The Statesman. — London, England, 1823-08-29 00:00:00

POPE PIUS VII. Shorn as the Pnpedorn now is of its beams, the decease of the late Pontiff is an event not without interest. The greater part of his Pontificate was marked by important oecurrences and extraordinary vicissitntles. After con elnding, soon after its commencement, a Concordat with Fraknee, by which the liberties of the Gallican church were greatly ins• (1, he crossed the Alps in 1804 to crown Napnlcon •, thus giving an example of linmility little con sistent,with the pride and pretensions of his predecessors, who, ift , ead of bending before the *mutat power, made -.Kings and Emperors crouch at tlociCThit. At a later period the compliancy of his disposition was out to a more severe test. Itgra was annexed to France, the Papal sovereignty was aboillied. and the Supreme Head of the Catholic world, reduced to the condition of the first Bishop of the Catholic Chttrch, was rt.ninved from his temporal kingdom to inhabit a palace at Paris, if he yielded, or a prison at Fontainebleau, if he maintained his claims to the Sovereign power. Pius VII. preferred captivity to abdication. and remained coo. tined in the castle of Fontainebleau till the Allies overture. ed his persecutor, and re-invested popery, that lay prostrate on the earth, with all the rights and attributes of temporal sovereignty. Since that time his days flowed in peace, for he toek no share in the proceedings against Naples and Piedmont, till the nnfortunatd accident which in the course • of a few weeks has led him to the grave. It is easy to anticipate that the vacancy in the Papal chair will be the d.:;11%.• of h intrigue, if not of serious indifferences. — A n%tria has long had as eve on the Pontificate, (a bother at the Emperor having bein for some years a Cardinal) — end France is deeply interested in preventing a nomination which would virtually place the whole of Italy in the ion nds of the Austrian Gocerninent. The late Pope died at the advanced age of SI. His family ram was Chiaramonte (ttregory Barnabas) but he assumed that of Pius VII. on leis ai enticement to the Papal Chair. Ile was born on the 14th of August 1712; was created Cardinal on the 24th of February, 1785, and elected Pope March 14th, 1800. FRENCH ACADEMY. ..-...ei1w.. PARIS. AUGUST 26.—Yesterday the anniversary sitting of the French Academy was held for the distribution of the annual prizes given for political composition. The subject announced last year for the French muse was the " Aboli tion of the Sla v e Trade." M. Raynourd, the author of the "Temples," and the learned work on the poetry and literature of the Troubadours, who is Perpetual Secretary of the Academy, delivered an appropriate preliminary dis course, in which lie sketched the history of personal slavery --described its state among the ancients—quoted the opinions of ancient historians and philosophers on the subject—and traced the influence of Christianity in effect ing its abolition in modern Europe. From this he passed to the history of the negro slave trade, and produced the opinion of Montesquieu. and some other French authors, on its cruelty and injustice. It might naturally have been supposed that the Perpetual Secretary of the Academy world have proceeded in his historical narrative and liberal praises, and would have placed some of our abolitionists among the worthies whose exertions had contributed to produce the result at which 3lottesquieu and other relight ed French had aimed. But no—his audience was not told that there was such a body in existence as the British Par liament—that such men ever lived as Wilberforce and larkson. Raynourd's liberality, justice, and huma nity must he very domestiivirtnes ; for, according to the words of the play. " they not only begin at home, hut end a• home ;" they at least do not venture to cross the British Channel, though they may travel to Africa. The first prize was adjudged to M. Chauret, whose poem, containing some elegant verses, was read entire by M. Pi card, the celebrated comic writer. After this part of the business of the day bad been conclnded, M. Fraysenouss, the Bishop of Hermopolis, who presided at the sitting, proceeded to a novel kind of business for a literary society, namely, the distribution of prizes for %lemons actions— prizes lately founded by Baron Montyou. They were five, ore of 1.500 francs, and four medals of 1,000 franca value each, adjudged to persons in humble life, who. during the last year, had performed some strikingly virtuous action, or series of acts. The Bishop, in performing this part of his duty, commenced it by a discourse at which the Academy must have been ashamed, containing not a single striking thought, phrase, or expression, but filled with the dullest common place and the most vulgar prejudices. The drift of his speculation was, that no virtue existed in the c to ranks of society till it was created by the example, an•d fostered by the encouragement, of the most virtuous, most educated, most religious. and most excellent nobility and gentry. Hence the necessity of premiums like the present for virtuous actions among the canaille of society. Covier, AI. Jony, and others, were obliged to exercise some self control to maintain the academic gravity. FESTIVAL OF ST. LOUIS. PARIS. AVG. had been announced by the Ultras that this year thefete of the King was to be celebrated with peculiar splendour, and more than ordinary enthusiasm The success of his Majesty's arms in Spain in restoring to another descendant of St. Louis the brilliancy of an ahso- Me throne, and the power of making as many Saints as he chose, was supposed sufficient to occasion this new explo sion of loyalty and devotion. The event has not answered the expectation. With the exception of the court, the Ministers, and the immediate agents of Government, civil and military, there was yesterday no class of applauders. — The illuminations of the evening were confined to the Tuil levies, the royal palaces, the public offices, and the houses of the employe: of the Government. Nor was this indif ference the result of ignorance or inattention. In England, where the Roman Catholic Saints, as well as the Roman Catholic worship, have gone out of fashion, the King's birth-day cannot properly be regarded as a holyday. No man is required to desist from his usual labours—no inter ruption, save of a voluntary nature, occurs to his usual oc cupations. But in Prance, as the/etc of St. Louis is at once a festival of the Church and the anniversary of the Sovereizn, labour is prohibited and business interrupted ar religiously as on occasion of the greater solemnities of the Christian faith. There is another distinc tinction. no less remarkable, between the manner of oh serving the King's anniversary in the two countries. In England, Government contributes nothing to the public re joking, and the firing of a certain number of cannon, or the parade of the mail coaches, is the only indication that it gives of participating in the celebration of the day. in the capital of France, on the contrary, the Government supplies amusements for the public at the public charge. Louis XVIII., who, probably resembles very little either the beat or the worst of the Roman Emperors, imitates their custom of affording to his good people of Paris, on occasion of his fete, pawns et eirceases. On the eve of the festival, all the theatres of the capital were opened to the public gratis. and the waterworks of the Royal Gardens were ordered to play for the amusement of those who preferred promenade to bustle or bad panegyric; and, yesterday, beside the dis tribution of bread. fowls, and wine to the lower orders, who chose to scramble for them on the public road, exhibitions to suit all tastes were lavishly provided, from the most bril liant display of fire-works,down to the mountebank's stage, or the climbing pole. The people of Paris, ever fond of shows, flocked in crowds to enjoy the Government illumina tions in the evening, but not one in a thousand thought of lighting a candle-end in the windows of bis own house ; and, bating the exertion of the authorities, and the expendi ture of the public money. the fete of St. Crispin, or the fete of St. Flair. (the saint of hacknercoachmen) would have been as well celebrated as that of St. Louis. It would be needless to describe illuminations which had nothing in them either new or ingenious ; or scenes of as ~.. ARR. DUE. ,IL . I ARK. .. .. I ....Dublin 0 O. —Holland 0 2....Waterford.. • —0 I ....Hambro 0 0.... G At Jersey.. •.0 I ....France • 0 0.... Lisbon 0 0 ...Flanders .......0 I ....Gottenbore• • • •0 0. • . •Malta 0 PRICE OF STOCKS THIS DAY AT ONE O'CLOCK. Rank Stock ... 224 India Stock .. 3 per Ct. Red ....... ...Mill Ditto Bonds pm. 3p. Ct. Cons. ... 8214 Ex.31111.2d. ( 34 35s pm. Si per Cent...... . .....90.} 1 'MIL 4 per Cent5....161 100} 101 1 5OO/... 34 35 pm. New Fours lO I fii —Small . 34 35s pm. tong Ann. 21 5-16 Lottery Tickets...—. 14/. 14s. Lop. 3 per Ct Coo. for Acct B3 82i Vitt *tattoman. FRIDAY EVENING. AUGUST 29, 1823. STOCK EXCnASGE, 12 O'CLOCK.—Consols opened this morning at S 3 for the account, and 824 f for money. There is little business doing, except paying differences of ac counts. 1:p to this hoar, we do not hear positively of any expresses being in from Paris, althongli a report prevails that Spanish comes at 43. There is great anxiety to have accounts from Cadiz, as it is now 13 days since the arrival of the Duke d'Angonleme at Port St. Mary's; and it is expected that during that period some communication must have taken place between him and the Cones. All specu lations seem very flat in the City this morning, as is gene tally the case when there is no arrival from France. Foluncx MARKI?.—AII Foreign Securities appear ra ttler heavy this morning. Spanish opened at 36Th, and have since lowered to 361 i. A good deal has been doing in the above Bonds. New Spanish 363—New Prussia, Ml—Russia, 861—Co lumbia, OSi—French Scrip, 21. CITY, ON B O'CLOCK.—A report prevails in the city, that the Duke d'Angouleme has sent a Flag of Truce to Cadiz, statinsr, he is ready to treat with the King of Spain in per son, provided he is set at liberty; but net with the Cortes, u a political body. Advises from Bayonne, of the 21st instant, have arrived this morning. They t that an arrangement is more spoken of than ever, as having been concluded nearly on the bases already stated ; by virtue of which, and fur its accomplishment, the French troops would withdraw to the left hanks of the Ebro. This operation, the writer observes, it is presumed, would be effected in as short a time as pos. sible; for if the Royal Family and the Cortes are impa tient to leave Cadiz, our army may be glad to return from a country *Lich is not healthy at this time of the year. Pre parations are still m4king for the siege of Pampeluna, as if no arrangement was thought of; and to judge from the immense quantity of heavy cannon which will be employed against the place, it seems impossible that it should long hold oat. Private letters from the South allude to a movement of S,INIU Constitutional troops, under the command of Generals Miens and Lloberas, by which they have either entered or at least approached the French territory, near Puicerde, after a severe action with Baron d'Eroles, in the environs of Calaf. It is said, that the Monks, and, in gene ral the Clergy in Spain, are much dissatisfied with the pros. pest of a termination of the war without the restoration of their estates and their powe, —and it is even added, that should an arrangement unfavourable to them be concluded, a peat many of them mean to leave the country. A person from Tolosa affirms, that the Marshal is going to remove his head quarters nearer to Pampeluna. News hid just arrived that Corunna had opened its gates to the Fiend; troops; but no Bulletin had been published on the occasion. By the arrival of a Flantler's Mail this morning, we have re. eireil Brussels papers of the 26th instant, and Frankfort papers of the 2211. From the great restraints imposed by France on the commercial relations with the kingdom of the Netherlands, and the failure of the King's endeavours) to make an arrangement equitable to both parties, his Ma jesty, in consequence of repeated representations addressed to him by the Chamber of Commerce and Provincial assem blies, has issued a decree, dated August 12, in which he orders Art. I. The following articles, se far as they are of French origin, or imported from France into the kingdom, shall be lia ble to the following import duties:— Porcelain, white or painted, per 1001bs. 30f.—Fayence of al kinds, 20f.—Earthenware. 15 per cwt.—Stockings, caps. mit tens, and other articles of wearing apparel of cotton, wool, or thread, either knit or wove, 20 per tent.—slates per 1000. N. Art. 11. The following articles of French origin, or imports ed from France, are prohibited : Glasses and Glassware of all kinds, excepting look ing-glassel —Cloths and Cassirneres—liuriaiic Acid—Nitric Acid—Vitrio lic Acid—Brandy distilled from - grain. Art. 111. The following articles coming from France, shal not be imported except by sea either: distilled liquors ; vine gar (of wine, beer, and artificial vinegar) and wine. While the King of the Netherlands is issuing his decrees to impose restraints on French commerce, the German Powers, as appears from the following article, are sending forth their orders with a view to suppress discussion and the use of the public Press : FRANKFORT, Ave, 18 —ln consequence of representations made to the Senate of Frankfort, by a great German Power, supported, it is said,by another German Cabinet, several poli tical writers have received an invitation to quit Frankfort. An article dated Trieste, 7th August says, it is generally re ported that the large Greek ships here returned home, because the Senate cannot pay beforehand the four months' pay pro mised. The sailors that have returned home have turned pi rates, and are said to have already taken an Austrian, a Rus sian, and a Sardinian ship. We expect further particulars with impatience. Captains of ships from the vicinity of Patras THE STATESMAN. affirm that ou the 26th of July, a heavy cannonade was heard, and it was reported in Corfu that the Greeks were defeated near Petra', and pursued to the interior of the Mores. The only other articles in these papers that are worth ex• tracting are the following :— OLDEYBURn, AUGUST 11,—IIis Highness the Duke has, by letters patent of the Bth inst. annexed to the Duchy of Ol denburg the principality of Fever, ceded by the Emperor Alexander on the 16th of April, ISIS, and the letters patent of this latter dater signed at Warsaw, are also published, by which the Emperor Alexander cedes this principality to the younger branch of the House of Holstein Oldenburg. GHENT, AUGUST 23.—The Duke of Wellington arrived here at 5 o'clock in the afternoon coming from Oudenarde. Before his Grace entered the City, I.e examined the works of the new citadel out of the Courtray gate. The Duke of Wellington, when he left Ghent, proceeded to Termonde, to Inspect the fortifications and thence to Antwerp, where he arrived yesterday at noon. After having examined the fortifications, his Grace set out for Brussels, where he ar• rived at 0 o'clock in the afternoon. The defence at Corunna having been continued so much longer then was expected, even by the most ardent friends of the Spanish cause, and in opposition to disadvantages which were represented as absolutely insurmountable for a week, we must claim theliberty of imagining that its defence may yet be continued for some time, in disregard of the statements of the French General, who has been handled so roughly, that be is evidently more anxious to suppress the truth, than to explain the real character of the events which have taken place before the town. On the 6th the French made an attack, which was defeated, with the foss, say some private accounts, of above 1000 killed. Of this conflict, the French say little, or nothing ; although the preparations for it had been announced, and the day fixed for the attack by Gener..l Bonrck himself. We have now an extract from a despatch, written by that officer on the 13th inst. ; and mentioning that " in the nights Irons the " 10th to the 12th inst. the Garrison kept up a most active " fire on the French troops." Of course we are told they did " no mischief," though several houses were damaged, and a tobacco store was set on fire. Stores and timber retain their old quality of liability to mischief from the effects of gunpowder and ball; but the French soldiers are exempt, in their own bulletins, from any danger from such agency. On the morning of the 13:h we are informed the Garrison displayed a flag of truce with the word " Peace" inscribed upon it. This should rather have been the consequence of the French firing the preceding night upon the town, than of the firing of the garrison upon the French ;—or the French officer must have meant to state that he hoisted a flag of truce, and not the garrison. This will explain his statement a little bet ter:—for he adds that the garrison "asserted the moat "lofty pretensions." They would hardly display a flag of truce, which is an evidence of a necessity for parley, to as ' cart these "lofty pretensions ;" but they might assert ' them, in reply to the proposals of the French. Nor do we understand why Morino should have had a deputation sent to him from the garrison. The defenders of Corunna, who would hear nothing of the Madrid Regency, would sorely not have any thing to do with a traitor who bad endeavour ed to sell then► to the Regency. Until Corunna shall have, been absolutely entered by the French, we will not do the heroes who have defended it so long, and so nobly, the in justice of believing any of the French statements, that mili tate against their determined patriotism. Want of provisions may compel them to surrender; and we trust the Spanish Committee in London have not been wanting in their en. dravours to prevent such a want from accelerating the fall of so i►nportant a bulwark of the cause of independence. The scoundrel Morino has been duped by " the regiment of Arragon ',assing over to hint, and, being furnished with what necessaries could be given to it, passing back "again." It is only to he regretted, that some patriot Spaniard did not take his leave of the mercenary traitor, with the blessing of a ball through his heartless body, or his treacherous brain. 'I he difficulty of obtaining provi sions in the disorganization of the Spanish regular troops, produced by the treason of their officers, may have in duced numbers to " go over to the French," as it is called; but that they have not in reality espoused the cause of the Royalists is certain, from the fact, that none of the divi sions of Morillo or liallasteros are embodied with the French. The Army of the Faith has diminished, instead of having increased; a clear proof that the ConAitutional soldiers have remained firm to their duty. Marshal Moncey continues to write despatches from Catalonia, in which be is described as always in pursuit of " the enemy," but as never being able to interfere with his retreat, though the French are always victorious in the repeated conflicts that take place. Who is at the head of the Spanish troops, what are their numbers, and what their object. lie appears to know nothing. He calls them simply " the enemy ;" and announces where they have been, with a minuteness of detail which would do credit to the local information of a native peasant. lie sometimes also gets a glimpse of a rear-guard, but seems instinctively to shun all contact with it; and then finishes his despatch with speculations as to where " the enemy" will be seen next, and what marches it may be necessary to take after him, in this whimsical method of " pursuing the enemy." The reported negociations at Cadiz wear no additional marks of credibility. The Duke d'Angouleme arrived at Port St. Mary's on the 16th. The French very sagaciously remarked, that four or five days must be allowed after that period, to determine whether the town should be carried by storm. or entered by treaty; which was allowing as little time as could be done for the success 'of Bourbon bribery. or the impetuosity of Bourbon valour. His " Highness" has oow been waiting something near a fortnight ; and we nuz. have heard no more either of storm or parley. Prritiii,s his " Highness's" few days meant a few wee:, or few months, or a few years ; as the case might happen to tura out. As an appropriate Commentary upon the spirit in which the new Prussian Constitution is promulgated, a letter from Berlin announces that "the well-known journal Hekate,it " prohibited in the Prussian dominions, by an order front " the Ministry." We need no other proof of the nature of the provincial assemblies, which are to be elective agents, or minions of the general despotism. We have been this morning greatly amused by the la mentations of Dr. Slop over the dead body of the late Pope; who, it appears, terminated his earthly career on the 20th inst. We are notdispesed to make merry on such an event, as the death of the good old man,who merits the praises bestowed upon him by aim )st all parties, for his benevolence of heart, " and the firm meekness"of disposition, with which he bore his dignities. But, that Dr. Slop, the mercenary slanderer'oT the Catholics of Ireland—the constant reprobater of the Catholic religion as detrimental to the moral interests of the world—the advocate of the most brutal oppression of the Catholics, as essential to the weare of the State, on account of the pernicions tenets of their creed—that such a man, almost is the same breath, should eulogise the head of the Catholic faith, as the most exemplary specimen of Christian Charity, is truly ludicrous. To all the violences offered him by Napoleon, Dr. Slop says be op posed " nothing but the purest Christian humility." The Doctor makes a point against himself here: for hav ing said this, he adds that he " combined this nothing bat humility" with the " most unbending jirnuk•ss." The Doctor,we trest, will take himself a lesson from the conduct of the deceased Catholic Dignitary, of whom he says that he never would denounce the English as enemies of the "Church." Some of our Dignitaries may also learn some thing from this forbearance, if they will. Dr. Slop, in conclusion, adds :—" Pius VII. was admitted by Baon s parte himself to be mild and amiable; he abounded is "real Christian charity; and though so long subjected to "the most unjust persecutions, never evinced the least slim,. "tons of a vindictive spirit towards his enemies; while to "his friends and benefactors, and particularly to the Eng , "dish Nation and Government, he always testified the " warmest gratitude." When Dr. Slop shall next sit down to compose a phillipic against the natural and inevitable hostility of the Catholic Creed to all that is liberal in opiniooe and benevolent in practice towards the Dissenters from the Catholic faith, we trust this paragraph will be recalled to his recollection, and his pen be stayed in its prostituted career* while he reflects upon his own statement, that moral virtue, and the extreme of Christian charity and humility, have existed in the bosom of the head of the Catholic Church.— We know the secret motive of this commendation. Cir. cumstances prompted the British Government to defend Popery upon,the Continent, while it persecuted it in Ireland, and while it pronounced it the high road to everlasting perdition in England; and the Pope was more grateful for its aid in restoring him to his temporal authority, than di'. posed to quarrel with it, for proclaiming him to be Anti. Christ in every Protestant pulpit. The Merchants of London are dissatisfied with the par. tial remedy which the recent Act provides for the conduct of fraudulent factors, who have been accustomed to obtaia credit upon goods belonging to foreigners consigned to them for sale; while the foreign owner was able to demand the restoration of his property, without discharging the lien upon it, which the factor had incurred. The Legisla• ture has altered this by an enactment that the property is answerable for the lien contracted upon it, where the goods have been consigned for sale, and where the bolder has no notice that the factor is not the real owner. This enact►►►ent certainly goes but a little way in affording a remedy; as it relates solely to consignments by bills of lading; and only applies to a specified class of cases. The , great remedy would be to make the dishonest factor memorable example to others. Instead of this species of crime being left merely punishable as a breach of trust, it should be considered as felony : being detrimental to the interests of a trading conntry, as forgery itself; and calcu lated to destroy that confidence which is the basis of all foreign intercourse. Mr. Cnrwen, in a lecture to his attendants an the Abbey Holm Agricultural Meeting, in Cumberland, on the :Ist inst., recanted the opinions he lukd expressed against the Agricultural Protection Duty, which forms part of the pre sent corn laws. We mention this. in the hope that be will speedily recant his opinions as expressed at this meeting, upon the Spanish question, which are intintely more erro neous, and more mischievous. He agrees fully in the base injustice of the conduct of France; but haying advocated peace against an unjust aggression upon France, for forty years, be now advocates peace in favour of an unjust ag gression upon Spain, in whisk British intereits are wore deeply threatened than they have been for ages past. France, in order to tranquillize Spain, must occupy Spiny and then Mr. Curwen will discover that this country will not be permitted to maintain the peace which be desires more than either safety, or honour. Extract of a letter from Als.drid, Aug. 14.—The orderer the Duke d'Angotileme fur the release of the prisoners for opinion, has not yet been ext•cuted. The Duke de Reglio , too bons it is addressed, ha mediately communicated it t 0 the Regency and the Ambassadors. The Regency sent d to the Council of Castile for their report. The Report understand, amounts to this—tbat the nation being in the same circumstances as in 11 14, when the King ordered'!" release of the prisoners fur 1 Ades' opinions, the sawed.' tree of mercy may be dispe need now. Some little differ ence between the (Noes, hits any thing to enable thew t. O conform to the French MI ndate, without lowering their dignity, the Judges visitod. the prisons to day, to accelerste the lists of the whole for r:hatever crime, which the Peke fret Pearl the!! of till fest!' the thou deck Sulu in,' drea I din and 4 Tor b bad 4 cunsi than isten J torn pars fa' tr and ;MO repo 6; tort notil tore cane ti gat 'up' bate at C f4nt dim? eel the L NI a tor 'poll Drill of tl for 'Boa late fro' the tog roe C's- Le Pei eel Irei Im UM 9.i Imed Co Ja ph tall eft en vise 211411 "di regular yearly occarrerce as the 23tb of August. I t was reinsrkea, that the Hotel of the Guards was particularly brilliant (having beneath a sun on its front, the inscription Nec pheribus impar); and that the Chamber of Deputies has not displayed such splendour since the secession of Ma nuel and the left side.