The National Register. — London, England, 1821-02-04 00:00:00

~'r^-'°' CIRCULAR DESPATCH ro HIS iiAJEATE'S 111%.510.V.v Al' lORRION munrs, (Laid before the two Houses of Parliament in pursuance of an Address to his Majesty. Feb. 1•21.) Foreign Olfee, Jan. 19, lett. 111•.—I should not have felt it necessary to have made any communication to you, in the present state of the discussions begun at Troppau, and transferred to Laybach, had it not been for a circular communication which has been addressed by fhe Courts of Austria, Prussia, suet Russia, to their several NI issions, and which his Majesty's Government conceive, if not adverted to, might (however unintentionally) convey, up the subject therein alluded to, very erroneous impressions of the past, as well as of the present, sentiments of the British Government. It has become, therefore, necessary to inform you that the King has felt himself obliged to decline becoming a party to the mea sures in question. These measures embrace two distinct objects : la, The establishment of certain general principles for the regulation of the future political conduct of the Allies in the eased therein described. filly, The proposed mode of dealing, under these principles, with the existing affairs of Naples. The system of measures proposed under the former head, if to be reciprocally acted upon, would be in direct repugnance to the fundamental laws of this country. But even if this decisive objection dial not exist, the British Government would nevertheless regard the principles on which these measures rest, to be such us could not be safely admitted as a system of international law.— They arc of opinion that their adoption would inevitably sanction and, in the hands of less beneficent monarchs, might hereafter lead to a much more frequent and extensive interference in the internal transactions of States, than they are peruaded is intended by the stigma parties from whom they proceed, or can be neon aled either with the general interest, or with the efficient autho rity and dignity of independent Sovereigns. Trey do nut regard the alliance as entitled, under existing treaties, to assunie, in their character as allies, any such general powers, nor do they conceive that such extraor dinary power could be assumed, in virtue of any fresh diplomatic transactions among the Allied Courts, without their either attributing to themselves a supremacy Incompatible with the rights of other states, or, if to be acquired through this special accession of such States, without introducing • federative system in Europe, not only unwieldy and ineffectual to its object, but leading to many most serious inconveniences. With respect to the particular case of Naples, the British Government, at the %cry earliest moment, did not hesitate to express their strong disapprobation of thc male and c4cumstances under which that revolution was understood to have been effected .—but they, at the same time, expressly declared to the several Allied Courts that tNey should not consider themselves as either called upon, or justified to advise an interference on the part of this country; they fully admitted, however, that European States and especially Austria and the Italian Powers, might feel themselves differently circumstanced; and they professed that it was not their purpose to prejudge the question, as it might affect than, or to interfere with the course which such States might think fit to adopt, wilt a view to their own security, provided only that they were ready to give every reasonable assurance that their views were not directed to purse: of eggranditement, subversive of the territorial system of Europe, as eetablished by the late treaties.. . . . . Upon these principles the conduct of his Majesty's Government with regard to the Neapolitan question has been, from the that moment, uniformly regulated; and copies of the successive instruction sent to the Briush Geveinnient at Naples for their guidance have been, from time to time, transmitted for the information of the Allied Governments. With regard to the expectation which is expressed in the circular above alluded to, of the assent of the Courts of London and Paris to the more general measures proposed for their adoption, founded, as it IS alleged, upon existing treaties; in justification of its own consistency and good faith, the British Government. in withholding such assent, must protest against any such interpretation being put upon the treaties in question, as is therein assumed. They have never understood these treaties to impose any such obligations; and they base, on various occasions, both in Parlia ment and in their intercourse with the Allied Governments, distinctly maintained the negative of such a proposition. That they have ailed with all possible explicitness upon this subject, would at once appear from reference to the deliberations at Paris, in 1813; previous to the conclusion of the Treaty of Alliance-, at Aix la Chapelle, in 1818, and subsequently in certain discus sions which took place in the course of the last year. After having removed the misconception to which the passage of the circular in question, if passed over in silence, might give countenance. and having stated, in general terms, without, however, entering into the argument, the dissent of his Majesty's Government from the general principle upon which the circular in question is founded, it should be clearly understood, that no Goverunient can be more prepared than the British Government is to uphold the rights of any State or States to interface where their own immediate security or essential interests arc seriously endangered by the internal transactions of any other State. But as they regard the assumption of such right as only to be justified by the strongest necessity, and to be limited and regulated thereby, they cannot admit that this right can receive a general and indiscriminate application to all revolutionary movements, without references to their immediate bearing upon some parti attar State or States, or be made prospectively the basis of an alliance. They regard its exercise as an exception to general principles, of the greatest value and importance, and as one that only properly grows out of the circumstances of the special case; but they at the same time consider, that exceptions of this description never Call,without the utmost danger, be so far reduced to rule, as to be reduced into the ordinary diplomacy of States, "or into the institutes of the law of nations. As it appears that certain of the Ministers of the three Courts have already communicated this circular dispatch to the Courts to which they are accredited, I leave it to your discre tion to make a corresponding communication on the part of your Government, regulating your language in conformity to the principles laid down in the present dispatch. You will take Care horever, in making such communication, to do justice, in the name of your Government, to the put ity of intention, which has no doubt actuated the-e august Courts in the adoption of the comae of measures which they are pursuing. The difference of sentiment wine!' prevails between them and the Court of 1 idon on this mater, you may declare, can make no alteration whatever in the cordiality arid harmony of the alliance on any other subject, or abate their common zeal in giving the most complete effect to all their existing engagements. I am, ox. (Signed) CASTLEREAGH. COLONIAL INTELLIGENCE. The following are extracts of letters received by the Leeward island packet : •• ANGOSTURA, Nov. 17, 18.20.—What irritates the GI-nem:nein, arid has deteininied thew riot to receive any wore foreign officers, in a serious dispute between tine wheers ot tot Bintsli Lei.:1011 Al the Avure. All or must of t h e young ollicent r.lissed in be under the eons. 111A11.1 Of Ltll. BitlSSel. Several otf,itove papers were signe.l by tome: and the officers being in disorder, it WAS motorail the linen would tol'on , no. t Lonple. ,'duel di.codnol po:vaded lot slims nL s , unul at :t 1%111 SOtily r-•-•••••• _ - THE NATIONAL REGISTER of the ine.! who were under arms rushed to Cul. Bios sett's quarters and stabbed Lieut. Col. Davey in several places; hut he will, however;itcover. Gen. V4ez . itroosed : he ordered all him line, and selected two officers, two sergeants, two corporals, and two privates —a!l of whom (except one, a Mr. Hedgskinson, whom he sent down here under airest) he had shot on the sprat, which had the desired effect, and the nekt day the whole army marched limn Achagms to join the Supreme Chief. The officer shot was a Captain Bedesdale,a %cry fine, hut inconsiderate vomit: Mal." ° MARGARET - I'A, I)ec. in.—The accounts from the Main become every day more interestiug, and confirm tile hope of a speedy termination to the war favourable •to the independence of Columbia. We have had lately desp..tches from Col. Mottz, military commandant in the East, which lead us to expect that, ere long, the entire province of Cumana will be in our possession.— Gutman°, Cumanacoa, and Catiaco, are all held by the patriots. On the 9th eighty prisoners arrived from the former place, twelye European officers also. All are marched to Norte to this evening; how they are to he • disposed of I know not. I'r'e know full well, was the Case reversed, how our friends wmi id fire in the handi of the Spaniards. Supplies of arms and ammunition have been despatched :o General Bermudez, who commands the army of the East: the occupation of the places I have named, and desertion, have materially added to his force. As soon as they reach him, he will proceed to Caraccas, while Generals Bolivar and Matz advance from the West and :40oth. By a Fire bound from La Guira to St. Thomas's, we learn that Morillo has drained the fortress as well as the capital of every man he could take away. In La Guira he had left scarcely a garrison—the capital was nearly deserie.l. " The election of five members, to represent this island at the general congress of Cotimi!na at Cucuta is over: Gen. iMarino and Mac Greaor have been elected as two of them." FRENCH PAPER,S% PARIS, J.N. 45.—Letters from Vienna of the 13th say that the King of Prussia has nut been able to undertake the journey to Laybach, on account of a slight indisposition, but that his arrival at the Congress will be delayed only a few days. Ps am, JAN. 27.—His Majesty heard mass in his apartments. He afterwards gave a private audience to the Bishop of Soissons and M. le Comte Parton neaux, Comtnander of the let division of the Royal Guard. The Duke de Richelieu waited upon the King at eleven o'clock. At three quarters of an hour past four o'clock this day, a very loud explosion was heard in the Chateau des Tuileries. It was immediately discovered to have proceeded from a small barrel of gunpowder which had been placed behind a wooden box upon the landing place of one of the staircases of the chateau. Several doors and many squares of glass were broken. The Prefect de Police, the Frocureur General, and the Premier Avocat General, the King's Procureur General and his Deputy, repaired immediately to the spot, and began their examina tions in order to discover the au:hors of this daring attempt. On Thursday, at ten o'clock at night, at the mo ment when the carriage of his Royal Highness the Duke d'Angouleme, in which he was returning from Compiegne, had turned out of the rue de Richelieu, and was entering that of St. Honore, a petard exploded at a small distance from his Royal Highness's carriage. Fortunately it struck no one, but the report was so loud that many persons quitted their shops to enquire the cause of it. It could not be discovered from whence the petard had been thrown Advices from Vienna of the 15th state—" We are assured that Lord Stewart has presented a note to Prince Nletternich and Count Capo d'lstra of the highest importance. The Ambassador has received distinguished marks of the approbation of his Court, which formally contradicted the reports respecting :lint that were in circulation. Some Neapolitan journals have published an ex tract of a letter from M. de Gallo, written from Florence the 25th December, in which he says, that as far as he can at present form an opinion, there is reason to believe that the Sovereigns will, in the affairs of Naples, employ means of conciliation in preference to violent measures. He adds, that the Austrian army is very considerable, and strengthened with an immense artillery.° NAPLES, JAN. 9.—We 'nave already made known the encouragement which we have received from various part.:: of Europe, either by political writings, or by plans of campaigns for the defence of our ter ritory. Offers of another description have been made to us from England. A private individual of that kingdom, Mr. Davin, has written, mentioning that he is ready to furnish at a reasonable price, and payable in two years, seven vessels of war, provided with necessaries and munitions, and ready to receive men and provisions. Another Englishman, Lieutenant-Colonel ltyves, Assistant Quarter Nla,tur General, offers to raise ai:d bring to Nap!c.: la.fsire three months, a corps of auxiliary English troops, composed of three squad rools of hussars, two companies of horse artillery, ten companies of infantry, and six companies of foot chasseurs—in all 2,000 men, equipped and armed, and ready to engage for three years, or longer, if required. who will be selected from the soldiers dis.. charged at the time of the peace. We du not know whether our Government will accept, of these offers. JAN 12.—Yesterday the King's Birth-day, and that of Prince Ferdinand, the eldest son of the Prince Regent, were celebrated by a festival. All the Neapolitans took part in it most enthusiastically. In the afternoon a deputation of the Parliament waited upon his Royal Highness with the wishes of the National Representatives. M. Ascovita presented, for the Royal sanction, the project of law abolishing feudality. The Prince said. in reply, that fie would hasten to sanction it. VIENNA, JAN. appears that the stay of the Emperor and Empress at Laybach will be of long duration, since their suite has latterly been considerably angmented; and that many persona have received orders to join them at Laybach .--.• Others expect to receive similar orders. The two French Ministers who were at Troppan are now at Laybach. M. Gentz has been tin- some (lays at Laybach. SOUTH AMERICA. The Gazette de Caraccas of the 6th of December, says . . •' Yesterday, at three in the evening, the artillery and bells of all the churches in this capital announced to the public one of the most memorable affairs which have happened in Venezuela. An officer of Hussars is just arrived from Cuache (having come in five days and a half this enormous distance) with despatches from his Excellency the General in Chief, and the terms of au armistice and regulations concerning the troops, con cluded between our Commissioners and those of General Simon Bolivar, and ratified by boils Generals. " The armistice is for the space of six month•, and states a desire of the Governments of Spain and Cul . Will to settle the discords which exist between both eosin tiles. 'the troops are to remain in possession of their actual positions, setting forth the limits in a particular manner. The armistice consists of 13 articles, is dated at Troxillo, and was signed on the Y9th of November, at tell at night. " A ptivate letter from a British resident informs us that there is every pi °sped of an immediate peace, and that the official order of the Mill/ Government, declar ing certain ports in a state of blockade, will be speedily revoked. '• This packet hriugs information of an armistice be mien' the contending armies in Venezuela." SURREY COUNTY AIEETINO. On Friday a Meeting of the Noblemen, Gentlemen, Clergy, and Freeholders of the County of Surrey, was held at the Spread Eagle, Epsom for the purpose of taking into consideration the propriety of petitioning both Houses of Parliament to put an end to the pro ceedings against her Majesty, and also to restore her name to the Liturgy, Tue meeting was convened by the High Sheriff tat the County, who took ate Cnair at one o'clock. There were present the Earl 01 - fhanet, Lord King, Lord Ellenhorough, the County Members (Messrs. Home Sumner and Denison,) Sir W. De Cres pigney, Mr. Bennett, M. P. and a large body of distin guished public cli •racters. Lord KING commenced the business of the day by reviewing the !ate disgraceful proceedings which had been carried on against her Majesty, and censuring, in in the stronBest terms, the condliet of his Majesty's mi nisters respecting them. lie coincided in opium,' with those who thought the people should !fleet and express their 6CIIIIIIIeMS to PJIII.IIIICIa, not only respecting the past, but prospectively as to the future. S.:sit:rat other gentlemen declared meir stintiments to be in unison with those of the Noble Lord Lord ELLENBOROUGH, ill all able sperch,commented upon the conduct of MM sters, and admitted that they had not the benefit of public confidence. We lament that our limits prevent us Irvin giving all outline of his eloquent speech, in the course of which he said, that he should, in his place in the Hume of Peers, say that this meeting was nmst respectably attended and c. n ducted, and was in ,st certamly ,tot a ,farce.—(Great applause.) Sir ‘Vst. De CRESPIONEY and the County Members also spoke i and Mr. Hume Sumner was severely handled for his late speecn in Parliament against the Queen. The tmetttig broke up at five o'clock, alter agreeing to the petitions to both Houses of Parliament, and r,- jecting by a very large majority an amendment of Mr. Trottet's, that the meeting do adjourn. Samuel Rogers, a distributor of the Bath Chro nicle, was attacked on Wednesday evening, about eight o'clock, between Bradford and Trowbridge, by a man who demanded his money, and threatened his life. Rogers struck him on the knees with his stick, and just as the fellow was levelling a blow at him; the villain fell—Rogers, fearing others were near, hastened into Trowbridge, and procured assistance ; on his return the fellow had escaped, but tracts of blood were perceived fur more than twenty yards. The preparations for the coronation feast in Westminster Hall are, it is said, now proceeding; and rumour fixes the month of May fur this spectacle. The Forte, Sir T. Cochrane, sailed on Monday from Portsmouth, for Leith, to take the domestics, luggage, &c, of Admiral Sir A. Cochrane thence to Plymouth.