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POLITICAL REGISTER.-Exposition of Don Pedro Callos.

is in a condition to discharge it; in be an eye-witness of the events wh the grovelling sycophants of power and keep up the noble spirit by which it is a place, the admirers of Pitt, when living, mated. To make known to Spain and and of his opponents, when dead. These, whole world the base means resorted to or similar charges, Mr. Lingham never in the Emperor of the French to seize the sinuated against the Edinburgh Reviewers, son of our king, Ferdinand VII, One does not see, therefore why they should subjugate this great and generous nat feel so sore, why they should so strongly a duty well worthy of one who, like a senseless yell of libel, and call for punish- as circumstances placed me in a situa

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which it was necessary to burn, quence of dangerous circuma which every thing was to be fea have disappeared through the dents connected with that uni my statement.

to prove the atrocious vielea

pented of having acted upon the opinion, but those which I now present
the Edinburgh Reviewers, since the unfor- against our beloved king,
tunate failure of his experiment, are pro- and the whole nation-Tho
bably now ashamed of the detestable perse- of Spain towards France since
ty of the press, upon the expression of tical history in these latter
which I have animadverted. In making mately connected with the

in view than to vindicate that palladium of it is not necessary to d our rights. without the secure enjoyment of principal periods. It

state what the whole nati know, that the polic has constantly been duri serve friendship and the

have extended, a length to be justified only with France, and to a
by the importance of the subject itself,
which will, I hope, plead my excuse, and
hestow a temporary consequence even upon
these insignificant individuals, Messrs. Ry-
lance and Lingham-Yours, &c.-P. D.-
Sept. 24, 1808.

zards, the ruinous
1796-To attain this
fice which Spain has
preservation of the
the high degree d
Charles IV. depe
upon the conti
maintained with
indefatigable

EXPOSITION OF THE PRACTICES AND MA-
CHINATIONS WHICH LED TO THE USUR-
PATION OF THE CROWN OF SPAIN, AND
THE MEANS ADOPTED BY THE EMPES OF
3er THE FRENCH TO CARRY IT INTO ES-
PCUTION, BY DON PEDRO CEVALLOS,
FIRST SECRETARY OF STATE AND DIS
PATCHES TO HIS CATHOLIC NUDITY
FERDINAND r

At a period when the nation is mad
and continues to make the mother
efforts to shake off the yoke of slave

tecapted to be imposed upen it, it is the d

ty of all geod citireas to contribute
etery wears in their power, welchen i

with respect to the real conse
brought it is prout statio

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ng its inhabitants as happy as those of Holland, Switzerland, and the league Rhine.-At this very time, the Einwas revolving in his mind some designs Spain (for he began to disarm her), manding a respectable body of our o exert their valour in remote rend for foreign interests. This he without difficulty, and there was his disposal a gallant and picked 16,000 men of all descriptions.rprize of making himself master vas not so easy as Napoleon imawas, above all, necessary to find retext for carrying into execution and gigantic plan of subjugating nd allied nation, that had made crifices for France, and which peror had praised for its fidelity s of character.-Nevertheless, ned to act with that disregard to choice of his means, which c of the man who imagines est of the whole world, the he human species, and the are conducive to true glory, xcite and foment discord in

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agent employed to forward the plan which Napoleon had formed.-Fortunately the Spanish nation was deeply impressed with its situation, entertained a just opinion of the good disposition and religious principles of their prince of the Asturias, and suspected instantaneously that the whole was a calumny fabricated by the Favourite, as absurd as it was audacious, in order to remove the only obstacle which then opposed his views. It is already known, that on the imprisonment of the prince of Asturias, his royal father wrote to the Emperor, nodoubt at the suggestion of the Favourite, complaining of the conduct of the ambas sador Beauharnois, in his clandestine communications with the prince of Asturias, and expressing his surprise that the emperor had not come to a previous understanding with his majesty on a subject of such preeminent importance to sovereigns.-As the imprisonment of the prince of Asturias, and, above all, the most scandalous decree fulminated against his royal person, produced an effect completely contrary to the expectations of the Favourite, he began to be afraid, thought proper to ecede, and to mediate a reconciliation between the royal parents and their son. With this view, as is stated in the Abstract of the Escurial Cause, circulated by the Counci! in consequence of his majesty's orders of the 8th April, he forged certain letters, and made the prince of Asturias sign them while a prisoner, which being delivered into the hands of the royal parents, were supposed to have softened their hearts; and by these singular means did this innocent prince obtain a nominal liberty.-This was the state of affairs when a French courier arrived at the royal palace of St. Laurence, with a treaty concluded and signed at Fontainbleau on the 27th of Oct. by Don Eugenio Isquierdo, as plenipotentiary of his Catholic majesty, and Marshal Duroc, in the name of the emperor of the French. Its contents, as well as those of the separate Convention, constitute Nos. ; 1 and 2 of the documents annexed to this position-It is worthy of observation, the department of the ministry, of at the head, was totally unac

Prof of Spain, through his amsin of tated in the grand secret of

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court.-The latter, though

eded in seducing the prince present king and master,

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incess related to the emion which his highness a conjunction of circumle as notorious, and his nother connection into ted to force him, with m by his greatest eneunt alone the object of him to acquiesce in ambassador, but with was to meet the approrents, and under the ould strengthen the then subsisting!

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be measures taken by Don E. as well as with his aptions, his correspon

his proceedings. -

as to render the with very little a plausible into our ating it

him in

netrable. His Imperial majesty set off on a journey to Italy, with that studied parade which all Europe has witnessed, giving it such an air of importance, that it was to be presumed he was going to fix the destinies of the world. But there is reason to sur mise, that his real object was no other tha to divert the general attention to that quar ter. for the purpose of misleading the other states, whilst his real designs were directed to the invasion of Portugal and Spain.-Thi artifice and dissimulation did not, however, prevent the discovery of one of the article in the Secret Treaty of Fontainbleau, b his expelling, with the greatest precipitation from Tuscany, the Queen Regent and l children, and plundering the royal palace and seizing all the public funds of a coun that was ignorant of the existence of such treaty, and had committed no act of forfe ture. Whilst the emperor kept Europe i suspence by his journey to Milan and Veno he thought fit to answer the letters, whic he had some time before received from the royal father, assuring his majesty, that never had the slightest information of th circumstances which he communicated re specting his son the prince of Asturias, n ever received any letter from his royal high ness. (2). Nevertheless his majesty os sented to the proposed intermarriage with princess of his family, undoubtedly with intention of amusing the royal parenta whilst he was sending into Spain, under rious pretexts, all the troops which he h then disposable, and was studiously prop gating an idea that he was favourable to th cause of the prince of Asturias, and thu endeavouring to captivate the good opinion of the Spanish nation.-The royal parens struck with terror which this conduct of the emperor naturally inspired, and the Favon ite being still more astonished, opposed no obstacle to the entrance of the French troops into the peninsula; on the contrary, they gave the most effectual orders that they should be received and treated even on better footing than the Spanish troops.-Th emperor, under the pretence of consulting the security of these troops, ordered by generals, by stratagem or force to get posession of the fortresses of Pampeluna, St.

immediate possession of Tuscany. -The Fa-nication, and to make himself more impe. vourite was to have for his portion the Algarves and Alantejo, in full property and sovereignty, but the emperor's answer to the letters of the royal father had not yet arrived; it was completely uncertain what it would be, and this filled him with fear and anxiety. The intimate relations which the Favourite maintained at that period with the Grand Duke of Berg, through the medium of his confident Isquierdo, flattered him to a certain degree with the hope that every thing would be settled to his wishes, though the interposition of a few millions might be necessary. But neither the Favourite por his confident knew the real intentions of the person they were treating with at Paris. In fact, the instant the emperor found that the Favourite had committed himself, and the royal parents were brought into discredit, he shewed no disposition to answer his majesty's letters, for the purpose of keeping them in suspense, and inspiring them with dread, in the hope that they might form the resolution of withdrawing, though at that time he had not completed his plan for taking an advantage of such an occurrence.-The Grand Doke wrote to the Favourite, that he would employ every means to support him, but that the negociation was rendered very delicate, owing to the extraordinary attachment which prevailed in Spaia towards the prince of Asturias, and the considera tion due towards a princess who was cousin to the Empress, and in consequence of the part the ambassador Beauharnois, her relative, took in the business. (1).—Now it was that the Favourite began clearly to discover how much his credit had sunk, and he gave himself up for lost, in consequence of being deprived of the support of his imaginary protector, the Emperor of the French. There were no means now neglected by him to endeavour to ingratiate himself with the Grand Duke of Berg; every sort of expression, every kind of deference was employed for this purpose; and the more effectually to avert the impend, ing storm, he prevailed on the royal parents to write to the emperor direct, and to request his consent to the marriage of one of his cousins to the prince of Asturias. Meanwhile the Emperor of the French appeared to be very much dissatisfied with the conduct of Isquierdo, and kept him at a distance, in order to cut off this direct mode of commu

(1) All this appears from the correspondence of the Favourite with the Grand Duke, which the latter carried off from the office of the secretary of state, during his lieutenancy.

(2) Compare this statement, with the contents of the letter (No. 3), from his Imperial majesty to King Ferdinand, it which he acknowledges having received the letter written to him by the Prince of Asturias, on the suggestion of ambassador Beauharnois.

Sebastian, Figuieras, and Barcelona, which alone could present any obstacle to an invasion. They were accordingly taken by Fraud and surprize, to the indignation and -orrow of the whole nation, to which the French still affected to profess friendship and Hance. The emperor, conceiving himself Iready master of all Spain, and thinking he time had arrived for accelerating his measures, thought proper to write a letter o the reyal father, complaining in the biterest terus, that his majesty had not reewed his application for an imperial priness for his son the prince of Asturias. The ing was pleased to return for answer. that e adhered to his former proposal, and was illing that the marriage should immediately ake place. Some important proceeding as still necessary to carry the project to a egree of maturity, and the emperor not willing to trust it to writing, thought he uld not find a better instrument than Don genio Izquierdo, whom he had detained 1 Paris in a state of great dejection and ter r, that had been arifully impressed upon im for the purpose of his more effectually xecuting his commission, by impressing e royal parents and the Favourite with the me feelings. In this state of things, the uperor ordered Izquierdo to repair to pain, which he accordingly did, in a very recipitate and mysterious manner. ording to his verbal statements, he brought O proposal in writing with him, nor was e to receive any, and he had orders to reain only three days,-On his arrival, uner these circumstances, at Aranjuez, the wourite conducted him to the presence of e royal parents, and their conferences ere conducted with so much secresy, that was impossible for any one to discover the ject of his mission; but soon after his dearture from this capital, their majesties be. in to shew a disposition to abandon the etropolis and the peninsula, and to emiate to Mexico. The recent example of e determination taken by the royal family Portugal, seemed to have fully corresonded with the views of the emperor, ad there is reason to think that his impeal majesty promised himself a similar sucess in Spain. But he must have been very norant of the Spanish character to flatter imself with such expectations. Scarcely ad the first reports gone abroad of the in ention of the royal family to abandon their esidence, a resolution clearly indicated by he many preparations which were going on, when discontent and fear were depicted in he most lively colours in the features of all he inhabitants of the capital, and of all

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ranks and classes of persons.

This alone

was sufficient to induce their majesties to refute the rumour, and to assure the people that they would not abandon them.-Nevertheless, such was the general distrust, such the magnitude of the evils which must have resulted, and such and so many the symptoms of a determination to emigrate, that every one was on the alert, and all seemed to be impressed with the necessity of preventing a measure pregnant with so many mischiefs. The danger increased, and the fears of the public kept pace with it. The consequence was, that the commotions of Aranjuez, on the 17th and 19th of March, burst forth like a sudden explosion; the people being led by a sort of instinct of self-preservation. The result was, the imprisonment of the Favourite, who, without the title of king, had exercised all the functions of royalty: -Scarcely had this tempestuous scene taken place, when the royal parents, finding themselves deprived of the support of their Favourite, took the unexpected but voluntary. resolution which they had for some time entertained to abdicate their throne, as they accordingly did, in favour of their son and heir the Prince of Asturias.-The emperor, ignorant of this sudden event, and perhaps never supposing that the Spaniards were capable of displaying such resolution, had ordered prince Murat to advance with his army towards Madrid, under the idea that the royal family were already on the coast, and on the point of embarking, and that far from meeting the slightest obstacle on the part of the people, all of them would receive him with open arms, as their de liverer and guardian angel. He conceived, that the nation was in the highest degree dissatisfied with their government, and never reflected that they were only dissatisfied with the abuses which had crept into the administration of it.-The instant the grand duke of Berg was apprised of the occur. rences at Aranjuez, he advanced with his whole army to occupy the capital of the kingdom; intending, no doubt, to profit by the occasion, and to take such steps as should be best calculated to realize, by any means, the plan of making himself master of Spain. In the meanwhile, the mysterious obscurity of the emperor's projects, the proximity of his troops, and the ignorance in which Ferdinand VII was of the real object of the emperor's apricara, induced the king to adopt suca netst as appeared to his majesty best conciliate the good wilt e Not satisfied with hay a r

accession to the throne in the most friendly and affectionate terms, the king appointed a deputation of three grandees of Spain to proceed to Bayonne, and in his name to compliment his imperial majesty. He also appointed another grandee of Spain to pay a similar compliment to the grand duke of Berg, who had already arrived in the vicinity of Madrid. One of the contrivances which the French agent immediately had recourse to, was to assure the king, and to spread the rumour in all quarters, that his imperial majesty's arrival might be expected every moment. Under this impression, the necessary orders were given for preparing apartments in the palace suitable to the dignity of so august a guest; and the king wrote again to the emperor, how agreeable it would be to him to be personally acquainted with his majesty, and to assure him with his own lips, of his ardent wishes to strengthen 'more and more the alliance which subsisted between the two sovereigns.-The grand duke of Berg had in the meantime entered Madrid, at the head of his troops. He was no sooner acquainted with the state of affairs, than he began to sow discord. He spoke in a mysterious manner of the abdication of the crown, executed by the royal father in favour of his son, amidst the tumults of Aranjuez, and gave it to be understood, that until the emperor had acknowledged Ferd. VII. it was impossible for him to take any step that should appear like an acknowledgement, and that he must be under the necessity of treating only with the royal father. This pretext did not fail to produce the effect which the grand duke intended. The royal parents, the moment they were informed of this circumstance, availed themselves of it to save the Favourite, who remained in confinement, and in whose favour prince Murat professed to take an interest, for the sole purpose of flattering their majesties, mortifying Ferd. VII. and sowing fresh matter of discord between the parents and the son. - In this state of things, the new king made his public entry into Madrid, without any other parade than the most numerous concourse of all the inhabitants of the capital and its environs, the strongest expressions of love and loyalty, and the appliuses and acclamations which sprung from the joy and enthusiasm of his subjects--a scene truly grand and impressive, in which the young king was seen like a father in the midst of his children, entering his capital as the regenerator and guardian angel of the monarchy.-The duke of Berg was an eye witness of this scene; but far from abandoning his plan, he resolved to

persist in it with greater ardour. The experiment upon the royal parents produced the desired effect; but whilst the beloved king, who came to the throne under such good auspices, continued to be present, it was impossible to carry the plan into execution. It was, therefore, necessary to make every effort to remove Ferdinand VII. from Madrid.-To accomplish this purpose, the grand duke every moment spread reports of the arrival of a fresh courier, with accounts of the emperor's departure from Paris, and that he might be speedily expected to arrive in this capital. He directed his efforts in the first instance to induce the infant Don Car los to set off to receive his imperial majesty, upon the supposition that his highness must meet him before he had proceeded two days upon his journey. His majesty acceded to the proposal, being influenced by the purest and most beneficent intentions. He had no sooner succeeded in procuring the departure of the Infant, than he manifested the most anxious desire that the King should do the same, leaving no means untried to per suade his majesty to take this step, and assuring him that it would be attended by the most happy consequences to the king and the whole kingdom.-At the same time that the grand duke of Berg, the ambassador, and all the other agents of France, were proceeding in this course, they were, on the other side, busily employed with the royal parents to procure from them a formal protest against the abdication of the crown, which they had executed spontaneously and with the accustomed solemnities, in favour of their son and legitimate heir.-His majesty being incessantly urged to go to meet the emperor, painfully hesitated between the necessity of performing an act of courtesy to his ally, which he was assured would be attended with such advantageous results, and his reluctance to abandon his loyal and be loved people under such critical circumstances. In this embarrassing situation, I can assert, that my constant opinion, as the king's minister, was, that his majesty should not leave his capital until he received certain information that the emperor was already atrived in Spain, and was approaching Madrid; and that even then, he should only proceed to a distance so short as not to render it necessary to sleep one night out of his capital. -His majesty for some days persisted in the resolution of not quitting Madrid until he received certain advice of the emperor's ap proach; and he would have probably continued in that determination, had not the arrival of general Savary added greater weight to the reiterated solicitations of the grand

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