The National Register.
London, England, 1812-01-26 00:00:00

CADIZ PAPERS.

Some Cadiz Papers were received on Thursday, extracts
from which will be found in our previous columns. The
enemy appear to be prosecuting with vigour, their opera-
tions against Tatiffa, which the Spanish General CAPONS,
and Colonel SKERRET, appear as obstinately determined to
defend. The Spanish General has published a spirited
Proclamation to the inhabitants, declaring his determina-
tion to hold out to the last extremity, and recommending
to them to retire with their property and families to Alge-
ciras or .Gibraltar.
The El Conciso of the 31st ult. contains a report of the
proceedings of the Cortes on the 29th and 30th of Decem-
ber. Senor VERA, a Member, presented a long Memorial,
which reflected s..verely on the conduct of the Cortes, and
founded upon it four propositions, Which he submitted for
the approbation of the Cortes. 1. That a Regency should
be appointed, at the head of which should be placed a
Royal personage, with the full power of a King.-2. That
he should have power to treat with neutral or friendly
Powers for the maintenance of the armies.— 3. That at
the end of a month the Constitution should be discussed,
the Regency appointed, and the.Congres dissolved ; and '
4. That the Cortes should not be convoked till the year
1813.—This memorial and these propositions gave rise to
a discussion pointed and personal, in the course of which
the conduct of the mover was roughly handled, and at the
close of which Senor ARGUELLES proposed counter-propo-
sitions that no Royal person should be placed at the head
of the Regency, during the absence of FERDINAN n VII.—
that the plan proposed should be discussed before any
ether business—that the ordinary Cortes should be con-
vened—that at the dissolution of the Cortes a deputation
of sixty individuals shouldhave power to watch over the
Constitution—and that a Committee should be appointed
to consider the means of organizing the Government.
'I hese propositions were admitted, and -appointed for dis-
cussion the following day. It is thus that, whilst the ene-
rny is at their very gates, the precious time for organizing

5?

the national means, is wasted in the discussion • 1 abstract
principles of Constitution and Golfe! nmeut.

The Darlington packet, on Wednesday se'nnight, in
her passage from Cadiz, in lat. 44. 10. long. 15. SO. fell
in with two frigates and a corvette ; one of the frigates
chased the Darlington twelve hours. Two days-after the
Darlington fell in with'his Majesty's ships Surveillante„
Sybille, and Spitfire, and was informed by Sir Gtoncs
COLLIER, that a French squadron were at sea, and that
having fallen in with his Majesty's ships then in company,
he was going in pursuit of the enemy.
ANOTHER AccouNT.—The Surveillante frigate Was
chased on the 15th inst. off Cape Finisterre, by three
French frigates and a brig, supposed from the Loire. On
the 17th the Surveillante fell in with the Sybille frigate
and Spitfire sloop. It is supposed the enemy was cruis-
ing with a view of falling in with the supplies for Por-
tugal.
The letters brought by the Conqueror, dated December
13, from the Mediterranean, we learn that Vice-Admiral
Sir EDWARD PELLEW, after reconnoitring and er.ticing
out the enemy's fleet from Toulon, on the llth of De-
cember, (British, twelve sail of the line"---French, sixteen
sail of the line), had returned to Mahon harbour, as ihe
enemy /mend their own shores so closely, and it being
very fine weather, it was impossible to bring them to
action. Two sail of the line of the Mediterranean fleet
are coming home. The Pearlen had dashed into Toulon
prior to the 11th, and severely handled two of the enemy's
frigates ; but, on coming out, a French 74 encountered
her, and it was only by cutting away some of the French
rigging that the Pearlen got dr.
There were reports in very general circulation on Fri-
day evening, of a brilliant and decisive success having been
obtained, by the Spanish General LAPENA, over.a corps
of French troops, the result of which was, the capture of
1800 prisoners. Where the action took' place, was now
particularly stated ; but if LAI'ENA was the General, it is
likely that it must have been in the vicinity of Cadiz,
where that General is. This infetence is corroborated by
the circumstance, that the intelligence has been derived
from a vessel recently from Cadiz.
The Gibraltar Chronicle of the 21st of December con.
tains a paragraph, the statements in which we cannot per-
suade ourselves to believe. There is something so abhor-
rent from every principle of human nature, in the atro.
cious act imputed to the French, in this instance, that we
can consider the whole only as a fabrication, intended to
keep alive amongst the Spaniards the detestation of their
invaders. The following is the paragraph, with the head
under which it appears :
e A FRESH INST'AN'CE OF FRENCH BARBARITY.
" Upon retiring from Iguakula, in Catalonia, the French, on the 10th
October, m order to save themselves the trouble of removing the sick
and wounded, dug up ditches, into which they thrust, and buried alive,
all those whose cure would, in the opinion of the doctors, have required
a long time! There was among them a Lieutenant-Colonel, whose in-
treaties could nut, spy more than the lainentations and supplications of
so many poor wretches, soften the hearts of his barbarous companions."
Letters were received, by the Gibraltar Mail, in town
from Smyrna of the 27th 110vember, one of which con-
tains the following extract, dated Constantinople, Nov.
15 I have now to inform you that there is every pre-
bability of peace between Turkey and Russia ; the prelimi.
naries have been signed at the Turkish camp, but it is said
the GRAND SEIGNMR refuses to ratify: political motives
are the causes of his withholding his consent, which is con-
trary to the advice of his Ministers. The GRAND SEIGNIOR
is fearful he may offend the people by subscril,ing to con-