ation of the king,"
originally levied during the captivity of King Ferdinand. This impost
had been kept up though the king was now dead. There were other
grievances of a similar kind: the only one redressed was a tax on
military quarters, which had been ceded to the English residents. Lord
Mahon concluded by calling Lord Palmerston's attention to the provinces
of Biscay and Navarre, which had been deprived of their legal rights and
privileges; and by stating that in bringing the subject forward, he was
not actuated by any partiality for the character of Don Carlos, or
any desire of advocating his claims on the crown of Spain. Mr. Cutlar
Fergusson, while he admired the moderate and gentlemanly tone of Lord
Mahon's speech, yet differed from his views. He defended the alteration
which Ferdinand had made in the succession, and which had been approved
of by the Cortes, while they looked upon Don Carlos as a pretender. The
question for the house was whether this country was not justified in
abiding by the terms of the quadripartite treaty. We had done no more,
he said, till Don Carlos had published the edict of Durango: after
that infamous act an important article had been appended to the treaty,
stipulating that arms and stores should be supplied for the maintenance
of the war, and, if necessary, a naval force. Mr. Gaily Knight also
dissented from Mr. Fergusson's views; while Mr. Fenton expressed his
disapprobation of Lord Palmerston's policy. Lord Francis Egerton said
that in his opinion we were not the proper judges of the value of those
rights and privileges for which the Basques were contending; if they
themselves held them dear, every Englishman must feel a sympathy in
their cause. Mr. Fergusson had admitted, that could we have foreseen the
failure of the Spanish generals, it would have altered the question
as to the policy of suspending the foreign enlistment act: were not
ministers culpable for such a want of foresight? Surely Lord Palmerston
and his colleagues might have distinguished between Spain in the
sixteenth century, when her troops were the first in Europe, and Spain
during the peninsular war. Had not Lord Palmerston been in office during
the war of independence? And had not its records taught him something
of Spanish generals and Spanish promises? At any rate, a glance at the
pages of a Napier, or a word from the Duke of Wellington would have
enlightened him on the subject. Mr. Cutlar Fergusson explained, and