Mr. Harvey to Mr. Seward.
Sir:The Cortes were closed yesterday in state by the King, assisted by the Queen and court. I enclose herewith a translation in French of the royal speech delivered on the occasion.
A general election for the Chamber of Deputies (the regular term of which is four years) will be held in November next. The different parties are already organising their forces for that contest, but as, with the exception of a fractional minority, they are not divided by any very radical difference of principle, no material change of policy in the course of the government is to be apprehended, whatever the result of the elections may be. Indeed, the dominant political divisions are only separated from each other by phases of liberal and constitutional ideas. Both the great parties claim to be not only equally possessed of these tendencies, but each one claims it more than the other. The interest which favors reaction or return to the order of things which existed before the present constitutional charter is limited in numbers except in the northern part of the kingdom, where it has a certain strength, but not sufficient to give its adversaries any serious anxiety. That party rallies under the name of Miguelite, [Page 315] and is identified with the fortunes of the banished King who bears it—a fact which of itself illustrates the freedom of opinion and discussion in this country.
I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State.