The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-29 00:00:00

SPAIN.

MADRID, Nov. 20.—The Ministers read, to-day,
in the Cortes, the last bulletins of General Van
Haien, giving an account of the disastrous affairs of
the 15th and 16th, at Barcelona. Before the opening
of this day's sitting of Cortes and the official com-
munication there was a Cabinet Council. The Presi-
dents of the two Chambers and several leading men of
the Cortes were present, and it was then decided that
the Regent should march for Barcelona, the official
notice of which was given to the Cortes. It was na-
turally important that Espartero should be made sure
of the support of the Cortes before he set out, and
hence a motion was made by the Deputy Serrano,
promising the aid of the two Chambers under the
serious circumstances of the case. Animated debates
took place on this-motion, and the Opposition Depu-
ties, who did not wish to refuse their assistance to
the Government, gave it only on the avowed under-
standing that the safety of the State was the only
motive of their vote. The Catalonian Deputies de-
fended the population of Barcelona, and contended
that the savage acts of Van Haien and Zurbano had
brought abont the insurrection. The motion was
voted in two divisions ; the first was carried by 67
against 14, and the second by 110 against 2. A spe-
cial deputation will carry up the message voted by
the Cortes, and his Highness has signified that he will
receive with pleasure all Deputies accompanying the
deputation. It is expected that nearly the whole
body will go, as it is quite a patriotic manifestation,
and not one of party. There will be no sitting to-
morrow, as the deputation will see the Regent before
he sets out. It is believed some members of the
Cabinet and some Catalonian Senators and Deputies
will accompany him to act a conciliatory part. A
portion of the troops of the Madrid garrison marches
with the Regent, and great activity prevails conse-
quently.
THE CORTES.—CONGRESS, SITTING OF 20rit.
Senor Olozaga, on taking the President's chair,
apologised for being late, but he had been detained by
the Regent with important affairs.
The Minister of War and President of the Council
(Rodil) then read dispatches received from Catalonia,
upon the receipt of which the Regent, having con-
sulted the Ministry, had resolved to leave for that pro-
vince to-morrow, in order to restore tranquillity.
Senor Serrano moved that a message should be sent
to the Regent, assuring him of the assistance of the
Deputies under these difficult circumstances.
Senor Prion opposed the motion. The Bareelonese
must not be thus speedily accused. The entire fault
was to be ascribed to the Government for provoking
and mortifying the population by maintaining in his
post a functionary for whom there was no respect, and
whose excessive rigour had exasperated time public
mind. But this was not all. The army in Catalonia
was neglected, and the soldiers were without food, and
that was the reason for their not standing out against
the popular attack. Persons had been arrested simply
because they entertained republican opinions. He
would remind the Minister of War that the mob did
not consist of some hundreds, but that 40,000 men had
taken to arms.

Senor Serrano—The great point now is to put down
disorder, and the conduct of the Government can
undergo inquiry afterwards.
Count De Las Nevas deplored the incessant prose-
cutions which the Political Chief at Barcelona had
directed against the journal Republican. He was for
an entire freedom of discussion, and no opinions ought
to be excepted.
Senor Mata opposed the motion of Senor Serrano,
considering it hazardous and out of place. It was
going too far to throw the responsibility of the dis-
orderi on the people, in order to screen the autho-
rities. Some persons thought there was a Republican
movement at Barcelona. That was impossible, for it
was too weak to keep head against the armed force.
Senor Serrano again rose, and asked what would
the nation say if it saw its representatives remain
supine, and forget their high mission ? Congress ought
now to second and aid the Government to establish
order, with the understanding that it would berespon-
sible for the exercise of its authority.

Senor Mendez Vigo threw the blame of the
orders on the authorities of Barcelona. The people
were always right, especially the enlightened popula-
tion of that town. After praising the Republican party,
which the orator contended had nothing to do with
the insurrection, he concluded by opposing the motion.

Senor Madoz said that he was bound to defend the
Political Chief of Barcelona, for he was his friend ;
but in attacking the seditious he had no in•.
tendon of attacking the general population of
Barcelona. Senor Madoz proposed that a Ines-
sage should be sent to the Regent, offering the
co-operation of the Chamber, in order that he
might cause the Constitution to be respected, and no-
thing might be done out of the pale of the law.
The motion for the message was then egsried, and
the Minister of Finance is now presenting some bills
to the House.

PRUSSIA.

BERLIN, Nov. 20.—The Russian Government has
adopted a singular mode of showing its resentment
against Prussia for refusing to renew the cartel for
the mutual surrender of military deserters. Every
year, about the time when the Russian recruitment is
put in force, thousands of refugees are sure to cross
the frontier to seek a shelter in Prussia. Many of
these are people without any means whatever of main -
taining themselves, and the Magistrates have hitherto
been in the habit of sending such individuals back to
their own country. Russia now refuses to receive
any of these fugitives, and thus forces Prussia to do
the best she can with the uninvited guests that throw
themselves upon her hospitality, and threaten to be-
come a serious burden to the country by vastly
increasing the number of paupers. What course cur
Government will adopt to counteract this evil seems
as yet uncertain. To insist upon the abandonment
by Russia of a system so contrary to all the principles
of good neighbourhood might not, perhaps, lead to any
satisfactory result. The best plan, perhaps, will be to
take the fugitives by the hand, and send them to those
provinces where a want of hands is felt. The popu-
lation of our eastern provinces is by no means dense,
and the public works about to be undertaken will, no
doubt occasion a demand for labour in many parts of
the kingdom
if unassisted, must become pau-
pers ; but with a little assistance they may be made
usefulmen v chiot i
hz eanvse.
eTd hme
egrree al
ytetro partavoi
do fb
et
ihnegm
faorrec
e)d. o
iunng
to
the army ; they want nothing but employment, and
if the means for obtaining that be facilitated to them,
they may become valuable members of the community.
If this plan be adopted, Russia is not likely to perse-
vere in the present policy. Her frontier provinces
could not long suffer the annual emigration of
thousands of the most valuable portion of their la-
bouring population, and to the large landholders this
species of emigration must prove a serious annoyance,
inasmuch as every estate is bound to furnish its fixed
quota of recruits, no allowance being made for the
absence of those peasants who, by a voluntary expa-
triation, have deprived themselves of the advantage of
marching to glory in the ranks of a Rstssian regiment.
Many of the fugitives are not merely conscripts,
but deserters from their several regiments. These
desertions have hitherto taken place Co a great extent,
notwithstanding the existence of a cartel by which
Prussia obliged herself to deliver every Russian sol-
dier that sought refuge on Prussian ground. Now
that no such apprehension continues, the temptation
to desert is materially increased, and the number of
deserters will certainly be augmented, unless the re-
giments are removed to a farther distance from the
frontier.
cordon
vaennn ansltiriwi:taanygirseerk;
Partly, no doubt to check desertion, but ostensibly
to prevent smuggling, a line of Cossack sentinels has
now been placed all along the frontier, and so closely
to each ottalitei or spite,n
stohtfaotaoe thisnsee
rrsitgee sentinel i na
creoel
neighbour on each side in view ; but smuggling con-
desertion, we may take
ep
in
te lessened by the measure alluded to.
smugglers,btt lieineubteuestn t e and
tiao:
it for granted, will
The reduction in the duty on salt in Prussia has
given the more satisfaction, as it awakens the hope
that, at no very distant period, the duty will he alto-
gether abandoned, when the Prussian landholders look
forward to an active trade in salted provisions to Eng-
land. The Konigsberg Gazette contained an able ar-
ticle on this subject a few days ago, in which the
writer endeavoured to show, that neither Denmark,
Holstein, nor America would be able to compete with
Prussia in the provision trade, if once the oppressive
duty on salt were abolished.

OYSTERS.—Last night (Nov. 1) was a great day for
the oysters in our harbour. The law regulating the
taking of them, allows the privilege to catch on and
after the Ist of November, for a certain time, and for
the last few days everything in the shape of a boat in
the vicinity has been in readiness for the occasion.
As early as four o'clock yesterday afternoon, boat after
boat, scow after scow, and canoe after canoe, could be
seen steering for the large oyster bed at the mouth of
West river, and by ten o'clock in the evening it is es-
timated that, not less than 1,000 persons were on the
ground. The moment the clock tolled the hour of
midnight the strife commenced, and at sunrise thi9,
morningit was estimated that over 10,000 bushels
had been taken, and we have no doubt that is less
than the actual quantity.—New Haven Palladium.
BETULEM 110SPITAL.—Some time since, two of
the lunatics at this establishment made their
escape,
one of whom was re-captured the same day. The
other (James Grant) has only
recently been heard
of, being found at his mother's house, at Inverness,
having walked all the distance from London to Scotland.