The Sun.
London, England, 1836-12-14 00:00:00

THE CORTES.

In the sitting of the Cortes of the 4th instant, the report
of the Committee on the extraordinary powers demanded
by the Government was taken into consideration.

Senor Velasco said he would have no objection to sup-
port the report, if he could be sure of the continuance in
power of the present Ministers, or of the entry into the
the Government of men of similar opinions, who, he be-
lieved, would not abuse the powers intrusted to them ; but
not having that certainty, he could not vote in favour of a
proposition which might endanger the interests of society,
and would compromise the rights of every free man. If the
recommendations of the Committee were adopted, the
purest patriot might be treated like the greatest malefactor.
He could not understand the distinction drawn by the
Committee between legal and moral proofs. "
Senor Zumalacarregui (member of the committee) said
that if it was desired to protect liberty against the attacks
of its enemies, vigorous measures must be adopted, regard
being had to existing circumstances. He admitted that the
proposed measure was severe, but contended that it was
justified by necessity.
Senor Beltram de Lys opposed the report, which was sup-
ported by Senor Falero, one of the members of the committee.

Senor Olozaga inquired whether the Government ap-
proved of the report of the committee ?—(The Minister of
Justice replied in the affirmative.) Senor Olozaga had
heard the Minister's reply with deep regret ; for it was a
confession that he was unable to govern the country in con-
formity with the bases of a representative system. He
objected to the report for another reason—viz, because it
applied the same punishment to all offenders, whatever
their station in society might be. He believed it would
fail in its effects ; and that, in fact, it would render all con-
spirators who might be subjected to the proposed penalties
objects of sympathy. He declared his determination to
vote against the report. •
The Home-Minister said, that the Government knew
that there existed a numerous and powerful party of con-
spirators in Madrid, and that it was absolutely necessary to
arm it with extraordinary powers.
In the sitting of the sth the debate of the previous day
was resumed.

Senor Salvato, member of the Committee, spoke in
favour of the report.
Senor Rufino Carrasco opposed with great energy the
proposition of the Committee. The Cortes ought not, in
his opinion, at the very moment when they were about to
revise the Constitution, to grant unlimited powers to the
Government. What guarantee would exist for the liberty
of Spaniards, if the Government bad the power to cast into
prison, at its pleasure, the most enlightened members of the
different liberal parties ? The privilege of arbitrary arrest
had been already exercised. Ile called upon the Chamber
not to adopt the report without modification.

Senor Calatrava observed, that the opposition to the
views of Government on the subject under debate had only
very lately manifested itself, for when the Government first
made a demand for extraordinary powers, not a single voice
was raised in opposition to the proposition. Such a course
of proceeding was scarcely generous. The Government
asked for extraordinary powers, because the circum-
stances which existed were extraordinary. Need more
to be said ? It would be dangerous fir the Govern-
ment to enter into any lengthened explanations ; the
tranquillity of the country had been menaced. It is still me-
naced by criminal transactions which render the exercise of
the powers demanded absolutely necessary. If he must dis-
close the whole truth, it would be impossible for the Govern-
ment to go on, unless it were armed with those powers. The
Ministers remained in power because they conceived that they
might be of service to the country in continuing to administer
the Government. Would the representatives of the country
do justice to the intentions of the Government, would they ac-
cord to the Ministers a striking proof of their confidence? If
that proof were withheld, the Ministers, feeling that they no
longer possessed the confidence of the Cortes, would have no
other course to pursue but to resign. The Ministers did
not ask to be invested with dictatorial authority. They only
wished to be authorised to prosecute with all the rigour of
the law, not their honourable adversaries belonging to a con-
scientious opposition, but conspirators, and enemies of all Go-
vernment. After taking a review of the conduct of
the Ministry, Senor Calatrava observed, that the feeble state
in which the Government was placed only served to make
the rebels more audacious, and things had arrived at such a
point that if the Cortes did not arm the Government with
greater, but at the same time legal, authority, the Ministers
could not guarantee the maintenance of order and of tran-
quillity. Finally, it was necessary to prevent the Cabinets
of Europo from doubting every moment the stability and
strength of the Spanish Government. Abroad it was be-
lieved that Spain was on the brink of anarchy. Each new
insurrection, although suppressed, tended to confirm that
belief ; and if Spain wished to exist, she must destroy the
conspirators, and put an end to the apprehensions which wore
entertained respecting the stability of the Spanish Govern-
ment by ioreign Cabinets.
Senors Olozaga, Carrasco, and Bertrand, having replied
to some of Senor Calatrava's observations, the debate became
very animated. The circumstance of citizens expelled from
Cadiz in 1823, was dwelt on with much bitterness. ,
The debate was not concluded at the departure of the
courier from Madrid.

BOULOGNE, DEC. 10—This afternoon, for the
first time during several days past, we have had two packets
from London, and one left the port this morning for Dover,
although it was still blowing almost a hurricane. Yesterday
another vessel went ashore near Boulogne, and most of the
crew were drowned. The coast is, in fact, strewed with
wrecks, and the loss of life has been very great. A great
part of the country between Boulogne and Paris is under
water ; near Montreuil, for miles, the country has the ap-
pearance of a vast lake. The injury to property from the
inundation is greater than was ever experienced in any
former wet season. The roads are so bad that it is difficult
to get along, and the mails are, consequently, many hours
in arrear. This afternoon the estafette was overturned
near Montreuil, near a precipice, but the courier and posti-
lion escaped without injury.

On Monday evening last, from some suspicions that
had been entertained that Martha Ranger, a servant of
Mr. C. Frames, of Gosport, had delivered herself of a child,
and from her absenting herself till a late hour, Mr. Frames
was induced to cause her box to be opened, in which was
discovered the body of a newly-born female child, quite
dead. This servant had lived with Mr. Frames about ten
months, and until the preceding day was not even suspected
of being eneienle, as she had always borne a good character ;
on being then accused of her situation by a fellow-servant,
and sister, she resolutely denied it, and must have delivered
herself in the short space of two hours—a time she had
been left unattended on Monday ; for she had been lying
on her bed all that day from extreme indisposition, and her
fellow-servant bad frequently inquired how she got on, and
had taken up to her gruel, toast and water, tea, &c., and
the last time she saw ber she questioned her very closely.
She sat in the kitchen from five o'clock till eight in the
evening, when she went out, and has not since been heard
of. Alr. Gray, surgeon, of Gosport, gave evidence before
the Coroner's inquest on Wednesday, that on examining
the body of the infant he had found a mark round the neck
of it, as if occasioned by the tying of a small cord. The
Jury returned a verdict of Wilful Murder against the girl.—
Hampshire Telegraph.

LONGFORD, DEC. 9.—(From a Morning Paper.)
—This town has had an additional cause of excitement yes-
terday and to-day apart from the election now pending. It
arises from the fact of a son of Mars, at present quartered
in this garrison, having been discovered in the apartment of
a brother officer's wife. 'What the occurrence will ulti-
mately lead to I have not been able to ascertain.
THE HABEAS CORPUS ACT.—According to Bi-
shop Burnet this important Act, the bulwark. of our per-
sonal liberty, was obtained by a jest. The following is the
rather curious account he gives of the manner in which the
formidable opposition made to it was overcome :—" It was
carried by an odd artifice in the House of Lords. Lord
Grey and Lord Norris were named to be the tellers :—Lord
Norris being a man subjected to vapours was not at all
times attentive to what he was doing, so a very fat Lord
coming in Lord Grey counted him ten, for a jest at first, but
seeing Lord Norris had not observed it, he went on with this
misreckoning of ten ; so it was reported to the House, and
declared that they who were for the Bill were the majority,
though it indeed went on the other side ; and by this means
the Bill passed."
NEW CuttE FOR THE TOOTH-ACHE.-----It is with
great pleasure that we announce to our readers that we are
in possession of one of the greatest desiderata in the whole
materia medico. We do not speak unadvisedly, for we
have tried it upon our own masticators and those of our
family, and some half dozen of our friends, and we are,
therefore, enabled to speak with confidence and safety. The
recipe is as follows :—Take a lump of unslaked lime about
the size of a hickory nut, and dissolve or slake it in two-
thirds or three-quarters of a tumbler of water. Hold the
lime-water in the mouth contiguous to the aching tooth,
and certain relief will ensue. If the relief is not permanent,
repeat the application as often as the pain returns. If the
pain is stubborn, and refuses to yield, the lime-water may
be made thicker and stronger.—Ncto York Evening Post.

COURT OF ALDERMEN.

Yesterday a Court was held for the transaction of public
business.

THE STATE or NEWGATE AND THE OTHER CITY GAOLS.
The LORD MAYOR laid before the Court a letter which
he had received from Lord John Russell, for various returns
with respect to the gaol of Newgate and the other City
prisons.

Alderman `ENABLES (the Chairman of the Police Com-
mittee) presented a report, recommending that the returns
to which the letter referred should be furnished by the
several persons who superintended the gaols, to be trans-
mitted to the Home Secretary.
The report was unanimously agreed to.

THE MAGISTERIAL DUTIES OF THE BOROUGH OF

SOUTHWARK.

Alderman HARMER rose to submit a motion to the Court
on the subject of the duties performed in the Borough by
the Aldermen. He proposed that the sum of 350/. a year
should be divided amongst the aldermen who should attend
to do the magisterial duties of the Borough.
Sir C. HUNTER seconded the motion.
After some discussion, from which it was evident that the
majority of the Court was against Alderman Harmer's pro-
position, the motion was withdrawn.

Alderman HUMPHREY then gave notice of a motion that
application be made to Parliament for a Bill to enable the
magistrates of the City who have not passed the chair to
act as magistrates in the borough of Southwark, in like
manner as the magistrates who have passed the chair.
Alderman THOMPSON gave notice of a motion for the de-
liberation of the subject in a committee of the whole Court.