The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-26 00:00:00

THE MANIFESTO OF THE NEW

SPANISH MINISTRY.

THE COUP D'ETAT.
CONGRESS, MADRID, MARCH 18.—At the meeting of the
Cortes to-day, M. Nocedal, the Secretary (the President's
state of health not allowing him to speak), said that the
President has directed me to inform you, that at a late hour
of the night be received a communication from the President
of the Ministers, apprising him that the Congress might meet
for the purpos3 of be►ng made acquainted with the final for-
mation of the Ministry and other important matter. Con-
greas is therefore informed of the formation of the new

Cabinet.
The following royal decree was then read :
"By virtue of the prerogative vested in me by article 26
of the Constitution, and by the advice of my Ministers, I
have decreed-as follows :--
"Sole article—The sittings of the Cortes in the present
session are suspended."
M. Nocedal—The President desires me to say, that in
conformity to the above decree, the sitting is immediately

closed.
The following is the manifesto of the new Ministry, and the
ordinance against the liberty of the press, inserted in the
Official Gazette of the 18th of March :
" The frightful storms which, since the death of Ferdinand
VII. have assailed the throne upon which right and victory
have placed his august daughter Queen Isabella, seemed as
if they were about to subside in the presence of the solemn
declaration of the majority; and the nation, anxious for
peace and rest, looked ferwerd to it with confidence. But
since the desires of ambition have been fomented by the
changes which we have undergone since the beginning of the
present century, the gradual and continued relaxation of the
social state has annihilated the flattering hope of the nation.
The periodical press, which ought to be a school of morality,
a medium of instruction, saving a few honourable excep-
tions, is no longer but a stream of scandal, and a fire-brand
thrown every day in the midst of the defenceless population,
for the purpose of inflaming it, and reducing it to ashes.
Vain have been the repeated attempts made to apply a re-
medy for the purpose of saving the press from the effects of
its own excesses; following the impulse it received from
the first momentum, now knowing no bounds, it has thrown
itself into a bottomless abyss, and when after times of
danger, when it had rendered itself useful as a means of
warfare, it was hoped that it would contribute to the re-
organization of society; the press not only does not abandon
its aggressive habits, but adopting a new course, it puts
itself at the disposal of bad passions and private interests,
leads astray the opinion of the multitude, already enough
prejudiced by inclination and by habit against Governments
of short duration, or bad ones, which they have seen succeed
each other. The remains of obedience and of the holy re-
spect due to the throne of our Kings, saved as by a miracle
from revolutionary broils—these remains have begun to be
objects of attack from those who not long since laboured
with a patriotic and noble energy and self-denial to save
them. This conspiracy advancing openly against all autho-
rity, attacking the reputation of all, has necessarily produced
bitter results. Intrigues cunningly got up have even im-
bued reasonable and rational persons with the venom of dis-
trust and schism. Lied, calumnies, and scandal, have not
been spared for the purpose of unpopularising the throne if
possible, and creating hatred against all surrounding it. A
credulous simplicity, and an imprudent patriotisl on the one
hand, vulgar pride on the other, puerile fears, a bad direction
given to our most noble feelings, forgetfulness of or want of
faith in the principles on which the stability of thrones rests,
and especially the general disorder of ideas, have brought us
to such a state, that if it were to continue for any time, it
would drag public order, the throne, and our institutions, into
a common ruin. The duty of saving these precious objects,
and sparing to future time such humiliations as the revolu-
tionary spirit one day attemped to inflict on the granddaugh-
ter of St. Ferdinand, has placed her Majesty under the neces-•
sity of taking advice on the critical state of the nation. Her
Majesty having, therefore, called upon the parties subscribed
to the present manifesto, they have without one moment's
hesitation taken upon themselves to face the dangers of such
a state of things, fortunately but of transition, and they are
ready to oppose the enemies of order, under whatever dis-
guise, to fight against them until they shall be vanquished,
to restore the balance between the public authorities which
has been destroyed (restablecer et desrompuesto equi-
librio de los podres publicos), and to cement on a broad basis
the peace of the kingdom, veneration for the throne, and re-
spect for the institutions which the august Sovereign seeks
to preserve whole, for the glory and honour of Spaniards.
The intentions of the present Cabinet are sincere, and it ex-
plains them clearly, because it seems to it to be patriotic and
noble. Attached to constitutional government, and seeing it
dwindle away in the hands of intrigue and corruption, the
Cabinet seeks to save it by rendering it more moral ; a reve-
rential worshipper of the throne, the most ancient and po-
pular institution of Spain, it intends to uphold it in the free
exercise of the prerogative, and to keep it in public estima-
tion at the elevated situation it ought to hold—the present
Cabinet will not suffer the envenomed shafts of party to
reach the throne. A child of its own time, the Cabinet can-
not oppose reforms. It will respect, consolidate, and, fur-
thermore, it will zealously work to put the last stamp of sta-
bility to interests created under the shadow and under the
protection of the laws; but it will, at the same time, respect
the sentiments which history and tradition have given to the
national character ; and, by having due respect for that
which Spaniards have venerated, and which men never
cease to reverence, it will see that the regular and
suitable support of religion (Catholic) and its minis-
ters be a truth. The Cabinet will adopt as the basis of
its administration, morality, economy, order, vigorous and
rapid action, and at the same time protection to all lawful
interests. In future none of those interests shall apply in
vain to the Government. The moral interests shall be se-
cured by the carrying on and immediately accomplishing the
re-organization already begun of all the branches of public
service. Material interests will also not be lost sight of, by
daily satisfying that call for improvement, whichis the pe-
culiar characteristic of cur times. As to the finances, a por-
tion of the public expenditure will, from this moment, be as
far reduced as possible, certain burdens will be made lighter,
and it will be endeavoured to reconcile the wants of the ser-
vice with the respect due to engagements of another nature,
which ere a charge on the Treasury. The need which the
new Cabinet has of glory, may serve as a warranty that
its promises will be fulfilled. In a short time the Cabinet
will, under its responsibility, give a strong impulse to the
object, the rettlement of which the varying and stormy
course of irritating political discussions has prevented for
so many years; and when, by any measure, it shall outstrip
the limits of its constitutional powers, it will submit its con-
duct to the Cortes, founding its defence upon necessity, and
its excuse in its success. Such are the views of the Ministry,
exposed frankly, with their motives, their means of execution,
and their final object. To bring them to a good end, with-
out throwing the country into lamentable: convulsions, her
Majesty's present advisers deem it proper to strengthen the
Government, and all their efforts tend to strengthen it.
Resolved to oppose moral and real anarchy, which rears its
head in all parts of the monarchy, Ministers will not shrink
from salutary measures, however harsh they may seem
under sad circumstances. No disorder, no attempt at
cresting disorder, shall go unpunished. Public functionaries,
whatever may be their rank, who shall act contrary to the
plans of the Cabinet, who shall renew those fatal examples
of weakness and concession which have caused such preju-
dice to the peace and prosperity of the nation, shall forth-
with be dismissed, and if the cause requires it, severely
punished. On the contrary, honest, laborious, and capable
functionaries, whatever may have been their previous poli-
tical opinions, will always find in the Government of her
Majesty unreserved protection and support. In order to
insure, in all respects, and immediately, obedience to the
measures which it has ripened in its mind, and which her
Majesty has approved, the Cabinet relies upon a numerous,
disciplined, and loyal army, on the judgment and tried
wisdom of the nation, and the strength which its noble un-
dertaking, as well founded for these reasons as holy from its
object, will afford.
" DUKE OF VALENCIA,
The Minister of War, President of the Council,
" PEDRO EGANA,
The Minister of Grace and Justice.
" FRANCISCO ORLANDO,
The Minister of Finances.
" JUAN DE LA PEZUELA,
The Minister of Marine.
" XAVIER DE BURGOS,
The Minister of the Interior.
"Madrid, March 18, 1846."

THE LIBERTY OF THE PRESS.
MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR.
"Madam,--The Ministry which your Majesty has ho-
noured with your august confidence could not but turn their
attention, at their first meeting, to the lamentable abuses
of which the press is guilty, and which cause a universal
scandal. To avoid them in future, and to repress them, the
Ministers have unanimously resolved that it is necessary to
put in force anew the severe provisions of your decrees of the
10th April, 1844, and 6th July, 1845. To this end they
have the honour of submitting to your approbation the an-
nexed decree.

(Signed) "DUKE OF VALENCIA.
" FRANCISCO ORLANDO.
"PEDRO DE EGANA.
" XAVIER DE BURGOS.
"JUAN DE LA PEZUELA.

" Madrid, March 18, 1846."
" ROYAL DECREE.
"Until a project of law, drawn up after mature considers•
tion, shall properly settle the exercise of the liberty of the
press, I have deemed it necessary, under the advice of my
council of Ministers, that without derogating from the pro-
visions in my decrees of the 10th of April, 1844, and the 6th
of July, 1845, the following provisions shall be observed for
the effectual repression of the abuses of which the press is
guilty.
"Article I—Attacks and offensive expressions printed in
a journal against my royal person, or against my family, or
against foreign sovereigns, or the princes of their families,
or against the constitution and the laws of the country, or
against the free exercise of my constitutional prerogative,
or against the present decree, before it is decided on by the
Cortes, shall be punished by the immediate and final sup-
pression of the journal. "
Article 2—Attacks against public functionaries, as well
in respect to their actions in private life, as such as shall
consist in wickedly attributing to them bad intention in their
official acts, shall be punished by the temporary suspension
of the journal.
" Article 3—Writings having for their object to excite to
disobedience of the laws or to contempt of the Government
and its measures, shall be liable to the same penalty.
" Article 4—The responsible editor, whose journal shall be
suppressed or suspended, shall not be able to sign any other
publication before the Cortes shall have decided on the fact
incriminated.
" Article s—The final suppression or suspension referred
to in the above articles shall be adopted by the Ministers in
Council, under the joint and several responsibility of each of
them, under the obligation of giving an account to the Cortes
of the use made by them of their power.
" Article G—The suppression or suspension of the journal
shall take place Iv ithout in any way derogating from the
penalties which the authors of the incriminated article
shall incur, by virtue of my two decrees of April 1844, and of
July 1845.
" Article 7 If the offences specified in articles 1,2, and 3
are committed by hand-bills, fly- sheets, or other writings,
the Council of Ministers shall administratively take under
its responsibility the necessary measures for repressing the

. . -
abuse.
" Given at the Palace, the 18th of March, 1846.
" Signed with the hand of the Queen.
" XAVIER DE BURGOS,
" The Minister of the Interior.

The great influx of visitors to the metropolis, occa-
sioned by the numeous railroad schemes now before the Houses of Par-
liament, has caused the various places of amusement to be on the
qui rive, and none more so titan the Royal Surrey Zoological Gardens,
where a most extraordinary metamorphosis is taking place, the pre-
parations being on the grandest scale. Bridges are building, extra
statues being placed, and, if report speaks true, the exhibition itself
far this season will far exceed any of its predecessors.
AMATEUR PORTRAIT PAINTING.—PEEL, BY WELLING-
YoN. —Perhaps the tritest and most graphic sketch of the Premier
extant, is that which was lately dashed off impromptu by the Duke
of Wellington. " But call your Grace explain to me what Sir Robert
means by these commercial measures ?" a " high personage" is said
to have asked not long ago. "Oh! an amiable enthusiast, your MA-
I jesty," An amiable enthusiast It is reel to the life.