HEZETA JOSE: (1788-1862) Spanish Lieutenant Colonel who served in the Peninsular War and was taken prisoner in ...

HEZETA JOSE: (1788-1862) Spanish Lieutenant Colonel who served in the Peninsular War and was taken prisoner in 1812. Following the war he was stationed at Catalonia together with the British Generals Bentinck and Clinton. In 1826, Hezeta escaped to England and was later appointed British envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to Colombia. Series of three A.Ls.S., Joseph Hezeta (2) and J Hezeta, ten pages (total), 4to, Havana, 10th January - 31st March 1828, all to Sir William Henry Clinton in London. Hezeta writes a series of informative letters to his correspondent, congratulating Clinton on his appointment as Governor of Mauritius, and further stating, in part, 'So far from having succeeded in my application to Lord Wm. Bentinck to follow his Lordship to India I have not even received an answer to my letter. I can have no doubt as to my letter being lost…..I must say that I was not very sanguine in my expectations. For I thought the circumstance of being a foreigner might be an obstacle to the good wishes of his Lordship in my favor, the board of Directors might see with an evil eye the intrusion of a foreigner in any part of their extensive administration; nor was my wish to usurp the rights of an English born subject…..I was prepared to any sort of refusal except to receive no answer…..I am always now in a melancholy mood…..one is tempted to think that it is a punishment for having been too bold in addressing a superior without being encouraged to it……What you tell me about the state of Portugal is sad enough. But you don't mention a word upon one of the most interesting subjects to lead to draw an inference respecting the future fate of that Kingdom & that it is something about the personal character of the Infante which for what we hear is by no means to be trusted, being unruly, rash & violent, ignorant in the extreme and in proportion fond of absolute power. And upon such a man will rest the foundation of the prospering of 3 millions of men, and by analogy that of Spain too? If the French can give us a sufficient cause for remaining in Spain the non payment of what they claim from the Spanish Government. England may prepare herself to agree to the extinction of that Independent estate and only weigh in her mind if it will be for her a sufficient indemnity for the aggrandisement of France to take a share in the spoil. My hopes of a change in the state of Spain are very weak, & few years more as you say will place one beyond the pale of Ferdinand's power and that of his monks….in the grave' (10th January 1828), '….you will see what new schemes I have in view to promote my fortune, It has been suggested to me by the knowledge I acquire in business. Money is yet here so scarce…..If among some respectable English merchants they would make here a sort of banking establishment merely to discount bills and make advances to planters upon their produce under judicious managers, they might derive a very handsome profit with perfect safety…..I am very anxious to hear of the arrival of D. Miguel to Portugal to see the state of that country come to a crisis. I have very little doubt but that he will put down the Constitution as soon as he will be left to himself and that England will be obliged to induce D. Pedro to come to Europe, if she wishes not to see Portugal under the French influence by putting it under an absolute monarch' (13th February 1828), 'The long expected answer of Lord Wm. Bentinck came at last….[His Lordship]….wished me to follow him & kindly offers me his assistance to do it by way of Rio Janeiro & Cape of Good Hope but I am not so sanguine about the content of the letter…..If the answer was flattering to my wishes in my destitute situation I have the hopes that His Lordship will have sent a duplicate…..As soon as the French shall evacuate the Peninsula I expect insurrections, rebellions & riots of every description. The extreme parties will agree in the work of destructions, but even men of the same principles will disagree upon what is to be substituted. No one can trust the oaths or pledges given by any of the Bourbons & any constitution imposed or forced upon them must I fear prove anarchical. The nation will sink deeper & deeper in distress & misery; to avoid this there is no other remedy but to unite the whole Peninsula under D. Pedro & send D. Miguel to the Brazils. This is a most desirable plan for the balance of power & to restore to both kingdoms by their union part of the strength & weight which they have lost with their colonies. The present unpopularity of the Bourbon makes this plan possible which in any other circumstances would be rash & impracticable. What Liberal can be imprudent enough to re-enter Spain with no other security but an amnesty from the King?......I for one will not trust myself to such a frail security as Ferd[inan]d's word' (31st March 1828). Each of the letters with integral address leaves (some minor tears and small areas of paper loss caused by the original breaking of the seals). Generally about VG, 3 William Henry Clinton (1769-1846) British General who served in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Lord William Bentinck (1774-1839) British Lieutenant General who served as Governor-General of India 1828-35.