XII. 1808. CHAP, be expected from a free legislative assembly. The best and wisest of the Spaniards wished also for a Cortes, and looked to it for such judicious reforms as were conformable to the constitutional principles of the monarchy, and suited to the habits and feelings of the nation. But they saw that many points must be determined before the manner of assembling the Cortes could be adjusted, and that the necessity of forming a central government was immediate and urgent. The plan therefore which the Junta of Seville proposed was assented to without opposition. Still it was a great object with many of the provincial Juntas to retain their power. That of Valencia drew up secret rules for its deputies, declaring that they were to follow the direction of their constituents, remain subject and obedient to them, communicate regularly with them, and in no instance depart from their instructions; and they reserved. to themselves the power of displacing their deputies at pleasure. This paper was made public; and it was known that other Juntas, that of Seville in particular, had pursued the same mischievous Unworthy choice of course. The Junta of Seville, however, did worse than the Junta this. In electing its deputies it chose two persons so notoriously unworthy of such a trust, of Seville. that the only motives which could be assigned for the choice were a desire of being rid of them, or an opinion that they would submit to any terms for the sake of the appointment. D. Vicente Hore was the one; he had been a creature of XII. 1808. Godoy's, and was so sensible of the estimation in CHAP. which he was held, that he declined the charge, knowing his life would be in danger if he appeared in Madrid, where it was of course expected that the Central Junta would assemble. D. Juan de Vera y Delgado, titular Archbishop of Laodicea, the coadjutor of Seville, was then chosen in his place; and this was an unexceptionable choice. It was hoped and expected that Tilly, the other member, would follow Hore's example, in declining an appointment for which he was equally disqualified; but Tilly was of a bolder stamp. A blasted character had not prevented him from obtaining great popularity at Seville; and being utterly regardless of the means by which he brought about his ends, he was ready to venture for the highest stake in the game revolution. Foul facts had been proved against him, and fouler were, upon no light grounds, imputed. He had found it necessary to fly from Madrid before the troubles, because he was implicated in the robbery of a jeweller. The murder of the Conde de Aguila was attributed to him, because it was certain that he might have saved the Count by the slightest interference in his behalf. A wretch who was notoriously his creature had been one of the most active instruments in Solano's death; and Reding would have been made away with by his means before the battle of Baylen, if the intention had not been disclosed to Castaños, and by him prevented. of This appointment was not perhaps what Tilly XII. 1808. The other members ипехсерtionable. CHAP. Would have chosen; for it was believed that he had no inclination to show himself at Madrid; but he trusted to his talents for intrigue, obtained a monthly allowance of 500 dollars, and looked for those opportunities which revolutionary times offer to insane and desperate ambition. It is to the honour of the Spaniards, that this was the only exceptionable person elected for the central Junta perhaps in no country could an equal number of men, under similar circumstances, have been chosen more worthy of the trust reposed in them. To be elected to a situation of so great responsibility, in a time of unexampled difficulties, was no object of desire; in no instance was the appointment solicited, and in most it was reluctantly accepted. The persons deputed were thirty-five in number; of whom LIST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE CENTRAL JUNTA. For Aragon..D. Francisco Rebolledo de Palafox y Melzi, Gentle- Asturias..D. Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, Knight of the Order of The Canaries.. Marques de Villanueva del Prado. Old Castille..D. Lorenzo Bonifaz y Quintano, Prior of the holy Catalonia..Marques de Villel, Conde de Darnius, a Grandee, and Extremadura..D. Martin de Garay, Intendant of Extremadura, Florida-Blanca and Jovellanos were the most re- Jaen..D. Francisco Castanedo, Canon of the holy Church of Jaen, tian de Jocano, of his Majesty's council, in the Tri- Leon.. Frey D. Antonio Valdes, Bailey and Grand Cross of the Madrid..Conde de Altamira, Marques de Astorga, a Grandee, Knight of the Golden Fleece, Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III., First Equerry, and Gentleman of the Bed-chamber; D. Pedro de Silva, Patriarch of the Indies, Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III., and formerly Camp-Marshal of the Royal Armies. Majorca..D. Tomas de Veri, Knight of the Order of S. Juan, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Palma Volunteers; Conde de Ayamans, Lieutenant-Colonel of the Palma Militia. Murcia..Conde de Florida-Blanca, Knight of the Golden Fleece, Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III., Gentleman of the Bed-chamber, and formerly First Secretary of State, and acting Minister of Grace and Justice; Marques del Villar. Navarre..D. Miguel de Balanza; D. Carlos de Amatria, Members Seville..D. Juan de Vera y Delgado, Archbishop of Laodicea and Toledo..D. Pedro de Ribero, Canon of the holy Church of Toledo; Valencia..Conde de Contamina, a Grandee, Gentleman of the Bed- XII. 1808. XII. 1808. CHAP. always a philosopher, in the true and virtuous meaning of that polluted word. As the despotic minister of an absolute king, Florida-Blanca had used his power vigorously to uphold the dignity of the kingdom, and improve its internal condition; most of his measures were wise, and all were well-intended; but if he had ever conceived a wish to correct the abuses of the state, it had never appeared in his actions: Jovellanos had unwillingly accepted office, because it placed him in a sphere uncongenial to his modest habits and better mind, and withdrew him from the task to which he had devoted himself, of improving his native province. Jovellanos's desire was to meliorate the government and the nation by recurring to the free principles of the old constitution; Florida-Blanca thought that if governments were administered as they ought to be, the strongest must be the best. Both, without hesitation *, obeyed the call of their country, though FloridaBlanca, who was in extreme old age, would more willingly have passed the short remainder of his days in preparing and waiting for death; and * Llorente, under his name of Nellerto, (vol. i. 155,) asserts, that when Florida-Blanca was summoned to the central Junta he left a writing, addressed to the municipality of the city of Murcia, protesting that he acted under fear and compulsion, and in the full knowledge that his country was going to destruction; and adding, that he made this solemn declaration lest King Joseph should one day treat him as a criminal. This infamous calumny, which by its own absurdity confutes itself, is advanced by the ex-secretary of the Inquisition upon no better authority than that of a Madrid journal, published under the Intruder's government. It is so palpably calumnious, that I should not have thought it worthy of contradiction, if it had not been doubtfully repeated by Col. Jones in his very able Account of the War. |