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SOUTHERN
VOL. I.
MILLEDGEVILLE, TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1820.
PUBLISHED WEEKLY,
(on Tuesdays)
ItY S. GR.IXTIJLS'I) k R. M. ORME,
iff THREE DOt.LARS, IN ADVANCE, OR FOUR
DOLLARS AT THE EXPIRATION OF THE
TEAR.
B7J’ Advertisements conspicuously inserted at
the customary rates.
CORDERv
manner, which svas belied by his eyes. It
was easy to see that he had' been violently
agitated. “ Sir,"’ said he, “ I declared to
yon yesterday, that 1 retained yt
service. I repeat the same to yon I
BONAPARTE.
We published 9ome weeks ago, an ex
tract respecting this extraordinary per
sonage, from the second volume, of a re
cent work entitled “ Memoirs of Napo
leon, by Mr. Floury de Chaboulnn, bis
former Secretary, Baron, &c.” The
first volume contains remarkable dia
logues, two of which we will proceed to
copy, and which will be found to exhib
it u curious picture of the interlocutors.
That which relates to Napoleon’s de
parture from Elba is stated in the bonk
to have been read and ratified by him be
fore his final departure from France.
[JYaftonaf Gazette.]
We entered the road of Porto Ferrajo,
without any difficulty, at the moment when
the cannon fired, announcing that the har
bour was about to close. 1 heard the French
drums sounding the roll: my heart beat
high : I passed the night on the deck of the
boat.
I jumped on shore, and I rushed into the
nearest inn for the purpose of putting oil"my
sailor’s dress, and then flying to the palace
of Napoleon. Half an hour afterwards the
Marshal desired me to proceed as quickly as
i iossible to tiic Emperor’s garden-gate : the
'iiftperor would come thure, and speak to
me without appearing to know me. I went
accordingly : the Emperor, according to his
custom, was walking with his hands behind
his back. He passed several times before
roe without lifting up his eyes ; at last he
looked at me ; he stopped, and asked me in
Italian what countryman I was. I answered
in French that I was a Parisian ; that busi
ness called me. to Italy ; and that I could not
resist the desire of seeing my old sovereign.
‘tWell, Sir, talk to me about Paris and
Franre;” and as lie finished these words he
began to walk again. I accompanied him ;
and after he had put several indifferent ques
tions to me aloud, he desired me to enter his
apartments. “ But since the Bourbons have
•topped into France, they have done nothing
but acts of madness. Their treaty of the
twenty-third of April,” (raising his voice,)
*> has made me indignant: with one stroke
of the pen they have robbed France of Bel
gium, and of ali the territory acquired since
the revolution. They have deprived the na
tion of its docks, its arsenals, its fleets, its ar
tillery, and the immense materiel which I bad
Collected in the fortresses k the ports which
they have ceded. Talleyrand has led them
into Ibis infamous business : he. must have,
been bribed. Peace is easy upon such terms.
Europe shall know the truth : I will let the
worm know all that was said and done at
Chatillon. I will unmask the Austrians, the
Russians, and the English with a powerful
band.- Europe shall judge: Europe shall
sav who was the rogue, and who was w ish-
juig to shell human blood. They offered It
aly to me as the price of my abdication : I
Refused it. Afte.r once reigning over Franee,
one ought not to reign any where else. I
chose the isle of Elba. They were too hap
py to give Elba to me. This position suited
nic. I can watch Franee and the Bourbons.
My glory is msdc for myself. My name
TVII.t, I.IVE AS LOXO AS THAT OF Goi) !*
'During the whole of this discourse, the
Emperor continued striding up and down,
and appeared violently agitated. He paused
a little while, and then he began again.—
« They (i. e. the emigrants) know loo well
that I am here, and they would like to as
sassinate me. I discover new plots, new
snares every day.
“ The army can never belong to the Bour
bons. Our victories and our misfortunes
have established an indissoluble tic between
till* army and myself. It is only through
mo that the soldiers can earn vengeance,
power, and glory. From the Bourbons they
can get nothing blit insults and blows. Kings
• <?«n only retain their power by the love of
their subjects or by fear. The Bourbons are
neither loved nor feared.”
In pronouncing those words, the Emperor
continued walking hastily, and using many
gestures. Ho rather appeared to be solilo
quising than addressing any one else ; lie.
then continued, looking at me aside Does
M. X***'think that those people can stand
much longer?—But what would you do
were you to expel the. Bourbons : would you
re-establish the. republic ?”—The republic,
Sire! nobody thinks about it; perhaps they
would create a regency.” Napoleon (with
vehemence and surprise,) “A regency ! and
wherefore ? am I dead ?” “ But your ab-
sence ” “ My absence makes no
difference. In a couple of days I would he
back again in France, if the nation were to
rccal me. Do you think it would be well, if
I were to return ?” “ Sire, 1 dare not per
sonally attempt to answer such a question,
k,it ”—Napoleon (abruptly.) “That’s
Yiot what I am asking you, answer yes or
no ” “ Why then, Sire—yes.” Napoleon
(with tenderness,) “You really think so ?”
Yes, Sire, I am convinced, and so is M.
X***> that the people and the army would
receive you as their deliverer, and that your
cause would be embraced with enthusiasm.”
The Emperor became silent and pensive ;
and, after a long meditation, he said, “ 1
will reflect upon it; I w ill keep you with me.
Come, here to-morrow at It o’clock.
At 11 o’clock I attended, to present my
self to the Emperor. They made me. wait
in his saloon on the ground door, I lie stri-
pod silk hangings were hall worn out and
faded ; the carpet was thread bate, patch
ed in several places ; a few shabby arm
chairs completed the furniture of the apart-
raont. I thought upon the splendour of the
imperial palaces, and 1 drew a deep and me
lancholy sigh. The Emperor arrived: he
had assumed a degree of caimncss in Ins
on in my
t « you to-day.—
r rotn this instant you belong to me, and I
hope you will fulfil your duties towards me
like a good and faithful subject: you swear
that you will—is it not so?’'—“ Yes, Sire 1
swear”—“ That’s right.” After a pause, “I
bad foreseen the crisis to which France
would come, but I did not think that tilings
were so ripe. It was my intention not to
interfere any longer in political affairs. The.
intelligence which you have brought to me
lias changed my resolutions. L have caused
the misfortunes of France ; therefore I must
remove, them : but before I commit, myself,
I wish to have a thorough know ledge of the
state of our affairs. Sit down : repeat to me
all that you told me yesterday ; I like to
hear you.”
The picture w hir.li I drew of the sufferings
and hopes of the nation, which I presented
to the Emperor, was so touching and so a-
nimated, that he was astonished. “ You are
a noble, young fellow,” said he, “you have
truly the soul of a Frenchman ; but are you
not carried away by your imagination ?” No,
Sire.; the recital which 1 have made to your
Majesty is quite faithful. I will even say
more ; the royal government is so exceed
ingly hateful and disgusting to the French,
the government weighs so liras ily on the
nation and the army, that not only your Ma
jesty, hut any body else who would endeav
or to liberato the French w ould find them
disposed to second him."—Napoleon (with
dignity ;) “ Repeat that to me again.”—“Yes,
Sire, I do repeat it.”—“ I hope you may not
he deceived; to be sure I shall get to Baris
so speedily, that they won’t have time to
consider w here they are to hide their heads.
1 shall he there as soon as the news of my
disembarkation - - - - Yes,” the. Emperor
continued after taking a few steps, “ 1 have
resolved - - - - It was I who gave the Bour
bons to France, and it is i who must rid
France of them ------ I will set elf
The entcrpri&e. is vast, it is difficult, it is dan
gerous, hut it is not beyond me.—On great
occasions fortune, has never abandoned me
- - - -1 shall set off, but not alone ; I won’t
run the risk of allowing niyself to he collared
by the gensdarmes. I w ill depart with my
sword, my Polandcrs, iny grenadiers
all France is on my side.” After t
this speech,
the Emperor stopped: his eyes sparkled
with hope and genius; his attitude announc
ed energy, confidence, victory : he was grand
ho was beautiful, he was adorable !—he re
sumed his discourse,and said, “ Do you think
that they will dare to wait for ?—“ No, Sire.”
—“ I don’t think so, cither! they will quake
when they hear the thuuderof my name
and they will know that they can only escape
me by a speedy (light.—But what will lie ti>e
conduct of the national guards ? Do you think
they will fight for them?”—“ I think, Sir
that the national will remain neutral”—“E-
ven that's a great deal; as to their 1 gardes
ducorps.’ and their red regiments, I am not
afraid of them ; they are, either old mrn or
boys ; they w ill be frightened by the mutu-
cliios of my grenadiers. I will punish no one,
Do you take me rightly ? Tell-M**** clearly,
that I will forget every thing. We, hav
reason to reproach each other.—Yet tell
Xf** that I except Tallerand, Atigereau, and
the Duke of Ragusa, out of the general par-
fortunes. The
don. They caused all our mis for
country must he. revenged.”—“ But why ex
elude them, Sire ? is there notreason to fra
that this exclusion may deprive you of the
fruits of your clemency, and may even raise
doubts as to your sincerity in future?”—
' It would be much more exposed to boubt
were I to pardon them.”—“ But, Sire
”—“ Don't you trouble your head about it
- - - - what is the strength of the. army
“ Sire, I do not. luiowv”— “ Hut how d
you think foreigners will like my return
there, is the great question?” “ Foreign na
lions, Sire, have been compelled to conic
derate against us in order to protect them
selves ; allow me to say it - - - - ”—“ Speak
out, speak out.”—“ In order to protect them
selves against the effects of your ambition,
and the abuse of your strength.”—“Do you
think it is true that they are on ill terms with
each other ?—‘i Yes,’ Sire, it appears that
discord reigns in the congress ; that each of
the "-rent powers wishes to seize the largest
sham of the. booty.”—” It appears, also, that
their sun" -ct<! ar0 '^contented : Is it not so?”
_« Yes,'Sire, kn,^ " m! pcoplo, every thing
seems to unite in our favour. ., ,
Napoleon (shaking Ins hend.) “ All this is
very ii n e; - - —. - however, I consider it as
ceriain, that the. kings who have fought n-
gainst me are no longer guided by the same
i iews, the same interest. The Emperor A-
lexander must esteem me : lie must he able
to estimate the difference which exists be
tween Louis Will, and myself. If he were
England knows that the instant I place my
foot in France her influence will be driven
back across ttic seas—as long ns I live, I will
wage a war of extermination against her
maritime despotism.
“ France speaks, and that, is sufficient for
a. In ttitt I had to deal all the powers
in Europe, hut they should nnt have laid
down the. law to me if France bad not loft
me io wrestle alone against the entire world.
Now the French know my value : and as,
they have regained their courage and their
patriotism, they will triumph i*ver the ene
mies who may attack them, just as they tri
umphed in the good days of the revolution.
“Depart. Tell X*** that you have seen
e, and that I have determined to expose
myself to every danger for the purpose of
yielding to the prayers of France, and of rid
ding the nation of the Bourbons—Fay, also,
that I shall leave this place with my guard,
on the first of April—pel haps sooner I
have renounced all my plans of aggrandize
ment, and 1 wish to repair the evils which
war lias caused to us, by a permanent peace.”
“ Your Majesty has then determined to
send me back to France ?”—“ It must ab
solutely he so,”—Your Majesty knows iny
attachment, and that I am ready to prove it
in any way which 'ay be required. But,
Sire, deign to consider, both for yourinteresl
nd for t hat of France, that my departure lias
icen remarked, and that my return will ex
ile, still more notire, and that it may give
ise to suspicion and perhaps induce the
Bourbons to put themselves on their gunrd,
iml cause them to watch the coasts and the
land Elba.” •
The emperor stopped tn look at rno. He
certainly thought that 1 was one of those
men who only appear reluctant to obey, in
order to enhance, the price of their sci vices,
he said, “ Money is always wanted in tra
iling : I will order them to pay you a thou
sand louis, and then you may set off. - ’ “A
tliausand lonis !” 1 exclaimed with indigna
tion, »“Sire, 1 must answer your Majesty in
tlie words with which the soldier answered
his general— 1 These actions arp not perfor
med for pay,’ ”—“ That's very right: I like
to see pride.”—“ Sire l alii not proud, but
I have a soul : and if I thought that your Ma
jesty could believe that I embraced your
Majesty’s cause for the sake of filthy lucre,
I should request your Majesty to cease to re
ly on my services”. “ If I had believed that
to be the case, l should not have trusted you.
No persons ever received a more honorable
and splendid proof of my confidence, than
that which 1 am now bestowing upon you,
in deciding merely on (lie strength of your
word, to quit the isle of Elba, and in direct
ing you as niv precursor, to announce my
peedy arrival in France.
“Provided the |>eople do not seek to do
themselves justice before my arrival, a popu
lar r* volution would alarm foreign powers:
they would dread the contagion of example,
They know that royalty only hangs by a
thread, that it does not agree with the ideas
of the age, they would rather see me seize
the throne, than allow the people to give it io
me The sovereigns who sent their
ambassadors to me. with si rvile solemnity ;
who placed in my bed a girl of their breed :
who called me their brother; end who, after
doing all this, have stigmatised me as an
usurper; they have spit in their own faces
by trying to spit at me. They have degrad
ed the Majesty of kings. They have, cover
ed majesty with mud. What is the name of
an emperor? A word like any other, lfl
had no better title than that, when I shall pre
sent myself to future ages they would scorn
me. My institutions, my benefactions, my
victories—these are the trim titles of irvy
glory Let them call me a Corsican, a corpo
ral, and usurper—1 don’t wire—I shall not
he less the object of wonder ; perhaps of ve
neration, in ill future tune. My name, new
as it is, will live from age to age, whilst the
names of ail these kings, and their royal pro
geny, will be forgotten before the worms will
have time to consume their carcasses.'’ The
emperor stopped, and then continued ; “ I
forget that time is precious ; I will n«>( detain
you any longer Adieu, Monsieur : embrace,
me and depart: my thoughts and good wish
es follow you.” Two hours afterwards 1
was at sea. My attention, rny faculties,
were wholly absorbed by the emperor, his
words, his disclosures, his plans I had nei
ther leisure nor opportunity to think of my
self. Perhaps no man was over placed in so
“ imposing” a situation. I was the arbiter
of the fate, of the Bourbons and of the Em
peror, of France and Europe. With om
word l could destroy Napoleon ; with one
word I could save Louis.
I was at Lyons the moment when Napo
leon arrived. He knew it, and sent for me
that very evening. “ Well” said he to me
with a stniU\ “ you did not expert to see me
jagain so soon"—“ No, Jure : your Majesty
alone, is capable of occasioning such surpri
cause my army was out of its senses : be
sides, I would not have a civil war. It was
neverto my taste. It was said, that Auge-
I'eau, when I met him, loaded me with re
proaches it was a lie ; no one of my
generals would have dared, in my presence,
to forget what was due to me. Had 1
known of the proclamation of Atigereau,
I would have forbidden him my presence :
cowards only insult misfortune—His proc
lamation, Which 1 was reported to have had
in iny pocket, was unknown tn me till after
our interview. It Was General Roller who
showed it me : hut let us quit these popular
rumours. Wlutt lias been done at the Thu-
ileriesr”—“ Nothing bus beenXltered, Sire;
even the eagles have not yet been remov
ed."—{Smiling j “ They must have thought
my arrangement of them admirable”—“ So
I presume, Sire; it has been said, that the
Count d’Artois went through all the apart
ments immediately after lii» arrival, and
could not cease to admire them.”—“ I can
readily believe it. What have they done
with my pictures ?”—“ Some have, been
taken away, but that of the battle of Ans-
terlitz is still m the enuncil chamber”—“ And
the theatre ? ’—“ It has not been touched :
it is on longer used.”—“ What is Talma
doing?”—“ Why, Sire, he continues to de
serve and obtain public applause.”—“I shall
see him again with pleasure. Have you
been at court r”—“ Yes, Sire, l have been
presented.”—“ 1 am told, they all have the
air of upstarts of yesterday ; that they know
not how to utter a word, or lake a single
step, with propriety ; have you seen them
on grand public days ?"■—“No, Sire, hot I
can assure your Majesty, that people pay as
little regard to ceremony at the Thuileries,
as at their own homes : they go thither in
*Iiity boots, common frock coats, and round
hats.”—“ That must have a very majestic
appearance. But how can all those old thick-
ecullx spend their money for every thing
has been restored to them.”—“But proba
bly, Sire, they wish to wear out their old
clothes”—“ Poor France ! into what hands
hast thou thrust thyself'. And the king, what
sort of a countenance has he?”—“ lie has
a tolerably fine head !”—“ R his coin hand
some :”—Of this your Majesty may judge :
here is a twenty-franco piece.”—“ What !
they have not recoined Louis : I am sur
prised at this (Turning the piece over.) He
does not look as if lie would starve himself:
but observe, they have taken away Dieu
protege la France {God protect France,) to
restore thcir./Ioimnr salvumJitc regem (Lord,
preserve the King.) This is as they always
were : every thing for themselves, nothing
for France. Is the national guard of Pans
well disposed ?”—“ I cannot positively af
firm it; but of this at least 1 am eertain.Hhat
if it do not declare for jour Majesty, at least
it n il] not act against us.”—“ I imagine so
too. What is it supposed, that the foreign
ers will think of my return ?”—“ It is tlm’t
that Austria will connect itself with your
Majesty, and that Russia will behold the
disgrace of the Bourbons without regret.”—
“ Why so ?”—“It is said Sire, that Alex
ander wns not pleased with the princes while
at Paris. That the predilection of the king
for England, and his attributing his crown to
the prince Regent, offended him.”—“ Is it
true, that so much was made of Alexander
at Paris ?”—“ Yos, Sire, nobody else was at
tended to hut lie—the other sovereigns ap
peared as if they were his aids-de -camp”—
“ In fact, he did a great deal for Paris : hut
for him the English would have ruined it,
and the Prussians would have set it on fire.
He acted his part well - -- -(with a smile) if
I were not Napoleon, perhaps I would be
Alexander.”
aids as were essential to render the pre
sent situation of the state more respec
table, which could not reasonably be
hoped for by choosing the Duke of Luc
ca, who, besides, was objectionable as
being unmarried, and, consequently,
without heirs. That the Minister, after
having opposed these reflections, pro
ceeded to stale, that 11 is Most Christian
Majesty would make an especial point of
obtaining from Hi* Catholic Majesty the
cessation of hostilities, and the acknowl
edgment of the independence of these
I’rovinces ; that the Prince of Lucca
might contract a matrimonial alliance
with one of the Princesses of Brazil,
with the express stipulation of evacua
ting, in favor of this government, the
Banda Oriental, and of relinquishing all
claim of indemnity for the same, by which
means the succession to the crown would
be secured ; that, in this event, His Most
Christian Majesty would afford all man
ner of aid, the same as in favor of a prince
of Ins blood, nnd would especially exert
all bis efforts to effect the project, and
promote the welfare of this people.—
The deputy, Comcz, concludes by ob
serving, that, after listening to these re
newed remarks of the Minister, he again
replied to him. that, being unable, for
want of due authority, to come to a de
cision himself, lie would give an account
ol the w hole to his government, and re
quest the necessary instructions ; to
which the Minister readily assented, of
fering, at the same time, to conduct the
negotiation gradually, in the mean while,
with a view to place it in the most favor
able state. lie afterwards made sever
al observations upon this important and
delicate affair, and referred to a memoir
in support of the same ideas, which, lie
assured, had been delivered to him af
terwards, by an individual, ns containing
the views of the Baron de Bavneval,
who is considered as a most distinguished
person in the French diplomacy.
Both these documents having been
read, the House resolved to defer delib
eration thereon until Saturday, to give
time for a full examination of the subject,
and to summon the attendance of such
members of the House as bad been ab
sent at the present session.
Hereupon, another private note from
the Supreme Director was read, oft he
same date as the former, enclosing com
munications, No. 1 to 4, requested of
General San Martin, and of the govern
ment of Chili, explanatory of the causes,
of the suspension of the projected expe
dition against Lima. Messrs. Fones and
Saenz were appointed a committee to
make known the same to the House ;
after which, it adjourned.
Pedro Francisco De Uciarte,
Vicc-P resident.
In the margin.
The President and Vice-President.
Cpllo, Saenz, Guzman, Malaira, Bnstmn
nute, Zudunez, Sachcco, Funes, Corras
co, Lascano, Viamont, Rivera, Diaz Ye
lez, Chorroarin, Azcvedo.
sent discussion not turning upon the ac«
ceptuncc or ratification of a treaty bt
which the constitution, lately adopted,
would be either changed or subverted,
but merely upon a project of ncgociation,
the interest of the country, policy^ and
the uncommonly critical circumstance*
by which we ure surrounded, destitute
ns we are of the resource* necessary to
bring to a close the long and diiastrou*
struggle we have been engaged in, white
we are threatened anew by the forniida-
ble force preparing by the implacable
pride and obstinacy of Spain. All theso
concur to make it our duty to tafte every
possible advantage of this proposal, in
favor of the political independence of the
country: by interesting the Court of
France to employ its powerful influence
with the cabinet of Madrid, to put a stop
to the preparations of the grand expedi-
FROM SOUTH AMERICA.
*<* Ma giolrft cstfaitea moi, JjJon e.ettt
QUluni jue etlui de. Dieu ' !f*
Regent. I would give, him Poland, and a
great deal more, if lie wislid it; lie knows
that I have been always more inclined to to
lerate his ambition than to restrain it. It he
had continued my friend and my ally, l would
have made him greater than he ever will he
now. Prussia, and the. petty kings of the
Rhenish confederation, will follow the lot
cast by Russia, lfl had Russia on iny side,
she would secure, me. all the second-rate pow
ers. As to the Austrians, I do not know what
they would do : they have never treated me
candidly. I suppose I could keep Austria in
rder by threatening to deprive her of Italy.
Murat is ours. 1 has e had great reason to
complain of him. Since 1 have been here he
has wept for his errors, and lias done Ins ut
most to repair the injuries which he lias in
flicted upon me. He lias regained my friend
ship and my confidence: his assistance, if I
were engaged in war, would lie very useful
to me. He has little brains; he has nojhing
but hands and heart; but his wife w ould di
rect him. As to England, we should have,
shaken hands from Dover to Calais, it Mr.
Fox had lived; hut as long as • t country
continues to he governed by tin principles
and passions of Mr. Pitt, we must always he
as hostile, as fire and water ----- I n
1 England ! c.xject no quarter, no truce -
of nothing but glory, now we think only of li
berty,”—“ I know that the discussions they
have suffered to take place, have diminished
the respect f >r power, and enfeebled it. Li
beral ideas have resumed all the ground I had
gained for it. I shall not attempt to recon
quer it: no one should attempt to contend
with a nation, it is the earthen put against the
iron pot—Where is may guard r”—“I be-
lieve at Metz and at Nancy.”—“Of that lain
sure, do what they will they will never corrupt
it. Wliat are Augereau ki Marmontaboutr”
“ I do not know.”—“What is Ney doing ?
On what- terms is he with the king?”—
Sometimes good, sometimes had: 1 believe
he has had reason to complain of the court on
mint of his wife”—“ His nife is an aftec-
realure; no doubt she has attempted t
play the part of a great lady, and the. old
dowagers nave ridiculed her. Has Nev any
command !”—“ 1 do not think ho has, Sire.
“ Ik he one of us ?”- The part he. took
in your abdication----”—“Ay, l read
that at Porto Ferrajo : he boasted of having:
ill-treated me, of having laid his pistols oi
mv table : it was all false, ilail he dared to
fail of respect to me, I would have ordered
him to be shot. A heap of tales has been
pread respecting my abdication. I abdicated,
FIRST SECRET SESSION.
Wr.nsESDAr, C7tli October, 1h19.
The members having met tn the Hall
at ten o’< lock in the morning, on no'Jce,
by the President, there was opened and
read n note, stated to he most private,
from the Supreme Director of the State,
dated the day before, enclosing a com
munication iron. I). Jose Valentin Go
mez, envoy extraordinary to the Euro
pean powers, and dated at Paris, on the
ICth June last, to the Secretary ofStatc
for Foreign Affairs. The said note hav
ing been read, the note from the above
named envoy was also read. Alter sta
ting that lie bad been invited to an inter
view by II. M. C. Majesty’s Minister for
Foreign Affairs, which took place on the
1st of the same month, he mentions the
proposal then made him by that Minister,
of establishing a Constitutional Monarchy
in these Provinces, and of placing there
in the Duke of Lucca, the hereditary
successor to the kingdom of Etruria, and
allied, by the maternal iine, to the House
of Bourbon ; declaring that the choice
of him would meet the most perfect ap
probation r>f the sovereigns of the prin
cipal courts, and particularly of the cm
perors of Austria and Russia, who were
avowedly in favor of the Duke, nnd, still
more, disposed to promote, the interests
oftliis continent ; and that II. M. C. Ma
jesty would view this measure with pe
culiar satisfaction, and employ all his in-1 Croat Br
fiuence with the other sovereigns to pro- could by r
mote it ; nor would he spare any means
for that purpose, either by such aid and
succours as might be necessary, or by
bis endeavors to prevail on His Catholic
Majesty to desist from the war in which
he was engaged against these Provinces.
In reply, be expressed the considera
tion that opposed his proceeding in this
business ; namely, the want of sufficient
power, and further, that no proposal
would be accepted by bis government
which was not founded on the disconti
nuance of the war on the part of Spain,
the integrity of the territory of the form
er Vicc-Royaltv, particularly including
tion destined for the. subjugation of these jP®
net in conscqiif
SECOND SECRET SESSION.
Wednesdav, Nov. 3, 1(119,
■The members hav ing met in their hall,
at the usual hour, they proceeded to take
into consideration the subject which had
previously been before them, of the pro
posal of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
at Paris, to Doctor D. Jose Valentin Go-
tnez, Envoy Extraordinary of this go
vernment to the European powers, for
the erection of a Constitutional Monar
chy, in these l’rov inces, under the Prince
of Lucca, as is stated more at length in
the secret proceedings of 27th October
Just. The Congress, deeply impressed
by the importance, the delicacy, and the
momentous consequences of this affair,
and closely attending to the terms in
which it is communicated in the official
note of the Supreme Executive power
of the 2fiih October, immediately submit
ted to the discussion of the House the
incompatibility of the proposal, with the
political Constitution recently sanctioned
and published, unanimously accepted by
the people, and solemnly sworn to both
hv them and by the Congress, in conlir
matinn of their adhesion and support,
together with their want of power to
changp it, the contingency rot existing
which is pointed out by it as requiring
an alteration and amendment. But, con
ceiving that the proposal of the Minister
of Frauce referred to, was to be viewed
as being within the sphere of a simple
project of ncgociation, which would un
questionably be strictly scrutinized by
iltiin, with whose interests it
by no means square, that a contin
ental power of the first rank, like France,
her ancient rival, whose political and
commercial interests, combined with
those of Austria, Prussia, and Russia,
tend most evidently to counterbalance
the prepondernney of the British power,
should acquire a decided ascendancy in
these provinces, by the establishment of
a Prince who, from what appears thus
far, holds out the expectation and hope
that he will be supported by the above
mentioned powers, and of course recon
cile, or, more strictly speaking, render
the interests of America subordinate to
the policy of the continent of Europe—
ace of their advice, but be- the Banda Oriental, together with such it was net difficult to reply, l.haUhe j>re-
provinces, so obstinately persisted in by
the Catholic king ; hy disposing the min
istry of France, already inclined, in re
lation to this particular interest, to open
communications with our government, to
proceed still farther, and gradually to ac*
knowledge it ; thus conquering the re
pugnancy of the ministers of crowned
heads to entertain a correspondence with
the envoys of infant Republics, to whom
the greatest favor they shew, is barely to
admit their existence de facto ; while it
is evident that the ministry of France, by
the simple fact of its proposal, supposes
us, tacitly at least, to be in a condition
which authorizes us to dispose of our lot,
and that of the provinces, by moans of a
treaty. By so far countenancing the pro
posal of France, and so judiciously lay
ing it before Gvcat Britain, as to indues
the latter power to acknowledge our in
dependence, who should be engaged to
aid us in supporting it. And, finally, hy
affording us time, (at least so long as by
nrgocialion we may be able to delay or
uspend the .Spanish expedition,) to pro
duce order in the interior, to prepare
for our defence, to establish our credit
abroad, and to place ourselves upon such
a respectable footing as may give us
greater advantages in this or any other
treaty ; the result of which must finally
be submitted to the Senate, two-thirds
of whom are required, bv the Constitu
tion, to concur in accepting it. No arti
cle of the constitution can be nltered,
and; least of all, those which constitute
the essential form of the government,
but by the concurrence of both Houses,
constitutionally expressed.
After tiicse and several other serious
nnd deliberate remarks, all tending to
provide for the welfare of the couutry,
to maintain the constitution, and to leave
the succeeding legislature perfectly free
to enter upon this most important b.isi--
ness, in the manner best calculated to
lix (be fate of the provinces, and estab
lish tbeir prosperity on a permanent ba
sis, the following motion was put to vote:,
Shall the project (under discussion): bo
admitted conditionally, or not?. The
votes being counted, it was resolved in.
the affirmative.
Messrs. Zudanez &. Villegas explain*-
cd tbeir votes, and the House requested
Messrs. Dias Velez* Azeredo, and La-
zano, not present at the debate, to truns'-
mit theirs. ,,
It then proceeded to appoint a com
mittee to present, in the form pf a pro
ject, the conditions upon which the vote*
of the House was to be admitted, when,
on counting the ballot, it appeared that
Messrs. Bustamante, Funes, and Saenz,
w ere chosen. Upon which the House
rose, do the margin, the. President and
Vice-President, Chorroarin, Carrasco,
Pacheco, Uriarte, Sorilla, Viamont. Guz
man, Rivera, Zudanez, Bustamante, Fu-
ues, Saenz, Gallo.
In the session of 3d November, 1819,
in which the debate Hi decision took pluca
on the proposal made by the French mi
nistry, for receiving the Prince of Luc*
ca as King of these provinces, my volt*
was as follows :
Being unauthorized to oppose tlioi
wish expressed by my province, for a.
Republican government, as declared irv
the instructions given to its Representa-*
live to the General Constituent Assem
bly , or to change the fundamental prin
ciples of the constitution- of the state, £
am opposed to the proposal of the French
ministry, lor the admission of the Duk&
of Lucca, as King of the United Provin
ces : and although I am persuaded that
this project, degrading and pernicious a*
it is to the national prosperity, must
prove abortive, even iq France, yet, on
considering the advantages that may b«
derived from communicating It,-together
with a copy of the memoir of the Baron
de Kayneval, to the British cabinet and
to the United Stctes of North America,!
am of Opinion that such communication*
should be immediately made to them,
accompanied by an expositionofthe mo
tives for making, aud the consequence*
to be expected from this proposal. That
the two Charge d’Affairs,Gomez:and Ri-
vadnvia, with a view to gain time, should
continue to entertain the subject with
the French ministry as long as may bo
practicable, before they undeceive tbecna
and that, when they might find it expe
dient to communicate the qltimatuin