cluded a speech of extraordinary length with a series of resolutions, which might serve as a pretty ccpious, as well as faithful abridgment of his speech, if even these could be brought with propriety within the limits, or were in any tolerable degree proportioned to the scale of our narative. But of these resolutions themselves, forming two close printed pages of double columns, let it suf. fice to give the substance or spirit-That the house were convinced that peace, so anxiously desired by his Majesty's loyal people, would be best promoted by proving to the world, that we possessed the means of permanently supporting the honour and independence of our country against every species of attack by which the enemy might hope to assail them; that for this purpose it was necessary that his Majesty's government should henceforth adopt a wise and systematical sysstem of policy, regulated not only by a just estimate of our present difficulties, but by a prudent foresight of the probable exigencies of a protracted warfare; that the house entreated his Majesty to see the necessity of adopting such measures as might deprive the enemy of all hope of success from a failure of our national resources; that he will therefore actually concur with his parliament in giving effect to economic and systematic arrangements for the conduct of the war, in providing for a recurrence to the true principles of a free commerce and cir

culation both at home and abroad; in endeavouring, by a wise and liberal policy, to unite in the bonds of a common interest all classes of his Majesty's subjects, of whatever religious persuasions; and lastly, that he will be graciously pleased to countenance the temperate consideration and deli-· berate adoption of such timely reformations, both economical and political, as might satisfy his loyal people, that the sacrifices required of them were strictly limited, and faithfully applied to the real interests and safety of the public; and that, both for preventing the growth of any dangerous abuses, and for controlling the conduct of his Majesty's advisers, they [the public] continue effectually to possess those securities which had been the beast of the British government, and were essentially inherent in every free constitution." In short, the substance of both the speech and the resolutions might be summed up in one short proposition, that measures ought to be adopted in all respects of importance the very reverse of what had been pursued by the present administration.

The Earl of Liverpool contended, that a favourable change had taken place in the posture of our affairs. Our commerce and revenue, he said, had increased in a most unexampled manner; the number of vessels taken from the enemy, and those of our allies rescued from their grasp, was immense; the numbers of our army were greatly increased; the French

had

had been for the first time in any war driven entirely out of the West Indies; the French and Dutch flags were suffered to wave in that hemisphere no more-an advantage which had never been gained before, not even in the the war of 1756. The family of Braganza had been removed from French influence and French aggression to the Brazils, whence advantages of importance might be expected to result to this country. Portugal, which had been overrun by the enemy, had seen that enemy expelled by British valour. Spain had been encouraged to struggle with her oppressors by our example. The port of Lisbon was now free; and Cadiz and Ceuta were at present occupied by British, in conjunction with Spanish troops. Such was the real state of things at the period when the noble lord had thought proper

to move à censure so severe.

The Earl of Stanhope proposed as an amendment, "That that house would pledge themselves to maintain the law of the land, to which

they deemed the right of trial by jury, and the preserving the liberty of the subject, as indispensable." The Earl of Suffolk supported the amendment; so also did the Duke of Norfolk. The privileges of parliament, the duke admitted; but only those privileges that were consistent and salutary; among which he could not class that privilege, the recent discussion of which had caused so much discontent and alarm. Other lords spoke on the subjects of several of the resolutions. The necessity of some reform in the House of Connons was much insisted on. The question on the amendment was negatived without a division. The question was then put on the oiginal address, and the house divided: for the address 72; against it, 134.

On the 21st of June the royal assent was given to several bills, a speech in his Majesty's name was delivered by the Lord Chancellor,* one of his Majesty's commissioners, and the parliament prorogued to the 21st of August.

L4

CHAP.

doomed by the rigour of fortune, would dare to proclaim a wish to become a Frenchman? The Supreme Junta, the organ of the wishes of all good patriots, has taken measures suitable to the dangers of the moment. The Supreme Junta has come to a resolutien, according to a decree of the 4th of April last, that all the effects of the churches, not necessary to the performance of divine service, shall be immediately sent to the mint at Seville with the utmost exactness; that there shall forthwith be opened a forced loan of half the gold and silver possessed by individuals; that an extraordinary contribution be levied on all classes of the state; that all sinecure and useless places shall be abolished as they become vacant; that there be opened in Spain six millions of dollars, and forty millions in America; that a tax be imposed on all carriages of luxury; that our armies be reintorced by 100,000 men; that 100,000 lances be formed, and as many poignards, to be distributed in the provinces; that the whole Sierra, from Santa Ollala to the kingdom of Grenada, be inspected by able engineers; that all the companies of the different corps of the army shall be commanded by officers properly qualified, and in sufficient numbers; that besides the measures taken for furnishing the army with arms and other articles in place of those they have lost, the Junta will make every exertion for recovering the muskets distributed among the peasants. Three commissioners

were appointed, and had already set out on their mission, with full powers to remedy the disaster of Ocona, and to prevent the recurrence of the like in future."

The Spaniards selected the best positions in the Sierra for defence. formed entrenchments, erected batteries, intersected the roads by deep cuts in some places, and planted mines for blowing them up in others. But the species of natural defence, on so extended a line as that presented by the Sierra Morena, avails but little, as had been repeatedly proved in our times, by the passage of the French over the mountains of Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. It is easily overcome by the improved instrumentality and operations of modern warfare.

The French army, on the 20th and 21st of January, infantry and cavalry, forced their way through the mountains, chiefly by the passes of Puerto del Rey, Col de Muladar, and Despenna Perros. But it was necessary to send the heavy artillery round by Aranjuez. The Spaniards scarcely made any resistance: they were driven from their entrenchments with the bayonet. The intersections of the roads, and derangements occasioned by the explosion of the mines, did not retard the march of the French a quarter of an hour. Six thousand Spaniards, of whom a considerable portion were officers, were made prisoners; the rest fled, or were dispersed. The greater part of them escaped to Sierra Susanna, in the province of Jaen. Their magazines and ord.

nance

nance fell, of course, into the hands of the victors; who, having crossed the Morena mountains, directed their march on Baylen, Jaen, Cordova, Carmona, and Seville. Detachments were sent into various quarters for overawing the country, keeping open their communications, collect ng provisions, and raising contribations. At Jaen and Cordova the French found great quantities of ammunition and stores; at Jaen, 44 pieces of ordnance, and 6000 muskets; at Cordova, 6000 moskets and an arsenal. The pieces of different calibres that fell into their hands at these two citics, together with those that were found here and there in the mountains, amounted to not fewer than eighty.

From Jaen, Sebastiani was ordered by Soult, the general in chief in this expedition, January 27, to march with his division to Grenada. The wrecks of the Spanish army, after the battle of Ocana and the passage of the Sierra, re-united under the generals Ariesaga and Frêre, to the number of 7000 foot and 3000 cavalry, were also on their way to throw themselves into Grenada. Sebastiani came up and attacked them on the other side, that is to say, the side next Grenada, of 'Alcala Real, whither the park of artillery at Badajoz had been removed, and where some divisions that had fled from the Sierra Morena had rallied. Two hundred of them fell about an equal number was taken. The infantry was dispersed. Ariesaga abandoning his artillery, retreated with the remains of his cavalry to Murcia.

Grenada, alarmed at these

events, on the 25th of January opened its gates to the French general. He was greeted by the universal acclamation of an immense multitude of people. No one fled. All in the public employments of the state, and all men of rank and property, were ardent in their professions of attachment, and eager to take an oath of allegiance to King Joseph. At Grenada was found a battalion of troops, one thousand strong, all of them strangers, and most of them Swiss, formerly belonging to the army of General Dupont, who had gone over to the patriots. They were terribly afraid of punishment, but were offered pardon, on the condition of entering into the service of the Emperor ; which they accepted. Plentiful stores and provisions were found at Grenada. General Sebastiani, to secure peaceable possession of both the capital and the whole province, threw a garrison, from 12 to 15,000 men, into the fortress of Alhambra, which was put into a proper state of defence, and provisioned for six months.

the

It was among the instructions of the commander in chief, at this period, to General Soult, to Sebastiani to proceed from the reduction of Grenada to that of Malaga. This city was in a state of great commotion; a circumstance which determined French general to march against it sooner than he intended. An old colonel, of the name of Aballo, had seized on the government of the town, and shipped off the old authorities, civil and military, as well as such of the principal inhabitants as were suspected of favouring the French usurpation. A number