The National Register. — London, England, 1811-11-17 00:00:00

tempt will be made against Gen. Ballasteros, the first having been frustrated. VALENCIA D'ALCANTARA. OCT.I3.—At this moment (nine at night) we learn that our cavalry, which was at Caceres, has fallen back to Brozas, at the appearance of 3000 of the enemy's infantry, with 1000 horse and three pieces of cannon advancing towards these head-quarters. VALENCIA D'ALCANTARA, OCT.. 10.--Jose Pedrazuela, a native of Brunete, and late a resident at Madrid, was yesterday executed, for having arrogated the office of Royal Commis sioner, and condemned thirteen persons to barbrous deaths, without authority or trial. His wife, a native of Madrid, also suffered the punishment of strangulation, as an accomplice in the horrible crimes of her husband. The trial of these criminals, which took place on the 7th, excited a great deal of interest in the inhabitants of this city. At nine in the morning a Court martial, appointed by the General in Chief of the fifth army, was held in the Town-hall, which was also attended by a con course of the principal people of this kingdom. The crimes proved against Pedrazuela were, thirteen assassinations, perpe trated by him under the assumed title of Royal Commissioner from our Government. Scarcely had he announced himself in that character, in the town of Ladroon, when he was blindly obeyed by the guerilla parties of the district, and by its inhabi tants. He began his functions by condemning the first three prisoners that were brought before him, without a hearing, with out examination, or cognizance of their crimes. These had their throats cut with a razor; and the'rest except one who was shot, were knocked on the head with the but-end of a musket. These barbarous scenes were perpetrated at night; and though the exe cutioners alone were witnesses, yet they excited more general terror than any legitimate punishments. It was commonly re ported, that Pedrazuela had sacrificed more than sixty victims in this way, during a period of three months : and the inhabit ants endangered their lives by breathing even a whisper against the despotic will of the Royal Commissary. This man figured like a little Sovereign; and under the mask of patriotism, con cealed designs which the sword of Justice has cut short in their origin. His wife participated in all his brutal atrocities; and some of the witnesses represented her as even more hateful than her husband. The sentence of the Court was, that Pedrazuela should be hanged, dm:int, and quartered; and that his wiji: should be strangled. of the system of supplies ' the order of march, cantonments, and every thing connected with active service. " 2d. The Cadets shall daily attend the military academy, in order to be instructed as speedily as possible in the rudiments of the theory of war. " 3d. That every day the corps of troops shall be drilled and manoeuvred; and their arms, accoutrements, and uniforms in. spected. " 4th. That military discipline, the only means of the pre servation of an army, be observed with the greatest severity. 61 sth. Thatthe Military Commission take care that the most speedy dispatch be given to trials by Court-martial, and the sen tences be carried into effect without the least delay. " 6th. As, in order to triumph in this formidable contest, it is necessary that every one should be devoted to war, and that even boys should acquire a taste for arms, an abstract of the military regulations shall be printed and distributed in the schools, that the boys may be familiarised with them, and that invalid serjeants be employed,in teaching then . % the manual ex ercise. For this purpose they are to be assembled every Thurs day in a certain spot, in order that the idea may be deeply en. graved on their tender minds, that they are the hopes of their country; and that to serve it, to defend its rights, and to ame liorate the fate of their posterity, their constant motto must he —Honour and Discipline. (Signed) * 6 JUAN JOSE PASSO, Secretary. Buenos Ayres, Sept. 6, 1811.- THE NATIONAL REGIST , 4•Ai 3~-.------~~--~. ~~~~ SOUTH AMERICA. DECREE OP THE PROVISIONAL JUNTA OF THE UNITED PROVINCES OF THE RIVER PLATA, IN THE NAME OF FERDINAND VII. 1. That henceforth, in all time coming, the Tribute which the Indians paid to the Crown of Spain shall be abolished in all the districts of the provinces united to the existing Government of the River Plata. 2. That in order to give all due effect to the present resolu tion, it shall be published in all the chit f towns and villages of the provinces of the interior; and that all exaction of the said Tribute shall henceforth cease. For which purpose, they will cause a sufficient number of copies to be printed in Spanish and Quichua, to be sent to the Provincial Juntas and other Magis trates, who shall attend to the same. (Signed) JUAN PASSO, Sec. Buenos Ayres, Sept. 1. The Junta have published General Orders, dated Stpt. 6, of which the following are extracs :- 6• We cannot dissemble it ; our situation is dangerous. Since the defeat of our troops on the I)esaguadero, the execrable par ricide Goyoneche has occupied La Paz ; and is endeavouring again to 'subject the people despoiled of their rights to the yoke of their oppressors. Infamous Minister of arbitrary power ! he is not ashamed to have recourse to violence, iu order to esta blish despotism on the ruins of his country. " The country, then, is in danger; and till it is saved, war must be the principal object to which the attention of Govern ment is directed. The warlike virtues shall be the road to dis tinction, honour, and dignity. The troops shall be under the most severe discipline—their only relaxation shall be in a change of military occupation. All the citizens are born soldiers, and shall receive from their infancy an education conformable to their destinatiou. The field of Mars shall be the public school where the young men shall go through their apprenticeship, and procure for themselves robust constitutions. The cities shall present only the image of war. In fine, every citizen shall look upon his arms as forming part of himself, and war as his natu ral state." The Junta have therefore adopted the following Resolutions : " Ist. A Committee of War shall be appointed, which shall inspect the arming and equipment of the troops, carry into effect plans for the improvement of the organization of troops, ..~.:~ EAST INDIES. Foar WILLIAM, NI A a cs.i.2.—The Vice-President in Coun cil has had under his consideration the Proceedings of a Court of Inquiry which has been instituted fur the purpose of investi gating the circumstances of a duel which occurred at Barratut, on the evening of the 27th of February last, between two Cadets attached to that Institution. It appearing most clearly, from the evidence, that Mr. John Robertson was the aggrevor, and his offence having been petit liarly aggravated by the unparalleled solicitude which he evinced to take the life of his opponent, even atter he had relinquished his arms, his Excellency the Vice-1 resident in Council, as a sig nal mark of the enormity Lof his crime, and as a salutary warn ing to others, is pleased to direct, in conformity. to the Resolu tion a Government, under date the COI of May, 180, on the subject of duels :it Barra.ut, that Mr. John Robertson be sus pended from the service of the lionourable Company, until the pleasure of the honourable the Court of Directors shall be known ; and that he be required to proceed to England onboard of the Honourable Coinp:.ny's ship Cit.,. of I .oihlon. • . ,scuri.AND. EDINBURGO, Nuv. 10.—Early yesterday morning the upper part of the Exchequer Charnimr, was disc.tvered to be on fire. On the first alarm, the engines beloriEhig to the different offices, aid also the city engines, ref aired to the spot. At five in the morn ing the conflagration presented an awful s r ectacle, and, to a distant beholder, frotu the South, it seemet as if the whole of Parliament-square had 1)-41 in ore blaze. The exertion. of the firemen were somewhat impeded by the heiitlat of the buildings ; so that it was nearly seven o'clo:4: before they were able to stein the fury of the flames. At that time the roof of that part of the building where the tire began gave way ; and about nine o'clock, the fire was completely got under. Great praise is due to the unexampled exertions of those who wrought the engines, and to several persons who volunteered their assistance. Every obstacle arising from the shoat it )tt of the fire was overcome by the surprising zeal of some individuals, who mounted up, re gardless of the hazard, to the ino,n comminuting stations, and from thence directed the tontine-pip. s with the greatest cool ness and Intrepidity, and with such effect, that the fire began visibly to abate. It was fortunate that the weather was calm, for had there been a strong gale of wind, the flames might have spread to the adjacent buildings, viz. the rarliament House un the West, and the Bank of Sir W. Forbes and Co. on the south-east. These, however, we have the satisfaction to state, have escaped without any injury. During the continuance of the fire, a number of people were employed in removing the books and papers from the different offices in the Exchequer, and lodging them in the Old Church. The cause of the accident is variously stated ; we therefore for bear to give the accounts which have reached us. The Lord Provost, Magistrate, the Judge of Police, and the Illgh Constables, ware very early in ao endance, under whose superintendance every thing was manager, with grest order. and regularity. A large party of soldiers trom th Castle also attended ) and were of essicnt.sl service in keeping off the crowd. 'T .-t.:41;