•GENERAL HISTOHY. 



[17 



CHAPTER II. 



Mr. Brougham's motion for interposition with the Spanish court in fa- 

 vour of the suffering patriots. — Discussion in the House of Lords on 

 motion for an address on the treaties with foreign powers. — The same in 

 the House of Commons. — Petitions against the continuance of the Pro- 

 perty Tax, and debates. — Motion hy the Chancellor of the Exchequer for 

 its renewal, and its defeat. — Relinquishment of the war malt-duties. — 

 Mr. JVestern s motion for taking into consideration the distressed state of 

 (he agriculture. — Bill for the effectual detention of Buonaparte. — Mes- 

 sage of the Prince Regent respecting the marriage of the Princess 

 Charlotte with the Prince of Cohonrg, and consequent provision. — Mo- 

 tion respecting the augmentatinn of the salaries of the secretaries to the 

 admiralty. — Motion for abolishing the office of one of the Secretaries of 

 Slate. 



ON Fclj. 15lh, a motion was 

 introduced into the House 

 of Commons by Mr. Brougham^ 

 which, though it liad no pohticid 

 reeults, was I'endered vcmaikable 

 by the historical matter occui'ring 

 in the debate subsequent upon it. 



The lion, gentleman, alter some 

 general and particular remarks 

 on the interference of one state in 

 the domestic affairs of another, 

 proceeded to the consideration of 

 the transactions of this govern- 

 ment with respect to the Spanish 

 nation, under the changes it had 

 been sidjjectcd to from the French 

 usurpation. In 1809 this go- 

 vernment concluded a treaty with 

 Admiral Apodaca, the minister 

 com missioned by the Junta of 

 Spain, though nominally the am- 

 bassador of Ferdinand, by which 

 this country bound itself never to 

 make peace with France to the 

 surrender of the royal rights of 

 Ferdinand, or whatever prince the 

 Spanish nation might choose as 



Vol. LVIII. 



his successor ■ and on the other 

 hand, the existing government 

 of Spain agreed that hostilities 

 with France should never be ter- 

 minated but with the consent of 

 the allies, and without separating 

 the interests of Spain and Eng- 

 land. The Marquis Wellesley was 

 then appointed minister to the 

 Junta, and urgently lecommend- 

 ed the assembling of a Cortes. 

 This was effected, and a legency 

 was appointed, composed of five 

 n\end)ers, all chosen by the inter- 

 position of England. On this 

 footing of intimate connection 

 and conjoined interests, (said Mr. 

 B.) affairs went on till the begin- 

 ning of 181-1, when Buonaparte 

 opened a negociation with Ferdi- 

 nand, then in confinement at 

 Valency, which was conducted by 

 the Duke of San Carlos, now high 

 in oihce at the court of Spain ; 

 and a treaty was concluded by 

 which Ferdinand abandoned the 

 cause of this country, and upon 

 [C] Buonaparte's 



