The journal of Elizabeth Lady Holland (1791-1811) Volume 2 (of 2)Holland, Elizabeth Vassall Fox, Lady
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The journal of Elizabeth Lady Holland (1791-1811) Volume 2 (of 2)
Holland, Elizabeth Vassall Fox, Lady
Holland, Elizabeth Vassall Fox, Lady, 1770-1845 -- Diaries
I beg to offer my best respects to Lady Holland and Mr.
Allen, and have the honour to be, &c.
R. CAMPBELL.
P.S.--Though the Cortes in a body are to have the
_tratamiento of Majesty_, the individual members are to
have no _tratamiento_ nor any badge of distinction as
members of Cortes. When the Regency took the oaths to the
Cortes on the evening of the 24th, the Bishop of Orense did
not come, saying he was fatigued and much indisposed, and
he has since declined to take the oaths from some _scruple
of conscience_, of what nature we do not know. The Cortes
were sitting yesterday in a secret committee of the whole,
deliberating upon a communication from the Regency.
_Mr. R. Campbell to Lord Holland._
Cadiz, Dec. 10, 1810.
MY LORD,--Being much hurried at present I must refer your
Lordship to the public reports for an account of the
further proceedings of the Cortes and of the events which
have lately taken place in this country. I shall only say
in general that we are still full of confidence. A measure,
which I have taken the liberty of strongly recommending to
some of my friends among the deputies, will probably be
moved in the Cortes this day or to-morrow. It is to pass
a decree making it a fundamental law of the state that
any King of Spain or Prince of the blood royal who shall
marry a _foreigner_ without the consent of the Cortes,
shall by that act forfeit his title to the crown. The
subject of this decree, independent of its general policy,
is immediately to anticipate any new trick or stratagem
which Bonaparte may probably devise, should the campaign
in Portugal prove, as we hope, signally disastrous to
his arms, by marrying Ferdinand to a Frenchwoman or an
Austrian, and bringing him to Spain as King, in order to
create new factions and disunion. This law will probably be
proposed by Arguelles, and I have little doubt will pass.
Your Lordship will perceive from this that we are at
present more afraid of the artifices than of the arms of
Napoleon.
Some discussion will likewise soon take place in the Cortes
with respect to the assumption of the title of _Majesty_
by them; a measure which, I was aware, would be liable
to much misconstruction in England. I shall write your
Lordship more fully on this and some other subjects by
next packet; in the mean time, your Lordship may be assured
that there was no intention, by the assumption of this
title, to degrade the royal authority.
I beg leave to offer my best respects to Lady Holland and
Mr. Allen, and have the honour to be, &c.
R. CAMPBELL.
_Mr. R. Campbell to Lord Holland._
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