Star.
London, England, 1823-12-17 00:00:00

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FANATICISM.

BALE, DECEMBER a.
s Ettract of a private leiter :—The public journab
_i
here.hiae tame time since given an account of the de
'table ravings of _a sect of Pietists, who have formed
thsaaseliestn a saat,hern district of the canton of Zuri
an wreehave been but too successful in making prose•
lytes in' 14 neighbouring districts, and even in so
parts tin the cantons of Schaffhausen, Turgovia, ilkii..;:,
Unfortunately this tamale - sect was -not- saki,
watched in the beginning. Their fanaticism has. n
collie to this frightful extremity, that a few month
sigma two unfortunate women, believing themmlv.
acting under the impulia of divine inspiration, caused'
themselves to be crucified with the most frightful tor-
ments by their nearest relatives, in a commune of
Zurich, 'called Uildisperch.
The authorities then interfered, and the Superior

Criminal Tribunal of the Canton of Zurich has taken
cognizance of the Matter. After having heard the ac-
cused, to the number eleven, and all the witnesses
who could give any information- upon this unfortunate
affair; the Tribunal, taking into consideration the ra-
vings of these fanatici, did not put the laws rigorously
in torceagainst them. Indeed ,they delivered a judg-
ment which deserves to be mentioned.
The confessions of the accused were positive: they did
not deny the fact for a siagle summit, and the Tribunal
has consequently condemned them to * certaiu
soemeots during which they Still he occupied in a use-
ful manner, and after they shall hero segained their li-
berty, they will coatis= Mohr the ithitireillasiew of the
local authorities. Ls order tio seeder ibis &Chien, on
an affair which has occupied i Aso glaelh stil
More solemn, the ?ribose' Ass oedema that the cook
demned should publicly hoer their sealleeeitraeosaced
out their knees, and that, before they wen were to
th 4 should be conducted to the Cathedral Ai zoom
where, in the presence of the Magistrates and the ii .
rogation, a Clergyman of their own persuathsts
toil-old the atrocity of their conduct, and the 1101011tille
aberrations' into which they were led by fasui4usit.
The Tribunal has further thought it its day to adopt
atsecher measure, which has surprised many—that the
house in which the crime has been committed shall be
rare'd to the ground, pad that no other building ihall be
Isereafter erected on its foundation.
sonsamaiscomaammor
THE 'NEW SPANISH MINISTRY.
=TRACT OF A LETTER DAT= PARIS, DRCtit,
The change in the Spanish Ministry is regarded here
by people of all classes as an important event. It would
deserve this character, though we had no accurate
knowledge of the influence under which it wasoperated,
or the kind of persons whom it has raised to power. It
is'certaist that the late Minister Confessor, who governed
the conscience ind directed the politics of the King,
had no anticipation of his approaching fall; and was
proposed to rule Spain and Ferdinand on his owa'
ciples of Catholic tbeocracy for a long term of years.
He had been twice confirmed in his Ministry, and after
electing his colleagues, bad formed them into a per-
manent Cabinet Council. When the Decree of the 90th
of November passed, he had, therefore, no idea that he
was framing a Divan to be dissolved in a fortnight; nor
could Ferdinand himself, at that time, have been either
displeased with the prrsonnd of his Ministry, or hostile
to the principles by which they directed his Government.
Thelight which made him see the superior merits of
Casa Irujo above the Bishop of Tortosa must, therefore,
,Jialeconse from abroad, and may be expected to break
in upon other objects of his Administration. In looking
at die characters of two or three of the Ministers, there
can be no hesitation felt in saying that the present Ca-
binet has been formed under foreign influence, and that
it will, to a certain extent,change the system of the Spa-
nish Administration. Casa Irujo has been for a long
time regarded as a Liberal. He occupied the Sitaatielt
of Ambassador of the Cartes at the Court of Frame be-
fere the attempted counter-sevolutioa of the TtlrofJuly,
lam: He is supposed to have been out a perfect ausler.
standing with the French Government is the attempt
that was then made to overthrow theCortos, and esti.
fish two Chambers. • In Consequence of sespicioae es.
-cited' against hint few his conduct on that imatelea, be
was displaced brill. Spanish Gesemmeelat.
braise received as ason in hie erased. Ile
rentaisiod 'at Paris doting tar eriater, and did not
return to Modild tilt' the entrance et the ranch into
that city. Dating the time of hie stay banh. when out
orleflice.'he had stare** friends sufficient to maintain
friar in die rent. which he' had formerly occupied, and
wail obliged to*** Mesas fob-the means of defraying
his jouittey Mine. ; He httlt bees long. in Government
offices. epol ie. regarakid as a respectable diplomatist.
Cootididlat hit itrovned principles and formerconnec-
tions, his appointment` to the bead of the motley 'Cabi-
net acieniaited on the 4th itistant, has excited no little
surprise. The Preach Cabinet affect to my that be is
riot one Of their Domination, and that they tannot well
eiplain the causes of his appointment. That his name
and capacity for public 'service were not suggested by
Satz knishes& Qieerhom,theo, will his nomination rest?
The nonsiftadois elf some of the other members of the
Cabinet is so less milking. The Minister of Grace and
Justice thou Narciso de Heredia), for example, has
been always ranked among the hated tribe of Afran-
cesados or Josephine& He did not, it it true,, at the
period of Joseph's usorpatioe accept of employment
from the 'usurper, but he remainid at Madrid while the
capita was occupied by the Freida, frons MOS to 181%
and never either cootribated a:farthing of his ininale'
or made a single personal exertion to expel the invader.
He is a man of a good deal of learning, possesses a
large fortune, and is greatly esteemed by the-best
ht-
formed and most respectable society of Madrid. His
principles are not opposed to the maintenance of abso-
lute power in the person of the Sovereign. •
Don Luiz I4pes Baliasteros is an old man, and far
seises no great qualifications for leis new appointment.
He is either an uncle or a cousin of the fieperal, and
hid been once nominated to the Ministry of Finance
under the Cortes, which he declined.
' The peison appointed to he President of tbe,Royal
Cti.until (Don Ignacio Martinez de -Villela), claims le-
lattonship with tree French Mioiater Villele. He was a
Josephine". The Minister of War Don Joseph do la
Cruk) was an Aide-de.Camp tea esseeral Cuest3 during
the PeolusillOr braii and has obis weed in Mexico, on
t'ie side et the. aring patty,
.08:1400.11413."
t4l illigelnlagellilftliee lea awn.
- It mien have.beus supper* 4tot aced! sad
dismissed his confirm'',
,Soes, heikandioave clemast er
the keepeiOf his coasiliesice a Moo or mere lei