1822.] Political Affairs in December. 561 
question is wholly distinct from the merits 
or demerits of the ministers, and involves 
only the disobedience of the royal autho¬ 
rity : his Majesty has the constitutional 
power of hiling- all civil and military em¬ 
ployments, and every Spaniard ought to 
respect it, though he also has the right to 
censure the conduct of the minister who 
authorizes an improper measure, or accuse 
him if he violates the law. 
It is true public offices ought only to be 
given to thos© who have given positive 
proof of their attachment to the political 
constitution of the monarchy : and nobody 
can be more persuaded of this than the 
members of the committee ; but from the 
documents laid before them, it is evident 
that no objection whatever was'inade to 
the Marquis d’Andilla by the people of 
Cadiz, or to Don Tomas Marino Dao : z and 
Don Joaquin AI vista by those of Seville. 
The committee find that there is more ex¬ 
cuse for the people of Cadiz than those of 
Seville, the latter not having any ground 
of complaiut whatever, but only wishing 
to retain Bon Manuel Velano and D. Ramon 
Luis de Escovedo; so that those two per¬ 
sons have been more regarded than the 
respect due to the government, the tran¬ 
quillity of a whole province—more than 
the reputation of the Spaniards among 
foreign nations—more than the constitu¬ 
tion and the sacred empire of the laws. 
Whereas the people of Cadiz had some 
motive of dissatisfaction at least, though 
none that could authorize the mode of con¬ 
duct which they adopted. 
The committee, therefore, does not con¬ 
found the events at Cadiz with those at 
Seville, in the latter of which it cannot 
help recognising a certain character of 
faction ; whereas in those of Cadiz it is 
persuaded that the whole has proceeded 
from an error, from an excessive ardour, 
and a distrust which cannot be wholly 
condemned in those who love liberty, and 
have suffered much for it: the error in 
some points, and the aberration of some 
persons in others, are not such that the 
committee attributes them to the will, and 
they cannot but merit the indulgence of 
the Cortes. But the national Congress 
cannot but expressly disapprove in the 
face of all Europe, the disobedience and 
illegal proceedings of those authorities, 
whiefh will doubtless suffice to make them 
return to their duty, acknowledging that 
they have erred. 
The Cortes may be pleased to examine, 
in the first place, this point; and above 
all, let the observance of the constitution, 
and obedience to the royal authority, in 
conformity with it, be secured. These 
two things are inseparable : the question 
is not of the ministers, but of Government, 
and of the power which the constitution 
assigns to the King. The ministers may 
Monthly Mag. No. 362. 
be culpable ; but the government and au¬ 
thority of the King, when they remain 
within the constitutional limits, ought to 
be sacred to all. What would become of 
liberty if the laws did not govern?—and 
how shall they govern, if it is lawful to 
disobey him who is charged to execute 
them, when he does not act contrary to 
them ? Under pretence of supporting* the 
constitution, it has been scandalously vio¬ 
lated at Cadiz and Seville, by creating, 
under the title of Juntas, authorities un¬ 
known to the constitution, attacking pre¬ 
rogatives which the constitution conse¬ 
crates, and resisting orders which the 
same constitution commands to be obeyed. 
Illegitimate organs erect themselves into 
interpreters of the public opinion, and 
usurp the functions of all the powers of 
the state. Weakness and irreflection have 
yielded to their impulse, and for the first 
time been precipitated into disobedience. 
The Cortes may fear that those evils will 
increase, unless they are stopped at their 
origin. 
For these reasons the committee, though 
it thinks other measures adviseable in our 
present situation, proposes them to the 
Cortes in the second part of this report, 
which it presents sealed, intimating that in 
its opinion the dignity of the throne, the 
decorum of the Cortes, the welfare of the 
nation, and the cause of liberty, imperi¬ 
ously require that no debate be opened till 
in a future sitting distinct from that in 
which they communicate to the govern¬ 
ment the resolution which the Cortes may 
take on their first part, and confining itself 
at present to the message of the King, and 
the exposition of his ministers, u the Con¬ 
gress makea solemn declaration, by means 
of auother exposition to his Majesty, con¬ 
ceived in the terms which it now presents 
separately, as a part of this report.” 
Before their departure from Barcelo¬ 
na on December 8, MM. Pariset, Bally, 
Francois, and Andouard, the French 
physicians,replied to different questions. 
They declared that the nature of the 
evil was the yellow fever, and that the 
disease was exotic and contagious. 
They do not point out any effectual 
remedy against the contagion; but 
they observe that the best treatment 
cannot produce any effectual result 
except by a well-regulated sanatory 
police. They say the disease is a kini 
of poison, which attacks from the com¬ 
mencement the interior organs of hu¬ 
man life, such as the lungs, heart, sto¬ 
mach, and bowels, which become irri¬ 
tated. inflamed, gangrened, and pa¬ 
ralytic. The kidnies are also at¬ 
tacked, and experience acute pains. 
It has been discovered by dissections, 
that a deposit of a glutinous oil takes 
4 B place 
