by time. The disorder and general confusion occasioned by war, the disasters which followed,it, the immense destruction of capital, the confusion produced by divers usages and customs of the provinces, the viciousness of the administration, and the necessity of covering, without delay, the expenses of the state, have not permitted, as I would desire, the establishment of a uniform system of finances analogous to the new principles which we follow. I have confidence that the Cortes, in the present legislature, will bestow all their attention on so essential a subject. The perfection of such a system is the work of time; and to carry it into execution, the Cortes may depend on my invariable will, as I am assured of their co-operation. "The minister of finance will submit to you the budget of expenses for the financial year; those of war and marine will in form you of the necessity of realizing the recruiting of the army, to render it as effective as it ought to be in existing circumstances, and to obtain that amelioration of the decay of the national marine which is imperiously called for. "Meanwhile I have the consolation of exposing to the Cortes the general activity that we begin to remark in all the provinces of the monarchy, and which aunounces to us in future the progress of agriculture, of arts, and commerce. Our credit begins to be strengthened abroad, and it will be the same in the interior, when we shall have made completely manifest the powerful means at the disposal of a nation governed by a constitutional king, and a representative system. "If the actual state of America has not changed in relation to us, war at least has suspended its ravages in Terra Firma. The effect which the events in the Peninsula will produce in those countries ought to make us hope to see them again united to the mother country, as integral parts of the same empire. "But it is necessary not to dissemble, in the midst of the satisfaction which effects so salutary as those produced by the constitutional system ought to cause— in the midst of the universal content of the nation, and of its resolution to defend it, that the attempts of some discontented persons, supported by the illusions of those who, in all times, nourish chimerical and criminal hopes, have been so employed as momentarily to alarm the tranquillity of the capital, and of some provinces, and to cause in my heart the profoundest affliction. "I hope that the Cortes, in filling its important functions, will be persuaded of the necessity of taking prompt measures to repress the audacity of those who, encouraged rather than repressed by the moderation of the system, would dare to disturb good order; and that they will give, at the same time, to the action of government the necessary power which, in existing circumstances, public tranquillity exacts, and without which it is impossible to cure the evils which have afflicted the nation for so many ages. "The state of our diplomatic relations with other powers remains as it was. We happily preserve with them the relations of amity and good faith which existed at the epoch of the preceding legislature. "The ratification I have thought it suitable to give, with the authority of the Cortes, to the treaties for the cession of the Floridas, and for the fixing of boundaries with the United States of America, should have a considerable time since reached that government; but we have as yet no advices on the subject. "The apprehensions that, apparently with foundation, were conceived as to the hostile intentions of the kingdom of Algiers against our commerce, have not been realized; thanks to the vigilance of the combined divisions of the national marine, and of that of his majesty the king of the Netherlands. "The resolution taken in the Congress of Troppau, and continued in that of Laybach, by the Sovereigns of Austria, Prussia, and Russia, to interpose in the changes of the political system established in the kingdom of the Two Sicilies, has excited all my solicitude from consideration of that royal family, united to mine by ties of blood, and by the interest that I take in the happiness of that nation, and because it is of the utmost consequence to the independence of states, that the sacred rights of nations and their princes may be rightly respected. I have therefore thought it indispensable to the honour of my throne, and to the dignity of the great nation which it is my glory to govern, to make it understood by suitable communications, that I will not recognise any thing whatever that may be contrary to the positive rights of mankind, on which are founded the liberty, the independence, and prosperity of nations-principles which Spain, on its part, will inviolably respect with regard to others. "I have the satisfaction of announcing to the Cortes that the allied sovereigns, according to all the communications that I have received to the present time, have been and are agreed in recognis ing these principles with respect to Spain. "Such are the objects which I hope the Cortes will take into consideration, in order that the constitutional system may be consolidated, and to accelerate the prosperity and well-being of the nation. *"I have now stated all that it is necessary to inform the Cortes relatively to the political situation of the nation, in all its relations, internal and external, with all the precision which so solemn an act imposes on me, and according to the information I possess on the different points which my discourse embraces. "I have purposely deferred to the conclusion of my discourse to speak to you of my person, in order that it might not be thought I preferred it to the well-being and to the happiness of the people that Divine Providence has confided to my care. "However, it is necessary that I inform, though with much chagrin, this wise Congress, that the ideas of some ill-disposed persons, who strive to seduce credulous people by persuading them that my heart conceals views opposed to the system that governs us, are not unknown to my mind. N. B. This latter part of the speech was not signed by the ministers, and was delivered by the king without any previous knowledge on their part. (See the history of this year.) Their object is only to inspire diffidence as to my pure intentions, and on the rectitude of my conduct. I have sworn to the constitution, and I have always endeavoured to observe it, as much as depends on me. Would to God that every one did the same! The outrages and the acts of irreverence of all sorts committed towards my dignity, in contempt of what order and respect for my person ought to exact as a constitutional king, have been published. constitution prescribes and the Cortes desires. The want of firmness and the little activity of many of the authorities have given room to the renewal of such excesses; and should they continue, it will not be astonishing if the Spanish nation finds itself enveloped in numberless evils and misfortunes. "I am confident that it will not be so, if the Cortes, as I must hope, unites intimately with their constitutional king, occupying themselves without relaxation to destroy abuses, to combine opinion, and to repress the machinations of ill disposed persons who wish only for disunion and anarchy. "I have no fears for my life or my safety; God who reads my heart, watches both, and will preserve them, as will also the majority and the sound part of the nation. But I ought not to with- "Let, then, the legislative hold to-day from the Congress, as powers co-operate with me in what principally charged with preserv- I promise to do in the face of the ing the inviolability that it wishes nation, viz. to consolidate the systo be observed towards its con- tem which it has wished, and has stitutional king, that these insults acquired, for its good, and perfect would not have been repeated if happiness. the executive power had displayed all the energy which the (Signed) "FERDINAND." SPEECH of the KING of SPAIN at the prorogation of the Cortes, and the Reply of the President. "Gentlemen Deputies;-I have once more the satisfaction of presenting myself in this Congress, which, full of knowledge, of patriotism, and virtues, has given in the present session new proofs of its constant care for the pub. lic welfare. Its efforts to conclude and perfect our political regeneration, have been, if possible, beyond my hopes, and the nation will be eternally indebted to it for the great and numerous measures which it has taken in the short space of its sittings, of which I proposed the prolongation for the term which our fundamental law admits, considering it conducive to the public good as it has proved to be. "In effect, the new organization of the army, so well adapted to the true end of its institution, is the work of the Congress. The decree on public instruction, divided into different classes, from the first letters to the highest sciences, will diffuse information and useful knowledge throughout all classes of the state; the decree for the reduction of tithes, by which, while the necessary en. dowment of the clergy is preserved, the labourer is consider ably relieved thus encouraging agriculture, an inexhaustible source of our wealth; and, in fine, the system of finance, which, suppressing burdensome and useless taxes, or means of raising money, has fixed public revenues by preserving among the esta blished contributions such as are less liable to abuse, and establishing new ones conformable to the principles of the political constitution of the monarchy, and adopted with success by the most civilized nations-all these objects are alike the work of the Congress. "I offer to the Cortes the expression of all my gratitude, for the zeal and wisdom that they have displayed in adopting measures of the highest importance to the state. The government will not neglect any means for ensuring their execution, as effectually as its own dignity and the stability of the constitutional system, which I will cause scrupulously to be observed, requires. "I also thank the Congress for the generosity with which it has provided for the wants and the dignity of my royal household and my family, as well as for the authorization granted to the government, to have means for covering the more urgent public expenses. Our relations of good understanding and friendship with other powers have experienced no change since the opening of the session; and I will endeavour to preserve them by all the means which are in my power, and which may be consistent with the dignity of the heroic nation which I am proud of ruling. "The treaty with the United States, which terminates our differences with that government, and includes the cession of the Floridas, has been ratified by the president, and the ratifications have been exchanged the 22nd of last February. Iflatter myself that in consequence of this treaty, and of the settlement of our boundaries, which is to be effected by a mixed commission, our relations with the United States will hereafter experience no alteration. "The firmness of my government and the generous and active co-operation of his majesty the king of the Netherlands, place for the present our commerce in safety from all hostilities on the part of the Regency of Algiers. "In consequence of the new order of things, generously and spontaneously adopted by the king of the united kingdom of Portugal and Brazil, his most faithful majesty has taken the resolution of returning to Lisbon with his royal family, and leaving at Rio Janeiro the hereditary prince, in the quality of viceroy. I shall profit by the return of his most faithful majesty to resume the long-suspended negotiations relatively to the occupation of Monte Video and the eastern bank of the Rio de la Plata. "I have made know to the Cortes my sentiments on the subject of the events in Naples and Piedmont-events to which some malevolent persons wished to give, as regards Spain, an importance which they could in no way pos sess. "The interior of the kingdom enjoys tranquillity; the only band of factious men, which has existed in small numbers, has been dispersed and defeated by means of the energetic dispositions of the government and the zeal of our troops. It is to be hoped that its ill success, and the amelioration of the public spirit, will cause enterprises so mad to be hencefor ward abandoned, impotent as they are to impede the majestic progress of our system. "Agriculture, industry, arts, and sciences already experience the ameliorations which they owe to our constitutional system. All these sources of public prosperity will be further improved as soon as they experience the effects of the decrees passed for their encouragement. But this is not the affair of a day; the seed which is thrown in the earth does not produce its effect in an instant. Commerce will prosper in proportion; and especially when, thanks to the aid which the Cortes shall be able to give it, the Spanish nation shall have for its protection such a navy as it ought to have. "I have seen with not less satisfaction that the Corteshave turned their eyes towards the administrainto of justice, which they have strengthened by measures taken to this end. "I shall spare no effort to obtain the re-establishment of order in the provinces beyond sea; and my government, urged by the Cortes to take the measures which it may deem suitable for their happiness, taking into consideration the state of those countries, will obey the call with that promptitude and generosity which characterise it. The Spaniards of both hemispheres must be convinced, that I desire nothing so much as their happiness, founded on the integrity of the monarchy and an observance of the consti tution. "If, as I doubt not, the next Cortes imitate the noble example of the present, in their respect, their attachment to the throne, and their love to the country, I shall promptly have the satisfaction to see consolidated, in all these points, the system which is the principal object of my wishes." The President of the Cortes replied to the King in the following terms: "The Cortes have this day the satisfaction, for the third time of seeing your majesty in the midst of them, exercising one of the most important functions which the fundamental law attributes to the august dignity of your majesty. They terminate the present session of the legislature, in receiving the most flattering recompense of their labours, by the approbation which your majesty has been pleased to confer upon them. "Sire, the circumstances in which the Cortes were placed at the commencement of the session were difficult and complicated. The political situation of some of the states of Europe might have led them to fear that the dignity and tranquillity of the nation might have been put to hazard; the firmness wherewith your majesty's government demanded of certain foreign governments the explanations necessary to save both the one and the other, procured the double advantage of our seeing clearly recognized by those cabinets the justice and legitimacy of our political revolution, and of manifesting the respect and consideration which they entertain for your majesty as well as for the Spanish nation. This firmness has also |