date

[clxiv. 69] PRIVATE 1820 May 27
[clxiv. 69] PRIVATE

1820 May 27

Emancipation Spanish

.1. Ult r. Introduction examined

Philo-Hispanus

To the people of Spain.

Spaniards!

There is so much of what is good in the Constitution, as it stands at present established as in 1812 by the /your/ Cortes, that I should not be much surprized if the following considerations, which with the most cordial regard are here submitted to you - the /whole body of the/ Spanish people at large should find /at this moment of excitation/ approvers and supporters even among your rulers, the existing public functionaries of all descriptions whosoever they may be.

But, howsoever it may be just now and for some little time longer, such as I shall have occasion /it will be necessary for me/ to shew you - so natural and so unchangeable /even under your so highly improved and comparatively excellent Constitution/ is the opposition of interests /by any means whatever one alone excepted so unchangeable is the opposition between people and its rulers/ between you and them whoever they are /or can be/, that if, in submitting to the consideration of those whom it may concern the measure /course /line/ of conduct/ which to me seems the only proper one, I were to take them /your rulers/, whosoever they may be, for the objects /persons/ addressed, an /a/ odour of self-contradiction and air of absurdity would soon be seen to exhibit /cover//spread/ itself /spreading//covering/ over the whole face of the address.

To me /my eyes/, as far as I can judge , they present themselves to be at least as likely as any other equally large body of men that ever existed any where in truth it seems to me more likely to concurr will come into what I propose. But I could not, for very shame, address myself to any body of men whatsoever - and say to them the course of conduct which I have to propose to you is contrary to the interests of the whole body of you; and being persuaded of this, my expectation /my hope/ is that you will take to it. No such language could I hold to any man. For if men had not each of them, in the general term of life a greater regard for his own interest then for all other interests put together, how could the species have thus long continued in existence?
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