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the enemy, it confirms the decree of the extraordinary Cortes in 1811, by which the king was not to be acknowledged as free, or obeyed, till he had taken in the bosom of the national congress the oath prescribed by the constitution; it directs what is to be done by the generals on the frontiers upon intelligence of the king's approach, prohibiting the admission of any armed force with him, or of a single foreigner about his person; and it specifies the ceremonial to be observed on presenting the constitution to the king, and receiving his oath on its acceptance. The reading of this decree was accompanied with the applause of the auditors. A conversation ensued, respecting the publication of documents for the information of the people, when a member named Senor Reyna rose, and announcing that he had a motion to make, began with saying, "when our Sovereign Ferdinand was born, he was born with a right to the absolute sovereignty of the Spanish nation." He was immediately called to order by a number of voices; but insisting on his liberty as a representative of the people to utter his sentiments, he proceeded to assert that it was indispensable that Ferdinand VII, as having by the abdication of Charles IV, acquired the right of being king and lord of his people, should be in the exercise of absolute sovereignty the moment he crossed the frontiers. The greatest indignation was excited against the member by this unqualified declaration of the highest monarchical principles, both among the deputies and the auditors in the gallery, and mo

tions were tumultuously made for calling him to account. At length, Reyna being ordered to leave the hall, after some further discussion, the affair was voted to be referred to the consideration of a committee. It is to be added, that the Regency communicated to the English ambassador an explicit account of all that had passed relative to the treaty, of the contents of Ferdinand's letter, and of their own conduct in consequence, than which nothing could be more honourable and decided; as on the other hand it was manifest from the terms of the treaty, which were published, that Ferdinand had entirely lent himself to the designs of Napoleon.

Intelligence arrived at Madrid from the Baron d'Eroles, that the French garrisons of Lerida, Mequinenza, and Monzon, capitulated on Feb. 18th, remaining prisoners of war. It was afterwards announced that Gerona, Olot, and Puycerda were freed; that the blockade of Barcelona was become more strict, the enemy, after having, severely suffered in a sally, remaining quiet; and that the French were in possession of only three or four fortresses in Catalonia, together with Peniscola and Murviedro.

The state of affairs in France would now no longer permit the detention of Ferdinand. On March 24th, a message was sent by the secretary of state to the Cortes, informing them of the receipt of a letter signed by king Ferdinand VII, acquainting the Regency with his intention of setting out on the 13th, from Valencey for Perpignan, and bis anxiety to arrive speedily in Spain, coming [D 2]

by

by the way of Catalonia. The letter, upon motion, was brought to the Cortes and read. After acknowledging the letter from the Regency, and expressing his satisfaction with the nation's wishes for his return, which was no less his desire, in order to promote the felicity of his subjects, he mentioned his intention of proceeding as above stated, and concluded, "with regard to the re-establishment of the Cortes, of which the Regency speak to me in their letter, as well as every thing that may have been done in my absence usefully to the kingdom, it I will always merit my approbation, as conformable to my royal intentions." The letter was received with great applause; but during the reading, at the word subjects, in Spanish vasallos, a voice interrupted the secretary, saying, "we are not vassals!" A kind of apology was made for the use of this term, as proceeding from the king's ignorance of the constitution, by Senor Arispe, who made a motion for inviting the Regency to adopt the necessary measures for the king's taking the oath to the constitution, which was approved.

At length, on March 24th, Ferdinand arrived at Gerona, whence he sent a letter to the Regency, written with his own hand. It contained a general assurance of his wishes to do every thing that might conduce to the welfare of his subjects, and an expression of his happiness on finding himself on his own territory, amidst a nation and an army which had displayed so generous a fidelity towards him. A letter from general Copons, the com

mander in chief of Catalonia, mentioned that his Majesty had been escorted to the left bank of the river Fluvia, by marshal Suchet with a detachment of French troops, and that having crossed the river with a suite of Spaniards only, he had been attended to Gerona by the general. The following circumstance was communicated to the Cortes by order of the Regency. Marshal Suchet had wished to stipulate with gen. Copons, that the possession of the king's person should serve as a guaranty for the delivering up to the marshal of the French garrisons of the fortresses not yet in the hands of the Spaniards, as well as those of Lerida, Monzon, and Mequinenza; but as this proposal might have added 20,000 men to the French armies opposed to lord Wellington, the General had cluded it, and obtained the person of Ferdinand without acceding to such a demand. The thanks of the Cortes were in consequence voted to him. In Madrid the greatest rejoicings were made on the intelligence of the king's return, in which all ranks and parties appeared to concur. His entrance into Saragossa on April 6th, was attended with the same manifestations of general joy. He proceeded on the 11th for Valentia, accompanied by the Infant Don Carlos; and nothing as yet appeared externally to dis turb the feelings of national satisfaction in his extraordinary restoration.

Another renovation of the ancient order of things effected by the prevalence of the allied arms, was that of the replacement of the head of the Roman Catholic Church

upon

upon his seat of authority. The very first act of the French provisional government was an order, that all obstacles to the return of the Pope to his own territories should be instantly removed, and every honour be paid him on his journey. His Holiness accordingly proceeded for Italy, and

having arrived at Viterbo, stopped at that place till the exiled cardinals could be assembled in order to attend him on his solemn entrance into Rome. The important consequences of this event will afford interesting matter for the remaining history of the year.

CHAPTER

CHAPTER IV.

Affairs of Norway-Treaties of Denmark with Sweden and EnglandFeelings of the Norwegians-Prince Christian Frederic repairs to Christiana-His reception-Proceeds to Drontheim-Returns to Christiana, and is declared Regent-His proclamatioms-Count Rosen's mission from Sweden-Address of the King of Denmark to the Norwegians-Mr. Anker's deputation to England-Notification of the blockade of Norway by the English-Parties in Norway-Diet-Christian proclaimed King and the Diet dissolved-Mr. Morier, Envoy from England-Delegation from the three allied Powers-Armistice proposed and rejected-State Papers-Envoy's return and preparation for warProclamation of the Crown Prince of Sweden to the NorwegiansCommencement of hostilities-Norwegian flotilla retreats-Swedes cross the frontier-Actions-Frederickstadt capitulates-Further success of the Swedes-Frederickstein bombarded Preparations to surround Christian's army-He resigns-Convention at Moss Christian's proclamation to the Norwegians-Tumult at Christiania-State of affairs before the Convention--The Diet assembled-Christian's departureElection of the King of Sweden to the Crown of Norway-Close of the Diet.

HILST the grand contest in

W France was proceeding in a

manner that foreboded a speedy termination, a cloud was gathering in the North, which was to produce a new storm of war, and for a time retard the restoration of the general tranquillity of Europe. It was clearly discernible at the close of the last year that Denmark, deserted by the ally to whose fortune her's had unhappily been attached, and invaded by a force to which she had nothing adequate to oppose, had no other part to take than that of acquiescence in the conditions imposed upon her, of which the most galling was, undoubtedly, the resignation of that portion of her dominions to which she owed one of her crowns, and

a great part of her consequence. Her submission was sealed by treaties of peace concluded at Kiel, on January 14th, with the Sovereigns of Sweden and Great Britain. In the first of these, after a declaration of the renewal of peace and amity between Denmark and Sweden, the King of Sweden engages his mediation for the same purpose with Russia and Prussia; and on the other hand, the King of Denmark engages to take an active part in the common cause against the French emperor. The entire and perpetual cession of Norway by Denmark, and of Pomerania and the isle of Rugen by Sweden, is then declared, and reciprocal stipulations are made for the perservation of the rights and privi

leges

leges of the ceded countries on both sides. The King of Sweden further promises to use his best endeavours with the Allied Powers, to procure for Denmark, at a general peace, a full equivalent for the cession of Norway. In the treaty with Great Britain, the articles in substance were, that all conquests were to be restored, with the exception of Heligoland, which was to remain in the possession of England; that the prisoners of war on both sides were to be liberated; that Denmark was to join the allied arms with 10,000 men, on the condition of a subsidy from England of 400,000l.; that Pomerania was to be ceded to Denmark in lieu of Norway; that Stralsund was to continue a depôt for British produce; that Denmark was to do all in her power for the abolition of the slave trade; and that England was to mediate between her and the other allies. The effect of these treaties as far as related to the co-operation of the Danish troops with the army of the Crown Prince of Sweden, has been already noticed.

But all difficulties with respect to these compacts were not overcome by the acquiescence of the King of Denmark. The people of Norway are well known to possess a high and independent spirit; and though they have long ceased to constitute a separate nation, and have been annexed to a monarchy which circumstances have rendered nearly absolute, they have been able to preserve constitutional privileges which, combined with their detached situation from the seat of government, have secured to them a considerable share of practical freedom. It was scarcely to be

expected that such a people would readily submit to be transferred, without asking their consent, to a new master; especially to the Sovereign of a country against which that national enmity had been long fostered, which usually exists between bordering neighbours. This dislike too, had recently been aggravated by the severe policy of Sweden, in intercepting all supplies of provision to Norway after a year of scarcity, the consequence of which is said to have been the death of 5000 persons, in the diocese of Drontheim, of famine and disease. Their governor at this juncture was Christian Frederic, hereditary Prince of Denmark, and Duke of Schleswig Holstein, a Prince apparently of an active and enterprizing character. On Jan. 18, an officer having arrived with the ratification of the treaty concluded between Sweden and Denmark, the Prince repaired to the country seat of the Chamberlain, Mr. Carsten Anker, near Christiana, and on the 28th he assembled the most considerable persons, civil, military, and ecclesiastical, to-gether with the merchants and de-. puties who were met to regulate the affairs of the national bank. After laying before them the treaty, he asked if it was their opinion that the people of Norway were disposed to assert their ancient independence against the claims of Sweden. Their answer was, unąnimously, in the affirmative; and they earnestly besought the Prince to remain at the head of the Government, resolving, at the same time, to effect bis nomination to the title of Prince Regent of Norway, The Prince, who doubtless had already settled his plans, immediate

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