son who is not of opinion that they were too numerous. Those of them who are influenced by a divine call, shall remain in their cloisters. With regard to those whose call was doubtful, or influ. enced by temporal considerations, I have fixed their condition, in the order of secular priests. Out of the surplus of the monastic proper ty, I have provided for the maintenance of the pastors, that important and useful class of the clergy. I have abolished that court which was a subject of complaint to Europe and the present age. Priests may guide the minds of men, but must exercise no temporal or corporeal jurisdiction over the citizens. ،، I have accomplished what I owed to myself and my nation. Vengeance has had its due. It has fallen upon ten of the principal culprits all the rest have cutire and absolute forgiveness. I have abolished those privileges which the grandees usurped, during times of civil war, when kings but too frequently are necessitated to surrender their rights, to purchase their own tranquillity, and that of their people. I have abolished the feudal rights, and henceforth every one may set up inns, ovens, mills, employ himself in fishing and rabbit hunting, and give free,scope to his industry, provided he respects the laws and regulations of the police. The selfishness, wealth, and prosperity of a small number of individuals, were more injurious to your agriculture than the heat of the dog-days. As there is but one God, so should there be in a state but one judicial power. All pecaliar jurisdictions were usurpations, and at variance with the rights of . the nation; I have abolished them. I have also made known to every one what he may have to fear, and what he may have to hope. I shall expel the English army from the Peninsula. Saragossa, Valencia, Seville, shall be reduced to submission, either by persuasion, or the power of my arms. There is no obstacle which can long resist the execution of my resolutions. But what transcends my power is thisto consolidate the Spaniards as one nation, under the sway of the king, should they continue to be infected with these principles of aversion and hatred to France, which the partisans of the English and the enemies of the Continent have infused into the bosom of Spain. I can establish no nation, no king, no independence of the Spaniards, if the king be not assured of their attachment and fidelity. "The Bourbons can no longer reign in Europe. The divisions in the royal family were contrived by the English. It was not the de. thronement of king Charles, and the favourite (the Prince of the Peace), that the duke de Infatado, that tool of England, as is proved by the papers found in his house, had in view. The intention was to establish the predominant influence of England in Spain; a senseless project, the result of which would have been a perpetual Continental war, that would have caused the shedding of torrents of blood. No power under the influence of Eng. land can exist on the Continent. If there be any that entertain such a wish, their wish is absurd, and will sooner or later occasion their fall. It would be easy for me, should I be compelled to adopt that measure, to govern Spain, by esta blishing blishing as many viceroys in it as there are provinces. Nevertheless, I do not refuse to abdicate my rights of conquest in favour of the king; and to establish him in Madrid, as soon as the 30,000 citizens which this capital contains, the clergy, nobility, merchants, and lawyers, shall have declared their sentiments and their fidelity, set an example to the provinces, enlightened the people, and made the nation sensible that their existence and prosperity essentially depend upon a king and a free constitution, favourable to the people; and hostile only to the egotism and haughty passions of the grandees. If such be the sentiments of the inhabitants of the city of Madrid, let the 30,000 citizens assemble in the churches; let them, in the presence of the Holy Sacra. ment, take an oath, not only with their mouths, but also with their hearts, and without any jesuitical equivocation, that they promise support, attachment, and fidelity to their king; let the priests in the confessional and the pulpit, the mercantile class in their correspon. dence, the men of the law in their writings and speeches, infuse these sentiments into the people; then shall I surrender my right of conquest, place the king upon the throne, and make it my pleasing task to conduct myself as a true friend of the Spaniards. The present generation may differ in their, opinion; the passions have been brought into action; but your grand-children will bless me as your renovator; they will reckon the day when I appeared among their memorable festivals; and from that will the happiness of Spain date its commencement.-"You are thus, Monsieur le Corregidor," added the emperor, "informed of the whole of my determination. Consult with your fellow-citizens, and consider what part you will choose; but whatever it be, make your choice with sincerity, and tell me only your genuine sentiments." Opinion of General Palafox. Given by Order of his Majesty Ferdinand VII. (whom God preserve), in the City of Bayonne, the 29th April, 1808. HIS majesty having ordered me to give my opinion, in writing, whether he ought or ought not to abdicate his crown, and take in exchange that of Tuscany, as is proposed by the emperor of the French;-I declare my opinion to be, that he ought not by any means to abdicate his crown, nor can he do so without violating his honour, and the engagements which he has contracted with his subjects, who took the oath of al. legiance to him as heir of the crown. An additional reason is this, that his majesty is absent from his dominions, and consequently in a situation where no act of that description can be valid; such an act can the less stand good, as he is deluded and deceived by the false insinuations of the emperor Napoleon, and absolutely despoiled of all liberty. Besides, to render an act of this nature valid, it would be necessary to call a meeting of the cortes, and with their consent, his majesty might adopt any reso. lution which he should deem expedient. I am further of opinion, that he cannot accept of the crown of of Tuscany in exchange without disgracing his own, which he wears with so much dignity, especially because it is no equivalent, as is pretended by the emperor, and is moreover the lawful property of the most serene infant Charles Lewis, who has been proclaimed king of Etruria, and would undoubtedly have the right to claim that crown. On these and other palpable grounds, his majesty ought not by any means to accede to the proposal of the emperor, because it is disgraceful and contrary to the high dignity of the Spanish throne; nor ought any degree of violence or force move his majesty to accept the above proposal, as the acceptance of it would render him guilty of gross misconduct in the face of all Europe. "This is my opinion, given in obedience to his majesty's order communicated to me, and signed by me in Bayonne, the 29th April, 1808. "FOUN. REVOL. DE PALA FOX Y MELZI. "And in order that it may be known, I grant this certificate copy thereof, under my hand and the royal seal, "PEDRO LEBALLOR." Bayonne, the 30th April, 1808." At the time when Don Founvisro Revolledo de Palafox y Melzi gave his opinion in Bayonne, he was brigadier-general in the royal service, acting lord of the bedchamber, and master of the horse to his majesty Ferdinand VII. He is now second in command of the army of Arragon, general of horse, and one of the deputies of the kingdom of Arragon, to the cen tral or supreme junta of Spain.Political and Literary Courier of Salamanca, of Sept. 17, 1808. Extract from the Address of his Imperial and Royal Majesty to the Legislative Body, on the 25th of October, 1808. HE United States of Ame "THE rica have chosen to renounce the commerce of the occan, rather than acknowledge its subjugation. "In a few days I shall put myself at the head of my armies, to crown, with God's assistance, in Madrid, the king of Spain, and to plant my eagles on the towers of Lisbon. "I cannot but be proud of the sentiments which animate the princes who compose the confederation of the Rhine. "Switzerland every day expe. riences more and more the benefi cial effects of the act of mediation. "The people of Italy furnish me with nothing but matter for satisfaction. "The emperor of Russia and myself have seen cach other at Erfurth-OUR FIRST THOUGHT WAS OF PEACE-Nay, we have even resolved to make some sacrifices to procure for the hundred million of men we represent, the advantages of a MARITIME PEACE.—We arè agreed and permanently united for PEACE as well as for WAR.” Ships at the Port of Whampoa*, and which was delivered to the said Senior Commander, Captain Milliken Craig of the Elphinstone, by the Mandarins, deputed by the Tsontoe, under a Canopy of State, surrounded by Chinese Guaras under arms, erected for the occasion on French Island, on the side of a hill, having a Chi, nese Camp on each side on hills each about one mile distant, and all in view from the Van Ships of the Hon. Company's Fleet, moored in Line of Battle within Gun-shot. 1, THE Mandarin Vu, by favour 9 of my prince, tsontoe of the two provinces of Quang-tong and Quang-si, member of the tribunal of war, &c. direct this letter to the captains, officers, passengers, and others belonging to the English ships, to warn you, that being certain that your bad kingdom is situated on an island of the sea, and that you originally employed yourselves in making watches to enable you to pay your taxes; afterwards, by the especial and profound goodness of our great empe ror, who was desirous of benefiting you, he granted you permission to come to this empire to trade. Behold what exalted and profound virtue belong to him!!! Notwithstanding this, the admiral of your kingdom, regardless of the laws, has brought here for the first time foreign soldiers, and without leave introduced them into Macoa, and your chief supra-cargo uniting with him, they are, with one accord, making disturbances. This being the case, I informed the emperor from whom I have just received a decree, in virtue of which I again send mandarins deputed to inform them, that if they persist in detaining the soldiers, a great many troops shall be immediately dispatched to destroy and extinguish them, and to terminate this business, for the consequences of which the admiral and chief supra-cargo will be responsible, but you captains, offi cers, passengers, and others, people of the ships, shall be free from all responsibility, if you remain quietly in the observance of the laws; and after the soldiers of your nation shall be entirely withdrawn, I shall feel it my duty to inform the emperor, praying him to have the goodness to permit you to carry on your trade as formerly. But if you, giving ear to and obeying the admiral and chief supra-cargo, unite yourselves to them to create disturbances, when afterwards our innumerable soldiers shall arrive, who shall destroy and burn you, even if you are as hard as stone or jasper, I shall then not be able to use you with any indulgence nor free you from the net of the law in which you will be ensnared ; and in order that you may be obedient and discreet, I direct this chop to you. In the 13th year of the Emperor * In Nov. and Dec. 1803, there were at Whampoa 13 of the hon. company's ships, each of 1200 tons, and one of 800 tons, the commodore, capt. M. Craig, of the Elphinstone; the tonnage, 16,400 tons; mounting 494 guns, and carrying 2080 men; there were also 17,350 tons of country ships, mounting 228 guns, and carrying 2075 men. The estimated value of these shipping and their cargoes, was upwards of 6 millions sterling, and the Chinese in Canton were in possession of as much more property belonging to the East-India Company and British subjects. Kia King, on the 17th day of the 10th Moon, (3d Dec. 1808.) Memorandum.-Received, on the 4th December, 1808, from the hands of the mandarins delegated by the tsontoe, who were, the military brigadier mandarin Chang, and the quangchou-foo (governor of the city of Canton) Fu. of Answer to the foregoing, To his Excellency the Viceroy Quang-tong and Quang-si. May it please your Excellency, WE the undersigned, commanders of the hon. English East-India company's ships at Whampoa, for ourselves, our officers, and our men, have the exalted honour to acknowledge the receipt of your excellency's most gracious letter, delivered to us on French Island, on the 4th Dec. 1808, by the two mandarins, whom we are informed it was your condescending pleasure to send for that purpose. Our object in visiting this country is purely commerce, to continue in the same manner that friend ly and useful intercourse which has existed for centuries, and now be. come, from its maguitude, of the very first importance to both our vast empires. We are taught in our own coun. try, that obedience to our laws is the first essential to the well-being of the state; the same principle must apply to all countries, and we are therefore ordered, and endeavour, to venerate and obey yours; but such is the nature of our own laws and constitution, that we dare not, even in a foreign country, depart from allegiance to our own country, nor to those who are dignified with its most exalted representation. We understand that our admiral, who is an officer of high rank, at the request of the Portugueze, landed some troops at Macoa, to help them to defend it, against attacks from the French. This wicked nation, ever since they mur dered their sovereign, have waged war upon all nations within their reach, and we understand are now marching by land to make war upon the celestial empire, as the British navy prevent them by sea. We, of course, wish to have no concern with any disturbances in the celestial empire, and we therefore most humbly implore your excellency to order the trade to be opened, that we may thereby find employment in the quiet habits of industry, which we conceive would. prevent our services being required for other purposes, but which, if called for our laws and our honour, would compel us to obey, whatever might be the consequences. With sentiments of the most profound veneration, and prayers for your excellency's welfare, we beg leave to subscribe our names. Hon. Comp.'s Ship Elphinstone, Whampoa, 7th Dec. 1808. (Signed) M. CRAIG, Sen. Officer. WM. DUNSFORD, F. ARMITAGE, (Chief Of- J. STRACHAN |