views of aggrandizement, or territorial acquisition, either in Europe or America, at the expence of the Spanish nation. With the same positiveness, I deny that there is any foundation for the interpretation given to the notes which I presented in the month of March last, suggesting that the Spanish provinces on the borders of Portugal should be placed under the temporary authority of Lord Wellington; as by this no more was intended than to authorize him to derive from them the military supplies which they were capable of furnishing. I, in like man. ner, solemnly affirm, that neither my sovereign nor his government had intention to render themselves masters of Cadiz; and that if any reinforcements were sent to this city, it was solely and exclusively in order to contribute to the defence of this important position, and preserve it to the crown of Spain. any Lastly, I repeat what on many occasions I have declared to your excellency, that Great Britain, in taking part in this contest, had no other view, than to assist the glorious efforts of the Spanish nation to recover its liberty and independence; and that she persevered in it without any idea of her own aggrandizement, or any exclusive advantage which she might derive from the unfortunate circumstances to which the Spanish nation has been reduced; but solely to contribute to the expulsion of the enemy, and the re-establishment of the integrity and independence of the Spanish monarchy. "In conclusion, most excellent sir, I earnestly entreat your excellency will be pleased to present, with the least possible delay, this note to the Council of Regency; and I think myself obliged to demand from the Spanish government, that all proper publicity may be given to it, in order to prevent the serious consequences which must inevitably result, should the Spanish nation once conceive the intentions of the English nation to be such as the injurious suspicions which the ru mours and writings circulated throughout this city are calculated to inspire. "I have the honour to reiterate to your excellency the assurances of my distinguished consideration. (Signed) "H. WELLESLEY." To his Excellency Senor Don Eusebio de Bardaxi y Azara. ANSWER. "SIR, Without loss of time, I presented to the council of regency the note which your excellency was pleased to transmit to me on the 5th instant, as well as a copy of the paper lately printed and published in this city. His excellency, fully impressed with what your excellency has been pleased to state concerning the malicious rumours which have been for some time so industriously circulated in these parts, has ordered me above all things to declare, that, believing himself as much interested as your excellency in discrediting reports and writings which can in the least degree offend the respect and decorum due to his Britannic Majesty, his government, and the English nation, he will most willingly hasten to publish the note of your excellency, with this reply; well persuaded that their publication cannot fail to undeceive the incautious, who have allowed themselves to be seduced by people who intend to destroy the friendship and amity which happily, and without the least interruption, subsists between the two allied nations; and without which, neither union nor concord can subsist between their respective governments. "In regard to the imputations to which your excellency refers in your note, considering them as injurious to the august sovereign as to the government of the British nation, they can not certainly be attributed to the generality of the inhabitants of Cadiz,of this bulwark of Spanish independ ence, much less to the nation in general, which has given so many proofs of its gratitude for the generous assist ance of Great Britain. They can, therefore, have their origin only in the imagination of some individuals, who, influenced by the enemy, or carried away by the desire of being singular in their opinions and writings, aspire at an ephemeral celebrity, to which they sacrifice the most sacred interests of their country, which they do not know, or prefer to their own. "Fortunately, the number of persons engaged in introducing mistrust between the two allied nations is very limited, and so very inferior to those who properly appreciate the generous efforts of Great Britain in the present contest, that they can never obtain the end which they have proposed; but rather, on the contrary, the artifice employed by the enemy to sow discord being once known, as well as the instruments made use of, both will be included in the execration of all good Spaniards, who, without dispute, constitute the greater part of those who compose this vast monarchy. "Nothing proves so much what I have stated, as the injurious suspicions which accompany the reports and rumours spread respecting the pretended occupation of Cadiz by the troops of his Britannic majesty, to which the French have contributed from the first day they presented themselves before this place, for the purpose of introducing discord, and producing mistrust in the minds of its inhabitants. The object of this imposture being known, it will not be difficult to comprehend the views of those who are so eager in circulating and giving credit to them; but the public, in reading the concluding expressions of your excellency on this point, and well persuaded before, that the two governments cannot dỡ less than agree in respect to the number of troops necessary for the defence of so important a position, will remain tranquil in the confidence with which the government must inspire them, and in the good faith of the British cabinet. "The same council of regency has more than once been the mark of calumnies, more or less injurious, both in words and writings; but certain of its rectitude of conduct, and that nothing could be attached with the least foundation, contrary to the decorum and dignity of its representation; thoroughly satisfied that it has its support in the opinion of the good, his excellency has in consequence charged me to inform your excellency, that the Spanish nation, as well as its government, far from paying attention to the insidious remarks with which the enemy has continually endeavoured to dissolve the firm bonds which unite the two powers, are completely convinced that nothing but the combined efforts of both can bring to a glorious conclusion the arduous enterprise for which they have fought; and they are therefore penetrated with the just gratitude they owe Great Britain, for the lively interest with which, from the commencement of the war, it has protected and assisted Spain in defence of its king and political independence. "The expressions contained in this reply, and the sincere protestation, that the council of regency ardently desires, as your excellency must know, to every day draw closer the relations of friendship and reciprocal confidence between both nations, will, without doubt, suffice to calm the inquietude which momentarily was excited in the mind of your excellency by the rumours and writings which gave occasion to your excellency's note; and at the same time, I flatter myself, will ensure the continuation of the aids Translation of a Letter from the original Latin, into English, of the Catholic Bishops of North America, to the Catholic Bishops of Ireland. "To the most Illustrious and Reverend Catholic Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland, the Archbishops of the United States of America send greeting in the Lord. "We have received, venerable brethren, with gratitude, and with the respect which is due to your distinguished merit, the letter dated February 26, which you addressed to the Bishops of the whole Catholic Church. "We are resolved, with the Divine assistance, to preserve the unity of the Church of Christ, and to assert and defend that authority of the Holy See, and primacy of honour and juris. diction, which the chief pontiff is possessed of, and which are essential to the maintenance of this unity. We are equally led by sentiment and by duty to profess our fidelity and obedience to Pope Pius VII. who now holds that supreme station. We adhere, like members to their head, to this incomparable pontiff; and since, as St Paul says, "When one member suffers, the other members partake in the pain," how much more sensibly must we feel the bitter affliction of this our spiritual head! venerable brethren, and we are anima ted with a pious indignation at the idea of " a Reverend Ancient being turned out of his house, and driven from his country; of our innocent bishop being cruelly oppressed; of the head of the church being stripped of his patrimony, and of a most meritorious pope being overwhelmed with contumelies.' "" It is our duty to con fess, that we, in particular, are under the greatest obligation to the venerable Pius VII.; since it is owing to his wise and apostolical conduct that this portion of the Lord's flock, situated in the United States of America, has been formed into a regular ecclesiastical province, consisting of the Archbishop of Baltimore, and of our suffragan Bishops. "We firmly trust in the Lord, that the same invincible fortitude which shone forth in Pius VI. of happy memory, will at all times be equally conspicuous in his successor, Pius VII.; and we have not the smallest doubt that he will continue to exhibit, for the consolation of the church, that invincible firmness in bearing afflictions, which he has hitherto manifested, whatever may become his duty to pronounce, to transact, or to endure. "In the mean time, we declare before God, that we will respectfully listen to the admonitions of the Holy Father, notwithstanding his incapacity; and that we will yield a cheerful submission to his directions and ordinances, provided they bear the proper and genuine characters of the voice of Peter, and of the real intentions and authority of the Supreme Pontiff. But we shall not think ourselves bound by any briefs, or other documents of any kind, which may be circulated in his name, and under his alleged authority, unless the least apprehension of his not enjoying full and perfect liberty in deliberating and resolving shall be removed from our minds. "And should the Chief Pontiff de part this life (which God forbid should happen in the present perilous state of the church,) we, no less than you, venerable brethren, are fully persuaded, that God will not be wanting to his church, which, though it should even for a considerable time be deprived of its Chief Pastor here on earth, would be exposed to less mischief than if any person by force or terror were to place himself in the chair of Peter, and thus the mystical body of Christ was to be torn in pieces by fatal schisms. Hence we are resolved to instruct the flock committed to our care to acknowledge no person as the true and genuine successor, but him whom the far greater part of the bishops of the whole world, and whole Catholic people in a manner, shall acknowledge as such. "If we, who are hardly yet known among the Christian churches, thus venture to declare ourselves to you, our venerable brethren, it is in consequence of your sending to us, in common with the other bishops of the Catholic world, your late energetical letter; for it would be highly unbecoming of us not to acknowledge this high mark of esteem in which you hold us. As to yourselves, you are seated in those episcopal sees, which have been illustrated through a long series of ages by the virtues of the holy prelates, your predecessors in them. In imitation of them, you conduct the people entrusted to you, by example as well as instruction, in the ancient and true faith, and in sincere piety; and together with them you exhibit, in defiance of all human artifice, fraud, and violence, a rare and perhaps singular instance of invincible fortitude in preserving and fostering the catholic faith. "We humbly commend ourselves to your prayers; and we earnestly beseech God to shew favour to your country, to your churches, and each one of yourselves. Speech delivered by his Majesty the Emperor, at the opening of the Diet of Hungary. "Employed incessantly, and with paternal solicitude, about the means of establishing of establishing a system of finance, which may be advantageous to the state, and in accordance with the interests of our faithful subjects; wishing to establish upon that basis, the measures which we adopt for consolidating public, credit, and procuring for ourselves funds which may cover the wants of the monarchy, we have called you together, faithful states of our kingdom of Hungary, in whom we place the greatest confidence, for the purpose of deliberating together on this great and salutary object. We do not conceal from you, that the sacrifices which it will be necessary to make on the altar of the country are considerable; but every one knows, from the examples of times past, that what is great in itself can alone produce great effects; that the strength, the liberty, and even the existence of a nation, are only to be acquired and perpetuated by sacrifices of considerable amount. Our paternal heart experiences, however, very sensible pain in being forced, by the most imperi ous necessity, to demand from our dear Hungarian people a powerful aid, by contributing with generosity to the welfare of the state. But we feel an entire conviction, that our faithful states, listening only to the zeal which they have inherited from their forefathers, and to that love of country to which no sacrifice is too costly, will adopt, in order to second our paternal intentions, the only object of which is the universal welfare of the nations which Providence has entrusted to us, measures which shall be adequate to the state of the royal dignity, to the glory, the celebrity, and the grandeur of the monarchy; and thus to that of our well-beloved Hungarian people, which is in effect contributing to the welfare of individuals, and the general prosperity. "We are the more inclined to expect from you favourable arrangements for the execution of our paternal plans, upon which, as you know, depend not only the happiness of the Hungarians, but also the maintenance of their constitution; inasmuch as we witnessed the zeal which you displayed in the late wars which we supported, when you exerted all your efforts to avert the dangers which threatened our empire, with which was so closely connected the peril of the Hungarian monarchy. We have, therefore, from the first, reckoned upon the efficacious co-operation of the States of Hungary for the re-establishment of our finanAll our views tend only to the general good, without which, the prosperity of individuals is illusory; but we mean not to demand of the States any thing more than is required by an indispensable necessity. ces. "In fine, we doubt not that you yourselves are fully persuaded, that the aids which we ask will be employ. ed solely for the good of our people, and, especially, of the Hungarian nation; and that, this great and difficult object being terminated, we have it extremely at heart to confer with our states about matters connected with the internal administration of the kingdom. Moreover, the faithful States whom we assure of our imperial and royal good-will, shall learn our inten tions more in detail from the propositions which we shall transmit to them." Maritime Decree of Napoleon. In the name of his Majesty the Emperor of the French, &c. the commission of the government, established by the decree of the 18th of December, 1810, considering the decree of his. majesty, dated 26th of December, 1810, ordering that a maritime administration and navigation police should be established in the Hanseatic departments, conformably to the laws and regulations in existence in France, upon the report of the counsellors of state, intendant of the interior and finances, decrees as follows: Art. 1. There shall be taken throughout the Hanseatic departments, a particular account of French citizens who are destined to navigation. Art. 2. The offices for maritime inscription are provisionally established at Hamburgh, for Hamburgh and Luneburg; at Travemunde, for the arondissement of Lubeck'; at Stadte, for the arondissement of Stadte Bremerlehe, for the department of the mouth of the Weser; and at Varel, for the department of the Upper Ems. at Art. 3. There are comprehended in the maritime inscription, 1. Sailors of every description, whether navigating armed or merchants' ships. 2. Those who navigate, or are fishermen. 3. Those who sail in harges or boats, upon the coasts or in the roads, rivers, or canals, comprehended in the maritime districts. |