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tarians, being necessarily regarded as enemies of the throne, 
are subject to the punishment of death, and confiscation of 
all their goods, excepting those who are comprehended in 
the amnesty. 
Towards the end of October, another decree was published, 
which deprived the freemen of the various cities and corpora¬ 
tions of their ancient and accustomed right of electing their 
respective mayors and other municipal officers; and the 
reason specifically assigned for this measure in the preamble 
of the decree is curious; it was in order to erase from the 
Spanish soil even the remotest idea that the sovereignty re¬ 
sides elsewhere than in the person of the king; and to make 
it known to the people that his majesty would never consent 
to the slighest alteration of the fundamental laws of the 
monarchy. 
As this year drew towards its close, the period assigned for 
the departure of the French army was approaching. That 
epoch, indeed, was looked forward to with impatience by a 
large party in the country ; and there were not wanting per¬ 
sons about the king, to assure him that he might now safely 
dispense with the presence of the allied force. 
The cooler part of the cabinet, and, it is to be believed, 
the king himself, saw the real state of things in a different 
point of view. Accordingly, fresh negociations were opened 
with the French government, which was induced to sanction 
an arrangement, (signed at the Escurial, Dec. 10th,) by 
which a French corps of 22,000 men were to be left in Spain, 
and stationed in the fortresses of Cadiz, Barcelona, St. Sebas¬ 
tian, Pampeluna, Urgel, Jaca, and Figueras; besides two 
Swiss regiments, wffiich should remain at Madrid or any other 
of the royal residences, to do service near the person of the 
king and royal family, jointly with Spanish troops. 
Whether it was a condition exacted by France, in making 
this arrangement, or whether we are to attribute it to the in¬ 
fluence of the queen’s father, prince Maximilian of Saxony, 
who arrived on a visit to.the royal family, at the Escurial, on 
the 3d of December, does not appear; but it is certain that 
the proceedings and language of the government were marked 
by a character of greater moderation towards the close of the 
year; on the last day of which, M. Zea Bermudez was named 
president of the council. 
This appointment was said to have been almost forced 
upon Ferdinand by the influence of France, and by the ex¬ 
treme difficulties in which the court found itself placed. 
Zea was conceived to be a man of ability, and of moderation 
in politics; and hopes were entertained that he would follow 
a more enlightened policy than that of his predecessors in 
office. But he had not sufficient strength to effect any good. 
As he refused to go all the lengths of the fanatical party, he 
was from the commencement of his ministry obnoxious to 
the church and the leading courtiers; and as, from the very 
nature of his situation, he could not obtain the support of 
public opinion in a country where there was no public, he 
was obliged, in order to maintain himself in office, to oppose 
intrigue to intrigue ; to make a compromise with wrong, 
when he could not carry what he thought right; and to 
render ineffectual the measure of one day, by the promul¬ 
gation of a modifying or counteracting decree on the mor¬ 
row. His almost total want of personal influence, of family 
connections, or of party support, made it necessary for him 
to consult the caprices of those whose erroneous views and 
mischievous passions he should have been able to control, 
and thus rendered it impossible for him to observe any con¬ 
sistent line of conduct in attempting to restore public credit 
or to suppress dangerous disturbances. The consequence 
was, that the fanatical party, imagining that they had now 
something to apprehend, and at the same time freed from the 
check of the French army, became more violent than before: 
and most of the principal towns in Spain exhibited scenes of 
anarchy and tumult. The disorders were increased by the 
poverty of the government, who were without either money 
or credit. 
Many negociations were set on foot for the purpose of 
raising a loan, but without effect. In March, Ugarte, whose 
private influence had long been great, was dismissed from 
I N. 
his office of secretary of the Council of State, for having, 
without the king’s authority, introduced a clause into the 
draught of a contract for a loan, fixing a rate at which the 
bonds of the Cortes should be received. 
A report on the state of the finances, made to the minister 
of that department by the treasurer general, gave the follow¬ 
ing lamentable picture of the wants of the country, but 
suggested no mode of remedying the evil. 
“ The general treasury has to provide for the arming, 
maintenance, and other expenses which the formation of a 
respectable army requires; to attend to the navy, at present 
in a most deplorable state, by taking care at least of the out¬ 
fit of the vessels, and the subsistence of the officers and 
crews; to give attention to the serious representations of 
Franee for indemnification ; to pay the anticipated interest 
on Guebhard’s loan; and, finally, to cover the ordinary 
demands, which are greatly increased by particular circum¬ 
stances. 
“ On the other hand, the resources have diminished and 
are daily diminishing; the great sums which used to be 
received from America, and which in tranquil times 
amounted annually to more than 160 millions of reals, have 
ceased to be paid: besides, the customs, the tobacco duties, 
the salt duties, and other branches of the revenue, have 
sustained a defalcation, amounting by estimate to 'about 
another hundred millions, which it has been found impos¬ 
sible to stop, as unfortunately the measures adopted for that 
purpose have not been followed by the expected results; so 
that it is not too much to assert, that scarcely enough is 
received to cover the half of the expenditure. Public credit, 
also, is ruined by the enormous weight of the debt, and by the 
impolicy of making promises which could not be fulfilled.” 
In a subsequent part of the report, a complaint is made of 
“ the arbitrary practices which are exercised by some autho¬ 
rities and corporations of the provinces, who, in the most 
shameful manner, impose and exact duties on articles of con¬ 
sumption.” It concluded with stating, that, “ The Trea¬ 
surer-General was exposed to continual insults from the im¬ 
possibility of satisfying all demands amidst the great wants 
which surrounded him, and that, in the existing state of the 
treasury, it was impossible for him to support a charge so 
superior to his strength.” 
The appointment of Zea had encouraged a notion, that 
an attempt might be made to mitigate the caprice of despot¬ 
ism, and to introduce into the country something which 
might approach to a regular government. Ferdinand, how¬ 
ever, was anxious to convince the world, that all projects of 
reform were far from his thoughts. 
“ I have learned with the most lively grief,” said he, in 
a decree dated the 19th of April, “that for some time 
alarming reports have been insidiously spread, that it is 
intended to oblige or to counsel me to make reforms and 
innovations in the regime and government of my kingdoms, 
by altering its ancient and respectable fundamental laws, 
and limiting my royal authority. It is a duty, and at the 
same time a satisfaction to me, to contradict a fiction as 
malicious as it is criminal. I declare, in consequence, not 
only that I am resolved to preserve entire, and in all their 
plentitude, the legitimate rights of my sovereignty, without 
giving up now, or at any other time, the slightest particle of 
them, and without permitting the establishment of chambers 
or of other institutions of whatever denomination, which 
may be contrary to our laws and usages; but that, on the 
contrary, I have the most solemn and the most positive 
assurance that all my august allies, who have given me so 
many proofs of their sincere affection, and their efficacious 
co-operation in the welfare of my kingdom, will continue to 
support, on all occasions, the legitimate and sovereign au¬ 
thority of my crown; without advising or proposing to me 
directly or indirectly, any innovation in the form of my 
government. 
“ I also declare, that I have taken the firm and im¬ 
moveable resolution to cause the law's to be kept and 
respected, without tolerating abuses of any kind, with¬ 
out permitting violence and intrigue to take the place of 
justice, 
