1821.] Political Affairs in November. 461 
and continues to be to me a source of confi* 
dence and hope. This child, my heart as¬ 
sures me, will be worthy of us ; he will 
merit the love with which^my subjects sur¬ 
round his cradle. 
My relations with foreign powers have 
never ceased to be amicable, and I have a 
firm confidence that they will continue to 
be so. 
Great calamities afflict the East. Let 
us hope that they approach their termina¬ 
tion, and that the prudence and cordiality 
of all the powers will find the means of sa¬ 
tisfying what religion, policy, and hu¬ 
manity, may justly demand. 
The naval force which, under these cir¬ 
cumstances, I have stationed in the seas of 
the Levant, has accomplished the object 
which I contemplated. Our ships have al¬ 
ways effectually protected my subjects, 
and often they have afforded to misfortune 
a timely aid. 
A destructive scourge desolates a por¬ 
tion of Spain ; I have prescribed, and I 
will maintain the rigorous precautions 
which protect our coasts and frontiers from 
the contagion. 
If we take a view of our domestic state, 
what motives have we not to bless Provi¬ 
dence! The sensible progress of industry, 
agriculture, and the arts, attests that of 
commerce; and very soon new channels,by 
multiplying the means of communication 
and traffic, will extend the general good 
to all parts of the kingdom. 
The prosperity of the finances, the in¬ 
telligible exposition of the public accounts, 
and fidelity to engagements, have consoli¬ 
dated public credit, and increased the re¬ 
sources of the state. 
The period at which I have convoked 
you, and the orders which I have given 
that the financial laws should be fii’st sub¬ 
mitted to you, sufficiently manifest my de¬ 
sire to put an end to provisional grants ; 
the Chambers will, doubtless, be eager to 
second my intentions. 
Our auspicious situation, and the return 
of internal and external tranquillity, have 
already admitted of a diminution in one of 
the most onerous of the taxes—that which 
attacks reproduction in its source, by over¬ 
charging landed property. Next year, 
those so assessed will wholly enjoy this re¬ 
duction. I desire that successively, and 
as soon as the exigencies of the State and 
the dignity of France will permit, the vari¬ 
ous taxes which constitute the public re¬ 
venue shall be investigated, and, if it 
be practicable, diminished, or better as¬ 
sessed. 
The laws are respected, and the deposi¬ 
taries of my power become every day more 
and more imbued with their spirit. Order 
and discipline reign in the army. 
Every where passions are subsiding, and 
suspicions wearing away j and it gives me 
pleasure to acknowledge, Gentlemen, that 
by your loyal co-operation, you have 
powerfully contributed to all this good. 
Let us persevere in the wise measures 
to which such prosperous results must be 
attributed. Let us persevere in that unity 
of views which has so efficaciously disarm 
ed malevolence, and check the last efforts 
of the spirit of trouble and disorder. 
In this the repose of Europe is not less 
interested than ours. It is thus that all 
the generous sentiments will be developed 
with which you know all hearts abound 5 
and that you will establish upon the grati¬ 
tude, the love and the respect of my sub¬ 
jects, the throne which protects the liber¬ 
ties of all. 
SPAIN. 
The number of deaths in Barcelona, 
from Oct. 19tli to the 23(1, Avas 687, 
and the total number of deaths in the 
toAvn from the commencement of the 
pestilence, is estimated at 16,000. The 
number at Tortosa is most appalling. 
Up to the 26th of Sept. 7,000 persons 
had died, and 70 per day afterwards. 
M. Francois, a member of the 
French commission sent to Barcelona, 
has written a letter, dated Oct. 30, 
from Avhich the following particulars aie 
extracted:— u In a house inhabited by 
fourteen persons, all have been attacked, 
and eleven have died. The progress 
of the disease is often so rapid, that 
there is not time to try any remedy. 
The patient dies as soon as he is taken 
ill. In general, however, the sickness 
lasts seven or nine days. It would 
require many pages to describe this 
terrible fever, it presents so many ano¬ 
malies and deceptions appearances. 
Sometimes the access is slight, and a 
deceitful appearance of convalescence, 
gives confidence to the attendants at 
the moment when the patient is expir¬ 
ing. At other times the most terrible 
symptoms manifest themselves at once, 
such as petech ial spots, echymoses, and 
jaundice. Blood issues from all aper : 
tures of the body. Fetid and diluted 
blood flows copiously from the 
tongue. The usual evacuations are 
black and sanious. What is vomited 
may, after dilution in water, be com¬ 
pared to theoxydeof manganese. The 
body is cold as marble, and the pulse 
insensible. Involuntary cries are put 
forth, though the patient is in perfect 
possession of his mind, and so continues 
until the heart ceases to perform its 
functions. When the vital energy sinks 
it cannot be again revived ; the be¬ 
numbing poison of the contagion de¬ 
stroys it. The body of the patient then 
exhale* 
