The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-03-17 00:00:00

LON DON,
SATURDAY, MARCH
17, 1821.

Mr. PLUNKETT last night moved the second
reading of the Bill for removing the disabili-
ties under which the Roman Catholics labour;
and gave, at the sante time, a luminous and able
exposition of the principles upon which lie, has
framed this and the concurrent Bill for regulat-
ing the intercouise of the Catholic Clergy with
the See of Rome, and the effect with which his
proposed system may be expected to operate. Sir
WILLIAM SCOtT tope after Mr. PLUNKETT, but
to the peat disappointment of these who are op-
pi,sed to making further concessions to the Cs-
tholics, the Right Honourable Gentleman re-
stricted himself to one or two sentence•, affect-
ing in no respect the plinciyle of the measure.
Mr. BARNES opposed the messute, but lie was fol-
lowed by Mr. WILBERFORCE, who, in a speech
replete with fine feeling, sound sense, and his ac-
customed rlequence, advocated die cause of his suf-
feting countrymen. It is prima facie evidence of the
gmiduess and justice of any cause whatever that Mr.
VILDIRFORCE should be known as its champion.
Mr. BRAUGE BATHURST moved an amendine..t,
that the Btil be read a second time this day six
mouths. The debate was protracted till half past
three o'eluck this morning, when the House
divided—
Far the Amendment
, Against it

Majority . ..... .
The Bill wes iheii trod d xcowl time, and com-
mitted for Monday next.

We have receiver' the Putis Papers of the 13th
Lest. in their regular cour.e, but their contents
were anticipated by the
.inielligence which had
previously arrived fiom Paris by express, and.
which we were tualrlid to confilmilicate yes-
terday to our readers. So far. therefore, as die
Pots Papers are considered, we remain in the
same wive of anxi 4444 • onceitainty respecting the
air iro in the south of Duly as that in which ae were
yesterday. The 'dative position, however. of the
Neupubtan and A list, ian troopti,was such as to resider
it highly probable that some sliirm•shing and af-
T its of the outposts have taken place: hot a Pri-
vate letter Irons Paola of the 13th, denies most de-
cidedly that any very serious eligagruiefit had been
fought bet wteii the oopes•ing armies. It would scent
by he I.test accounts Irons the south of Italy, that
t,e dirissim of the Niapoliimi forte under Getter .1
EpE, •Ina hail (leased tie bootie's, sod pti-h-
-ed nitro tie Papal te:ritorms its tar as Met', had
fallen back again. and that it -was the inteution of
the Neapolitan General to coocruirfete Ins forces
year the town of Aquila. The Austrian forces
were concentrated upon the ire.teris lontier of the
Abrusti, about the dint or otid ultimo. The di-
vision of Walinolen. which. had niarelied along
the Adrianc by Rimini RIO Ssideaglia, came into
communication ton the former day. mar Poke°,
with the vanguard of the Genetebssi-Chiet; Baron
Faisserr, which, thus reiutorced, egivanced ou the
il4fh in the daractios of ape/ciao On that day

the Austrian army formed a line, extending.'
through Foligno, Spoleto, alai Terni, with its
left resting upon Sense*lle, and its right upon
Civil' Cuts!lana. 'the retreat of the Nripo-
Ina,* force, which we believe in The Abruzzi
does not exceed 35,000 or 40,000 regular troops,
indicates • disposition on the purt of the Com-
manders to pursue a defensive system, which
is best suited to their relative strength as conspired
with the invaders, and best adapted to the nature
and character ut the country. Patriotism however
ardent, and valour however distinguished, but ill
compensate in rnosiern warfare, at least in pitched
battles, for the want of discipline, experience, and
numbers, and a (Writ in the commencement of
the campaign must be attended with such serious
evils to the raw troops of the Neapolitans, that the
poesibility of sustaining it ought to be avoided with
the most anxious inheitude. Besides, a dilatory Inside
of welfare eventually must prove as destructive to an
invading army as even a defeat it-elf, (or their tone
of discipline becomes telexed as marauding is refl..
&led tit cessary for their subsistence, and every act
of violence exasperates the feelings as it also in-
cisors the numbers of their enemies. The A wi-
ttiest Generals will of course be desirous, while
their troops are fresh, of bringing their antagonists
to a general engagement ; their antagonists ought
to be equally desitoua of avoiding it, that they
might but throw away an advantage which is pet:a-
ft/hely their own, mud gratify their enemies by help-
ing them to play the gume which their circum-
Aintree render essentially necessary.
A report presided yesterday iu the city, that the
Piecituontese and the whole of the worth of Italy
bud risen and declared in favour of the Neapolit arm.
%Illicit the accounts came away. it was added, they
had assembled an army of 40,000 men, to march to
the as,istonce of the Nenpolitatir, and that a great
number of French officers, formerly in the service of
BON•PA !LIE, I.ad joined the standard of the Pied.
montese.

The report, we believe, to beat least premature,
but while in every other part of Europe indigna-
tion bunts in every honest bosom at the atrocious
outrage contemplated by the Allied Powers, it
cannot be supposed that the Italians would remain
tame and listless spectators of • conflict which
must in its issue determine the future fate of their
fine country. The Italians have been cruelly dis-
appointed in the hopes they had been led to form
daring the latter years of the war respecting the
establishment of free forms of government in every
pa,t of the Peninsula, mid much ill blood was
generated by the decisions of the Allies at Paris
and Vienna. Never can the Venetians forget with
how much indifference their country was sacrificed
to swell the bloated empire of the liouse of
Austria, and the suer indifference of the Austrian
Gisverument to tistir national and individual in-

-*vests, ever inner' they had the misfortune to fall
under its iron sceptre, is nut calculated to soothe
their angry feelings. Will .the Genoese surer the
present opportunity to escape them of re-asserting
the independence of which they were most basely
defrauded ? If they do, let no voice ever hereafter
be raised in pity for their slavery ; let on tongue
ever tell of their former glories, fur the record of
them can only serve to stamp with deeper infamy
the degeneracy of the ',resent race. A convulsion
is certainly about to take place in Italy—a po-
litical Vesnvimi, which will• have the effect of
intsterially and beneficially altering the political
aspect of that fine country. We anticipate
unsung, the alterations the total extinction of the
Puree temporal power, and the probable annexe-
;ion of the-lands of the church to the kingdom of
Naples. The inhabitants of the Papal dominions
rhaft` .in Aridity parts evinced a strong desire to
isiiitete the example of the Neapolitans, and not
:having ant- dynasty of native Princes fur whom
they feel uny hereditary attachment, they might
the more readily desire to be incorporated with the
kingdom of the Two Sicili-s. The spirit of in-
surrection had been so universally extended, that,
according to private letters, a general revolution of
r•public affairs would have been effected from the
Po to the confines of Naples, had the march of the
". A uottissib been delayed even ten dis)a. The con-
viction of this favour,ble feeling throughout Italy
-Inuit inspire the Netw"litaliS Mi. It the must ardent
,confidence; their enthusiasm and zeal cannot be
increased, while, as we ate informed, a proportionate
backwardness to proceed in this war of aggression
!is manifrated among the invaders.

At • late hour last night we received, by express,
ipielligalye from Paris of so late a date as IVedoes-
ilisi tft.e fith, but we mention is wade of the coin-
,
'peocement of :bout it a t 'es in Italy. The accounts
from Madrid are of the 6;11 of this month, at which
Awe that capitol enjoyed a state of tranquillity.

Neapolitan Papers have also arrived by express,
qE so lowa date as to the 27th February, sod their
silence upon the milhary movements of the oppos-
ing armies seeing to offer • species of evidence
negative indeed, yet in some degree ratisfactory,
in confutation of the statements respecting the
Alegi d battle between the Austrians and Neu-
golitatio. Sir Rom KILT WILSON has offered his
services in the Neatiolitairs, and the Parliament,
iii acknowledging the otter, prove how grate-
billy they cat, appreciate the sympathies of the
brave stud grlselOU6 among our rotator) men. It
was stated that a further offer had been made to
the War Office of equipping 2,000 British volun-
teers for Or defence of Naples. These are s•atters
that, fir the Irenonr of the British name, ought to
go forth to the world.

The Spanish General Moog Leo, the edger-
vary of tiesicrol BouVAIL, arrived in towu ou &to-
day lint, on his way to Spain.