Internal political transactions--Factions in Gallicia, Asturias, Leon, and Castile--Flagitious conduct of the junta of Seville--Mr. Stuart endeavours to establish a northern cortes--Activity of the council of Castile, proposes a supreme government agreeable to the public--Local juntas become generally odious--Cortes meet at Lugo, declare for a central and supreme government--Deputies appointed--Clamours of the Gallician junta and bishop of Orense--Increasing influence of the council of Castile--Underhand proceedings of the junta of Seville, disconcerted by the quickness of the Baily Valdez--Character of Cuesta, he denies the legality of the northern cortes, abandons the line of military operations, returns to Segovia, arrests the Baily Valdez and other deputies from Lugo--Central and supreme government established at Aranjuez, Florida Blanca president--Vile intrigues of the local juntas--Cuesta removed from the command of his army, ordered to Aranjuez--Popular feeling in favour of the central junta, vain and interested proceedings of that body, its timidity, inactivity, and folly, refuses to name a generalissimo--Foreign relations--Mr. Canning leaves Mr. Stuart without any instructions for three months--Mr. Frere appointed envoy extraordinary, &c. 292 CHAPTER III. Political position of Napoleon; he resolves to crush the Spaniards; his energy and activity; marches his armies from every part of Europe towards Spain; his oration to his soldiers--Conference at Erfurth--Negotiations for peace--Petulant conduct of Mr. Canning--160,000 conscripts enrolled in France--Power of that country--Napoleon’s speech to the senate--He repairs to Bayonne--Remissness of the English cabinet--Sir John Moore appointed to lead an army into Spain; sends his artillery by the Madrid road, and marches himself by Almeida--The central junta impatient for the arrival of the English army--Sir David Baird arrives at Coruña; is refused permission to disembark his troops--Mr. Frere and the marquis of Romana arrive at Coruña; account of the latter’s escape from the Danish Isles--Central junta resolved not to appoint a generalissimo--Gloomy aspect of affairs 315 CHAPTER IV. Movements of the Spanish generals on the Ebro, their absurd confidence, their want of system and concert--General opinion that the French are weak--Real strength of the king--Marshal Ney and general Jourdan join the army--Military errors of the king exposed by Napoleon, who instructs him how to make war--Joseph proposes six plans of operation--Observations thereupon 342 CHAPTER V.