before acknowledged, ascribing it nomi-pers were resorted to as a means, some of nally to the nation, in order to appropriate which the Deputies of the Cortes conductit to themselves, and then, upon such usur-ed, and abused the liberty of the press espation, to dictate to the nation such laws tablished by them, to render the Royal as they pleased, imposing upon it the yoke power odious, giving to all the rights of by which it should receive them compulso- Majesty the name of despotism-making rily, in a new Constitution, which the depu- King and Despot synonimous terms,-and ties established without authority of the calling Kings Tyrants, while at the same provinces, people, or juntas, and without time they cruelly persecuted every one who the knowledge of those provinces which had the firmness to contradict them, or to were said to be represented by substitutes dissent from this revolutionary and seditious from Spain and the Indies. This Constitu- mode of thinking; and in every thing detion they sanctioned and published in 1812. mocracy was affected, the army and navy, This first attack upon the prerogatives of and all other establishments which, from the throne, abusing the name of the nation, time immemorial, had been called Royal, became, as it were, the basis of many other being stripped of that name, and National attacks which followed it; and in spite of substituted, with which they flattered the the repugnance of many deputies, perhaps of people; who, however, in spite of these the majority, they were adopted and raised perverse arts, retained, by their natural to the rank of laws, which they called fun- loyalty, the good feelings which always damental, by means of the shouts, threats, formed their character. Of all this, since and violence of those who attended in the I have happily entered the kingdom, I have galleries of the Cortes, with which they been acquiring faithful information and alarmed and terrified; and that which was knowledge, partly from my own observain truth the work of a faction, was clothed tions, and partly from the public papers, in with the specious mask of the general will, which, up to this very day, representations and for such will that of a few seditious of my arrival and my character are inpersons, who in Cadiz, and afterwards pudently circulated, so gross and infain Madrid, occasioned affliction to all mous in themselves, that even with regood citizens, made their own to pass. gard to any other individual they would These facts are so notorious, that there constitute very heavy offences, worthy of is scarcely any one who is ignorant of severe notice and punishment. Circumthem; and the very Diaries of the stances so unexpected have filled my heart Cortes furnish ample proof of them. A mode with bitterness, which could only be alleof making laws so foreign to the Spanish viated by the demonstrations of affection nation, gave occasion to an alteration of from all those who hoped for my arrival, the good laws under which, in other times, in order that by my presence an end might it was respected and happy. In truth, al- be put to these calamities, and to the opmost all the forms of the ancient constitu- pression in which those were, who retained tion of the Monarchy were innovated upon; in their minds the remembrance of my and copying the revolutionary and demo- person, and sighed for the true happiness cratic principles of the French constitu- of their country. I swear and promise to tion of 1791, they sanctioned, not the fun- you, true and loyal Spaniards, at the same damental laws of a moderate Monarchy, time that I sympathise with the evils which but those of a popular Government, with a you have suffered, you shall not be disappointchief, or magistrate, their mere delegated ed of your noble expectations. Your Soveexecutor, and not a King, although they reign wishes to be so on your account, and gave him that name, to deceive and seduce in this he places his glory, that he is the the unwary and the nation. Under the Sovereign of an heroic nation, who by their same want of liberty this same Constitu- immortal deeds have gained the admiration tion was signed and sworn to; and it is of the world, and preserved their liberty known to all, not only what passed with and honour. I abhor and detest despotism; regard to the respectable Bishop of Orense, neither the intelligence and cultivation of but also the punishment with which those the nations of Europe could now endure it: were threatened who refused to sign and nor in Spain were its kings ever despots. swear to it. To prepare the public mind Neither its good laws, nor constitution, to receive such novelties, especially those authorised despotism; although unforturegarding my royal person and the prero- nately, from time to time, as happens every gatives of the Crown, the public newspa-where else, and in every thing human, may be imposed and assigned for the maintenance of the State in all branches of the administration. The laws, which shall in future serve as a rule of action to my subjects, shall also be enacted in concert with the Cortes, inasmuch as these bases may serve as an authentic declaration of my royal am about to be vested, and will represent to all neither a despot nor a tyrant, but a King, and a father of his subjects; having in like manner heard from the unanimous declarations of persons respectable for their zeal and knowledge, and from representations made to me from various parts of the kingdom, in which are expressed the repugnance and disgust with which both the Constitution formed by the General and Extraordinary Cortes, as well as the other political establishments recently introdu ced, are regarded in the provinces; considering also the mischiefs which have sprung therefrom, and would increase, should I assent to and swear to the said Constitution; acting in conformity to such general and decided demonstrations of the wishes of my people, and also because they are just and well founded; I declare, that my royal intention is, not only not to swear nor accede to the said Constitution, nor to any Decree of the General and Extraordinary Cortes, and of the Ordinary at present sitting, those, to-wit, which derogate from the rights and prerogatives of my sovereignty, established by the constitution and the laws under which the nation has there may have been abuses of power which no possible Constitution can wholly guard against; nor were they the faults of the Constitution which the nation had, but of individuals, and the effects of unpleasant but very rare circumstances, which gave occasion to them. However, in order to avert them, as effectually as human fore-intentions in the Government with which I sight will allow, namely, by preserving the honour of the royal dignity, and its rights, since those appertaining to it and to the people are equally inviolable, I will treat with the procurators of Spain and of the Indies and order being restored, together with the good usages under which the nation has lived, and which the Kings my predecessors established with its consent, every thing that relates to the good of my kingdoms shall be solidly and legitimately enacted, in Cortes legitimately assembled, as soon as it may be possible to do so, in order that my subjects may live prosperous and happy, in one religion, and under one government, strictly united by indissoluble ties. In this, and in this alone, consist the temporal felicity of a King and a kingdom, which enjoy the title of Catholic, by way of eminence; and immediately preparations shall be made for what may appear best towards the assembling of such a Cortes; in which, I trust, the bases of the prosperity of my subjects, in both hemispheres, may be confirmed. The liberty and security of persons and property shall be firmly secured by means of laws, which, guaranteeing public liberty and order, shall leave to all that salutary liberty, whose undis-lived in times past, but to pronounce that turbed enjoyment distinguishes a moderate Constitution and such Decrees null and of from an arbitrary and despotic Govern- no effect, now, or at any other time, as if ment, and in which the citizens subject to such acts had never passed, and that they. the former ought to live. This just liberty are entirely abrogated, and without any all likewise shall enjoy, in order to commu- obligation on my people and subjects, nicate through the press their ideas and of whatever class and condition, to fulfil thoughts, within those limits, however, or observe them. And as he who should` which sound reason imperiously prescribes attempt to support them, and shall thus to all, that it may not degenerate into licen- contradict my royal proclamation, adopted tiousness; for the respect which is due to with the above agreement and assent, will religion and the government, and that which attack the prerogatives of my sovereignty, men mutually owe towards each other, can and the happiness of the nation, and will under no civilized government be reason- cause discontent and disturbance in my ably permitted to be violated and trampled kingdoms, I declare, whoever shall dare to upon with impunity.-All suspicion, like- attempt the same will be guilty of High wise, of any dissipation of the revenues of Treason, and as such subject to capital puthe State shall cease; those which are as-nishment, whether he perform the same by signed for the expences required by the honour of my royal person and family, and that of the nation whom I have the glory to govern, being separated from the revenues which, by the consent of the kingdom, deed, by writing, or by words, moving and exciting, or in any other way exhorting and persuading, that the said Constitution and Decrees be kept and observed.And in order that, until public order be and very restored, together with the system observ-respecting the occupation of the throne of ed in the kingdom prior to the introduc- Naples :-Declaration." Ferdinand tion of these novelties, for the attainment IV. by the Grace of God, King of the Two of which suitable measures shall be taken Sicilies, and of Jerusalem, Infant of Spain, without delay, the administration of justice &c. Profoundly indignant at the perfimay not be interrupted, it is my will, that dious report spread by our enemies, that in the mean time, the ordinary magistracies we have renounced, or that we are disposed of towns shall be continued as now esta- to renounce, our rights to the Kingdom of blished, the Courts of Law where there are Naples, we think it our duty to make such, and the Audiencias, Intendents, and known the falsehood of such reports to the other judicial tribunals; and in the politi-powers, our Allics, to all nations, and cal and administrative branches, the com- particularly to our subjects, mon councils of towns according to their dear children of the kingdom of Napresent constitution, until the Cortes, who ples, by declaring solemnly that we nevershall be summoned, being heard, the stable have renounced, and that we are unorder of this part of the Government of the alterably resolved never to renounce, our kingdom be assented to. And from the legitimate and incontestible rights to the day on which this my Decree shall be pub-kingdom of Naples, and that our fixed Jished and communicated to the President and unchangeable will is to accept of no for the time being of the Cortes at present offer of indemnity, nor any compensation met, the said Cortes shall cease their sit-whatsoever for the said kingdom, which we tings; and their acts with those of the preceding Cortes, together with whatever documents or dispatches shall be in their of fice of archives and secretaryship, or in the possession of any other individual whatever, shall be collected by the person charged with the execution of this my Royal Decree; and shall be deposited for the present in the Guildhall of the city of Madrid, the room in which they are placed being locked and sealed up the books of their library shall be conveyed to the royal library; and whosoever shall endeavour to obstruct the execution of this part of my Royal Decree, in any way whatever, I also declare him guilty of High Treason, and that as such the punishment of death shal! be inflicted upon him. And from this day shall cease in every tribunal of the kingdom all proceelings in any cause, now pending for any infraction of the Constitution, and and those who, for such causes, have been imprisoned or arrested, shall be immediately at liberty. Such then is my will, because the welfare and happiness of the nation require it.-Given at Valencia, the 4th of May. 1814.-I, THE KING.-Pedro de Macanez, Secretary of Decrees-As Captain General of New Castile, Political and Military Governor of the whole Province, and by order of his Majesty Don Ferdinand VII. whom God preserve, I cause it to be published.-FRANCISCO RAMON DE ECUIA Y LETONA.-Madrid, May 11, 1814. NAPLES. From the following Document, it appears that Murat is likely to have some trouble with Ferdinand the IV. are determined to preserve for ourself, and PEACE. The Courier, of last night, states on this subject, that "Accounts from Lord Castlereagh, dated on Tuesday last, have been received, which, it is reported, announce that the Peace was to be signed on Wednesday last-that the Emperor of Russia and King of Prussia meant to set out for this country positively on Monday next. They may be expected on Wednesday or Thursday. They are to land at Dover, and a Telegraphic Message to that effect is understood to have been sent off this morning to his Royal Highness the Dukeof Clarence. The Emperor of Germany proceeds almost immediately to Italy upon very important business." ERRATUM. In the last REGISTER, page 643, line 24, from the bottom, for many hundreds of thousands of lives," read livres. Pripted and Published by J. MORTON, No. 94, Strand. VOL. XXV. No. 23.] LONDON, SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 1814. [Price 18. 705] TO THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHAMPTON, that ON THE CORN BILL. 66 -[706 "RESOLUTION 1st.-That for several It shall be my endeavour, as it is my duty, to shew, that this objection of mine is well-founded; and, in order to do it in a clear and satisfactory manner, I will, as MY WORTHY BUT DELUDED NEIGH-I proceed, quote the several Resolutions, BOURS.-Having read your RESOLUTIONS, which you have caused to be published, on the subject of the Corn Bill, signed by under the signature of your Mayor, who, Mr. JOHN ROWCLIFFE, the Mayor of your however, I am very far from regarding as town, upon which Resolutions, it appears, the real mover of the question in your town, you are now about to frame a Petition there being, manifestly, a stronger hand against the said Bill; and being convinced, behind the curtain, pushing the matter forthat the views of the matter, taken in ward. those Resolutions, are extremely erroneous, I think it right to endeavour to shew you years past the price of wheat and other you are in error. "grain has been excessively high throughBefore I proceed to this, however, I" out this kingdom, and that the consemust premise, that I myself disapprove, "quent distress has been considerably felt not only of the proposed Corn Bill, but of" by all classes of society; while the poorest any and every Bill, or law, that has been," classes have occasionally been sorely and or can be, passed upon the subject. I look" severely tried with all the evils insepaupon such laws as wholly useless, and as "rable from dearth and indigence. always attended with a greater or less de- "RESOLUTION 2d.-That this Meeting gree of injury to the country. I am of" had carnestly hoped, in behalf of themopinion, that the trade in corn should al-" selves and their poorer fellow-subjects, ways be perfectly free, let its price be what" who have in general borne the calamities it may; and that the trade in all other" of the times with most laudable and products should be the same. I, there-" exemplary patience, that the return of fore, would have chearfully signed your "Peace would have alleviated the distress Petition, had it simply prayed for the not" that has been so long experienced, and passing of the proposed law. But, if your" would have carried comfort and plenty Petition had been handed to me, I would" into every part of his Majesty's dominot have signed it; because it seems to me. "nions. to be founded on, and to give sanction to, "RESOLUTION 3d.-That this Meeting notions relative to the causes of high wrong are struck with great apprehension as to price and public distress; because it seems "the effects which they conceive will ineto me to be calculated (and was, perhaps, vitably follow from the enactment of a by its chief promoters intended) to keep" Bill which is now depending in the House the people of this country in a state of" of Commons, on the subject of the Corn blindness, as to the causes of their miseries," Laws; which must at once sweep away in which state of blindness they have lived" all hope of a reduction in the price of the for more than twenty years past. Your" most necessary article of human subsistResolutions contain many propositions un-"ence: fearful lest the disappointment of supported by reason or fact; but my great "expectations long cherished, during a objection to them is, that they are calcu-" most protracted and anxious contest with lated to withdraw the minds of the people foreign powers, should excite at home, from the TRUE CAUSES of the distresses among the suffering classes of the comand miseries, of which they speak, and to "munity, a spirit of discontent and dissadirect them towards false objects; and, by "tisfaction, at a moment when it is most that means, to put off the period of the ap- "fervently to be wished that this kingdom plication of an effectual remedy. "should find rest from that tedious course 66 66 "of suspense and calamity, in which fo- | "reign ambition and tyranny have so long "involved it." you, that the idea of an inseparable connection between peace and plenty is directly in the teeth of all those assertions, which the advocates of war have been maintaining for the last twenty years. They have always contended, that the war was not the cause of distress; that the people were better fed and better clad than they were ever before; that the nation was at the height of prosperity; and that veteran you so highly compliment, has taken infinite pains to prove, that the population has been increasing during all this bloody war; a proof, according to him, of the increasing happiness of the people.. But, now, all at once, be seems to have discovered, that war was a cause of distress and misery! So it has been, indeed, but not in the way that he would now have us believe. I wonder why you should have introduced this latter sentiment, seeing that it could do no good, and seeing, that the point might be disputed with you. I, for instance, deny, that it was "foreign ambition and "tyranny" that involved us in the war. But, I will, as far as it is possible, keep all extraneous matter out of the discussion.placeman, old Mr. GEORGE ROSE, whom You assert here, at the outset, that the high price of corn has been the cause of distress; that you hoped, that the return of peace would have alleviated that distress; that peace would have carried comfort and plenty into every part of the king's dominions; and you fear, that, if the suffering classes should be disappointed in that hope, a spirit of discontent and dissatisfaction will arise throughout the country. From this it is manifest, you mean, THAT CORN IS USUALLY AT A LOWER PRICE IN PEACE THAN IT IS IN WAR. This is an error. It is, indeed, an error, into which others have fallen as well as you. The people at Portsmouth have promulga ted the same sentiment. Mr. Waithman, in his speech to the Livery of London, is reported to have talked about "the social "connection between peace and plenty." There are two modes of meeting and controverting any proposition: by reference to experience; or by the arguments which the case offers. The former is an appeal to facts; the latter to reason. shall appeal to both, and with full confidence, that the "social connection between 66 I peace and plenty," will be proved to be the fruit of vulgar error-an error having nơ better foundation, perhaps, than the alliteration which two very pretty words offered to the author of some ancient popular ballad. The error is, therefore, not confined to you. But, it is still an error; and certainly not less subject to exposure, or When these words were rung in ear more entitled to respect, because it is a ears at, and soon after, the peace of Amiens, vulgar error. The social connection," I took some pains to ascertain what expeof which Mr. Waithman and you talk, has rience said upon the point. Mr. ADDINGno existence in fact, and never can have TON, who is now Lord Sidmouth, came such an existence, until there is a connection into office, and made peace, in the year between peace and fruitful seasons. What 1801. Bread, which had, owing to two does plenty mean? Why; abundance pro- båd crops and one bad harvest, in 1799 portioned to our wants: And, what can and 1800, become very dear in 1800, possibly make one time more abundant than and in the first nine months of 1801, beanother, except the difference in the seasons came cheap the moment peace was made. Will any one say, that the blights or the That was quite enough. Mr. Addington mildews pay any respect to peace or war? had given us PEACE and PLENTY. Was it peace which gave us the feeding There needed nothing more. showers, the hot suns, the fine harvest of been dear in the two last years of the war; last year? Or, is it war, which has given and, the moment peace was made, it beus the cold and dry winds of this last month came cheap. These two facts were put of May, and the white frosts which we have together, and the point was settled for had, until within these four days? Does ever. The vulgar notion was planted for prace give us greater quantities of apples the present generation. It was not consiand peaches than war does? Why, then,dered what moment that was when peace should it give us greater quantities of corn? was made. It was made in the end of Upon the very face of the thing, these September; that is to say, at the end of propositions contain absurdities too gross to harvest; and that too, a very fine and he be error exists, and it most abundant harvest. This was wholly first reminding overlooked. This was too trifling a cir Bread had 253 |