The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-01-14 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MADRID, JAN. 7.
The situation of the Government becomes each
day more embarrassed. A communication has been
recently received from the Captain General of
Catalonia, giving some particulars of the critical
state of that province. What takes place there is

common throughout Spain, namely, that the
authorities, instead of preventing conflicts, are too
often among the first to provoke them. Five or six
respectable citizens of Barcelona have been arrested
by order of the Captain-General, simply because
they prepared to take part, legally, in the municipal
elections. The act was so arbitrary, so unjustified
in every respect, and was likely to produce such
unpleasant consequences, that they had to be.
released. All the arrested were friends of General
Prim, who addressed a letter to them, deploring the
treatment they had met with, and strongly oti-
demning it. The letter was published in the Iberia,
but its circulation was stopped by order of the Go-
vernment, and only a few numbers appeared,
and the paper that published it has suffi.red
a penalty- ' Directly on its publication a Cabinet
Council was called, and it was decided that
General Prim should be imprisoned. Rim
happened to be at the French Ambassador's re-
ception the same night, where he became aware
of the fact. He was returning home about mo.
o'clock in the morning with his wife, when he per-
ceived his carriage was followed by another wlieh
contained the Military Governor of Madrid. On
st,-ppiog out of the carriage this functionary handed
him a royal order, which expressed the great dis-
pleasure with which her Majesty had witnessed
the publication of the letter, and also orderinghim
to proceed at once to await the orders of the
Government in the Alcazar of Toledo. He was
only allowed time to pack up a few articles of
clothing. He was soon told that a post chaise was
at the door, and he had to leave at three o'clock
the morning, in company with two officers to guard:
him. The excitement produced by such acts
violence is very great, and we are not sure that
similar acts may not be repeated at any moment at
the caprice of the Government.

The- preliminary measures for the municipal
elections are entrusted to the clergy throughout
the provinces. Where opposition exists, the par-
ties are banished, as has lately occurred.in Burgos.
and other points. Generally sneaking, the Bishop
or some of the parish priests are the Anlie Coun-
cillors of the Civil Governors. These of course,
do not dare to disobey the ordms of the clergy.
Should they do so, they receive i reprimand ftom
the Minister of. the Interior. In fact, the Carlist
party is becoming rapidly organised everywhere,
under the protection of the Government.
The periodical press has made an effort to free
itself from the wretched state in which it is—

submitted to a double censorship, and prohibited
from discussing any political question. An expo-
sition or protest has been addressed by the editors
to the Minister of the Interior, but of which the
law officer of the crown has prohibited the publi-
. .

cation. It has, however, been printed on a flying
leaf, and is in circulation. The Government
hesitates for the moment to take steps against the
editors who have signed the document, but it feels
the importance of a coalition of journals otierwise
differing in politics.