had any lawful title, hastened to forfeit it. In addition to his being a foreigner, which was a legal ob jection to his promotion, he acted with the utmost duplicity, and cooperated for the destruction of the very monarchy, from whom he received his appointment, and of the laws, which alone could sanction his authority. Under these circumstances we could not restrain our loyalty, and much less could we violate the sacred engagements, which we had before contracted, as Spaniards, as subjects, as christians, as freemen, independent from all foreign authority and power.Nor could the authority of the first tribunal of the nation, the council of Castile, check or controul our exertions. The weakness of that council became obvious from the wavering and contradictory pro ceedings it adopted. The most momentous and most critical situation in which the nation ever hath been placed, and in which the council should have displayed that heroic firmness with which numberless motives and its own honour compelled it to act. The order tamely to submit to, and circulate, and obey the act of abdication in favour of a foreign prince, was a consummation ́of its weakness, perhaps of its infamy, for that act was evidently void and illegal from want of authority in him who made it, because the monarchy was not his own, nor was Spain composed of animals subject to the absolute controul of their rulers; his accession to the throne was founded on his royal descent, according to his own confession, and on the fundamental laws of the realm, which invariably regulate the hereditary succession, and with regard to which the council is not

invested with any other power, than the sacred duty to enforce their observance. It is void on account of the state of violence and oppression in which it was made, and which is far more evident than the abdication itself; it is void, because the published act of abdication of king Ferdinand VII. and of his uncle and brother, was made in the same state of violence and compulsion, as it expressly declared, in the very act of abdication; it is void, because many royal personages, possessed of the right to claim. the crown, have not relinquished that claim, but preserve it entire. Add to this the horrid treachery which has been employed to sacri fice and degrade the Spanish nation. It is to our alliance, and our sacrifices, that the French are indebted for what they call their triumphs; France withdrew our gallant troops from their native land, and sent them to the most distant countries; she made them fight for her in terests, without having any occasion for them, for the obvious purpose of weakening us, and despoiling us of our strength. Her armies afterwards entered Spain, under continual professions of an anxious desire to promote our prosperity, and under the pretext of co-operating in expeditions against an enemy, of whom no farther mention is made, The people, by a generous effort, prevented the departure of their king, a measure which the French should have hailed with shouts of joy; but far from so doing, they kept a profound silence with regard to that departure, and what is still more, converted it into a motive to oppress us. France affected to perceive divisions in the nation which did not exist; the Spanish nation X 2

having

having never been more united in the love and defence of its king. The latter was decoyed into the French territory by deceitful insinuations and professions; with a degree of generosity, of which perhaps there does not exist a precedent, the king, with implicit reliance on those vain professions, threw himself into the arms of the French, who with the basest treachery, unprecedented in the annals of civil ized nations, made him their pri soner, treated him in a manner the most disrespectful, and forced him to the deeds of horror, which all Europe has witnessed with astonishment, and every Spaniard with in. dignation and the most poignant grief. In a manner equally deceit. ful they invited the royal parents to their country, and compelled them to unjust and illegal acts; acts which must hand down their memory to the latest posterity brand. ed with disgrace; they also dragged away the rest of the royal per. sonages, to whom their tender age would have proved an inviolable shield, even among the most barba. rous nations. The French ruler summoned the spanish nation be. fore him; he chose such deputies as best suited his purpose; in a despotic manner of election of other deputies, appointed to deliberate in a foreign country on the most sacred interests of the nation, while he publicly declared a private and respectful letter, written to him by Ferdinand the Seventh, at the time when he was prince of Asturias, a criminal performance, injurious to the rights of sovereignty, although the same foreigner, who now affects to consider it as an offence, perhaps induced him to write it. It is, in. deed, a heinous offence, it is rebel.

lion, when an independent nation submits to the controul of a foreign prince, and discusses in his presence, and under his decision, its most sacred rights and public welfare; and neither Seville, nor any Spaniard, will lower himself to a degree of disloyalty and meanness, which could induce him to a rebellion so atrocious, that even slaves would scorn to disgrace themselves by deeds of infamy like this. He has resorted to many other indecorous means to deceive us. He has distributed seditious libels to corrupt the public opinion, in which under the strongest professions of respect for the laws, and for religion, he insults both, leaves no means untried, however infamous they may be, to bend our necks under an iron yoke, and make us his slaves. He carries his audacity and deceit the length of assuring the public, in one of his libellous publications, that the supreme pontiff and vicar of Jesus Christ approves and sanctions his proceedings, while it is notorious, that in sight of all Europe he has despoiled him of his dominious, and forced him to dismiss his cardinals, in order to prevent him from directing and governing the whole church, in the manner sanctioned by our godly Saviour Jesus Christ.-Spaniards, every, consideration calls on us to unite and frustrate views so atrocious, No revolution exists in Spain; or did we declare against any power; our sole object is, to defend what we hold most sacred, against him, who, under the cloak of alliance and friendship, intended to wrest it from us, and who, we have reason to fear, will despoil us, without fighting, of our laws, our monarchs, and our religion. Let us, there

fore,

fore, sacrifice every thing to a cause so just, and if we are to lose our all, let us lose it fighting, and as generous men. Join me, therefore, all; the people are ready to take up arms; let us commit to the wisest among us in all the provinces of Spain, the important trust to preserve the public opinion, and refute those insolent libels replete with the most atrocious falsehoods. Let every one combat in his way; and let even the church of Spain in cessantly implore the assistance of the God of Hosts, whose protection is secured to us by the evident justice of our cause. And what do you fear? There is not in Spain the number of the enemy's troops which they proclaim, in order to intimidate us. Those who occupy part of our country are composed of different nations, dragged into service, and who anxiously desire to break their chains. The positions they have taken are exactly those in which they can be conquered and defeated in the easiest manner They are besides weak and dismayed, because the consciousness of guilt makes a coward of the bravest man. All Europe will ap. plaud our efforts, and hasten to our assistance. Italy, Germany, and the whole north, which suffer under the despotism of the French nation, will eagerly avail themselves of the favourable opportunity held out to them by Spain, to shake off their yoke and recover their liberty, their laws, their monarchs, and all they have been robbed of by that nation. France herself will hasten to erase the stain of infamy which must cover the tools and in. struments of deeds the most treacherous and heinous. She will not shed her blood in so vile a cause.

Portuguese Revolution.

Edict and Proclamation, issued at Oporto, 20th June, 1808.

N the name of the prince re

IN

gent of Portugal, the junta of the supreme government of the city of Oporto makes known unto all the subjects of the said prince, that the French government is entirely exterminated from this country, and the royal authority of our legitimate sovereign is restored, which will be exercised fully and independently by the abovementioned junta, until the government established in this kingdom, by his royal highness shall be restored: in consequence of which the said junta order that his royal highness shall be proclaimed, and his royal arms be displayed and respected as they always have been, and shall be: and that all constituted autho rities shall act conformably, publishing all their orders in the name of his royal highness.-The bishop, X 3 president

president, and generalissimo. Given at Oporto, 19th June, 1808.

Edict. The provisional council of the government of Oporto, in vites the veteran soldiers, to what ever regiment of the line they may belong, to unite with the army of this province, that is, to enter into the ranks with the two regiments of the garrison of this city, which are in the course of organization: and to each man, by way of remunéra. tion, are promised a month's pay, and a daily allowance of four vin. teins, with clothing, &c. The same pay will be allotted to all the soldiers now on service, as well as those who will join the same regiments, as far as circumstances will permit this extraordinary pay. Likewise the militia will have the same advantages.-The bishop, president, and governor.

Proclamation. Portuguese. By heaven, and by Jesus Christ! You have a go. vernor who loves you, who is anxious for your happiness, and who will exert himself to obtain it. What avail your turbulence, your excesses, your want of that order and subordination to which he would conduct you, anxions to preserve your lives? What oppor. tunities have you not lost, of which you ought to have availed your. selves against the enemy, since you have neglected your own resources? What signals do you not exhibit to 'the enemy, that he may entrap and surprise you. Portuguese! Listen to one who loves you. The French intends to strike a blow, fatal to you, and you are lost if you are guilty of insubordination, or disre gard the councils of your governor. Your firing, your beat of drum, your bells, give to your enemies the

knowledge of where you are, where your force, and where your weak. ness. From your enemy conceal your power, that you may strike the blow with the more success; and that you may encounter him when he least expects your approach. By these means you may conquer him. Subject yourselves to your superiors in all and through all, if you are desirous of victory; otherwise be assured you will meet only disgrace. From necessity, after this manner, the mighty bull yields to vigilance, dexterity, and the little cloak. By whatever is sacred in heaven, or in earth, by the sacred name of Jesus Christ, the governor implores you, that you maintain subjection to your chiefs, conforming to the regulations of your respective companies. If you are ordered to a post, there you ought to remain until the moment of combat and glory shall arrive. To you who are in the van we first commit our cause, and by valour diminish the number of our enemies. You who are next in order, when your turn comes, fulfil your duty by dealing destruction around you and you who form the rear-guard, destroy the rest. Your energy must be guided by intelligence; you must be conducted by wisdom, in order to be conquerors. Long live the prince regent; long live Portugal; long live the Portuguese!..The bishop, governor, and president.

Sketch of Buonaparte's New Constitution for Spain.

TITLE I.

Art. 1. THE Catholic-Apostolic and Romish religion is the predominant and sole religion of

Spain and its dominions; none other shall be tolerated.

Title II.

2. Prince Joseph Napoleon, king of Naples and Sicily, is king of Spain and the Indies.-3. The crown of Spain and the Indies shall be hereditary in the male issue lawfully begotten of the body of the, said prince, according to seni ority of birth, to the perpetual exclusion of females. In défault of such issue male, lawfully begot ten of the prince Joseph Napoleon, the crown of Spain shall descend to us and our heirs male, and legal successors, either of our body, or by adoption.-In default of such our male descendants and lawful successors, to descend to the issue male and lawful successors of prince Louis Napoleon, king of Holland. And in default of such male descendants and lawful suc. cessors of prince Louis Napoleon, to the issue male, and lawful successors of prince Jerome Napoleon, king of Westphalia.--And in default of these, to the first born son, before the death of the last king, of the eldest daughter of those who have male issue, and to his male descendants and lawful successors; and in case the last king should not have nomina ted that one of his daughters who has male issue, then to him whom he shall appoint by his will, either among his relations, or among those whom he shall deem most worthy to rule over Spain. This Domination shall be delivered to the cortes for their acceptance.--4. The crown of Spain shall never be fixed upon the same head with any other crown.-5. In all the edicts and laws, the title of the king of Spain shall be -D.N.-by the grace of God, and the constitution of the

state, king of Spain and the Indies.

-6. The king on his accession to the throne, or on his attaining his majority, shall take an oath to the Spanish people on the gospel, in the presence of the cortes, the senate, the council of state, the council of Castile, the archbishops and bishops.-7. The form of the king's oath is I swear, on the holy evangelists, to reverence and cause to be reverenced our holy religion; to maintain the inviolability of the Spanish territory; to reverence and cause to be reverenced, the li berty of the person, and to govern alone for the welfare, happiness, and glory of the Spanish nation,"

:

Title III.-Of the Government.

8. The miuority of the king shall last till he has attained his 13th year. During his minority. there shall be a regent of the kingdom.-9. The regent must be at least 25 years old.-10. The regent shall be nominated by the precoding king, among the infantos who have attained the age mentioned in the preceding article.11. In default of nomination by the preceding king, the regency belongs to the prince the farthest removed from the throne, according to the law of succession, and whọ has attained the age of 25 years.12. In case the priuce furthest rcmoved from the crown shall be in a state of minority, the regency belongs to the next prince, who shall continue to exercise his functions till the king shall have attained his majority.-13. The regent is not personally answerable for the acts of his administration.-14. All the acts of the regency pass in the name of the minor king.-15. The yearly revenue of the regent shall be one-fourth of the income of the X 4

crown