Star.
London, England, 1814-08-05 00:00:00

FRENCN PAPERS.

DECREE FOR RE-ESTABLISHING THE INQUISITION,
MADRID, JULY 25.
The King has just issued the following Decree:
44 The gloricus title of Catholic, which distinguishes
us from among all other Christian Princes, is owing to
the perseverance of the Kings of Simin, who would
stover tolerate in their States any other Religion than
the Citholic, Apostolic, and Roman. This title im-
poses upon me the duty to render myself worthy of it
by All the means which HEAvsN has placed within my
power. The late troubles, and the war which has de-
solated during six years every province in the king-
dom ; t!)e long abode which has been made in Spain
by crops of difFerent sects, almost all of whom were

infected with sentiments of hatred towards our reli-
gion, the disorder which has been the infallible result
of this, and the inattention with which the affairs of
our holy religion have been treated during this unfit..
tunate per iod ; all these circumstances united have
laid the field open to wicked persons, who have never
experienced any check ; dangerous opinions have been
introduced, and have taken root in our States by the
• same means as they arc spread in other countries.
44 Wishiig then to remedy so serious an evil, and
to preserve among my subjects the holy religion of
Jesus CHIMT, which they have always revered, and
in which they have lived and always wish to live,
either on account of the personal obligation of hay.
ing no'other imposed on the Princes who reign over-',
them by the fundamental laws, which I have pro.
mised and sworn to observe, or because this religion;
is the most certain means of sparing my people from
intestine dissensions, and ensuring to them that tran-
quillity of which they stand in need, I have judged,
it necesssry, under the present circumstances, that
the Tribunal of the Holy Office should resume ks
jurisdiction. Upon this subject learned and virtuous
Prelates, many respectable Corporat:ons and grave
petsonages, ecclesiastics and seculars, have represent-
ed to me, that Spain is indebted to this Tribunal for
the good fortune of not having fallen in the sixteenth
century, into errors which have caused so many mis-
fortunes among other nations; and that, on the con.'
trary, at that period, the sciences, which were here
cultivated with distinction, and Spain produceti a
multitude of great men distinguished by their know.
ledge and their piety.
" It has further been represented to me, that the op-
pressor of Europe 11-is not neglected to employ, as an
efficacious method of introducing the corruption and

discord which supported so well his projects, the snp.
,pression of ;his Tribunal, under the vain pretext that
it could exist no longer in consequence of the enligh-
tened state of the present age, and that the pretended
Cortes, general a:;d extraordinary, under the same
pretext, and under ate favour of the Constitution,
which they tumultuously decreed, abolished also the
Holy thrice, to the regret of the whole nation.
" For these causes, I have been earnestly supplicat-
ed to re-estaLlish it in the exercise of its functions; and
'lading to considerations so just, and to the trish m 4.
- slifesteci by my people, whose zeal ler the religion of
ear ancestors lids ant kip ited my orders, by hastening
to recal spontaneously the subaltern inquisitors of

borne provinces.
•' 1 have, therefore, resolved...that for the moment
the Supreme Couticd of the Inquisition, and the other
Trihunais of the Holy Uffice, shall resume their an.
thorities conformable to the crncessons which have
bees made to them by the Sovele;gll Pontiff, at the
instance. of my august predecessors, and by the Pre.
,tes of the D'oceses, and by the Kings who have
assured to them the full eiercise theteot, observing in
this double jurisdiction, ecclesiastical and civil, the
crdonances which were in force in the year 1808, and
the laws -la !rich have, on different occasions, been
made for obviating certain abases. But, as indepen.
dent of these.ancient laws it may be proper to add
new ones on this subject, and my •intention'being to
perfect that establishment in such manner as to ren-
der it eminently useful to my subjects, it is my desire
*fir, as soon as the said Supreme Council of the In-
quisition shall he assembled, that two of the Members
who compose it, joined to two of the Members of the
Council of Castile, both appointed by me, shall era.
mine the forms and mode of proceeding of the Holy
Office, in its processes, and with respect to the censure
and prohibition of books ; and it they find that the
biter-eat of my subjects, or the claims of sound jus-
tice, require any reform or change, they will make a
report to me, supported by their observations, in or-
der that I uiaj take the necessary resolutions.
" July 21, 1514. s'
This decree is countersigned by his Excellency Don
Pedro Macanaz, wilt se grandfather passed the greater
part of his 1:ft; in prison, at the commencement of the
last cemsary, and died in exile for having %%4i:ten
against the Inquisition. We will make no obstrva-
tim.s on the subject of this measure taken by his Ma-.
jesty. The first duty towards the Holy Office is con:
secrated by a uatianal proverb which ordains abso-.
lute silence.