clause had been inserted in our treaty with Spain, to establish the commercial relations of both countries, this point being left to a future period, has been already mentioned; and those natural and obvious reflections, which result from the omission of not making this the basis of our co-operation, have already been added. Such an accession of commerce, as Spanish America presented to the enterprize of England, had long been an object to which the cabinet of St. James had turned its attention, and some of the expedients tried to obtain it, have before been passed in review. Immense sums had, in vain, been expended to open this new channel for trade one that promised unequalled advantages; and

when this brilliant prospect opened on the British empire, by an association of propitious circumstances, not likely to return, it appears unaccountable, that it was overlooked. Spanish America presented to the world, an extended and varied tract of country, in which nature had made such an ample display of her bounties, that the more it was explored, the more it would rise in estimation. Yet, an illiberal system of government, had kept the whole closed, even to the industry of its own inhabitants, who, in vain, beheld the fertility of their soil, and the rich productions by which they were surrounded.

To open a trade with such a country, was, consequently, an object of the greatest consequence to England, not only as a relief to her then suffering subjects, but also, as a means to increase the revenue of Spain, and to add to her effective strength. To give stability to commercial relations with Spanish America, was, therefore, the primary object of both; and Spain was doubly bound to this act of justice, from the further motive of expediency, as tranquillity would thus have been preserved. As the ally of Spain, and bearing so large a portion of the war expences incurred for her salvation, England was entitled to this remuneration on the score of gratitude; and if the former enjoys the commerce of the latter, and we consume her oils, wines, brandies, fruits, &c. besides her colonial productions; and if she is, at the same time, unable to clothe her transatlantic citizens, and transport to Europe the produce of her soil, why was a trade to Spanish America, as an equal and integral part of the monarchy, to be objected to?

In conformity to these views, the British minister had used some endeavours to get this trade opened, soon after