The National Register. — London, England, 1821-11-19 00:00:00

:;!.* I atio nM rt isittr• I . i t t .e - i 1 . 1 ' , : 1 * II - Our Ding, ConiStitution, anti Uai)36. lIONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1821. Plum 94d. No. 1,342.—V0L. XIV.] • " The public papers of Lima which 1 have seen in the house of Col. Pereira, contain a representation from the Secular Chapter to the Viceroy, describing the evils with which the capital is threatened by the destructive war carrying on. It dwells on the devastation of the country to the extent of 25 leagues in circumference ; the division of public opinion ; the discontent of the natives in consequence of the scarcity ; and the necessity of coming to an under standing with the besieging tbrce, by which alo his Excellency could preserve his authority. Thy' result of this representation is not known. There is also in these papers a letter signed by a military officer, pointing out to Lacerna the resources of which he might avail himself, and stating plans of defence. The writer calls loudly for the combat, and instigates a vigorous resistance. What may have been done in consequence of this energetic ex• position is not yet known. " According to the letter of Guido, which I have seen, written on board the frigate Cleopatra, in C.►l lao, where the deputies of both parties are assem bled, L. K. says that they would again resort to arms, but that Lima must surrender ►n consequence of the division among the authorities, the discontent of the natives, the forces with which it is surround ed, and its being deprived of all support. D. Q. E., who also writes from Callao to the English com mander, states that Lacerna had assured hint, in the vessel which he then was, that in consequence of the divisions in Lima, and the want of aid, no other re source was left but that of making an arrangement beneficial to both the contending parties. The Cap tain of the English frigate arrived at Valparaiso fur ther adds, that the longest period which Lima can hold out is one month, or at most two, for the peo ple proclaim their dissatisfaction, the military chiefs are divided, and the troops of Lima are deserting daily to the invading army." found, and among these melancholy remains were in one dungeon, fragments of the garments of a monk and his girdle. In some of these dungeons the chimney-shaped air-hole was walled up, which is a certain sign of the murder of the prisoner.—ln such easia the unfortunate victim was compelled to go into the air-hole, the lower estiemity of which was immediately closed by masonry. Quick lime w lt. afterwards thrown down on him, which extin life ani destroyed the body. In several of dens of misery mattresses wore found some old, others almost new,—a circumstance which proves, whatever may be said to the contrary, that the Inquisition in these latter times was something more than a scarecrow. The ground on which this palace of Cie Inquisition stands was covered with private houses before 1755, whence it is plain that the victims who have suffered here must all have been sacrificed within less than sixty years. Besides the dungeons which the people have already visited, there are subterraneous vaults which have not vet been opened. CAVI'LL 'E OP LIMA. INCEAT St, By the Goal Intent, arrived in the Downs, letters and papers to the sth of Sept. have been receive from Buenos Ayres, communicating the important intelligence of the fall of Lima. The following are extracts from private letters received by that eon. veyance:— " BotNOS MIRES, SEAT. 2.-I have hardly time to acquaint you with the glorious news of the capture of Limn by Gen. San Martin. " The official accounts are not yet arrived, in con sequence of a heavy fall of snow in the Andes just after the express had passed. " The capture of Lima by force of arms being announced, may create some al i vm to persons in terested in that city : 4 ought, however, to be ob served, that Lima is not a fortress likely to be taken by assault ; but that it is much more probable that tit,: obstinacy of the Spanish authorities forced Gen. San Martin to approach Lima, when a last attempt would be made by the troops remaining under the banners of the Viceroy, to repel- the Chilian army: this having failed, the latter would march into the city without resistance and without a previous capi tulation. It is, however, to be hoped that strict discipline was observed, as the great mass of the po pulation of Lima would receive the Chilians as fr;ends and liberators; and as it always had been the object ()l i the Government of Chili, and of Gen. San Martin, to preserve Lima front a violent transition to independence, and from the commotions attendant on a temporary suspension of law and policy in a town in which the lower classes arc dreaded by the wealthy." " BUENOS ArRES, SEPT. 4.—On the 2d inst. we received the important intelligence of the cap ture of Lima by the forces of Gen. San Martin, by a letter from Santiago de Chili, dated tali August ; and although the details have nut yet arrived, still no doebt is entertained of the tact from the previous well-known distres s ed state they were in from want of provisions, the divisions that existed, and from San Martin having refused to prolong the armistice. The ofh.ial rhiails are hourly expected; the Mar, will sail for Liverpool in the course of the week, and by that time we probably shall have the fullest in formation." fidlowing extract from a Buenos Ayres Gazette of the t29th of August, conveys some inter. esting details of the previous state of Lima, which acquire additional value, in the absence of the official account, from the increased probability they give to its actual surrender. In a question involving corn- Inertial interests of such high importance, too much caution cannot be exercised in forming a correct judgment of the real situation of Asks:— " SANTIAGO DE CUM, JULY 17.—1 n consequence of the arrival of the English frigate commanded by Capt. Spencer, at Valparaiso. we learn by an extra ordinary courier, who arrived here on the 15th, at seven at night, the following news, which is con firmed by the papers published at Lima, and by private letters, viz.—That by virtue of the armistice concluded between the Viceroy Laterna end Genorai San Martin, prolonged fur nine days more, the fin-- mcr proposes to the latter that all the towns which are now in the power of the army of Chili shall remain under the command of General San Martin ; that Lima shall continue in its present situation ytithout any change in its government ; that both parties shall name their respective deputies, who shall proceed to Spain to obtain the ratification of independence, for which purpose there shall be an amnesty fur the space of 18 months, reckoning from the date of its conclusion ; the fortress of Callao, of which San Martin's Llama have obtained possession, remaining a pledge until the return of the said de puties; trade and communications to be in the mean time free. That San Martin, who did not agree to these propositions, demanded the surrender of the capital, upon which being clone, he would allow a tree communication, and wait for the determination of the deputies who were to go to Spain ; that during the time of the negotiations, San Martin had permitted the necessary provisions to cuter Lima ; that his troops were advancing from soma points which they occupied upon the capital with the design o f besieging it more . closely.. THE LISBOY INQUISITION. LISBON, OCT. 24.—0 n the Bth of October the Palace of the Holy.office was opened to the people. —The number which crowded to see it during the four first days rendered it extremely difficult and even dangerous to attempt an entrance. The edifice is extensive, and has the form of an oblong square, with a garden in the middle. It is three stories high, and has several vaulted galleries, along which are situated a number of dungeons, of six, seven, eight, and nine feet square. Those on the ground ;lour and in the first story, having no windows, are deprived of both air and light when the door is shut. —The dungeons of the next story have a kind of breathing hole in the form of a chimney, through which the sky may be seen. These apartments were allotted to prisoners who, it was supposed, might be set at liberty. In the vaulted wall of each dungeon there is a hole of about an inch in diameter, which communicates with a secret corridor running along by each tier of' dungeons. By this means the agents of the Inquisition could at any moment ob ser% c the coaduct of the prisoners without being seen by them ; and whets two persons were confined in the slum: dungeon could hear their conversation.— In these corridors were sAtts so placed, that a spy could observe what was passing in two dungeons, by merely turning his eyes from right to left in order to look into either of the holes between which he might be stationed. The spies wore list shoes that they might make no noise in walking over the vaults of the dungeons. A familiar of the Inquisi tion was often shut up in the tame dungeon with a prisoner from whom it was wished to draw con feasitins to be used afterwards against him. Human skulls and other bones have been found in several of the dungeons. On the walls of these frightful holes are carved the names of some of the unfortu nate victims buried in them, accompanied with lines or notches, indicating the number of days of their captivity. One name has beside it the date 1809, and SOO lines, which marks a confinement of more than twelve months, terminated probably by the execution of the prisoner. The doors of certain dungeons which had not been used for some years still remained shut, but the people soon forced them open. In nearly all of them human bones were A French journal gives the following intelligence in a letter from Madrid, dated Nov. 1. The M.,- drid papers of the same dat do not mention the affairs— ,' Au extraordinary courier w this. day received by the Government (tom Saragossa. He brings information thst fur smite time past the cries of . Riego for ever' 114.1 been heard in the public promenades and the theatres cf that city. Songs in honour of the General had been sung in all the public places, and regret fur his removal from office was loudly expressed. The authorities tried in vain, by a proclamation, and some measures of severity, to repress the manifestati n of these sentiments : tkese measures served only t o rritate. On the 2stli of I,:q month the acclamations n favour of Riego recommetsci .1 with more activity than ever. It appears that the Polit.- cal Chief, Illoreda, took a wrong comae far re-establishing ' tranquillity. The coridnet of his agents excited a com motion in which three persons were wounded, and two arrested. Next day the milit#assembled in the politic square with a piece of artillery. This hostile attitude had for its object to obtain reparation Mr an insult given on the preceding evening to one of the members of the COI ps. A deputation was sent to the Municipality to demand the dismissal of the Political Chief, Moreda, and the arrest or several persons wino, during the preceding days, had *loused their powers. The Municipality did nut think lit to refuse this demand, and the Political Government was given provisionally to the Intendant Queratto. General Amer at the same time assumed the military command. During the whole of this time the militia preserved order In the town, and the troops of the line took no part in these movements. No misfortune has occurred. On the same evening Oen. Alava art iveil to take possession of his government, but he set out again next day. The courier who has hroticht this news preceded him. At the moment of his departure perfect tranquillity prevailed in Sip a gosta." Extract of a letter from Marseilles,dated October 29, 1821 :—" I have been obliged to return hither without setting my foot on shore at Naples. So great an alarm had gone abroad as to the yellow Lever being set Marseilles, that the Office of Health at Naples hail forbidden any ship from this port to enter their harbour ; and we were peremptorily ordered out of the Bay, without having any com munication with land or vessel. The voyage, espe cially- in coining back, has been a very wretched ' one: adverse winds, tempests, heavy gales, rough sea, short allowance of bad provisions, and all kinds of frightful things, thinking sometim:s we should be driven upon Spain, and sometimes upon lfarbarv, and just now I know not which would have been the worst." ) A meeting took place lately at Paris betwem Norton, attended by G. Ferguson, and Lieut.- Hunter, of the grenadier guards, attended by Wt. - 4 Gronow, of the same regiment. The parties wekto fire by signal; Air. Norton fired witl.olt • which Lieut.-Col. Hunter dischar, ; ed his pistol the air. Upon this the seconds put a stop th !'s k further proceedings, conceiving thc result to been perfectly satisfactory to Mr. Norton's honour, and equally so to the honour of Lieut.-Col. Huuter. There is a regulation in the army, that if officers do not pay their legal (fats, they are liabl: to be cashired. The same regulation should ex:end :o every person holding a civil office under govern ment, particularly tviiere persons have largo sala-48i, and refuse to pay their debts, NV hid' many tradviatien would rather lose than invelve tin:nisi:Ave:tin law. -~ ! '4 ,i , ~~' t„ 1