No. IV.
EXTRACTS FROM KING JOSEPH’S CORRESPONDENCE.
SECTION 1.
The duke of Santa Fé to the King, Paris, June 20, 1810.
(Translation from the Spanish.)
“Will your majesty believe that some politicians of Paris have arrived at saying that in Spain there is preparing a new revolution, very dangerous for the French; and they assert that the Spaniards attached to your majesty will rise against them. Let your majesty consider if ever was heard a more absurd chimera, and how prejudicial it might be to us if it succeeded in gaining any credit. I hope that such an idea will not be believed by any person of judgement, and that it will soon subside, being void of probability.”
SECTION 2.
Ministerial letter from the King to the marquis of Almenara.
(Translation from the Spanish.)
“September 21, 1810.
“The impolitic violence of the military governors has attacked not only men, and fields, and animals, but even the most sacred things in the nation, as the memorials and the actions of families, in whose preservation those only are interested to whom they belong, and from which strangers cannot reap the least fruit. In this class are the general archives of the kingdom, called the archives of Simancas, which are found in the province of Valladolid, the governor, Kellerman, has taken possession of them.” “Those archives, from the time of their institution, for centuries past, have contained the treaties of the kings since they were known in Castile; also, ancient manuscripts of the kindred of the princes, the descents and titles of families, pleadings in the tribunals, decisions of the Cortes; in short, all that is publicly interesting to the history of the nation, and privately to individuals.”
SECTION 3.
The Spanish secretary of state to the duke of Santa Fé.
“Madrid, September 12, 1812.
“——Si l’Andalusie n’est pas entièrement pacifiée; si la junte de Cadiz exista encore et si les Anglais y exercent leur fatale influence, on doit l’attribuer en grande partie aux machinations, et aux-trames ourdies par la junta et l’Angleterre au moment où parvint à leur connaissance le décret du 8 Febrier, qui établit des governmens militaire dans la Navarre, la Biscaye, l’Arragon, et la Catalogne. Quelques governeur Françaises ayant traité ces provinces comme si elles étaient absolument détachées de la monarchie.”
“——Mais combiens n’est il pas dementi par la conduite de certains governeurs qui paraissent s’obstiner a prolonger l’insurrection d’Espagne plutôt qu’a la soumettre! Car dans plusieurs endroits on ne se contente pas d’exclure toute idée de l’autorité du roi, en faisant administrer la justice au nom de l’empereur mais ce qui est pire, on à exigé que les tribunaux civils de Valladolid et de Palencia, pretassent serment de fidelité et d’obeisance à sa majesté impériale comme si la nation Espagnole n’avoit pas de roi.”
SECTION 4.
Memorial from the duke of Santa Fé and marquis of Almenara to the prince of Wagram.
(Translated from the Spanish.)
“Paris, September 16, 1810.
“——The decrees of his majesty the emperor are the same for all the generals. The prince of Esling, who has traversed all the provinces to the borders of Portugal, who appears to be forming immense magazines, and has much greater necessities than the governors of provinces, has applied to the Spanish prefects, who have made the arrangements, and supplied him with even more than he required; and this speaks in favour of the Spanish people, for the prince of Esling receives the blessings of the inhabitants of the provinces through which his troops pass. Such is the effect of good order and humanity amongst a people who know the rules of justice, and that war demands sacrifices, but who will not suffer dilapidations and useless vexations.”
SECTION 5.
Intercepted letter of comte de Casa Valencia, counsellor of state, written to his wife, June 18, 1810.
“Il y a six mois que l’on ne nous paie point, et nous perissons.
“——Avant hier j’écrivis à Almenara lui peignant ma situation et le pryant de m’accorder quelque argent pour vivre; de me secourir, si non comme ministre, du moins comme ami. Hier je restai trois heures dans son antichambre esperant un reponse, je le vis enfin et elle fut qu’il n’avait rien.”
“——Rien que la faim m’attend aujourd’hui.”