priests; and for presuming to give them good laws against their will. All this we were quite indignant and enraged at; and although, as far as I have been able to discover, we were neither called upon by the who came out of the battle alive and not into captivity; for relieving his pious and wounded, would, like Job's servants, tell virtuous subjects from the tyranny of the you a different story; unless, indeed, like Bobadil, they were (which I am sure they would not do) to attribute their beating to the planets, instead of the American bayonets. For my part, I believe General Gaines's in preference to General Drum-royal family of Spain, nor by the people, mond's report. Not because I question to avenge their injuries; to chastise the the veracity of the latter, but because I French Emperor for his presumption; or know that he might be misinformed, and to restore to the nation its adored chief, its that General Gaines could not be mis- holy tribunal, its saints, relics, miracles, informed, as to the fact. But, as I said and its fraternity of lazy monks, nuns, and before, this fact of the blowing up of the voluptuous friars. Notwithstanding, I angle of a bastion does not materially affect say, it does not appear that we were the merits of the case; and, unless the solicited by Spain, to revenge her cause, American people be very different in their forth we went, fully armed for battle, natures from all other people, the event to drive the troops of Napoleon bemust have created a wonderful sensation in the country; and I am sure, that, in the eyes of any man in England, whose reason is not totally deadened by prejudice, it must have excited a dread, that, if we pursue that project of subjugation, so strongly recommended by the writers here, we are now embarked in a war of extraordinary bloodshed, of no ordinary duration, and of an expense that will keep on all our present taxes, and occasion constant annual loans. yond the Pyrennees, and to deliver the sacred territory from these impious and infidel hordes of Amalekites. And certainly we did drive them out, no matter by what means, placed Ferdinand again on his throne, enabled him to re-establish the Inquisition, and to restore the clergy to the plenitude of that power, which they had exercised, for so many centuries, to the glory of God, and to the benefit of themselves.-By conferring these unsought for, these unparalleled, and extraordinary blessings, the promoters of these measures SPAIN. The abettors of corruption, intended, as they said, that the people of who fattened so well while the war lasted Spain should have the full right to think with France, and who have so sincerely and to act for themselves, in every thing and so loudly deplored its termination, are that respected their laws, their Govern making another effort to produce a partial ment, and their religion. We pretended, war, at least, on the Continent. They in short, that we had no other desire than have tried in vain to provoke France; to confirm to them the rights of nature, they have failed in again embroiling which give to no one a preference in these Austria, Russia, and Prussia; and the war matters over another, unless in so far as with America has been so unproductive, his virtues and his talents command supehas given birth to so few contracts, and rior esteem. In return for these advanwhat have been entered into have been so tages, those engaged in conferring them unprofitable to the contractors, that they might, and, perhaps, had a right, to calcu and the other satelites of corruption, who late on the gratitude of a people for whom devour the produce of the labour of the they had done so much. But gratitude is country, without assisting in any shape to its a word of so varied and so extensive a increase; these men, finding the profits meaning, that it is not easy to say what of their unprincipled trafic decreasing view the instigators of the war in the Peevery day, are making a new effort to give ninsula entertained of it. One thing, howa more advantageous turn to their own af- ever, appears to be obvious: if it was exfairs, by involving us in a war with Spain; pected of the Spaniards, in return for the with that very people for whom we so very pretended good we had done them, that lately professed to sacrifice so many thou- they should relinquish any of their legiti sands of lives, and so many millions of mo-mate rights; that they should sacrifice any ney, merely to deliver them from a foreign part of their trade or commerce; or that roke, and to restore them to independence.-they should cease to enact such laws and We were extremely mad at Napoleon for regulations as they considered necessary to leading, as we said, the beloved Ferdinand good Government. If any such expecta 66 66 66 prepared likewise in Spain and America are not prohibited, and if a clandestine "trade be countenanced under the colour and pretext of such commodities. To preserve therefore to the Company its bes "neficial monopoly, and to maintain unimpaired the national industry, which is engaged in the manufacture of cottons, it becomes necessary to renew the publication and annunciation of the said privi"leges, and to fix the term of four months for the disposal of this description of goods by the individuals possessing them; "and after such term the holders shall sell them to the Company; but should the 66 66 terms not be agreed upon between the " proprietors and the Company, another "month will be allowed for the exportation 66 tions as these were entertained, they were "Royal Schedule of the 12th July, 1803 most unreasonable, and what, it need not was confirmed. But this Declara now surprize any one, could not fail," tion will be inefficacious and even pre in the end, to be disappointed-Inde-" judicial, not only to the Company but 19 pendent of the circumstances of the in- "the national industry in general, if such terference on our part being entirely vo- "Asiatic and European commodities, as are Luntary, which precluded all claim of reconpence, every restrictive demand which we might think we had a night to make; nay, every regulation, though noway offen-" sive in its nature, that we might urge the introduction of into Spain, must be viewed by the Spaniards as a species of that" tyranny, exercised by Napoleon, which we professed it to be our sole object to destroy," But, however unreasonable and unjust such pretensions may appear, the supporters of corruption, resolved on a war, no matter with whom, nor what it may cost others, pretend to find a cause for this in a recent commercial regulation of the Spanish Court; a regulation dictated for the express purpose of preserving to a long established company "its beneficial mono"poly, and to maintain unimpaired the na-" of the goods abroad, according to the ar"tional industry."-66 This measure, rangement particularized in Articles 57 the Times and the Courier writers" and 58, in the said Royal Schedule, rehave united in declaiming against, as specting cotton articles made prize of or a decided proof of Spanish ingratitude, "otherwise. The said Directors further of malice, of narrow petty malignity" set forth, that if the Company is to artowards this country; for which, they"rive at the rank, elevation, and splendour say, that people ought to be severely which the nation expected at its establishpunished; ought to be compelled, by our ment; and if it is to repair its immense seamen and our soldiers, to recal the royal "losses which it has most innocently inmandate, and to conform themselves to "curred, it is absolutely indispensible that those commercial rules which we find be-" the indulgence sought be granted, es neficial, without regard to the injury they "pecially at the present moment, when may do themselves; or, in the event of a "two expeditions from Manilla and Calrefusal, to oblige the Spaniards to repay us "cutta are approaching the Peninsula, all the money we have expended for them" and the effects which they bring can obtain during the war.- -Before I proceed to no sale if they are to meet a competition point out the inconsistencies of these ser- "in the market from other commodities of vile writers, I shall here give the document, "the same class, and the ruin of the Comat length, which has given rise to their un- pany will be thus accomplished by the exprovoked and unjustifiable clamours :- "ertions they have applied in completing Royal Mandate.-His Excellency the" these expeditions. His Majesty the "Secretary of State and of Finances, this "King having duly considered these im"day communicated to me the subsequent" portant subjects, and being persuaded of "Royal Order :-The Directors of the "the just reasoning of the Directors re"Royal Philippine Company have commu- "garding them, has been pleased to de "nicated with his Majesty, explaining to termine, that in punctual observance of "him that by his Royal Order of the 27th the exclusive privilege of the Company, "July last, forwarded by your Excellency," from the present time private merchantą "when you discharged the office of Minis-"shall not be permitted to import either "ter of State for the Indies, it was com- "into Spain or America cotton manufac"manded that the exclusive privileges for tures, whether Asiatic or European, con"commerce, and merchandize, should be ceding, however, the term of four months "preserved inviolable to the said Company," for the disposal of such goods, after and with the same just intention the" which interval, they are to be offered to 66 66 66 66 66 66 "the said Company, but if the conditions" decree has been issued, we perfectly "should not be acceptable, another month" coincide with a Brother Journalist, in "is to be granted for the exportation, as" hoping our Government will peremptorily "in the case of prize goods, &c. These "demand payment of every farthing ex"particulars I communicate to your Ex-"pended by us in Spain, and will take "cellency by his Majesty's order for your "effectual means (for such we have in "information, and that you may impart our power) to ENFORCE the demand.”— "the same to the proper officers, that they Now reader, having read the above man"may in all respects pay obedience there- date of Ferdinand, do you discover any "to. God preserve you, &c.-GONGORA. thing in it to justify the abusive and threa"Palairo, Aug. 29.To the Superin- tening language of these vile journals?"tendants of Revenue." It is not the establishment of a new com-. On the above regulation, the following pany, with rights prejudicial to our comremarks appeared in the Times of Wed- merce, that they complain of: nor is it nesday:This Prince, who, in all justice conferring any privileges of that descri¡ "and equity, is indebted many millions tion upon an old company, that it did not "sterling to this country in money expend- possess before, about which these hireling "ed in replacing him on his throne; that writers have raised so loud a cry. TIG "this very Prince is the first to set the Royal Philippine Company, like our East "example of an absolute prohibition of our India Company, is an ancient establish"cotton manufactures. For the honour of ment, and the mandate now issued by the "human nature, we hope that the mer- King of Spain in favor of the former, can "chants of Cadiz has received a false be considered in no other light than as a "alarm. We are unwilling to believe renewal of its charter, which, we know, "that such ingratitude can exist among has been often granted, and is again in men; but if it be true, we hope our Go- contemplation of being granted by our own "vernment will peremptorily demand pay-legislature, to the latter.---My own opinion "ment of every farthing expended by us "in Spain, and will take effectual means (for such we have in our power) to 66 ENFORCE the demand."-- -In the Courier of the same day, these sentiments were echoed in the following manner:-" The gratitude of nations for ser"vices rendered them is not very prover-vernment, should be entitled to grasp at "bial, and the conduet of Spain furnishes the whole, and threaten to punish all others us unfortunately with too frequent occa- who presumed to come in for a share of "sions to make this remark. That Spain the general plunder. We, forsooth, are to owes a debt of gratitude to this nation, be allowed, not only to exclude the great greater, perhaps, than any country ever mass of our own population from a share of "owed another, will not be denied. But our East India trade, but also the inhabi"in her treatment she has made no diffe- tants of most other States; and yet, when "rence between us her defenders, and the Spanish Government shew a similar "France her oppressor.-It is not merely preference to a favourite body of men "in a commercial point of view that we among themselves, we immediately open deplore this measure-we deplore it our batteries of abuse against them, and upon higher, upon moral grounds; be-threaten to punish them if they follow our cause it seems to be a gratuitous malice, example. What are all our statutes passed "a purposed proof of ingratitude for the to protect our colonial products, and our "services we have rendered Spain. Had manufactures, but laws prohibiting the im"she possessed cotton manufactures her-portation of foreign goods? and what do "self which she wished to encourage, and therefore adopted this prohibitory decree, we could not have blamed her; for it is "the duty of all nations to encourage and 66 protect their own manufactures. But Spain has no cotton manufactures, no "establishment that can be injured by the "importation of our cottons. If such a 66 66 66 66 is, that all monopolics ought to be abolished; that what is called regulating trade and commerce, is prejudicial to both. But I cannot permit it to be asserted, with out entering my protest against the doctrine, that, even supposing monopolies were founded in wisdom, any one nation, or Go these prohibitions amount to, in reference to other nations, but a monopoly of trade with us?---We tax the silks and the wines of Spain, of Portugal, and of France. This is turning our monopolizing system to some account. But, if the duty which we impose makes the article so high in price, that few or none can afford to purchase it, and are obliged to content themselves with applied to us for assistance; and, secondly, an article made at home, though much infe- when this is made clear, it must then be rior, the effect is the same upon the country shewn, that they promised to abolish which produces the superior article, as if some of their ancient regulations preju, our Government had granted an exclusive dicial to our commerce, or to establish right to a particular company here to deal some new ones to encourage it, as a rein that article. If we complain of the ward for the services we intended to per Court of Spain for confirming rights form for them. All this it is incumbent granted its own subjects, by which our cot- on us to shew before we can charge the ton manufactures may be excluded the Pe-Spanish Monarch with ingratitude, for ninsula, they have an equal right to com-enacting a regulation so conducive to plain of us for conferring exclusive privi- the interests of his own people, If leges on the East India Company, and for we have lent money to Spain, it is right enacting laws which have the effect of an she should pay it back when the stiabsolute prohibition of the produce of the pulated term of payment arrives. But, Spanish soil. The bill lately brought into to proclaim war against a whole naParliament for protecting, as it was called, tion, as the Times has done, because the agricultural interests of this country, its Government has adopted a policy would evidently have been injurious to the similar to ours, in order to protect its own. growers of corn in France, in Spain, and institutions, is an act so outrageous, and in all other countries where crops are so so contrary to all decency, that language abundant as to permit importation. What is not sufficient to stigmatise it as it ought. then would we have said, had these nations It can only be equalled by the canting and complained of us for adopting a measure bypocritical pretensions of the Courier which tended so manifestly to injure them? writer, who affects to deplore the measure Why, we would have laughed at them. of the Spanish Government, on account of We would have treated their remonstrances its immoral tendency! As a proof of the with contempt. And have not the Spa- sincerity of the professions of this stickler niards the same right to laugh at us, who for morality, we find he has attempted, on do not merely complain of their following this very subject, to impose a palpable our footsteps, but who actually threaten to falsehood on the public. He asserts that the go to war with them, and to punish them, Spaniards have no cotton manufactories; because they enact what laws and regula-hence he infers, that the Royal mandate, tions they consider best calculated to protect their own commerce and manufactures?---O! but says the Courier, "it is "not merely in a commercial point of view that we deplore this measure---we de"plore it upon higher, upon moral grounds; "because it seems to be a gratuitous ma"lice, a purposed proof of ingratitude for "the services we have rendered Spain."---it had gone so far in wickedness. This As to the "services we have rendered Spain," it appears somewhat strange, if these services were as great as we boast of, that their effects should have turned out so very prejudicial, that even those who formerly estimated them so highly, are now the loudest to complain of them; the fore-rect opposition to the Courier's assertion, most to deplore the blindness and fatality of a people, who could not, or would not, open their eyes, and be persuaded that we had nothing selfish in view; but that all we had done, all the sacrifices we had made, proceeded from the purest and most disinterested motives. Before, however, the monopoly complained of can be held an immoral act on the part of the Spaniards, it must be shewn, in the first place, that they prohibiting the importation of cotton, proceeded from malice, and a pre-determination to injure ns, without any benefit resuiting therefrom to themselves. It would be difficult to conceive how any people could act a part so wanton and atrocious; and bad as the Spanish Government appear to be, I could not persuade myself that was the impression given to my mind, on reading the paragraph which I have cited above from the Courier. When I came to peruse the Spanish document, I was not only confirmed in that opinion, but I found it there stated, in di that the importation of foreign cotton goods into Spain was prohibited, in order to encourage and protect the established manufactories of cotton amongst the inhabitants, and also to insure a ready sale, at a fair price, for several fresh cargoes of goods of that description belonging to the Philippine Company, and then on their passage home to the mother country, but which, it was foreseen, would not turn out so pro we are said to possess of humbling the It -I had written thus far; when the Paris papers brought me the Report of the Committee, appointed by the French Go ductive, if the market was stocked with the manufactures of other nations. If reasons like these are to be allowed no weight in the case of Spain, upon what ground is it that we, almost every Session of Parliament, are passing bills to protect and encourage our own manufactures, and to procure for them a preference over those of all other nations? We were lately told in the Times, that it would be the best policy in the people of France not to attempt, at present, to establish manufactories of their own, but to purchase from us, by which they would, in the course of time, be able to imitate our superior workmanship.From articles that I have already seen of French manufacture, I see no reason why that people should take the advice that has been so officiously given them, although Ivernment, to consider the petitions of the can readily discover that the proposal ori- merchants and manufacturers, praying that ginated in jealousy on the part of those a prohibition might be issued against the who gave it. The same dread of another importation into France of English cotton successful rival starting up in Spain, is goods. It is an interesting document, evidently the true cause of the viperation and as it bears me out in the facts and that has appeared in our prostituted jour-general reasoning which I have stated and nals, against the Government of that coun-adopted above, I shall here insert some of try. This may serve to gratify the spleen its most striking passages:and malice of those who never can be at "The merchants and manufacturers of ease, until they add the monopoly of every several cities, alarmed at the vague, and production of the earth, to that which they no doubt, unfounded rumours of a treaty already arrogantly exercise over the seas. of commerce, allowing the importation of But, in spite of these malignant passions, English cotton goods, have petitioned what seems to be now viewed in a proper against a measure which would ruin their light, in many countries that were for- establishments, and endanger the existence merly inattentive to their true interests, of 250,000 workmen employed in them. must ultimately prevail. It is truly ridi--In the midst of the disorders of our Recalous to hear the enemies of general im-volution, it is a noole spectacle to witness provement talking of securing our mono- the progress of sciences, fine arts and mapoly by violent measures, and boasting of nufacturing industry. In our manufacour possess the means of effectually tures are produced damasks, as fine as punishing other nations, because they have those of Syria; we have fire arms of all at last had their eyes open to the wise kinds, surpassing in elegance every thing policy of giving encouragement to their which Europe can boast of, and executed own artisans, and thereby rendering them-with a rapidity inconceivable before our selves completely independent of their days; files, which polish the hardest Eng neighbours. We may threaten, and swag-lish files; mathematical instruments as yer, as much as we please; but unless we correct, and not so costly, as those which 21 prepared to punish not only the people the London workmen boasted of; ornaof Spain, but also of France, Italy, Ger- ments in bronze, unequalled for dignity of many, Russia, Sweden, and Denmark, form and delicacy of execution; locksmith where improvements in the arts are every wares executed not only in Paris, but even day making rapid progress, it is idle to ex- in the departments, which, to an exquisite pect that we shall be able to keep up that precision, unite the most wonderful combicommercial importance we have so long nations and magnificence; crystals, not inmaintained, but which, in consequence ferior to flint glass; velvets which, from of the prevalence of corruption, and the the curious combination of their threads, rehaughty manner in which we carry our-produce the colours, and even the expression elves towards other nations, is fast verg- of the most finished pictures; tanworks, ing to its dissolution. As to the means where the discoveries of chemistry are |