562 
Majesty, as the father of (the speople, de- 
termined to: contribute: to: them happiness 
—swore freely, and of:all) your own will, 
to the political Constitution of the Spanish 
monarchy.) On the: memorable: day when 
your Majesty took a stepso eminently 
glorious, all:those: Spaniards who love their 
King and) theit liberty; delivered) them- 
selves up to the! most flattering hopes ; an 
event, as giand a8 unexpected, astonished 
Europe, overthrew the enemies of man- 
kind, and compressed the fiercest passions. 
Who. was not then ready to believe that it 
was the moment the best chosen, and the 
best ‘combined, to secure for ever the 
telicity, the glory, the grandeur, and the 
power of the nation, which appeared to 
be dying and in despair? But, Sire, we 
are, alas! very far from having reaped the 
advantages which that happy nioment pro- 
mised us, 
Soon was developed the dreadful design 
of .arresting the progress of liberty and 
intelligence—the most innocent and. the 
most legal assemblies were denounced: as 
criminal, and the most illustrious patriots 
were persecuted with deadly hatred. 
Sire, the Spanish nation regards its li- 
berty as attacked—seeing with what slow- 
ness those who openly combated it are 
proceeded against and the insolence of 
the enemies of its Constitution, in speaking 
openly of their sinister projects, and in 
chanting already their next victory. 
Sire, the Spanish nation sees with dis- 
content.and bitterness the administration 
of some of its provinces. confided to in- 
experienced, hands—to. individuals who 
are not liked by the people.—The impunity 
of real criminals, the unjust and arbitrary 
prosecutions, produce great scandal, aug- 
ment the anxiety of the good, and may 
have melanclioly consequences. 
And what will be the danger to the pub- 
lie huis Se if to these distrusts which 
afflict the natioi—to these fears which 
surround; it—to these discontents which 
devour, it—should be joined the machi- 
nations, and the efforts of persons who un- 
fortunately have most. influence on the 
simple class, and deceive the nation. The 
Cortes point out’ to you, Sire, those mi- 
nisters of the sanctuary; those ambitious 
prelates ; those men, who, ‘having quitted 
the world and. its ‘interests | to: consecrate 
themselves to prayer and to virtue, now 
trample, under, foot, the, morality of the 
gospel, the spirit of true religion, and the 
doctrine of peace of their diyine master—~ 
abusing the august and sacred functions 
of the priesthood, to sow superstition and 
disobedience. © bi 
All that we liave stated to yon, Sire, is 
but too’ fully proved ‘by the’ different fac- 
tions which’ appear siniultaneously in 
Catalonia, where the events are of such a 
nature that it is borible to recal them, 
and the pen refuses to narrate them. 
When the tranguillity of the State is on 
Political Affaits in June. 
[July 1, 
the: point of ‘being entirely annihilated, if. 
any prompt and efficacious remedy cau be 
suggested, the Cortes’ wonld be wanting 
in the most sacred of their duties, which 
isto labour-for the preservation and the’ 
happiness of the heroic and unfortunate 
nation whieh they represent, if ‘they were’ 
not to address your Majesty with all due 
respect, but with the energy which is snit- 
able to the-deputies of a free people, to’ 
pray, that, witha strong hand, the roots of: 
so many misfortunes—of so many dangers, - 
may be torn up, giving with all the vigotr 
and the power granted by the law, anew 
and strong impulse to the government, ‘in 
order that it may proceed with more liax- 
mony, in unison with ‘public opinion, 
which rules the world, and the progress’ 
of which men can néver arrest. AG 
To consolidate that opinion, Sire, whicly 
only now. consists‘in loving the Constitu- 
tion to which we have sworn, ‘and whiclr 
will be consolidated by frankness and good 
faith, all Spaniards should) be’ persuaded 
that. their Government jis identified with 
the cause of liberty, and that the Throne 
and the National Representation form an 
indissoluble league, a barrier of” brass) 
against which would ‘be ‘broken’ the’ pro- 
jects and conspiracies “of ‘all’ those who; 
under whatever mask, wish to‘despoil'us 
of the valuable treasure of our guarantées 
Let the people see power confided’ to 
men who love the public liberty ; let -the 
entire nation see that the title and virtues 
of atrue patriot form the only right, the 
only way to the presence of your Majesty, 
to. deserve favour and obtain honours; 
and that all the rigour of justice and royal 
indignation may fall on the wicked who 
dare to profane your, Majesty’s august and, 
sacred name to oppress the country, and 
liberty. 
This is what the Cortes expect and de- 
sire. ‘They supplicate your Majesty to 
cause those apprehensions to cease, of 
which we are the victims, and to ‘prevent 
the evils with which we are: threatened, 
by ordering that the volunteér’ national 
militia may be immediately augmented 
and ‘armed tliroughont the kingdom, for 
the citizens armed for the defence of their 
homes and their liberty, are the firmest™ 
supports of the Constitution; that ‘with 
équal promptitude the permanent arniy 
may be’ organised—that army, so worthy 
of the’ gratitude ‘of your Majesty and’ of 
the scountry,°and whose’ exploits “and vir 
tues are ‘the ‘admiration of the universe? 
At ‘the ‘same ‘time the Cortes hope’ that 
your Majesty ‘will’ make known ‘to’“alk 
foreign gevetninents who directly or in- 
directly Wish'to interfere in our domestic 
affairs, that the nation is not in a’ sitnation: 
to receive Jaws, that it has strengtti and 
resources to cavise them to be respected; 
and that if it has beev enabled to defend 
its independence and its King with glory : 
it is with tue same glory, and with still 
gteater 
