siderable bands of insurgents were in arms against the government. A nominal king distrusting and distrusted by all-an executive, feeble, yet odious and unpopulara constitutional ministry resisted openly by the people, and at the same time assailed by the Cortes insurgents in arms against the constitution-and the adherents of the constitution on the very brink of hostilities among themselves; such was the piteous condition, into which the ambitious, short-sighted rashness of military reformers, dreaming enthusiasts, and unprincipled demagogues, had reduced the once splendid and firm, though gloomy, fabric of the Spanish monarchy.

In the beginning of the present year, the cities, which had thrown off their allegiance, returned to a seeming obedience to the executive. On the 10th of January, Jauregui delivered up the command of the garrison of Cadiz and the general government of the province to Don Jacinto Romarte. It was doubtless some merit in Jauregui to cease to be a rebel; but what are we to think of a state of society, in which a public functionary, who had, like Jauregui, been the fomenter and the instrument of rebellion, could escape unpunished, untried, unaccused? The example of Cadiz was followed by the other refractory cities; the more readily, perhaps, that the principal individuals in the unpopular ministry retired from office. Bardaxi, the minister for foreign affairs; Feliu, the minister for the interior; Salvador, the minister for the war department; and Valleyo, the finance-director; yielding to the clamour of the people and the legislature, tendered their resignation. Ferdinand

accepted it with reluctance; and, in notifying this event to the Cortes, said, " I have hitherto declined to accept this resignation, but, considering the present circumstances, I now allow these ministers to retire; declaring, however, that I am satisfied with their good services, their attachment to the constitution, their loyalty to my person, and their zeal for the public welfare." No successors to them were appointed immediately, and the other ministers, Pelegrini, Cano Manuel, and Escudero, were, in the mean time, charged with the duties of the vacant offices. On the 26th of January, the secretary for the transmarine department, informed the Cortes, that he had appointed the marquis de Santa-Cruz, to discharge the duties of first secretary of state; to the war-department, general Don Jose Crenfuegos; and to that of the finances, Don Luis Lopez Ballasteros. These were merely temporary nominations. Shortly afterwards Ballasteros and Santa Cruz resigned; they were succeeded by M. Pelerin and M. Louis.

The retirement of the ministers was the subject of rejoicing in the refractory towns. At Barcelona, which had threatened, unless they were dismissed by a certain day, to take more decisive measures, it was celebrated in a manner which was there supposed to indicate the most ardent patriotism, but which, in truth, proved that all the principles of social subordination were forgotten. Riego, an individual filling no public office, still labouring under very heavy suspicions, and whose name was every where the watch-word of popular tumult; this man entered Barcelona in triumph, received the homage of

the constituted authorities, review ed the troops, and charmed these patriotic soldiers, by an insane tirade concerning liberty and Catalonia. "Fierce and desperate despotism," said he, "from this moment expires. I already see her tearing her ensanguined hair, and plunging herself into the dark mansions of pain, and of the tricks of her satellites, from whence she will never emerge-never." When soldiers can be collected, reviewed, and harangued by a suspected and furious demagogue, without the sanction or pretence of any official character; it is only by accidental sufferance, that regular government can be supposed to exist.

It would be endless to enumerate the events, that were daily disturbing the public peace; but it is important to observe, that the tumults proceeded, not from the attempts of votaries of despotism, but from the follies and mutual jealousies of the constitutionalists themselves. What happened at Valencia in the beginning of the year, may be adduced as a specimen. Some dissensions between the artillery and the cuirassiers of the garrison, having been amicably adjusted, deputations from the different regiments met to celebrate the union and friendship, which all the corps of the garrison had sworn to observe; and for that purpose, on the 7th of January, a procession, composed of persons of both sexes, and accompanied by music, was prepared. This procession was insulted by a crowd collected at the corner of a street, who raised cries in honour of Riego -A scuffle ensued, and the crowd was dispersed. In the evening of the 9th, however, part of the militia, joined to the populace, renewed the riot. The regiment

of Zamora was brought out against them; the militia threatened to fire; the other corps of the garrison were then marched out with four pieces of artillery; and finally tranquillity was restored, though not till after some lives had been lost.

The extraordinary Cortes continued its sittings. The most important matters which occupied its attention, were the liberty of the press and the relations of Spain to the South American provinces. On the latter subject, the council of state had suggested no fewer than eight different means for adjusting the disputes between the mother country and her colonies. These were

1. To conclude an armistice with the trans-marine provinces :

2. To open a kind of judicature for adjusting grievances, consisting of deputies from the provinces, and commissioners from the Cortes.

3. To empower the commissioners from the Cortes, to suspend, with respect to the transmarine provinces, such articles of the constitution as they may judge injurious to the provinces.

4. To suspend, with regard to America, the decrees relative to the suppression of monarchical establishments, and of the privileges of the clergy.

5. To establish freedom of commerce between the Peninsula and the trans-marine provinces.

6. To concede to the provinces freedom of commerce with foreign powers, for a period of six years.

7. To settle the distribution of the common lands, not only near the towns, but in the interior of the country, according to a law passed by the last Cortes.

8. To resort to the assistance of a foreign power.

These propositions were rejected by the committee of the Cortes, to which they were referred; and, in their stead, the committee recommended, "That there should be sent to both Americas, commissioners instructed to hear and receive whatever propositions the government there may make, and to transmit the same to the mother country, in order that the Cortes may decide thereon, without prejudice, however, to measures being taken by the government for receiving propositions from persons authorized by these governments, and referring them to the Cortes." The Cortes proceeded to discuss this report on the 27th of January. The Conde de Toreno, who had been a member of the committee supported it. On the contrary, many deputies strongly condemned it. Some thought the measures useless, as commissioners had already been employed by the king to negociate without producing any result; some were of opinion, that, in sending commissioners, the Cortes conceded too much, as such a step was a virtual acknowledgment of the independence of the South American states: others were for recognizing the independence of the provinces at once, and this course was proposed by Senor Golfin, the first speaker in the debate. No definitive resolution was adopted. The subject was again referred to a committtee, who again made a similar report.

The law on the liberty of the press contained also a variety of provisions with respect to the formation of clubs, and the exercise of the right of petition. It called forth the vehement disapprobation of the populace of Madrid, who on the 10th of February, attacked

and insulted the deputies who had expressed sentiments unfavourable to democratic licentiousness. Count Torreno and Martinez de la Rosa were in personal danger; the house of the former was broken into and some of his servants wounded by a mob, who accompanied their outrages with cheers to the freedom of the press, to Riego, and to the deputies elect of the ensuing Cortes. On the following day, the Cortes named a special commission to confer with the government on the subject. On the 9th of February, this commission presented a report, in which they declared their satisfaction with the zeal and the activity of government; their conviction, that the riotous assemblage exercised no influence on the freedom of debate necessary to the existence of the deliberative powers of the Cortes; and their knowledge, that the persons, who committed the excesses, were few in number, and contemptible in character "Madrid," said they "is the centre of the people most disposed to disorders and commotions. The inexplicable conduct of some of our diplomatic agents in foreign countries, and the want of vigilance in Madrid, have given occasion to plans of subversion, and opportunities to foment our dissensions through direct or indirect emissaries from abroad." As means for preventing similar disorders, the commissioners recommended to the next Cortes to complete the criminal code, to improve the state of police, and to create one or two subaltern political chiefs for the capital.

The session of the extraordinary Cortes terminated on the 14th of February. The speech of the king on this occasion, was, as might be

expected, a recapitulation of, and eulogium on, the several acts of the session, especially the new territorial division of Spain. The president, in his answer, began by reminding Ferdinand of the oaths which he had taken to maintain the free constitution. He then ran rapidly over the various important objects, which the Cortes had attended to, expatiated in general terms on the difficulties which they had to encounter, and congratulated the king and nation on their delivery, through the courage and prudence of the Cortes, "from a dreadful crisis, into which unfortunate circumstances had conducted them." He concluded by some remarks on the advantages of a representative as compared with an arbitrary government; and anticipated from the labours of the succeeding Cortes, the completion of the great structure of a free and constitutional monarchy.

A new ministry was soon formed. D. Martinez de la Rosa, had the department of foreign affairs; D. Jos. Altamira, that of the interior;

D. Manuel de la Bodega, (exdeputy for Lima), the colonies; D. Felippe de Sierra Pambley, the finance department;

Brigadier Balawzat, the war department;

And D. Nicolas Garelli, that of grace and justice.

These individuals had all belonged to the moderate party in the late extraordinary Cortes; and therefore were not likely to be very acceptable to the new Cortes, the members of which had just been elected. For, that the latter

were not inclined to moderate councils, seemed to be announced plainly enough by the circumstance, that Riego was the person, whom they first selected for their president.

On the 1st of March, the king opened the session of the new ordinary Cortes, with a speech filled with the usual eulogies of what had been already done, and flattering anticipations of the future. He declared, that the pacific relations of Spain towards foreign powers were on the most stable footing; "all the contrary reports," said he, alluding to the jealousy that prevailed with respect to the intentions of France, "are totally destitute of foundation, and are propagated by evil-disposed persons, who seek only to surprise the unwary, to intimidate the weak, and thus open a door to distrust and discord." The answer of Riego contained nothing worthy of notice.

The Cortes, having voted a suitable address to the king, proceeded immediately to the consideration of all the various parts of the administration. The finances came first under discussion. The prospect here was not very cheering; for, according to the accounts brought forward on the 5th of March, the expenses of the ensuing year would amount to upwards of 860 millions of reals vellon, while the income would be nearly 200 millions short of that sum. Considerable reductions in the estimates, however, were subsequently made: and the budget, as finally settled by the Cortes on the 28th of June, presented the following results: