GENEHAL HISTORY. 



67 



CHAPTER VI. 



Spain.-^Politkal Parties.— Ferdinand at Valencia, joined by the Gran- 

 dees and Prelates.— Issues a Declaration of his Refusul to accede to the 

 new Constitution, and pronounces the Decrees of the Cortes null, and 

 their Supporters guilty of High Treason.— Cortes sinks without a strug- 

 gle. — Arrests. — Ferdinand enters Madrid. — Convents restored. — Cir- 

 cular, respecting the Adherents of Joseph ; and to the Authorities in the 



Indies.— Address from the University of Salamanca Discontents in 



various Parts.— Re-establishment of the Inquisition.— Ordinance abo- 

 lishing Torture.— Reform in the Proceedings of the Courts of Inquisi- 

 tion — Severe Measures at Cadiz.— RotaoftheNunciorestored.— Mea- 

 sures to repress Insurgents and Banditti.— Arrests multiplied.— In- 

 surrection of Espoz de Mina.— Restoration of feudal Privileges.— 

 Popular Manners of the King — Honourable Treatment of Mina in 

 France.— Council of Mesta re-established.— Despotism and Weakness 

 of the Government.— Expedition for South America prepared.-~Sen- 

 ience on State Prisoners.— Rewards for Loyalty. 



rpHE radical difference between 

 •*- a people accustomed to free in- 

 quiry relative to topics of the most 

 important interest to mankind, and 

 another to whom such inquiries 

 are yet novel, and. are encountered 

 by long-established prejudices of 

 various kinds, was never more 

 forcibly exemplified than by the 

 opposite terminations of the poli- 

 tical storms and contentions by 

 which the kingdoms of France and 

 of Spain had for so many years 

 been agitated. We saw the for- 

 mer, immediately upon the break- 

 ing up of a severe military despo- 

 tism, quietly settling in a consti- 

 tution possessing the essentials of 

 freedom ; and though displaying 

 those contentions of party, which 

 never fail to burst out when not 

 repressed by the strong hand of 



power, yet, on the whole, appa- 

 rently concurring in the principles 

 of that balance of authority, which 

 keeps within due limits every ex- 

 ertion of the public force. We are 

 now to be mortified with the view 

 presented by the latter, of a go- 

 vernment of which political liberty 

 appeared to be the vital spirit, sub- 

 siding at once into an arbitrary 

 sway, directed by all the violence, 

 ignorance, and bigotry, of the most 

 unenlightened times. 



Although the return of Ferdi- 

 nand to his kingdom was hailed by 

 the general voice of Spain, yet it 

 was early remarked that the una- 

 nimity was only external, and that 

 factions were brooding which 

 would shortly involve the country 

 in all the evils of civil discord. 

 " We cannot conceal it (said th6 

 [F21 



