The Sun.
London, England, 1823-04-17 00:00:00

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tinily affected to limit their wishes to a moderate'
alteration of the Spanish Constitution. But they
have recognized as their Spanish Allies and Con-
federates - the very men whose rallying cry is
a Viva el Rey absolu, i
" and the French Goverir
meat themselves are at this moment the n
itruments of a violent and tyrannical French
Party, whose constant exclamation is " 6 The
Altar and the Throne," but which to their
mouths has been proved by their actions to mean,
"Fanaticism and arbitrary Power !"
Now, although by every principle ofjustice (con-
s• sidering the facts of the case which we have just
recapitulated) every free people are bound to
maintain, if it be in their power, the insulted,
I wronged, and oppressed Spaniards, who have
not only to coutend against the fanaticism, the
ignorance, and the rapacity of their own country-
men, but against the fanaticism, the bayonets,
and the ambition of the foreign Power which is
attempting to overwhelm them ; yet it is never-
theless true, that. there are numberless considera-
tions of prudence and of policy which might well
induce a third party (England, for example), to
pause, before she committed herself in a quarrel
which might involve her in hostilities with half
of Europe, and in which, in the event of failing
to accomplish the ostensible object of her inter-
, ference,the Power of Spain herself,—of that very
country which she had endeavoured to protect
and to save, might be turned against her. We
admit the full force of this most serious con-
sideration. We admit the necessity under which
this country was placed of weighing well the
consequences of her resorting to arms on behalf
of a divided people, against whom, as well as
against the original aggressors, she might soon
find herself obliged to contend. We are ready
to do justice to Ministers for the wisdom and
Prudence with which they have abstained from
rashly committing the country to the contin-
gencies of such a struggle. We even applaud
the policy which has determined them in
the first instance to observe neutrality, and to
keep the Empire committed to their charge
aloof_ from the vortex of a conflict, which,
from the novel and eictraordinary features of its
character, may be attended with contingencies
aot easily foreseen, and with difficulties and dan-
gers not easily to be overcome. A neutrality
under such circumstances, however, ought to have
been perfectly loose and unfettered. However
strict its observance, for the sake of our own ho-
nour, throughout the period of its continuance,
the country ought to have been left free and at
liberty to take part in the conflict, if at any time
she might so determine, on the ground of the
°riginal aggression, f the original outrage
against the rights of independent ndtions, and
against the interests of civilization, which France
has dared to
!)een entirely Perpetrate,—and ought to have
unshackled in her right to enter
Into the War, at ally moment of her own choice or
convenience, without being called upon to assign
Y other reasons or motives for her conduct
than those furnished by the intrinsic merits of
the cause Which she might think fit to espouse,
nd without the necessity of appealing to any
thing but the protestations which she herself had
Itrhom the first uttered, against that injustice which
e might at length think fit to resist. To a neutra-
.,ity like this, no prudent or rational Englishman,
12°t eveu the Spanish Constitutionalists them-
'elves, could have objected. But the neutrality to
Ministers have pledged themselves, mann.
Tn.ately ties up the country, in such a manner,
t".4`
She may be compelled to witness the accom-
pli of an act of iniquity, which, during its
Progress, may be attended with circumstances
Which Would induce her to make every effort for
its counteraction In this respect, we are com-
pelled testate our conviction—and we state it with
s
lln aoreofgrief than of reprehension,--that Ministers
e" committed an unskilful, an injurious, perhaps
Riatal error,—that they have gratuitously fettered
their own hands, and strengthened those of the
aggressors,
,when they might have distracted the
councilstn of the enemies of Spain with doubt, and
ight have reserved to themselves the right, if
eY at any time thought proper, of inter.
i to repel their aggression, and to drive
invading legions from the Peninsula
issue with discomfiture and disgrace,—that they
_,. voluntarily descended from the high
'o'l_4, honourable ground which they occupied
tyhheavper,ogress of the negociations,—and
tpploulme-iritd-icngtghese
which by an act of precipitancy, given
have placed their own future
tent Powers, instead of preserving to themselves
the absolute coutroul over their own future con-
duct! The unfortunate e c rror to which we allude,
ontained in the last d dispatch of Mr. CANNING
thOi lIARLES STUART (No. 43 of the Papers),
w
th,atch he instructs the British Ambassador at
rcei‘:coltiirt of
the Tuileries to make known to the
timents
Uovernment his Britannic Majesty's sen-
assuretaakte pthreeiretrt of the negociations, and to
," This frank ey
Possity Cabinetofany
alone the Planation upon the points on which perhaps
Itritain
that
Spain can be collision of France with Great
oPprehended in a war between France and
dieLtYtour Excelieney will represent to hi. de Clutteaubriand,
are 44
2174,1: earnest desire to be enabled to preserve in
°aleto alteration and undeviating neutrality • a neutrality not
Jun interest. ofthdVrae areparty, ro lo'rg as the honour
towards
sßeri equally respectedi by both."
C( A
ne
utrality not liable to alteratitin so long
are lee equally respected by both parties !"—The
Woos/
s)—and not only the interests,—but,
loCrlteiresPecially and emphatically,—the honour
pd b eat Britain,--have already been compromis-
Pew.' the existing war !—Her INTERESTS are di-
and may eventually be most seri-
(6e'Y Injured, and her lionouit is notoriously and
LPIY involved by the very origin of the contest,
ts.‘akueY.,..tilePrinciid'es on which it is avowedly uuder-
itrofenr-and by the objects which one of the parties
alenc"edly intends to accomplish ! The com-
atrueent of her act of aggression by France,
~,u,"2"c directly at our honour.— m Its consu.
n e cannot fail, even in spite of France
r.l,
.....fhtf..) most seriously to affect our interests !
as tip,' right which. these facts, (humiliating
theses are)) unquestionably gave us, Ministers
titer. ,Olest unfortunately suffered to slip out of
"ands! We can take no step for the vin-
Meettati9a of our character,—we can adept no
sures for the protection of our interests)—

ttnless France shall by some new outrage
furnish us with an excuse for the abandon-
ment of our neutrality,—an act of impru-
dence with which, considering the extent of the
field in which we have already given license for
her perfidy and ambition to range, she is not
likely soon to favour us ! With the determina-
tion to be neutral, it was not necessary that Mi-
nisters should do more than declare that it was
not their intention to enter at present into the
contest, but that at the same time they
reserved to themselves the right of so doing,
if in its progress circumstances should arise
to alter their views. The gratuitous admis-
sion that our honour and just interests are
as yet untouched, and that the war commenced
by France contains nothing in its own character,
—nothing in its nature or in, its origin,—nothing
in the principles on which it is founded, or in the
purposes for which it is waged,—that could jus-
tify us in becoming a party to it,—was utterly
uncalled for,—was giving away a right which
we had clearly acquired from the language
held by us during the negotiations, or rather a
right which intrinsically belonged to or had
grown out of the nature of the case itself, what-
ever our language might have been ! Even those
who might be inclined to doilbt that our right of
interference was inherent in the case, will be ready
to admit that we had acquired' it by our attitude
and tone in the negotiations. All parties, there-
fore, must equally admit and equally lament that
we have voluntarily surrendered the incalculable
advantage of being perfectly unfettered in our
conduct during the progress of a most mo-
mentous war. But that the right belongs to
the case itself,—that we are compromised in
our interests and in our honour by the nature
and inevitable tendency of the confiict,—that
our conduct ought under all the circumstances
to be determined, not by its doubtful justice,
but by the considerations of prudence, and of
policy Which bear upon the question,—that
the impelling motives to our entering into the
war are clearly and unequivocally indicated by
the dictates of imperious justice, and by a sense
of what is due to our own dignity and safety,—
and that the restraining motives, which hold us in
a state of inactivity, are solely of a prudential na-
ture,—that the question, in short, is entirely one
of calculotion and of comparative power, between
ourselves and those with whom we might have to
contend, can be proved by the declarations of
Ministers themselves; and to that part of the sub-
ject, therefore, we shall hereafter request the at-
tention of our headers.—(To be continued.)

The Paris Papers of , Tuesday state that the
Duke of BELLurro has returned to Paris. lie
alighted at the Howl of the War Department.—
Count BitusErrE, formerly Minister Plenipo-
tentiary from Austria to Madrid, had arrived
in the French capital, and was to set out in a
few days for the head-quarters of the army. A
Cabinet Council assembled on Monday evening,
at the house of M. de VXLLELE. It appears by
a letter from Perpignan, in the Constitutionnel,
that MINA had fixed his head-quarters at Vich,
and formed there the centre of his military
and administrative operations for the Pro-
vince of Catalonia. The Political Chiefs of
the four Provinces of Catalonia had had fre-
quent conferences there with the General.—
On the sth instant, a convoy of provisions arrived
at Roses from Cadiz and Alicant, for the supply
of Figueras, in which place, including every
species of troops, there would be a garrison of near
5,000 men. Considerable anxiety appears to pre-
vail at Toulouse with respect to the reported ad-
vance of MINA on that city, and the Echo du
Midi, an ultra journal of Toulouse, labours to re-
move the fears entertained of such an enterprize.
That paper says, as quoted by the Journal du
Commerce," Many persons imagine that the move.
meats on the part of the Constitutionalists of Cata-
lonia have no other object but that of forming a line
of defence. Others, led away by ill-founded fears,
or under the influence of criminal wishes, see in
them projects cif aggression; but it is more rea-
sonable to believe, and that opinion is very gene-
rally adopted, that they are intended for the dis-
persion of the Royalists, who maintain them-
selves advantageously on the side of Solsona, and
to prevent their re-embodying in France." It
was believed at Perpignan that the advance into
Catalonia of the troops under Marshal MONCEY
would take place in a few days, but the period
was not fixed.

The Moniteur of Tuesday contains a Royal
Ordinance, conferring the dignity of Minister
of State and Privy Councillor on Viscount Di-
jeon, 6' as a special mark of the Royal satis.
faction."

The Monitcur also contains the following brief
and important bulletin !

TEtEGRAPHIC DISPATCH.
BAYONNE, APRIL 14.

" His Royal highness the Duke d'Angouleme is in good
health.

" Our operations go on marvelously !"
The Funds on Tuesday were as follow :—French Five per
Cents. closed, for Money, at three o'clock, 84 f. c. ; for ac-
count, at fotir o'clock, 84 f. 80 e. ; Neapolitan, 72i ; Spanish,
341.

( From the Etoile of Monday evening.)
NEWS FROM THE ARMY.

Head-quarters at Ernani, April 11.
The Duke d'Angouleme this day moved his head-quarters
to Tolosa, where he will probably remain two days.
The advance guard was beyond Villa Franca. The Spaniards
eagerly welcome an army which they call " the Liberating
Army."
His Royal Highness the Generalissimo has inspected the di-
vision which has just covered itself with glory, at the taking
of the heights of St. Sebastian. He has nominated Lieu.
tenant-General Bourke, Commander of St. Louis; he has made
two Chevaliers of this Order, and four of the Royal Order
of the Legion of Ilonour. Several other promotions also took
place. The Prince's position, when he received the officers,
was within cannon-shot of the place. The noble justice, the
sang froid, and the valour of the Duke d'Angouleme, electri-
fied the French soldiers.

The brigade commanded by M. Laroche Jacquelin, keeps
the field. The French traitors to their King and country,
which were in St. Sebastian, have escaped by sea.

OPERATIONS OF THE FRENCH ARMY IN SPAIN.

PRIVATE LETTER FROM PARIS, Arm 15.
g 4 I transmit to you the proclamation of the new
Spanish Regency to the Spanish nation, and some
important intelligence from Bayonne, Tolosa,
and Valencia.

" The four Frenchmen who were taken
prisoners in the affair of the Bth, have been tried
by a court-martial, and shot, The Duke d'Aff-
gouleme has had a very narrow escape. He went

to distribute military rewards so near the guns of
St. Sebastian, that if he had remained half an
hour longer, the French Army must certainly
have been deprived of its General."
The following is a French account of this ad-
venture, contained in a letter from Bayonne of
the 12th :

" You know already from the official bulletin
what has occurred at St. Sebastian : our young
voltigeurs displayed, under the glacis against the
fire from the citadel, an ardour which it required
great efforts to moderate ; but the following fact
is probably not known at Paris:—
" Yesterday his Royal Highness the Duke d'Angouleme,
having been to reconnoitre St. Sebastian, and having distributed
crosses of. honour to the soldiers who had distinguished them-
selves in the first affair befote the fortress, his appearance was
observed from the fort : a 24-pounder was immediately ordered
forward : but the Spaniards were so slow in mounting it on the
battery, that the Prince had already set off on his return for
Etnani, when they fired it off; it was most fortunate that they
were so slow ; for the ball -leased right through a house, and
struck a platoon stationed behind the buildings, precisely on
the spot where his Royal Highness had been distributing the
decorations : fifteen men were killed or wounded.
" 4 It is pretended that the French refugees have withdrawn
from St. Sebastian by sea.'
" In addition to this French letter from Ba-
yonne, I have to inform you that the Spanish
Royalist Chiefs have, it is positively asserted,
broken off all connexion with the old regency.—
Longa is resolved to enter Spain to fight on his
own account. What lie means by this determi-
nation is, probably, that he intends to plunder
the French as well as the Constitutionalists.
64 The Holy Alliance Ministers are about to
set out in a few days for the camp of the Duke
of A ngou leme. His Royal Highness will thus
have both the Regency of Spain and the repre-
sentatives of the great Continental Powers at
his table.

" Thu affair before Bayonne was much more
serious than the official bulletin states. We can-
not yet have the Spanish accounts, but reports
from the army make the loss of the French troops
300, instead of about .1,0.-1 now give you the

" PROCLAMATION

OP THE PROVISIONAL JUNTA OF THE SPANISH GOVERN-

MENT TO THE SPANISH NATION:-

" Generous Spaniards !—After thrieYeai; of public cala-
niity, brought on Our country by. the rebellion of some guilty
sons, the day of peace at length rises for you, and with it the
happy, influence of order and justice.
.Europe, affected by your misfortunes, and fatigued by the
cries of sedition, calls with all Its prayers for the termination
of your calamities; and a generous descendant of St. Louis is
crossing your frontiers at the head of a faithful and glorious
army, to assist your efforts, and accomplish your wishes.
" Spaniards! it is no longer that hostile standard which
formerly threatened your liberty : it is thelianner of peace, borne
by valiant warriors. This banner is destined to heal the wounds
which anarchy has made, to cover with its protecting shield
those brave men who are about to restore the throne and the
altar, and to deliver our unhappy King and his august family
ftom the captivity in which they are held by a handful of re-
bellious subjects.
_ . .

" This eminent service which our allies are rendering us ac-
quires a new lustre from the disinterestedness and generosity
which govern it. Your Government attests, on its honour and
truth, that no sentiment of ambition or interest mixes with this
noble resolution ; the common danger arising from the mischiefs
with which the revolution threatens Europe, has given to poli-
tical virtue its ancient lustre and chivalrous character; and it is
consoling to humanity to see the resolutions of cabinets, and
the Councils of Kings, offer sublime and repeated examples of
that policy, whichhas not for its object increase, of territory or
interested treaties, but the consolidation of the principles of
justice and of the foundations of society threatened with uni-
versal dissolution.

" Spaniards! Europe renders justice to your loyalty. It
knows that it is one of the virtues which most ennobles your
character; it is far from confounding your generous sentiments
with those attributeti to you by the friends of revolution, in
order to cover with the name of the general opinion of the na-
tion, the excesses and crimes of a faction.
" The moment is come, when, free from the oppression which
weighed lipon you, you are able to chew to Europe how just
and merited was the opinion which she hid formed of your sen-
tiraerits : let ua not leave to our armies, and to those of our
sil ca, the glop, of our deliverance—the whole nation is inte-
rested in 'lancing in the great success—but never let the energe-
tic expression of its will be sullied by any one of those excesses
at which honour and generosity revolt.
" Spaniards Your Provisional Government declares, that it
does not recognize, and that it considers as never having exist-
ed, the political and administrative acts of the Government
erected by rebellion, and that it establishes, therefore, provi-
sionally, that administration of the State which existed before
the violence of anarchy in 1320.
" The edifice of anarchy thus destroyed, and the King, our
master, restored to liberty, then the institutions may be esta-
blished which circumstances advise and require, and which his
Majesty may deign to grant.
" The Provisional Junta of the Government of the Spanish
nation recognizes only in the King the origin and seat of the
Sovereign Authority, and, as a necessary consequence, does not
admit in the political system any modification which is not
made directly by the King, by tphtettaoduviociei of those wise men
whom he may be pleased to consult.
44 Spaniardst. the experiment which you have made ought to
awaken all your vigilance, anti to
the insidious and deceitful suggestionsy of revoylouutriognu.ard against
" Our King, alWays disposed to secure the happiness of his
people, will find, no doubt, in our ancient laws, in oar usages
and customs, wise provisions which, combined with our cha-
racter, and in harmony with our manners anti our wants, will
fix, in a stable and advantageous manner, our future destiny.
" Spaniards ! For you the glory is reserved of extermi-
nating the revolutionary Hydra which, repulsed from all the
states of Europe, has come in seeking an asylum to strike our
native land with sterility anti calamity, Let the most perfect
harmony be the device of our noble cause ; let there be only
one will where there is only one wish anti one interest--the'
safety of religion, of our king, and of our country.
By the Provisional Junta,
(Signed) " EGUI4, EltRO, CALDERON.
" Bayonne, April 6." Wednesday evening, the 26th
ult. a party of insurgents, under the command of Sempete, oc-
cupied the suburbs, and on the following day commenced a
heavy fire on the city, which they attacked at four different
points. They held it thus in a sort of siege during three days,
at the end of which they withdrew to Murviedro, in conse-
quence of having learnt that succour was approaching. Their
operations did very little damage ; many of the grenades
thrown by theta did not burst, and the injury caused by those
which exploded was trifling. A few persons were wounded.--
The troops in the city were very few, barely sufficient to the
maintenance of order. The militia behaved remarkably well,
and no interruption occurred to the public tranquillity. The
assailing part are estimated to have lost above 100 men.
It appears that the peasantry in general have sided the
insurgents. Due preparations are making against another at,
tack, and some buildings adjoining the walls have been pulled
down.

APRIL. 11.—His Royal Highness the Duke d'An-
gouleme arrived this morning, and was very favourably re-
ceived. Ile will remain here two days for the purpose of allow-
ing the 2d corps (that of General 3Iollitor) to conic up, which
will take the great road to Navarre, form on the Ebro near
Logrono. In the eveninifth„e were illuminations, and dances
after the manner of the asque provinces._Some men of Que.
satin's division arrived here several days back ; and one of them
having committed some violence, was killed by the peasants,
which caused a report that two of our soldiers had been assassi.
nated. It was feared when General Quesada followed, that
this affair would provoke his vengeance ; but, on the contrary,
he commended the action, and issued very severe regulations to
prevent similar excesses. The alarm, however, was such that
the inhabitants did not venture till our arrival to open their
shops. Our presence restored them to confidence, anti every
thing now wears the appearance of peace and security. There
i
are many disaffected individuals who areincreasing in their en-
deavours to destroy the cordiality which subsists between the
soldiers and the people, but the majority are for us, and we
have the clergy of all denominations to a man on our side.

We have this morning received by the Brazils
Mail Rio de Janeiro Papers to the 12th Feb.
They contain a Decree of the EMPEROR, ordering
Portuguese subjects who arrive in the ports of the
Brazils to give securities for their good behaviour
during their residence) and in the event of desir-

in; to settle permanently they are required to take
the oath of fidelity to the cause of Brazil, and to
its Emperor. Another Decree annuls the pro-
hibitive commercial system, and substitutes in
its place an import duty of twenty-four per
cent. on all foreign goods, including those of
Portugal. The only exception is in favour of
English goods, which are to pay an import
duty of only fifteen per cent., in conformity
with the Treaty of the 19th February, 1810.
There are also some particular regulations re-
specting imported wines, spirits, liquors, oils,
and vinegars.—To-morrow we shall insert the
Decrees at length.

We have received Papers by a Hanaburgh Mall
this morning.; but their contents are utterly de-
stitute of interest.

tFROM A CORRESPONDENT.]
STOCK EXCHANGE, Twelve o'Clock.—Consols
opened at 761,, at which price they remain
steady, with a flat market.--Several Ex-
presses have arrived from Paris. One of
them has come direct from Madrid. On his
approach to the French lines he dismounted
and passed them on foot unnoticed. He has
brought intelligence to the Spanish Ambas.
sador; and he reports of the affair at
St. Sebastian, that the loss of the French was
not less than from 4to 500 men. He also brings
some accounts from MINA, who is said to have
defeated a party of the Army of the Faith, sup-
ported by a division of the French Army, and
that a number were killed and wounded on both
sides.
Accounts have been received from Tales
which positively state, that the Russians have a
force in that neighbourhood of not less than
forty thousand men ; and the whole of the
Russian forces assembled on the confines of
Persia are positively stated to be not less than
one hundred and eighty thousand men ; but most of
these troops are in a wretched state, almost with-
out clothing, nor having received any pay for a
length of time. The object of the Emperor
ALEXANDER in having so large a force in that
quarter of the world is rather suspicious ; and it
is thought that his view is either to awe the Per-
sians, or to indicate some hostile intentions on
India, should England take an active part with
Spain.
FOREIGN Mutt( ET.—Spanish Bonds opened
this morning at 312, went down to MI, with
little doing.

In the House of Coinmons last night, Lord
A LTIIO ItP'S Motion for the Repeal of the Foreign
Enlistment Act was negatived by a large majo-
rity. We can only refer our Readers to the in.
teresting and important debate to which the
motion gave rise.

NVe have been compelled, by the pressure of
important matter, to omit for the last three
days our usual extracts from the Leading
Articles of the Morning Papers. knowing how
acceptable that feature of our Paper is to our
Readers, we purpose to resume our daily ex-
tracts to-morrow, and to continue them without
future interruption. The chasm caused by their
omission during the last three days is the less to
be regretted, because the Morning Papers, over-
whelmed like ourselves with the great pressure
of matter, have reserved, little or none of their
space for the original remarks of their Editors.

ARRIVAL OF TILE KING.—His MAJESTY AT..
rived at Carlton House from Brighton at half-
past six o'clock yesterday evening, we are re-
joiced to state, in perfect health. His MAJESTY,
as we have already announced, will hold it
Levee on Monday next, and a Drawing-Room on
Wednesday.
Yesterday, at two o'clock, a Cabinet Council
was held at the Foreign Office, which was at-
tended by all the Cabinet Ministers, who con-
tinued in deliberation till past four o'clock,
except the LORD CHANCELLOR, who left about
half past three.

On Tuesday night Mr. the King's Mes-
senger, left town with dispatches for Spain.
Sir CHARLES 11AmpvLne, we are glad to hear,
was yesterday considered in rather an improved
state.

A beautiful Steam Packet (George the Fourth)
is now plying between Cork, Ilfracombe, and
Bristol ; it leaves Cork every Tuesday, and
Bristol every Saturday, and with the most adverse
wind completes the passage in about thirty hours.
By this channel the London Newspapers some-
times reach Cork before they reach Dublin.
All the English newspapers by the last con-
veyance from Southampton, were seized at Havre
and sent to Paris.

On the 7th inst., about a quarter before nine
o'clock, there appeared at Brest a luminous
meteor, which emitted a most brilliant light. it
left after it a circular vestige, visible a consider.
able time after its disappearance.
NEWPORT, (ISLE or ‘VionT), APRIL 12.—At the Gene-
ral Quarter Sessions for this Borough,on Friday, we are happy
to state, there was not one cause for the Court to hear.

In the case of Moser Long, convicted at the
Suffolk Assizes, of a-burglary, in the house of
Mr. JOHN PECK, Brockford, a curious confession
was made by the prisoner ; from which it ap-
peared that he entered by breaking a pane of
glass, marched about the house throwing open
all the doors, lay down on a bed and slept, he
supposed above an hour; came to another bed-
room, and again lay down, but in a few
minutes got up again, and " squatted down "
upon the stairs ; went into the kitchen, and
ate a candle which he found there. He after-
wards took up a parcel of bank-notes and laid
them down again, thinking them letters : seeing
something which looked like a desk, he opened
it, and putting his hand upon some Wick and
white stripes—to his great astonishment and
terror a noise proceeded from them, and ho
ran away as fast as he could. This was a piano-
forte. The Court was convulsed with laughter
at this confession, from which, and other circum-
stances, it appeared that the prisoner, who was
an inmate of the work-house, was a man of very
weak understanding, hut capable of distinguishing
right from wrong.---(Chelmsford Chronicle.)