Whatever may have been th...
WVhatever may have been the real importarce of the late affair at Tarifa, to wlhich, as an opcratioin against the exist- ing systen, we ourselve; continule to attach little or none, it is not altogether unfruitfiul of instruction as to the naturc of that P'ower which now exercises the governmDent of -bhat was the Spanish monarcby. In fact, it is no longer a Spanish Government at all, n)o more than it was a French Government wlhen PaImir V. held only the -round( that he encamped upon, or wlien JosEPH and JOUnDAN were driven pell-netil frotn Vittoria across the Pyrenees. Spain is at this moment, lhowever, a purely Flench province. The whole of the operationi against TIarita was directed anl performed by a French officet, wlhile a Spanish Captain- General looked on, As a general rule, the Spaniards are forbid to approach the Royal residlences of the French-descended FERDINAND: passports under the seal of a Frenlch functionary have the privilege of constituting exceptions to this graciotts and politic rule. Spa.7iards are not to be the exclusive body-guard of the King. Spanish garrisons are turned out of every post of which the Frenchl military desire to possess themselves. It is a French military occupation from top to toe ; and, dis- guise it how they will, Spain is a province of Louts XVI II. as much as either Normnan(ly or Languedoc. Whether this renders France more formidable, is another question; or whether English jealousy ought not rather to be allayed than excited by such a millstone hungabout the neck of an avowed rival. It is like the succession to a bankrupt estate, or like the chaitRing of a live body to a carcass. A pretty end this for an adveuture commenecing with a cordon sanitaire !