Star. — London, England, 1823-10-15 00:00:00

SPA IN. Vim vinfirtbus ov SUNDAY. DECREE OF THE KING OF SPAIN. The scandalous excesses which preceded, accoml. panied, and followed, the establishment of the Demo cratical Constitution of Cadiz, in the month of March, 1820, have been made public, and known to all my sub bects. The most criminal treason, the most disgraceful aseness, the most horrible offences against my Royal person—these, coupled with violence, were the means employed to change essentially the paternal Govern ment of my kingdom into a democratical code, the fer tile source of disasters and misfortunes. My subjects, accustomed to live under wise and mo derate laws, and such as were conformable to their man ners and customs, and which, during so many ages, con stituted the welfare of their ancestors, soon gave public and universal proofs of their disapprobation and con tempt of the new Constitutional System. All classes of the State experienced the mischief's caused by the new institutions. Tyrannically governed, by virtue and in the name of the Constitution, secretly watched in all their private concerns, it was not possible to restore or der or justice; and they could not obey laws established by perfidy and treason, sustained by violence, and the source of the most dreadful disorders, of the most deso lating anarchy, and of universal calamity. The general voice Was heard from all sides against the tyrannical Constitution: it called for the cessation of a Code null in its orgin, illegal in its formation, and unjust in its principle; it called for the maintenance of the sacred religion of their ancestors, for the re-estab lishment of our fundamental laws, and for the preserva tion of my legitimate rights—rights which I have re ceived from my ancestors, and which my subjects have solemnly sworn to defend. This general cry of the na tion was not raised in vain. In all the provinces armed corps were formed, which leagued themselves against the soldiers of the Constitution: sometimes they were conquerors—sometimes they were conquered; but they always remained firm to the cause of religion and of the monarchy. Their enthusiasm in the defence of objects SO sacred never deserted them under the reverses of war; and preferring death to the sacrifice of those great benefits, my subjects convinced Europe, by their fidelity and their constancy, that although Spain nourished itr her bosom some unnatural children, the sons of rebel lion, the nation in general was religious, monarchical, and passionately devoted to its legitimate Sovereign. The whole of Europe—well aware of my captivity, and of that of all the Royal Family, of the deplorable situation of my loyal and faithful subjects, and of the pernicious doctrines which Spanish agents were disse minating on all sides—resolved to put an end to a state of things which constituted a reproach, and which me naced with destruction all thrones and all ancient insti tutions, in order to substitute impiety and profligacy. France, intrusted with so sacred an enterprise, has triumphed in a few months over the efforts of all the rebels of the world, collected, for the misery of Spain, upon her classic soil of fidelity and loyalty. My augest and well-beloved cousin, the Duke d'An goulemel at the head of a valiant army, a conqueror throughout all my teiritolies, has rescued me from the slavery in which 1 pined, and restored me to my con stant and faithful subjects. Replaced upon the throneof St. Ferdinaixj, bt ju•t and w ise hand of PROVIDENCE, as well ; as by the e netou, efforts of my noble allies, and the valiant enter prise of my cousin the Duke d'Angouleme and his brave army, de,iroirs of applying a remedy to the most press ing necessities of my people, and of manifesting to all my real will in this the first moment of my recovered liberty, I have authorized the following decree: Art. 1. All the acts of the Government called Constitutional (of whatever king and description they may he), a system which op pressed my people from the 7th of March, 1820, until the Ist of eetoher,lB23, are declared null and void, declaring as now de clare, that during the whole of that period I have been depriv :Hy liberty, obliged to sanction laws and authorize orders, decr and regulations, which the said Goveniment framed and executed, against nil will. 2. I approve of everything which has been decreed and ordered by the Provincial Junta of Government, and by the Regency, the cne created at Oyarzun, April 9, the other May 26, in the present year, waiting, meanwhile, until sufficiently informed as to the wants of my people, I may be able to bestow those laws, and adopt those sneasures,which shall be best calculated to secure their real prospe rity and welfare, the constant object of all my wishes. You may communicate this decree to all the Ministers. (Signed by the Royal hand.) Port St. Mary, Oct. 1. DON VICTOR SAEZ. FROM THE JOURNAL DES DEBATS. I'ORT ST. MARY, ocromilt The French Ambassador has presented his letters of credit to the King, and experienced a reception parti cularly gracious. To-morrow the King proceeds to Xeres: he will afterwards pass eight or ten days at Se ville, and thence will repair ti Madrid. Ills Majesty has retained provisionally the Minister of the Regency. He has just issued a decree, in which he declares, that being re-established in the plenitude of his Royal Pre rogatives, he desires that Cadiz and the Isle of Leon may to-morrow be placed under the command of the Duke of Angonleme. The .decree was sent to Cadiz this morning, and we do not yet know how it has been received 10. MADRID, OCTOBER 3. Don Victor Saez, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, writes, under date of the Ist of October, to Don Luis Salazar, Secretary of the Navy, as follows : " The King, our Seignor, has been pleased to direct, that I should transmit to you the following Decree : In order that the business of the kingdom may not be retarded during my residence here, I authorise you, as my first Secretary of State t, to transact all the business which may arise. You will act in concert with all the Secretaries of State, until I, the king, return to Madrid. 44 4 Gon preserve you, dtc.' " Dun Victor Saez charges Don Lour Salazar to in form the Regency, that the King has resumed the reins of Government, and that lie is very well satisfied with the zeal, the prudence, and the justice with which they have governed the nation in his Majesty's name. [The Journal des Debals has a long article, which commences by quoting a remarkable passage from the King of France's speech at the opening of the last Ses- sion of the Cirambet s, in which he said that Ferdinand should be free to give his people institutions, which they could only receive from him. The journalist observes that the Royal words are n•w accomplished. Eulogies are lavialfed on the conduct of the Duke of A ngouleme, and the following boast is made :—" The victories of the Revolution are not effaced ; but their recollection no longer exercises a dangerous influence. Other victories are interposed between the Throne of the Bourbons and the Usurper:l which our Private Correspondent alludes, is ho doubt. as he conjectures, from the pen of M. CHATRAURRIAND. It will be read with nearly as'great interest here as it bas been done in the French capital. Our Correspon dent mentions a curious fact with respect to the Decree of the KING of SPAIN, annulling all the acts of the Constitutional Government. It was not countersigned by any of his Ministers, but by his Confessor ! (PROM THE ItIONITEUR.)—OFFICIAL PART. PARIS, OCTOBER 12. At twelve o'clock this day, there was sung in the 1 1 Church at Notre Dame a solemn Te Deum, in token ofl gratitude for the happy deliverance of his Catholic Majesty the King of Spain, in presence of the King, the Princes and Princesses of the Royal Family and the blood. Salutes of artillery were fired at the departure of the King from Notre Dame, and on his arrival at the Tuilleries. At night the public edifices and private houses were illuminated. A letter from Port St. Marie, dated the 3d October, contains the following details: —" Our troops made their entry into Cadiz to-day. couriers have been dis patched to all the corps of the army with letters from the King of Spain, desiring them to lay down their arms. The King has set out for Seville, where he will remain some days before returning to Madrid. The militia had shut the gates, and refused to submit, but the King sent them a positive order to °pelf the gates to the French ; and on the 2d they sent word that they would receive the French garrison. Our squadron entered the port of Cadiz also to-day. Our land troops occupy the ports and eztelior forts, while the Spanish troops are evacuating the Isle of Cadiz, where our troops will enter to-mot row morning. A division of our troops has taken possession Of the Cortadura and the Isle of Leon, while another will en ter Cadiz. The communications are established between Cadiz and Port Saint 1114rie; a crowd of officers and curious people have set out to-day for that town. The war is finished. General Bourmont is named Governor of the troops in Andalusia. The King is at Xeres. He was not to take his depar ture for Seville till Monday, where he will sojourn for eight days, and then proceed to Madrid. He is accom panied by General Count Bourbon Basset. The Prince left on Monday, but his itinerary is not yet known. To morrow, without doubt, we shall know the march of the army. The King has ordered that the militia shall be dis armed and disbanded. They have orders to return to their hoiles, under pain of being considered as traitors and rebels. The Duke del Infantado will be Generalissimo of the whole of the Spanish army. EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM XERES, DATED OCT. 2. 41 The Duke of Angouleme snd the Prince of Carig nan, accompanied the King to the Te Deus,: of Thanks. giving, sung at Port St. Mary. At one o'clock the Marquis de Talaru was pre sented to the King, and at four o'clock the King set out from Port St. Mary, accompanied by the whole population of the town and country, who followed him as far as Alceza, where he arrived at six o'clock. The King will pass the night here. It is impossible to de scribe the delight of the inhabitants of Xeres. (FRONI TILE JOURNAL DES DERATS OF SUNDAY.) The King, in his Speech at the opening of the last Session, observed : " If that war is inevitable, I shall do all in my power to circum scribe its extent and limit its duration : it shall blundertaken but to obtain by conquest that peace which the state of Spain may ren der impossible. So that Ferdinand the Seventh may be at liberty to give his people those institutions'which they can only hold from him, and which in guaranteeing their repose may dissipate the just inquietude of France: from that moment hostilities shall cease. To this, Gentlemen, I now pledge myself in the most solemn manner." These Royal assurances are accomplished, and in spite of the reports which malice circulated, there has been no departure from the principle laid down by the King, so that even at the price of some concessions they might have terminated an undertaking so important to the safety of France and of all Europe. Tilt first hostile flag that the soldiers of legitimacy fell in with was the tri-coloured standard. The Spanish Revolution had taken this for its ensign and rallying point. It was the proclaimer of principles and victories whose existence was gane by. A single cannon-shot put an end to the imposture, and 30 years of illusion vanished into air. Then opened the prevent campaign, which, traced out on the' plan of the Duke d'Angouleme, was the admiration of men skilled in the military art. Catalonia has had its separate army, in which Generals Dumas, Donnadieu, Curial, d'Eroles, under the orders of an old Marshal of France, full of honour, 'displayed everything which activity,• patience, and courage could effect. In the mean. time the strong places of Navarre and Biscay were masked by Ge nerals Hohenlohe, Canuel, and d'Espagne. The provinces on this side of the Ebro being so occupied, two columns separated from the army—one under General Molitor, which commencing opera tions by the battle of Logrono, delivered Valencia and Murcia. from the revolutionary yoke, and forced Ballasteros to capitulate before Granada; the second, under General Bourke, put to flight the rebels of Astoria and Galicia, and compelled Morillo to make submission. In the centre of these columns, which, clearing the east and west coast of Spain, were destined to join under the walls of Cad* marched that column, which, under the immediate orders of the Prince Generalissimo, was to make its way by the shorter route to the last rampart of the Revolution. The Prince halted a moment M Madrid, organized a Government for Spain recognised by the Great Power, of the Continent, sent before him Generals Boor_ gent and Bourdesoulle, directed the movements of the divisions of Generals Bourke and Molitor, and whilst they attained their ob jects, he set out to carry by storm the fortress of the Trocadero, to bombard Cadiz, and force this city, deemed impregnable, to open its gates and yield up to him the Royal prisoner. A fresh reserve entered Spain suddenly, under the orders of Mar_ shat Lewiston, to take Pampeluna, direct its march on Lerida, and butyl the reduction of Catalonia, where Figueras fell into our hands by the brilliant affair of Lees • wherever necessity might require them. Thus, in siz molte n , the French army had advanced from the banks of the Bid a , soa to the Bay of Cadiz, touching on all the points of Spain, In this short space of time it had marched over many league s the hostile soil, fought battles, carried on sieges, took fortresses assault, and approached to stifle the Spanish revolution in its vet ( birth-place, in that insular situation inaccessible to the milker s power of Bonaparte. One of the last names which we see figt e on the field of battle for the cause of the Bourbons of Spain that of Larochejaquelin ; the Vendean blood has lost none of It % virtue on the plains of Estremadurv. It would be unjust to forget the part:which our rising marine 1 4 taken in these successes. By its blockade and the attack made ei Algeciras, ft occasioned the surrender of important places. 13 7 the taking of the fort of Santi Pelt% it opened the Isle of Le se, where it made preparations for the disembarkatiou of our soldiers. —Everything has been great, noble, and chivalrous in the deliver. ance of Spain. Legitimate France will preset ve for ever the glory of having interdicted Letters of Marque, of having been the first to re-establish on the sea the right of property, respected in all wars by land between civilized nations, and whose violation in maritime law is a remnant of the piracy of barbarous ages. Before our entry into Spain it was a question whether we existed, whether we had or had not an army, whe. - - titer it was faithful at a time when everything was done to corrupt it, whether a few battalions could with safety be collected together under their colours. It was necessary to end this state of uncertainty ; an occasion presented itself to settle this question. It was necessary to defend France from the moral contagion of the trot!. bles which agitated Spain. The experiment has been tried, and the same event which has delivered us from being revisited by revolution, has proved that Legiti macy has soldiers. If) Among the circumstanc hich signalise this event, there is one we particular wish to remark, as con nected with the political interests of our country. This is the fitst time since the commencement of the Mo narchy that France has wail war under a Constitu tional Government regularly organised, and the watch. ful eye of the Liberty of the Press. How many exclaimed at the opening of the campaign that it would be impos- sible to enter on this war without suspending public liberty ! How did they figure to themselves that such would have been the result of military operations under Bonaparte, if an active opposition should attack his successes or exaggerate his reverses ! Whilst we, lust escaped from a thirty years' revolution —we, a prey to. party spirit —we, menaced by a faction which felt itself vitally attacked—we have dared to undertake and con duct this war without silencing the expression of their opininhs. How ! The first time the white flag was displayed over a field of battle in an army whose fidelity it was their interest to calumniate, did the French Government dare to leave the Press free, when it had its power to en force a law for its suspension ? Was it not to be ex pected, that as this in effect has happened, that part of the Pi ess would go on to pervert facts, to question our victories, to invent defeats, to blame our plans, calum niate our intentions, sit in judgment on our Gene , als, scandalise the very principle of a just war, and make it self the champion of the enemy ? Admitted. Notwith standing all this a legitimate King braves.all these dan gers. He has no conscription to demand, no ambition projects to conceal. He was compelled to have re coin se to arms to sustain the rights of the Monarchy. This speaks aloud that no just law of exception was neces sary. France has proved, that with a Government firm and vigorous, the Constitutional Monarchy of Louis XVIII. can achieve triumphs as brilliant as the absolute Monarchy of Louis XIV. Two Revolutions, struck down by a single blow, the arms twice snatched from the hands of the factions— such are the immediate effects of a campaign of only six months. Other immense and incalculably great results for us originate in this event. To speak only of that which strikes every observer, our successes in Spain make our country rise in the military rack of the great nations of Europe and re-assure our independence. The victories of the period of the revolution are not effaced, but they no longer exercise over the memory a dangerous influence. Other victories now interpose themselves between the throne of the Bourbons and the Usurper. A particular character of order and modera tion, the character of legitimacy, has marked successes to which no painful sentiment is attached. It is observed that their object is to preserve, whilst that of the other period was to destroy everything. The French soldiery, who model themselves after their leader, have shewn .themselves religious, orderly, brave, and have reflected in each engagement the image and virtues of their Illustrious Chief. And such a Chief! " the heir of sixty-eight Kings, that Prince, who, schooled by adversity, will one day mount the Throne, and serve as an example to the child who is preserved as by a miracle to succeed him: that Prince, who, though or pressed by a revolution whose empire he went forth to overthrow, found in his breast, even in the midst of triumph,- only sentiments of generosity for the van quished, pity for the guilty—with one hand planting the standard of Victory, and with the other arresting her vengeance, and affording shelter to her victims. The attention of Europe has contemplated with asto.... nishment this new spectacle of an army, which has cod nothing to the' country which it has delivered, of an army in whose ranks all parties have sought a shelter, of an army which is about to retire after its conquests from that country, bringing back nothing, asking no thing but the affection of that people *horn it hai pre served ;—the spectacle of a Prince who will leave every where behind him a memory adored, and counsels of kindness and wisdom, which, please PROVIDENCip will not be lost upon its population. For it is altogether im possible that Heaven will permit human passions to break t llon Luis Salazar **ace of Victor P • The Telegraphic Dispatch of the Sd informs us, that on that day the F troops entered Cadiz. Thus Cadiz must have sur rendered without 3laiesty.-14 — ote — esteem, aC• justly . haatln the reduction of Catalonia, where Figueroa fell into our not De iost upon its popuratron. for it is aitogcau. dad ti T l :e F T e trt r phic m Dispatch of the U T Z:or= us, m that ua on t s h u a r ! Cadiz in even even to the first authors of the Constitutional hands by the brilliant affair of Lien and Llado ; Figueroa. Pain- rendered without conditions, and on the aim& order of his Catholic regime; and yet elsewhere we learn that Ratio is cos- possible that Heaven will permit human passions to hr disfigure blaiesty.—Note by the Editor of tbe Awned des Meats. . pelana, St. Sebastian, and Santana, by their capitulation, en- down or this immortal monument. denned—thatis, we sup pose, consigned to the executioner. larged the breech by which we had entered 'Spain, and disen-. t Don Luis Salazar bolds the portfolio of Foreign Affairs, in the Prince! object of public admiration and esteem, absence of Victor Saws. —The retrospect of the French crusade into Spain, to gaged from Woo° to sumo men , wLo were thus 'di., osed ceps that tribute of homage to which you are so Pr • THE EVENING STAR. LONDON. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1823. THE FUNDS. STOCK EXCHANGE. TWELVE O'CLOCK. In consequence of the Expresses from Paris this morning, which brought a great decline in Spanish Bonds in that Capital, consi derable panic and consternation took place in our Market. No other Stock was thought of, and all was bustle and confusion in the Spanish Market. Spanish Bonds opened at 334, 511, 3211, 2114, 29, 31,29,33, at which price they are at this hour. Unfortunately for the great holders of Spanish Bonds it is settling-day, and a great quan tity of the above article is to be delivered to-day. Consols opened at 83j, and, up to this hour, they are 83 to 4. FOREIGN FUNDS. Little doing this morning except in Spanish Bonds. The new PortUguese Loan is very heavy, and there are scarcely any buyers. A great number of failures are expected in this Market. Current Prices : New Spanish 25; Old Spanish 295; Colom bian 575; Russian 845; French Scrip 2 to 5; Poyais 145. • PRICE OF STOCKS AT ONE O'CLOCK. Bank Stock 225% ex. div. 3 per Cent. Reduced 82% 1 ,4 ex. div. S per Ct. Cons. 83 1 ,6 34-3 1 / 2 per Cts. 96 IA 3 / 8 ex. dir. 4 per Cent. Old 99%8 3'4 ex. div. 4 per Cents. New 103 3 4 3 / 8 I/ 2 Bank Long Ans. 20 15-16 21—India Bonds 735. 725. , Exchequer Bills (1:1,000) 40s. 41s. • - •, • • Ditto Small 40s. 42s.—Commercial 30s. Consols for Acct. 83% %. We are happy to learn that dispatches have been.re ceived by Government from Demerara, of the date of the 31st August, which completely confirm the satis factory but unofficial accounts which we yesterday laid before our Readers. It is true, as was stated, that on the first intimation re ceived by Major-General Muuttmt, the Governor, on' ' the 18th of August, of a probability of insurrectionary movements on the part of the Slaves in a particular dis trict, he hastened to the spot, accompanied by a small detachment of mounted militia, with the object, in the first instance, of securing a principal ringleader, which was accomplished. The Governor having attempted, by personal expos tulation with detached parties of the revolted Negroes, to deter them from their criminal enterprise, but without success, he felt it necessary to proclaith Martial Law, and to direct those military movements against the In surgents on the 19th and 20th of August, which, as our Readers have been apprised, were carried on with un interrupted success. On the 20th and 27.,1, the Governor issued the two Proclamations which we published yesterday, and on the 31st of August, the period when the dispatches were sent fiom the colony, the revolted slaves had all re tamed to their allegiance, surrendering their arms to the military authorities, with the exception of one bun ' dred negroes, who remained unaccounted for. The professed object of the insurgent's was " ditional Emancipation." The explanation disseminated throughout the colony that all measures of amelioration must entirely depend upon the good conduct of the slave population, had produced the most satisfactory impression. No accounts have been received of any Whites having been murdered in cold blood, although many were placed in the stocks, and others treated with personal indignity. The General Court-Martial continues sitting in George Town, for the trial of the leaders in the s e out ' lager, some of whom had been executed. The reports fiom Essequibo and the other parts of the Colony were satisfactory, and the militia had been called out to pro tect the fire-arms, which were collected in depots. We understand that it is the intention of Government to send out, immediately, reinforcements of troops to Dc marara, as also to all the other colonies,, respecting which apprehensions of similar disturbances are en tei tained. We publish to-day what is alleged to be a true copy of a Proclamation or Decree, issued by the King of SPAIN, declaring all the acts of the Constitutional Go vernment, from the 7th March, 1820, of whatever kind or description, null and vojd, including, of course, the Convention of the 12th of March, 1823, for the pay ment ache British claims.—We have little doubt of the authenticity of this document, but are far from sharing in the apprehension which some persons express, as to the influence it may have on. the amicable relations between this country and Spain. A learned Civilian has been at the pains, in his Pa per of this morning, to prove from Vattel, that by the Law of Nations no such treaty as the Conven tion in question can be substantially affected by the internal revolutions of a country. He advances what is more to the point, when he observes, that if our Treaty " had been unjust we would not have made it; and having made it we shall not suffa it to be violated." The King of SPAIN, although he may, for form's sake, annul the Treaty as the act of the Constitutional Go vernment, will, of course, immediately adopt it of new as his own Royal act and deed, and thus remove all cause of quarrel between his MAJESTY and Great Britain. EXPRESS FROM PARIS. We have received to-day, by Express, the Paris Papers of Monday and Tuesday, from which we have extracted a mass of additional and very interesting in formation respecting the winding up of the Spanish Tragedy or Farce—we scarcely know which to call it. The King of SPAIN, it will be seen, has, according to Cadiz accounts, proclaimed a general amnesty, extend ing even to the first authors of the Constitutional S! h IN M