"The Spanish Government justly appreciates the offers made by that of his Most Christian Majesty to contribute towards its happiness as far as lies in its power; but is persuaded that the measures and precautions which the latter has adopted can produce only contrary results.

"The assistance which it is now incumbent on the French Government to give to that of Spain is purely negative. The disbanding its army of the Pyrenees-the restraining the factious enemies of Spain, and the refugees in France -and a marked and decided animadversion on those who take pleasure in blackening, in the most atrocious manner, the Government of his Catholic Majesty, as well as the institutions of Spain and her Cortes, is what the law of nations, as respected by all civilized countries, requires.

"For France to say that she wishes the welfare and tranquillity of Spain, while she constantly keeps lighted up the brands of discord, which give aliment to the principal evils with which she is afflicted, is to plunge into an abyss of contradictions.

verument of his Most Christian Majesty may deem advisable to take in this conjuncture, that of his Catholic Majesty will continue tranquil in the path pointed out by its duty, the justness of its cause, the character of constancy and of firm attachment to constitutional principles, which eminently distinguish the nation at the head of which it is placed; and without now entering into an analysis of the hypothetical and ambiguous expressions of the instructions transmitted to the Count de Lagarde, it concludes by observing that the repose and prosperity of the nation, as well as every thing that may augment the elements of its prosperity, can interest no Power more warmly than Spain herself.

"Constant attachment to the Constitution of 1812, peace with all nations, and the denial of the right of intervention in her affairs on the part of any Power, form the national motto and rule of conduct, as well for the present as for all future times.

"Your Excellency is authorized to read this note to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and to give him a copy if he request it. Your judgment and your prudence will suggest to you the conduct, firm and worthy of Spain, which ought to be pursued on this occasion.

"This I have the honour to communicate to your Excellency by order of his Majesty; and I take this opportunity of renewing the assurances of my distinguished consideration, and of praying that God may preserve your life many

"Your

"Your Excellency's attentive and constant servant kisses your band.

"EVARISTO SAN MIGUEL. "The Palace, Jan. 9, 1823. "To the Minister of France." The notes of the Cabinets of Austria, Prussia, and Russia were then read.

The reading being concluded, the Secretary of State rose and said:

"His Majesty's Government is of opinion, that it would neither be seasonable, just, nor decorous, to make any reply to these notes, since they are full of invectives and calumnies and malign suspicions, not strictly directed against the whole nation, but against those who govern it, and against the individuals who accomplished the revolution.

Several Deputies here interrupted the Secretary of State by exclaiming " All! All! they are directed against all the nation."

Senor San Miguel continued"These invectives are pointed against all, but more particularly against those who govern the nation, and those who brought about the revolution and are its support. On the view of those notes it has appeared to his Majesty's Government, that, reserving the right of making manifest its principles and the justice of its cause by means of a frank exposition of the history of our revolution, it is fit firmly to declare, that it in no manner recognizes either a right of intervention or necessity for any foreign Cabinet to meddle in its affairs. I shall now have the honour to read the note which is to serve for the answer to the three Cabinets."

Note transmitted to the Chargés d'Affaires at the Courts of Vienna, Berlin, and Petersburgh. "Under this date I communicate to the Chargé d'Affaires of his Majesty at the Court of by royal order, the following:

"The Government of his Ma jesty has received communication of a note from to its Chargé

d'Affaires at this Court, a copy of which note is transmitted to your Excellency for your information.

"This document, full of perverted facts, defamatory suppositions, accusations equally unjust and slanderous, and vague requests, does not call for any categorical and formal reply on any of its points. The Spanish Government, deferring to a more convenient op portunity the exhibiting to all nations, in a public and solemn manner, its sentiments, its principles, its determinations, and the justice of the cause of the generous nation at the head of which it is placed, is, for the present, content to declare

"1. That the Spanish nation is governed by a Constitution solemnly recognized by the Emperor of all the Russias in the year 1812.

enemies of Spain, for the purpose of blackening and calumniating her.

"4. That the Spanish nation has never interfered with the institutions or internal government of any other state.

5. That the healing of the ills which may afflict Spain interests no nation more than herself.

"6. That those evils are not consequences of the Constitution, but proceed from the enemies who endeavour to destroy it.

"7. That the Spanish nation will never acknowledge the right of any Power to interfere or mix itself in its affairs.

"8. That the Government will never deviate from the line traced out by its duties, by national honour, and by its unalterable attachment to the fundamental code sworn to in 1812.

"Your Excellency is authorized to communicate this despatch verbally to the Minister for Foreign Affairs at giving him a copy

if he ask it.

Speech of the King of France, delivered at the opening of the ses sion of the two Chambers, on Tuesday, January 28th.

"Gentlemen, -The length of the two last sessions, the short time which they have left you unoccupied, would have made me wish to be able to put off for a short time the opening of the present. But the regular vote of the expenditure of the State is an advantage of which you have felt all the value; and in order to preserve it, I have counted upon the same devotion which was necessary for me to obtain it.

"The situation of the interior of the kingdom is improved; the administration of justice, loyally exercised by the Juries, wisely and religiously directed by the Magistrates, has put an end to the plots and attempts at revolt which were encouraged by the hope of impunity.

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I have concluded with the Holy See those conventions which were necessary for the formation of the new diocese of which the law authorizes the establishment.

"Every where the churches will be provided with their pastors; and the clergy of France, completely organized, will bring upon us the blessings of Providence.

"I have provided by ordinances, as economy in our expenses required, regular order in the accounts. My Ministers will submit to the sanction of the law the ac count of the expenses of the year 1821. They will furnish you with the statement of the receipt and expenses effected in 1822, and that of the charges and resources to be expected in 1824.

"It results from these documents, that all prior expenses be

ing liquidated even those which the military preparations have rendered necessary-we enter upon the year 1823 with forty millions of excess upon the accounts open for this year; and that the budget for 1824 will present a balance of receipts and expenses, without requiring the employment of this

reserve.

"France owed to Europe the example of a prosperity which people cannot obtain but by the return to religion-to legitimacy to order to true liberty. That salutary example she now gives.

"But Divine justice permits, that, after having for a long time made other nations suffer the terrible effects of our disorders, we should ourselves be exposed to dangers brought about by similar calamities among a neighbouring people.

"I have made every endeavour to guarantee the security of my people, and to preserve Spain herself from the extremity of misfortune. The infatuation with which the representations made at Madrid have been rejected, leaves little hope of preserving peace.

"I have ordered the recall of my Ministers: one hundred thousand Frenchmen, commanded by a Prince of my family,-by him whom my heart delights to call my son,-are ready to march, invoking the God of St. Louis, for the sake of preserving the throne of Spain to a descendant of Henry IV. of saving that fine kingdom from its ruin, and of reconciling it with Europe.

"Our stations are about to be reinforced in those places where our maritime commerce has need of that protection. Cruisers shall be established every where, wher

ever our arrivals can possibly be annoyed.

"If war is inevitable, I will use all my endeavours to confine its circle, to limit its duration; it will be undertaken only to conquer peace, which the state of Spain would render impossible. Let Ferdinand VII. be free to give to his people institutions which they cannot hold but from him, and which by securing their tranquillity would dissipate the just inquietudes of France. Hostilities shall cease from that moment. I make, gentlemen, before you, a solemn engagement on this point.

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I was bound to lay before you the state of our foreign affairs. It was for me to deliberate. I have done it maturely. I have consulted the dignity of my crown, the honour and security of France. Gentlemen, we are Frenchmen; we shall always be agreed to de-, fend such interests."

Petition presented to Parliament from the Corporation of London.

"That while your petitioners deeply sympathize with the sufferings of the agricultural interests, they beg to represent to your honourable house, that they are themselves also suffering under the pressure of accumulated burdens, which become daily more insupportable by the depreciation of every description of property: while, after eight years of profound peace, no proportionate reduction in taxation has taken place, nor have any measures been adopted for the removal of national grievances.

"That they have marked the numerous encroachments that have been made, since the period of the Revolution, upon the constitutional rights, and consequently upon the property,

property, of the subject; but more particularly the accelerated progress of those encroachments during the late reign, and since the commencement of the late wars; and they have observed, that those encroachments have kept due pace with the corruption, dependence, and consequent inefficiency of the representation; by which every, or any, set of Ministers have been enabled to exercise an uncontrolled influence, and to carry on their projects, however adverse to the interests of the nation.

"That your petitioners therefore submit, that the present enormous burdens and distresses of the country have not arisen from any unforeseen or unavoidable causes, but have been the necessary result of a long course of corrupt influence, extravagance, and misrule; of wars rashly and unjustly undertaken, and of enormous and unnecessary establishments; all of which could only have arisen and grown up to their present portentous magnitude, from the want of that constitutional control over the servants of the Crown which can only be found in a free and uncorrupted representation of the people in Parliament.

"That without recurring to earlier times, your petitioners need only revert to the reign of Charles I., where the attempts first to control the proceedings of, and then to govern without, a Parliament, brought that deluded Monarch to his unhappy end; while similar conduct in the two succeeding reigns, and the more insidious attempts to corrupt the Parliament, led to the expulsion of James II. from the throne.

"That so sensible were the great statesmen of that day of the bane

ful effects of attempting to destroy the independence of Parliament, that in the Bill of Rights it was declared, That the election of members of Parliament ought to be free; and that for the redress of all grievances, and the amending, strengthening, and preserving the laws, Parliament ought to be held frequently:' and the preamble to the said bill stated, that frequent new Parliaments tend very much to the happy union of King and people.'

"That your petitioners have to lament that, surrounded with difficulties as their ancestors then were, their intentions thus expressed of rendering the representation more perfect, and preserving its independence, were not carried into effect: hence the constitutional barriers they set up for the security of the people were found but feeble guards against the assaults of selfish and designing ministers, who have perseveringly and systematically so undermined the independence of election, that in most of the boroughs scarcely a vestige of freedom now remains.

"That your petitioners beg to draw the attention of your honourable House to facts which must lead to the inevitable conclusion, that if the representation was not considered adequate at the period of the Revolution, and to the state of the country at that time, from the great changes that have since taken place in the population and the circumstances of the country, with the general dissemination of knowledge, it must now have become wholly inefficient for all the great and beneficial purposes of representation.

"That your petitioners beg to impress upon the consideration of your