GENERAL HISTORY. 



[71 



bad so long been impoverished and 

 held in the fetters of ignorance and 

 superstition. The heads of con- 

 vents, &c. displayed their grati- 

 tude by addresses to his Majesty; 

 and pamphlets of monkish com- 

 position began to appear, incul- 

 cating the doctrines and senti- 

 ments suited to the renovated 

 state of the country. The preva- 

 lent cry in the interior of Spain 

 was " Long live Ferdinand !" 

 *• Perish the Constitution !" and it 

 was with difficulty that violences 

 were prevented against persons 

 known to have been attached to 

 the Cortes. 



The party of the Cortes, how- 

 ever, was not the only object of 

 the attention of the new govern- 

 inent. A circular was issued on 

 May 30th, from the office of the 

 Secretary of grace and justice, in 

 which it was said, " that the king 

 being informed that many of 

 those who had openly declared 

 themselves the partizans and fa- 

 vourers of the intrusive govern- 

 ment are preparing to return to 

 Spain, that some of them are at 

 Madrid, and use in public those 

 badges of distinction which are 

 Allowed only to loyal and merito- 

 lious subjects, has resolved, in 

 ftrder to avoid the consequences 

 which would follow, if leave to 

 return were given to all those who 

 Are in France, and who went forth 

 along with the troops of the in- 

 truder who called himself king, to 

 enact the following articles." 

 These related to the classes and 

 distinctions of persons who were 

 to be absolutely excluded from re- 

 entering the kingdom in conse- 

 tjuence of having borne offices, 

 &c. under Joseph ; to those who 

 were to be admitted oil certala 



restrictive cotiditions ; and to 

 those (of the lower classes) who 

 <vere to be freely restored. The 

 general strain of the articles dis- 

 played considerable severity, which 

 in this instance was not chargeable 

 with any violation of gratitude. 



In the beginning of June, the 

 minister of the Indies addressed 

 a circular letter to the authorities 

 of the countries beyond the seas, 

 acquainting them with the re- 

 storation of Ferdinand, and the 

 abolition of the Cortes, with the 

 alleged reasons for that measure. 

 After expressing the king's con- 

 cern for the troubles which have 

 broken out in the American pro- 

 vinces, it mentions his intention 

 of procuring full information of 

 the excesses committed on both 

 sides, after which, " his Majesty^ 

 placing himself in the midst of his 

 European and American children, 

 will put an end to the dissentions 

 which would never have taken 

 place among them, but for the 

 absence and captivity of their 

 common father." Such was the 

 notice which the court thought 

 proper to take of a breaeh irt the 

 Spanish empire, so threatening to 

 its prosperity, and which must 

 prove so perplexing to its policy. 



If the Spanish populace were 

 impatient to rush again into arbi- 

 trary government, it is not to be 

 supposed that Spain was destitute 

 of persons of better education, 

 and more enlightened ideas, who 

 viewed with different feelings the 

 violent hieasures that had been 

 adopted to obliterate every vestige 

 of art authority founded on the 

 principles of freedom. The most 

 celebrated university in the king- 

 dom, thit of Salamanca, pre- 

 sented in great solemnity au ad- 



