this proposal, that in conformity to Padre Gil’s advice, no reply was made to it. And though the same objections did not apply to the Duke of Orleans, there was an obvious impolicy in inviting a Frenchman to the command; the central Junta had felt this, and the Cortes also felt it; they held a private sitting upon the subject, and the result was, that the duke re-embarked for Sicily. ♦SECOND REGENCY.♦ The Regents did not hold their power many weeks after the meeting of the Cortes. A new Regency was appointed, consisting of Blake, D. Pedro Agar, a naval captain and director-general of the academies of the royal marine guards; and D. Gabriel Ciscar, governor of Carthagena. The reason assigned for this change was, that the members of the former Regency had made known their earnest desire that the weight of the administration, which they had ♦OCT. 28.♦ supported for many months, under such critical circumstances, should be consigned to other hands. Those members were now to experience in their turn the same injustice which they had shown toward the Central Junta. Like them, they had disappointed the hopes of the people; and like them, more from the inevitable course of things than by their own misconduct. They were not, however, treated with equal ♦NOV. 28.♦ cruelty. A decree was passed, that they should give in an account of their administration to the Cortes within two months, with a view to some future process. Shortly afterwards, in consequence of a secret sitting, they were ordered to retire from the ♦DEC. 17.♦ Isle of Leon, and the place where each was to reside was appointed, after the arbitrary manner of the old court. Blake and Ciscar being absent, the Marquis del Palacio and D. Jose Maria Puig were appointed to act in their place till they should arrive. When ♦OCT. 28.♦ they were called upon to take the oath, the same difficulty was found as in the case of the Bishop of Orense. The marquis being asked if he swore ♦PALACIO REFUSES THE OATH.♦ to obey the decrees, laws, and constitutions of the Cortes, replied, Yes, but without prejudice to the many oaths of fidelity which he had taken to Ferdinand VII. The president informed him, that he must take the oath simply, or refuse it. The marquis requested that he might be allowed to explain himself. Upon this it was agreed that he should be heard after his colleagues had been sworn; and that business having been completed, he entered into an explanation, saying, “he was ready to take the oath in the form prescribed, provided those deputies who were versed in theological points would assure him that he might do it without scruple. All that he meant was more to ensure the purport of the oath itself, conformably to those which he had so often taken to Ferdinand; and he had never doubted the sovereignty of the nation assembled in its Cortes.” ♦TYRANNICAL CONDUCT OF THE CORTES TOWARDS HIM.♦