The Sun.
London, England, 1812-04-27 00:00:00

CIRCULAR

FROM THE MINISTER FOR THE INTERIOR TO THE
PRELATES, COUNCILS,,SUDERIOR JUNTAS, &C. OF

THE PROVINCES.

Among the weighty cares which at present at-
tra& the attention of the supreme Government, the
means of remedying the scarcity which affects a
great part of the Peninsula, occupies a principal
place. The contest in which the nation is engaged,
and has with so much glory sustained for nearly four

years,
,has naturally produced that detonaCon in
agriculture and interior commerce, which those
countries that become the-theatre of war always
experience, and which ihe ferocity and spitit of
devastation that chara.lerizes our enemy have error.
piously increased. .

In :addition to these so considerable injuries, the
Shortness of the last harvest, the aversion of the
labourer to cultivate the land in the prot4rces oc-
cupied" by the French, persuaded that he would but
sow and reap for his oppressors; and I:,srly, , the
.system. adopted by the enemy, in order to ensure
the subsister:ce of himtroops, of forming magazi6es
in the internal produces, viewed with reason as
the granary of the kingdom, have succeeded in
producing hunger and misery, as may be'discovered
by the exorbitant price to which all grain has ri,en,
and cause fears of still greater evils in those months
which must precede the ensuing harvest.
" The cannot colisider this sad per-
speBtve, without the most profound grief; but
among the miseries of an inevitable war, a war
sworn td by the Nation, and in which all the re-
sources are inefficient for the indispensable equip-
ment and support of the soliier, it cannot give Way
to its good intentions, aid as it Wishes, the walls
of the labouring class, and pftponionate succours,
according to the scarcity experienced in the Pro.:

vinces."

(Here, the Regency, alter promising tause every
exertion to alleviate the public tni.sery, and calling
upon the Prelates, &c. &c. to endeavour to.pievail
on the husbandmen to sow' the ground. with such
seeds ac-are congenial to the season, proceeds).
" Theaversion to sow and cultivate the fields, foe
fear the enemy should enjoy the benefit of their la-
bours, ought to be efficiently combated. The la-.
bourer .should 'have inculcated upon him, that the
seed he commits to the earth re pains covered from
French rapacity, and that in the mean while the efforts
of a Government determined tabury itself in itsruins, .
rather than submit to the batbarous enemy who at-
tacks us ; the heroic constancy of the Spanish
people ; the copious assistance which is expected
from our Ally, the generous British Nation ; the
war which threatens Boot4e4a-rE in the 'North,
and, above all, DiVioe Providence, whose cause
is ours, and who has 'given us so many and such
signal proofs of his protedion, even in the midst of
our greatest misfortunes, may easily, and, perhaps,
sooner than is expealed, produce such a change in
the state of affairs, that by the time for reaping the
fruits of the secd.sowed this Spring, the enemy may
not be in a condition to enjoy them."
It ends by' requesting the Prelates, &c. to use
their influence on men of capital to endeavour to
procure provisions, and the establishing of charitable
institutions.