The Sun.
London, England, 1823-02-11 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The Madrid Jou,rnals contain a variety of
official dispatches respecting the operations against
the insurgents, and some important proceedings
of the Cortes.—ln the sitting of the 28th, the
Cortes proceeded to discuss the Report of the Di.
plomatic Committee on the motion of Senor Zu-
lueta, for cutting off all commercial intercourse
with those Powers which have suspended rule.
tions of friendship with the Spanish Government.
The following articles, which form the report,
were approved '

Article 1. The Qoverninent is authorized to suspend fur as
long a time as shall be•thought proper, the entrance into the
Peninsula and adjacent islands, of foreign vessels and propert-
belonging to those nations which have discontinued their rela-
tions of friendship with Spain.
2. The Government is also authorized to withhold the bene-
fit of the decree of the `27th of January, 1022, respecting the
trade with the island of Cuba, from vessels and property be-
longing to the nations indicated in the preceding arti,ele : li-
miting, in such case, that benefit solely to those nations to
which the Government may think proper to continue it, con-
formable tO what has been done relative to the other ,ultrama-
rine provinces in the decree of the tsth of the present month.
3. The measures adopted by the preceding articles shall be
irninediattly communicated to the Envoys and Consuls' of
Spain in foreign countries, in order that they may make known
the determination of the nation ; and in the sarrie manner ten.
der public the application which the Government makes of the
which are wanting in the just relations of friendship which
powers with which it is entrusted with respect to those States
Spain has wished to maintain.

The report of the Committee on the plan for
tho regulation of the clergy, which has been for
some time undei the consideration of the Cortet)

and taa 614114 die subject Of Many debates, Was
'set:aside itrthesitting of the Ist instant;
the question, whether there was ground for voting
on the plan as a whole, being decided in the ne-
gative by 70 to 56.
A letter'-from' Lisbon, published in the Uni-
versal, states ,that Ahe,Portuguese Government
has offered to send 30,000 men to the assistance
of Spain, and that orders have been given for all
the disposable troops to march to the frontiers of
Portugal.
The King of Portugal I,as sanctioned the
decree of the Cortes, which declares all the pro-
vinces of Brazil which -Ita‘e spotitaneouily sub-
mitted to..the Government of Rio de Janeiro, in
.a state of rebellion. In consequence of this de-
cree, the functions of the representatives of those
,provinces in the Lisben Cortes are suspended.

MADRID, FEB. S.—The following are the latest
dis Patches from General O'Donnell, Count del
Abisbali who commands the troops sent against
BesSieres
". In my letter of the 28th of this month, I had the honour
to state to your Excellency, thatj apprehended that the orders
of the Government relative to tile destruction and defence of
the bridge of Atinon, on the Tagus, which the'enemy appeared
to wish to pass, had not been executed in the manner which
the nation expected from the importance of the position, and
that I had resolved to march rapidly upon it, in order to ob-
tain possession of one of the points most favourable to the na-
tional armies. Yesterday the factious band occupied Sweden,
with an effective force of 4,000 infantry, 200 cavalry, and three
pieces of artillery. It also ix:copied the principal heights be-
' tween the Tagus and this town. lam informed that it was
expected by these advantages to secure the clothing pf a part of
the division, the necessary supply for which had been plun-
dered front Erihuega and by imposing contributions on the
neighbouring towns, which they succeeded in doihg with the
pusillanimous; to impress on this unfortunate province that
the army called Royalists, aides! by the .factious enemies ofii.
bcrty, and composed chiefly of banditti, had the right of giving
laws to the country.'
"At four in the evening the before-mentioned bridge of
Aunon not having been destroyed, as it ought to have been, a
wretched party which appeared disposed to defend it was
either cut in pieces or made prisoners. The formidable defile
between Almon and this town would have been dreaded by
troops less familiar with danger, bul it was taken without
.re.
uistance by a Guerilla of infantry. and another of cavalry ; the
small number of brave men which composed these c,orps.
dispersed the enemy without assuming any merit frouilhis
action, which, however, deserves the consideration of his -Ma-
jesty. The enemy, who did not expect to be so soon diaturised
in this point,- and.who was not only disposed to rest„.bot had
been occupied in making dresses of the cloth in his possession.,
attempted to seize the key of the position covered by a company
of the Cazadores of Don Carlos ; he, iu facti„matie an attack
with a battalion, which in a few' minutes -*a repulsed frith
the bayonet. The assailants threw away thesVianns, andleft
five dead behind them.

• -
• z
frustrated in this first attempt, the factious matteomother
on my right, which had a similar result. Being *efficiently
punished, and well convinced of the velour.of the tnitips sta-
tioned in these points, they did not make any other attack,
while, for the purpose of concentrating the troops, 'and drawing
closer to my left, where, from the nature of the ground, the ca-
valry were stationed, I thought proper to abandon the two posi-
:duns which had been so valiantly defended. However, the
enemy soon after occupied the strongest of these posts with 400
men, who began to show themselves proud of them acquisition;
but a column of the Estremadura regiment, and a catripany of
that of Don Carlos, amounting to 200 men, at whose heart
General O'Daly and Don Antonio Vanloilen, recovered the
post at the point of the bayonet. From this time the enemy
merely endeavoured to avail himself of the obscurity of the
night to evacuate this town, and to remove, as far as nos;
sible, from what threatened his existence. He abandonedfour waggons with cloth, and four others with ammunition
for the three pieces of artillery which he still has in his
possession, and which I expect will cause his ruin. Notwith- '
6
standing that the troops had been without rest since 3 o'clock
andthe
on the preceding morning, we occupied this town at day-
ca cavalry
haveand ni tolarneta in
infantry soonhi pusheds tre,
retreat,
which appeared to be directed towards Cuenca. As soon as the
forward,br e a day-
break, ,
drata column
enemyf might
division has had a few hours' refreshment after the fatigue
which it has suffered, all the troops will follow. On observing
the gellanety manifested by the troops which I have the honour
to command, I 114ve no hesitation in assuring your Excellency,
that as soon as we can come -up with the factious, the artillery
will not only be taken, but the whole of that horde of enemies
of the liberty of the country will be destroyed. Our loss con-
sists of a sergeant of the regiment of Don Carlos killed ; a cor-
poral of the same regiment wounded ; and a drummer and a sol-
dier of the Estremadura regiment also wounded. The loss of the
enemy I do not positively know, but the dead which have been
collected are numerous ; the prisoners 62, and the arms 300.
I hope that your Excellency will have the goodness to cointou-
nicate tollis Majesty the result of this glorious day, which
doubtless will be followed by one still more glorious, if the
enemy experience any. delay which may pernut me to over-
take him.
• " Sacetion, Jan. 30. " CONDE DEL AIHSBAL."
General Abisbal, along with this dispatch, has seat a detailed
return of all the effects taken from the enemy :
"As I had the honour to inform your Excellency in my dis-
patch .of this morning, I followed with the whole division in
pursuit of the enemy, who took the direction of Huete. To
morrow, at day-break, I shall continue the march until I over-
take the fugitives, and compel them to sustain a fresh attack._
• The weather is extremely bad, and the roads almost impassable,
particularly for the infantry. Among the leaders of the fac-
tious is COlonel I)on Nicolas Isidra, who, forgetting his duty as
an Officer, joined them ten or twelve days ago. This evening
IS of the factious were made prisoners, and 2 killed by a party
of cavalry. They also took 600 rations of bread, wine, and
meat, which the factious had extorted from the town of Poyos,
which still be very useful for this division. The cavalry of the
vanguards under the command of Lieutenant-ColOnel Pintado,
has likewise taken sonic loads of bread, &e.

"CONIjEbEL AIIIBBAL.

" Zuendia, January 30.
" To the Secretary of State for the War Department."

LORD PORTSMOUTH'S CASE.

The Commissioners appointed under his Ma-
jesty's warrant to inquire into the circumstances of this case,
assembled yesterday morning, in the Great Hall of the Free-
mason's Tavern, Great Queen-street, Lincoln's-inn.tields.
The Hall was divided by dwarf partitions, and every neces-
sary arrangement . made for the parties concerned, and far the
accommodation of auditors.

At eleven o'clock the Commissioners took their seats, and
the Counsel for the petitioner (111 r. Fellows) and for Lord
Portanumth were itntnediately called in.
Sixty Special Jurymen had been summoned, of whom only a
small number attended.

The CoMinisition having been read, the Under Sherift'pro-
eeeded to call over the Jury.
Lord John Fitzroy was the first to answer:
His Lordship immediately stepped forward, and urged to the
Commissioners the great inconvenience which tr.ight result to
him in the discharge of hit public duties as a Member of Par-
liament, if he were called upon to sit as a Juryman in this case.
There were several elections going on, and he might be 'al-
lotted to sit on an Election Committee; if so, it would be im-
passible for him to perform both duties. There were other calls
upon him as a Member of Parliament equally pressing.
Mr. TROWEn (the Chief-Commissioner) said, that it was
most desirable to have Gentlemen of his Lordship's rank and
intelligence upon this occasion; and as the present connnissien
was held under his Majesty's express commands, .he did not
apprehend the ground of exemption urged by the Noble Lord
could be admitted.
Ills Lordship in constrjuence took his seat as foreman of the
Jury.
Sevral other Members of Parliament urged similar topics as
grounds of exemption, but they were not allow td, and they
were sworn on the Jury. It was stated that the Connuitsiouers
would break up daily at four; and that in all probabilily the
ineptiry would nosiest long.
(if the 60 gentlemen summoned, only 20 were in attendance.
The CuzxF COMMISSIONER thought it necessary to state,
that the names of the gentlemen absent should_ be reported to
the Lord Chancellor. .
The total number of the Jitry (twenty-throe) was diets made
up by ordinary special Jurymen who were in attendance:
delivered a short charge in which he stated that the
Tile Jury having been sworn—the CUIEf COMMISSIONR
question
for them to decide was whether Lord Portsmouth was or was
not of sound mind, and capable of conducting hie own ?
.At twelve oclock .Mr. ,U'E'ritXltlLL, for the petitioner.
proCeeded to open the case to the Jury.
The cot se of proceeding will be precisely the same as in ate
ordinary Courts of Law, as to the examination of witnesses,
!i.e.—The Court is an open one.