The Sun.
London, England, 1864-10-22 00:00:00

Circular of Senor Gonzalez Bravo,

MADRID, Oct. 15.
The following is the official text of the circular
signed by Senoc Gonzalez Bravo, Minister of the
Interior, relative to the new elections, A brief sum-
mary has been forwarded by telegraph :
" Ministry of the Interior, Oct. 14.
" The period appointed for the election of d:pna
ties to the Cortes has now commenced. Although
the Government, in its circular of Sept. 19 has
already formally defined the bases of its policy in
so far as relates to the internal government of the
kingdom, and has since strongly confirmed by its
conduct the assurances of that communication, it is
nevertheless considered advis:,ble to forward ycur
Excellency some brief instructions, with the view,
if possible, explaining still more clearly our ideas
relative to certain points which might still seem
doubtful.

"I do not consider it necessary to remind your
Excellency of the terms in which the Government
thus expressed its firm resolution to confine itse,f
scrupulously within the limits fixed by the Consti.•
tution, the laws, and the rights thereby prescribed.
Nevertheless, as the acts of the Government with
reference to the elections of deputies in the Cortes
may, in certain cases, furnish pretexts for criticism,
and even for dangerous opposition, it is of import-
ance to point out to your Excellency the unavoid-
able necessity of reconciling all your decisions with
the strictest observance of legal precepts, and the
legal respect for rights the free exercise of which
must engender- the sincere application of political
institutions by which we are governed.
"From the moment when the agitation which
ordinarily precedes the electoral movement begins
the action of the citizens also commences to be

exercised, and under the circumstances the first

duty of political authority is so to proceed as that
this action shall be peaceably carried out in all the
plenitude guaranteed by the laws and under the

special conditions of regularity and order demanded
by the high interests of the State.
" The election of deputies to the Cortes is not
an unforeseen event, and does not belong to the
class of those which arise suddenly, and without
any apparent preparation. It is, upon the con-
trary, a fact very generally announced in advance
—the inevitable consequence of the ardour of ideas
and opinions, or of the collision of interests and
sympathies, the changes of which date from a
distant period. To produce useful results the crisis

must take place with the utmost possible liberty.
It would be useless to point out to your Excel•
lency, whose sagacity I know and appreciate, how

unfortunate have been the attacks made upon this

doctrine at different times and in different coun-
tries. The Government of the Queen reckons upon
the functionaries in whom it has placed confidence,
scrupulously avoiding the imitation of these de.
plorable examples.
" Fortunately the legislation which rules
and secures the exercise of the electoral
rights has already furnished experiences
which must noL.be forgotten. Your Excellency is
no doubt well acquainted with them, and the Go.
vernment hopes that you will derive examples and
useful counsel from their application upon the pre-
sent occasion. Further, public customs throw out
roots, and b3nd themselves to the spirit and ideas of
the political law which governs us. Although more
or less specious discussions have recently risen upon
several points, the latest laws which settle the rules

to which the rights of assembly must be subjected,
smoothes away (in the opinion of the Government)
many obstacles by abrogating administrative ar-
rangements, less formal than the law, in which
some have affected to find sufficient reasons for com.
plaint and exclusion which can no longer be brought
forward with sincerity.
" The electoral course is clear and open. The
law, which guarantees the right of entering there-
upo❑ to any one legally qualified to do so, is exe-
cuted with religious rigour. There is no legitimate
opinion which cannot expound its doctrines, and
which does not explain them with a liberty and
amplitude of which examples have never previ-
ously been seen in Spain. The late amnesty,
finally, generously recalls to the bosoms of their
families the small number of individuals who have
been eeparated from them by recent and deplorable
events. What more could be asked for ? If some
persons are still anxious to revive without reason,
right, or motive the state of anarchical tyranny and
the sinister agitation through which we have
recently passed, let the responsibility of the conse-
quences of such blindness fall upon their own
heads ! The Government of a great kingdom can.
not stop in its career, and the nation must not sus-
pend the majestic progress of its vital force because
a handful of political subjects are unfortunately the
victims of a deplorable hallucination.
" Your Excellency, es well as the Queen's Go-
vernment, finds yourself therefore supported and
defended by a power superior to all force, by the
power born of the sure conviction of moderation
and justice, strengthened by a will obeying the
strict dictates of conscience.

" Relying upon the well-known instruc

tions and evident facilities of which I have
just spoken, and guided by thoroughly de-
fined maxims, your Excellency will not hesitate
for a single instant to resolve the questions within
your competence which may arise during the poli-
tical period in which we are now placed. Your
Excellency will bear in mind that the Queen's Go-
vernment is determined to support and aid its
delegates energetically upon all occasions when
their conduct shall be in harmony with the ideas it
proclaims so frankly and practises so sincerely.
But it will with the same rigour place the respon-
sibility, according to the case, upon those who shall
endeavour to paralyse or oppose its action by mis-
interpreting the sincerity of its wishes, by departing
from the rectitude of its intentions, and by entail.,
ing sterility upon its programme.
" May Heaven preserve your Excellency many
years, " GONZALIZ BRAVO.
"To his Excellency the Governor of
. _

the Province of -- ."

Evasion of the Customs Laws,

The Commissioners of Customs have issued the
following notice, consequent upon a supply of coal
having been obtained by a United States' war
steamer tbrcugh an evasion of the law :
The Commissioners of her Majesty's Customs having
received information that a cargo of coal had been shipped
' on board a vessel at a British port without due clearance by
the proper officers of Customs at the port of shipment, and
that such coals had been laden at sea on board a ship of war
of the -United States of America, with which certain States
styled the Confederate States of America are now at war—
the said Commissioners hereby give notice that by the
144th section of "The Customs' Consolidation Act, 1353,"
it is enacted that if any goods shall be shipped, put
off, or water-borne to be:shipped without being duly cleared,
or otherwise contrary to the provisions of that Act, the same
shall be liable to forfeiture; and by section 11 of the 18th
and 19th of Victoria, cap. 96, if any ship having cargo on
board depart from any port without being duly cleared, the
master shall forfeit the sum of £lOO. And the said Com-
missioners hereby further give notice, that in all similar
cases of shipment for either of the belligerent Powers in
violation of the regulations contained in Earl Russell's
letter of the 31st of Janury, 1862, the law above quoted will
be strictly enforced.

The following order has subsequently been issued
,o the collectors at the various port:—

Custom-house, London, Oct, 14,1864,
Sir,—l am directed to acquaint you for your informa-
tion and guidance that the Board have received a communi-
cation from the Lords of the Treasury, stating that an ap-
plication had been made to her Majesty's Government
requesting permission to ship 40 tons of colds on board the
United States' ship Sacramento, at Dover, to enable her to
proceed to Flushing, and that in reply Earl Russell had in-
formed the United States' Minister that, as it appeared that
this vessel had been furnished with 871 tons of coals at
Cork on the 29th of July, and with a further supply of 25
tons at Plymouth on the 17th of August, her Majesty's Go•
vernment could not, consistently with the regulations on
this st 'oject, permit the Sacramento to be again coaled in
any port in the United Kingdom until the expiration of
three months from the last-mentioned date.—l am, &c.,

"J. Lt, HALE,"

The Collector at

DEATH OF CAPTAIN LAWSON.—Captaill Charles
Lawson, the respected dock master of the Commer•
cial Docks, died on Wednesday evening last, after a long

ilinets. lie had filled that position near a quarter of a cen.
tury. Must of the shipping in the Commercial and Grand
Surrey Docks have their colours half-mast high, out of re-
spect to the decca.od.