REPORT of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Spain to the Cortes.-4th March, 1821.

(Translation.) IN fulfilling, for the second time, the honourable and grateful duty of presenting to the Cortes of the Kingdom an account of the political state of the Nation, with respect to its relations with Foreign Powers, I have the honour to announce to the Assembly, that our relations with those Powers continue upon the same footing of friendship and harmony on which they stood during the course, and at the close, of the last Session.

The Ratification which the wisdom of the King has deemed it expedient to give, to the Treaty concluded between His Majesty and the President of the United States of America, on the 22d February, 1819, for the Cession of the two Floridas, in consequence of the authority to that effect given by the Cortes, is a measure that many circumstances combined to render indispensable; and which may be expected to contribute to the consolidation of the amicable relations, and to unite more closely the ties of union and good neighbourhood which subsist between us and The United States. This Ratification must long since have reached the American Government; but no advices have, as yet, been received of the fact; and until they come to hand, I cannot announce to the Cortes the conclusion of this important negociation.

We also continue upon good terms with the Barbary States ;—the just fears which we entertained, that they would be disturbed by the Regency of Algiers, to the prejudice of our commerce, not having been realised. At the commencement of the preceding Session, His Majesty's Government was occupied, in expediting for sea the contingent of the Naval Force destined to join the Squadron which the Sovereign of the Low Countries had already in the Mediterranean, conformably to the Stipulations of the Treaty of Defensive Alliance concluded between the two Courts on the 10th of August, 1816. The obstacles which the deficiency of means, at the moment, opposed to the equipment, having been surmounted, our contingent force joined that of the Low Countries, and their united attention to the movements of the Algerine Squadron, when at sea or in Port, has been successful in preventing the bad effects which might have resulted from the more than suspected intentions of that Regency.

The Cortes had already commenced the labours of the preceding Session, when a political change in the form of the internal system of government at Naples took place, by the adoption of the Spanish Constitution: this change was followed by another, of the same description, in Portugal.

With respect to those important events, the wisdom of the King saw how very just and expedient it was to observe, with respect to such constitutional changes, a conduct decidedly neutral; from the first

moment, therefore, His Majesty's Government resolved, as an invariable rule, not to interfere in any way whatever, directly or indirectly, but scrupulously to observe an absolute respect for the institutions of other Countries, and, by so doing, to entitle our own to equal respect from them this conduct, far from being assailable with success by malevolence, and the Enemies of our glory, as well as of the just liberty of Nations, ought to be, and doubtless is, approved by reasonable Men in all Countries.

The conduct of His Majesty's Government would have been limited to this cautious and prudent course, if the manner in which some Governments had thought fit to consider those changes, and particularly that in Naples, (which led to the asssembling of the Allied Sovereigns of Austria, Prussia, and Russia, at Troppau,) had not warned the King that the moment had arrived for manifesting all his interest, towards the August Royal Family of the two Sicilies, which is united to him by the ties of blood and of friendship, and, at the same time, towards the whole Neapolitan Nation. It was under these circumstances, therefore, that His Majesty made known, by confidential communications, to all the Cabinets, the inviolable respect he entertained for the Independence of Nations, and the positive rights of mankind, which exclude all foreign interference in the interior system of a Government which a People has adopted, in accordance with its Sovereign, as was the case in Naples. But, when the Allied Sovereigns judged it necessary, for the security of neighbouring States, to assemble a powerful Austrian Army on the Po, and to invite His Sicilian Majesty to the Conferences at Laybach, with the view of interfering in these political events, the King, who perceived from all these circumstances, and from the measures adopted relative to Naples, that the principle of our own political change was attacked in reference to that Kingdom, thought it necessary, both for the honour of his Throne, and the dignity and security of the Nation which he has the glory of governing, to represent to some Cabinets, in an official manner, and to others confidentially, that, strictly observing the sacred principle of the rights of Nations, on which essentially repose the independence of all political unions, he could not acknowledge, on the part of any Power, either the right of interference in the interior regulation of the Government of another, by means of coercion, direct or indirect, or the results to which such interference, in its application, might lead. At the same time, His Majesty declared his desire to know what might be the intention of some Cabinets, with respect to the application of this principle of interference as respected the affairs of Spain.

The King has authorized me to assure the Cortes of the Kingdom, that, from the explanations which His Majesty's Government has generally received from the principal Cabinets, during the period that the affairs of Naples have been agitated, he is assured that, in the cause of our political regeneration, in the uniformity of the national

will, and in all the other circumstances which are peculiar to us, there is every legitimate ground of confidence and security; from which it results, that our relations of friendship and harmony have experienced no alteration whatever with any Power.

His Majesty, at the same time, authorizes me to assure you that, if the explanations into which it has been necessary to enter, in consequence of the just, frank, and amicable communication referred to, are not yet terminated, they have already had the effect of obtaining from some of the Cabinets, a positive assurance that they have no intention whatever of disturbing Spain, nor of interfering in any way with our domestic affairs.

These appearancess will become more positive, His Majesty feels persuaded, in proportion as they become satisfied that the will of the King, the unanimous wish of the Nation, and the wisdom and patriotism of the Cortes, are as firm and irrevocable, in the maintenance of the Constitutional Throne, of independence, and of political liberty, as this Nation is in respecting the sacred rights and independence of other Nations.

EVARISTO PERES DE CASTRO.
JOAQUIN DE ANDUAGA. (ad interim.)

SPEECH of the King of Spain, on the closing of the Cortes. 30th June, 1821.

GENTLEMEN Deputies,

(Translation.)

I HAVE once more the satisfaction of presenting myself before this Assembly, which, full of talents, of patriotism, and of virtue, has given, in the course of its present Session, new proofs of its incessant endeavours to promote the public welfare. Its efforts to conclude and perfect our political regeneration, have exceeded, if possible, my expectations; and the Nation will always be indebted to it for the extensive and salutary measures which have been adopted, during the short period of its Session, the prorogation of which I have delayed until the term prescribed by our fundamental Laws, considering them, as they have in reality proved to be, conducive to the public good.

The new organization of the Army, so well adapted to the real object of its institution;-the Decree for directing Public Education, which, being now to be provided for in different Schools, rising gradually from the first elements of instruction to the highest degree of learning, will contribute to spread, in due proportion, information and useful knowledge throughout every class of Citizens;-the Law for the reduction of tithes, by which, while a competent provision is made for the Clergy, the labouring classes are considerably re

Jieved, and due encouragement given to agriculture, the real source of the wealth of the Country;-and the new system of Finance, which suppresses many oppressive and useless burthens, fixes the public Revenue, by means of taxes and contributions, some already known to the Nation, and others new, but all in perfect unison with the equitable principles of justice prescribed by the Constitution, and with those adopted, with the best results, by the most cultivated Nations of the age;—all this is the work of the Cortes.

I return thanks to the Cortes for the zeal and wisdom they have shewn in all these measures, which are of the greatest importance to the welfare of the State: the Government, on its part, will take care that they shall be executed with that exactness which its own dignity requires, and is indispensable for the stability of the Constitutional System, which I shall always most scrupulously and inviolably observe.

I thank them, also, for the generosity with which they have provided the Supplies necessary for my Royal Household and Family; and, likewise, for having authorized the Government to take the necessary measures for answering the most pressing demands upon the State.

Our relations of Peace and Friendship with Foreign Powers have continued without any alteration since the opening of the Session; and it shall be my endeavour to maintain them, by such means as are best suitable to the dignity of the Nation which it is my pride to govern.

The Treaty with The United States, which puts an end to our differences with that Government, and includes the cession of the Floridas, was ratified by the President, and the Ratifications of it were exchanged on the 22nd of February last. With this Treaty, and a new demarkation of the Boundaries of the Two Countries, which are to be settled by a joint Commission, I flatter myself that our relations with that Power, will henceforward not be subject to alteration.

The decisive measures of my Government, aided by the active and generous co-operation of the King of The Netherlands, have, for the present, placed our Commerce in safety, and protect it from all hostility on the part of the Regency of Algiers.

In consequence of the new system generously and voluntarily adopted by the King of the United Kingdom of Portugal and the Brazils, His Most Faithful Majesty has resolved to transfer himself, and the Royal Family, to Lisbon, leaving the Crown Prince at Rio Janeiro as Regent. I shall avail myself of His Most Faithful Majesty's arrival in Portugal, to pursue the negociation now pending, respecting the occupation of Monte Video, and the eastern bank of the River Plate.

With respect to the events which have taken place at Naples, and in Piedmont, and to which some ignorant or designing Men chose to attribute an importance, which, so far as Spain is concerned, never can belong to them, I shall take a suitable opportunity of communicating my sentiments upon the subject to the Cortes.

In the interior of the Kingdom perfect tranquillity is enjoyed, and the only Party of discontented which did exist, and which was always very inconsiderable, has been dispersed and almost entirely destroyed, by the vigorous measures of the Government, and the excellent conduct of the Troops. It is to be hoped that this example, together with the evident improvement of the public spirit, will prevent any renewal of the wild projects, which are but little calculated to arrest the majestic march of our present system.

The improvements which the Constitution has produced in the agriculture of the Country, in national industry, as well as in the arts and sciences, are already evident.

All these great sources of public prosperity will receive a proportionable increase, so soon as the beneficial effects of the Decrees passed by the Cortes begin to be felt. But this cannot be the work of a day: the seed which is scattered on the ground is not immediately converted into fruit. Commerce will also prosper in due proportion, more particularly, when the measures taken by the Cortes, shall have given to the Spanish Nation a Navy, such as the dignity of the Country requires.

It has been a source of great satisfaction to me, that the Cortes have likewise turned their attention to the Administration of Justice, which they have now solidly established by the measures taken for that purpose.

I will make every possible effort in order to re-establish peace and order in our Provinces in America; and my Government, which has been recently directed by the Cortes to take into consideration the state of those Provinces, and to propose such measures as they may think conducive to their welfare, will lose no time in executing this Commission in the most liberal manner. The Spaniards of both Hemispheres may feel assured that nothing is so much the object of my desire as the happiness of my subjects, founded on the integrity of the Monarchy, and the observance of the Constitution.

If, of which I entertain no doubt, the Cortes of the next year shall imitate the noble example shown to them by the present Cortes, of respect and attachment to the Throne, united with the warmest love of their Country, I shall very shortly have the satisfaction of seeing the present system, the great object of my wishes, consolidated in all its parts. FERDINAND.

SPEECH of the King of Spain, on the opening of the Extraordinary Cortes.-28th September, 1821.

GENTLEMEN DEPUTIES,

(Translation.)

SINCE I manifested to the Cortes the motives under which I deemed it expedient to convoke this Extraordinary Assembly, nothing has so much occupied my mind as the desire to see it assembled. I now experience that satisfaction; and I abandon myself to the well-founded