The Sun.
London, England, 1823-11-14 00:00:00

G OF CADIZ.

[MORNING
It appears 'by the French Papers that the Duke
of Atigaulerne is on his return to France. lieu
expected' in Paris about the first of December.
His journey. through Spain, if the itinerary in the
Papers be correct, will be slow and inquisitive.
lie proposes to 'visit the places of strength on
his way, and particularly those of Catalonia.
It is very apparent that but a small portion
of the French army is on its return to France,
But what else could be expected, consider-
ing the state of Spain 2—Whet but a strong
force, diffuied over the kingdom, could repress all
the elements of discontent and confusion, which
are merely scattered, but not extinct' We yes-
terday were enabled to publish, exclusively, a
proclamation published by Ballasterds, upon find-
ing that the 'pledges held out by the French were
violated, and that the servile advisers of Ferdi-
nand were plunging him headlong into a career
of tyranny, fanaticism, and vindictive fury.—
What a picture does this document present of the
state of Spain 1 It is true that 'Bullusteros has not
been able to follow up his proclamation, by hoist-
ing the standard of insurrection ; and we find by
the last accounts, that Moncey has actually
taken ',possession of Barcelona but still it is
clear that the sufferings—the despair of those
Who are the victims of the restored tyranny, may
foment a terrible re-action. One great source of
apprehension, stated by persons returned from
that country, is the exaction of four years arrears
of tithes, which is absolutely decreed. The
French themselves have now the frankness
to Confess—if it be frankness to avow Whit
they have no longer any reason to conceal—
that King Ferdihand could not maintain him-
self one 'hour without the French. A Colonel
of the Staff of Moncey, writing from his head-
quarters, under the date of Nov. 1, asserts,.with
his signature 'anneked, that there are nut in Spain
the Materials of a Monarchical army—that is, oi
an army able anti disposed to defend the abso-
lute King. The soldiers of the Faith are, he
says, a mere barbarous horde, incapable of dis-
cipline oe'oliedience, who take arms at the call
of the Priests and nooks (the Colonel sty leg
these latter " the Ministers of God,") who at-
tack and 'retreat according to their own instinct,
and know no principle but " God and the King,"
in other WM-ds,::tyriony and the inquisition.---
To illattiate the condition and character of these
faithful subjects of .Ferdinand, this superior
Officer states a fact which came under ihds' own
knowledge. At the camp of St. Esteve (in
Catalonia), holes was abandoned by his
followers, because they were required to
wear shoes and uniforms. They preferred
going with their bodies half-naked, and their
feet with no other covering than a 'sole, or san-
dal of undressed leather, called " es pord
tied on with cord. On the other hand, he says,
the troOps 'which have made their 'submission
are not to be relied upon, because they
submitted only when they could no longer
defend the Conatitution. It' will be easy to per-
ceive, from the dispatch of Moncey, what
reception the French found at Barcelona. We
have no
.description of raptu:nus acclamations,
the Marshal simply says that they were re-
ceived with confidence, a very faint' and ;mull-

The following letter discloses a portion of the
secret history of the siege of Caditt of no small
importance :

(ZZTRACT or A LETTER FROM CADIZ OF 0CT.6.)
" The French have from 6 to 8060 men in garrison here and
at San Fernando. The manner in which they were received
on taking possession of the city does honour to the inhabitants.
Not a viva of any description was heard, the houses and shops
were shut, and scarce a native was seen in the streets. Attract-
ed by curiosity, myself and a few other Englishmen were in the
square of San Antonio, formerly of the Constitucion ; the La-
pida was still standing, but no notice was taken of it by the
invaders, or of them by the few spectators; the ties of society
appeared to be broken—it was the silence of death—and the
secluded inhabitants mourned in their houses their irreparable
loss. Until the last moment a blind and unaccountable infa-
tuation appeared to have absorbed their faculties—conscious of
having committed no crime, they seemed to have forgot the
lessons of former years, and expected peace, amnesty, and union
from the hands of Ferdinand. In vain many'of us attempted
to perauade them of their danger ; they pointed to the King's
Manifesto of the 30th ult., and talked with confidence of their
country's future happiness, and the preservation of their own
commissions, employments, and emoluments. This false secu-
rity has already been fatal to many who neglected the oppor-
tunity of flight or refuge offered them by all the foreigners who
had vessels in the Bay ; and now, thrown into the castles of
San Sebastian's and Santa Catalina, these generous deluded
men lament too late the not having attended to the advice of
their friends, in preference to the proclamations of a cruel, false

Monarch.
" As time advances, the features of this revolution become
more distinct, and the secret springs which propelled the Con-
stitutionalists to self-destruction are gradually discovered.—
Never, I can safely affirm, have the French intrigue and gold
been so successfully and extensively employed ; even previous
to the entrance of the French into Spain, the plot was brought
to maturity, and the ready conquest secured. Abisbal, who has
been considered as the first instrument of treason, was but a
mere tool ; the centre of all these machinations was the court ;
in a corps otherwise respectable (the Estado Major), many offi-
cers were introduced expressly for the purpose of conducting
with facility the secret correspondence. Zarco dal Valle,
its chief, was the centre of action ; every thing came to and
from him, and with a cunning and perspicuity seldom equalled,
he directed at once the operations of his secret emissaries, the
French and Constitutionalists. The key once known, the tragic
mystery is soon unravelled, and the actions of the minor agents
may with facility be traced to their source. An Englishman,
too, was more than commonly active and useful in forwarding
their nefarious schemes. This man, whose name is well known
in London for extensive defalcations on 'Change, and in Paris
for numerous deeds of imposition, obliged to fly his own coun-
try, became naturalized, and a spy of France ; and at Seville
and at Cadiz scattered his employers' money with unbounded

profusion.
" From the conversations I have held with the French offi-
cers, I em confirmed that, had resistance been made by the
kipaniards, the nourborte would'nOt now reign glitter here or in
France.
" From the came source I have derived an account of the
capture of the Castle of Santi Petri, which hitherto had been
a mystery to us e. Bribery had the principal part in producing
this disaster; the troops had been previously bought, and
consented to murde'r their officers on the first occasion. The
appioach of the squadron, and distant attack, was but a part of
this bloody, dastardly, conspiracy. Monte and Ortega' were
known to be brave, firm, and good officers, and had resisted the
numerous offers made by the enemy to shake their allegiance.
In the heat of action, whilst each in his department was en-
gaged in resisting exterior enemies, whose defeat was easy, and
appeared to be certain, their own soldiers, as had been previ-
ously agreed upon, mutinied, rushed upon, and murdered every
one of their brave Officers in cold blood, then hoisted a shirt
as a signal of truce and success, and were met by the French
with open arms, and feasted and applauded for the deed which
had been done at their instigation."
s The French ships did not approach within 1,100 yards of
the castle.