Star.
London, England, 1830-10-16 00:00:00

FOREIGN I NTELLIGE.VCII-

DECREE OF THE KING OF SPAIN.

• When the deep and cancerous sores, formed upon the political
.t.tly of the state by the revolutionary calamities of 1820 to 1823,
were upon the point of being healed, and my beloved vassals about
to reap the advantages of the important ameliorations which have
been gradually introduced into every branch of the public adminis-
'ration, that rebellious and incorrigible faction, the sworn enemy of its
ountry, has again appeared, to alarm and revolutionize this king-
dom. entering the passes of our frontiers, and forming plans for the
invasion of our coasts. Their horrible projects arc well known, but all
their designs and manauvres are watched. in order that they may be de-
feated, and the monarchy preserved from fresh calamities. Let every good
man, then, faithful to his King, and a lover of order and peace, con-
tide in my foresight and in the vigilance of the authorities, and pay strict
observance to the laws ; with the understanding that those who, on the
contrary, blind in the career of crime, inattentive to my sovereign cle.
mency, and whose corrupt hearts arc full of turbulent and traitorous
designs, shall, whatever be the mask which concede their guilt, be in-
exorably dealt with, and by the strict and punctual fulfilment of the
fallowing resolutions, the kingdom will be purged of those evil-doers.
" Art. I. The resolutions embodied in the Ist, 2d, 3d, 4th, and sth
articles* of the Royal decree of the 17th of August, 1825, against such
armed rebels as may be apprehended in any part of the Spanish ter.
ritory, shall be maintained in full force and vigour, and carried into
enVre execution by the Generals and Chiefs of my armed forces.
2. Such persons as render assistance to these rebels, whether in arms,
ammunition, provisions, or money, or who favour and advance their
criminal purposes, by means of correspondence, counsel, or any other
manner, shall be deemed traitors, and condemned to death, conformably
to the laws, Ist and 2d, tit 2, part. 7.
" 3. Such members of the corporation and civil power, whose terri-
tory may be invaded by any armed rebellious force, and who do not
give notice thereof to the civil and military governors of the district,
allowing them for such communication one hour and a half per league
distant from the point invaded, and the chief place of the district, shall
be forthwith imprisoned and tried. Should it become evident that this
negligence was malicious and for the purpose of favouring the rebels,
they shall be condemned to death; but should it be proved that it was
merely from inattention, they shall be tined 1,000 ducats, and sentenced
to serve six years in the gallies in Africa.
"4.i'Vhoever shall harbour or conceal any rebel in his house, with full
knowledge of the circumstance, shall be fined 500 ducats, and sentenced
to four years in the galleys.
„5. For the mere circumstance of keeping up a correspondence with
any of the individuals who emigrated this kingdom in consequence of
being implicated in the political crimes of 1820 and 1823, the offender
shall be fined 200 ducats, and sentenced to two years' imprisonment ;
but should such correspondence have a direct tendency to favour their
plans against the state, they are to be proceeded against according to the
2d article.
G. The Superintendent General of Police shall make out, with the
greatest despatch, a list of those perverse emigrants who have been sea.
tented for revolutionary crimes by any tribunal of this kingdom, with a
note of his person, appearance, &c. in as distinguishing a manner as
possible, which is forthwith to be forwarded to all the civil and military
authorities at the frontiers and sea-ports, in order that they may be
known, upon their entrance; should they be apprehended in any point
whatsoever, although unarmed, they shall be condemned to the punish-
ment already imposed upon them—death.
"7. The principals, or 'accomplice; of any plan for the interior of
the kingdom, for the objects of rebellion against my sovereign au-
thority, or to excite popular commotion, which may show itself by
ae.s preparatory to their execution, shall be sentenced to death.
"8. Such persons as shall by persuasion or counsel countenance
any acts of insurrection, or disturbance of the public tranquillity,
shall be sentenced-to serve 6to 10 years In the galleys, according to
the magnitude of such offence.
"0. Any person who, possessing positive knowledge of any plot
against the interior and exterior security of the State, and who does not
immediately denounce it to the competent authority, shaU be proceeded
against, and sentenced to from 2 to 8 years' imprisonment, or the galleys,
according to the criminality which may appear against him, or the mag-
nitude of the plot.
" Palace, Oct. 1. (Signed by the King.)
" To D. Francisco Tadeo Calomarde."

• The articles referred to condemn to death all persons found with
anus in their hands for the purpose of causing a change of government.

FRENCH PERIODICAL PRESS.
(From the Patriots.)
M. de Cormenbt has just addressed to us the following letter, as coo.
spicuous for its logic as it is for its frankness and sincerity ;
" TO TEO IDITOR OF THZ PATOIOTZ.
" Montargis, Sept. 30.
" Sir—The proposition of M. de Bavoux, respecting the allianchiso.
ment of the journals, raises ono of the most important questions of a
representative Government.
" I am either much deceived, or the honourable Deputy has not gone
far enough.
" When we are about to establish a principle, we should push on
tiom consequence to consequence until we arrive at the boundaries of the
useful and the possible.
" We may establish it as an axiom that revolutions should be eon.
summated by the same means which produced them.
" When a military despot overturns the constitution of a country, he
confides his safety to his soldiers.
" When a revolution is achieved by the Parliament, the Parliament
becomes omnipotent.
" When a Minister destroys the press, he can only hope to maintain
his power by organizing a cold and weighty terror, the consequence of
stifling of opinion.
" But when the press itself revolts and destroys tyranny, to the press
it belongs to consolidate its own work.
" This being granted, what have we beheld since 1814, and what has
been done ?
" That great miracle of civilization,—that first, perhaps, of our social
institutions,—the press, has been constantly treated as an enemy.
" The previous censorship, the process of tendance, extraordinary
jurisdiction, the monopoly of licences, excessive security, and an op.
pressive stamp duty, have loaded us with a thousand fetters. This
Proteus has, however, slipped on every *cession through the hands
which sought to bold him : it has become a lion, it has become a flame :
it has rusted, it has devastated.
" The has successively engendered public opinion,
the ChamC,:danicald 17:volution. It may, then, with a good grace say
to public opinion, to the Chamber, and to the Government, 'Do some.'
thing for me who have been the cause of your existence.'
" l'he journals are public instructors. We do not, however, require
that the public money should pay the professors of economy and liberty,
as it dues those of science and literature. No, do not pay the press ; but,
at least, do not make it pay.
" If you had not journals which watch over France with their hunched
ryes and their hundred voices, you would be obliged to organize at a
vast expense an active and numerous police. The press, then, saves
the Government what the police would cost it, if the press did not
exist. Look at the drawers of Fouche ; calculate the expenses of the
high police, the counter-police with all the premeditated conspiracies
which it was necessary to hatch ; add up these, and say the amount.
" The press, whether a friend or an enemy, is a more efficient guard
on the frontiers and the interior of a kingdom than armies ate. In a
word, liberty could bear the loss of journals with much more difficulty
than of soldiers for her defence.
" You will, however, recollect that the press is the most expressive
sucial necessities—that it is the flambeau, the police, and the life of
the State. Knock off, then, entirely the shackles which impede its
action. It would be an inconsistency to wish for the end without the
means : but you desire the press to advance, and you will not lighten its
burdens.
" It is just as if you should place an haversack of 100 pounds weight
Liu the back of a foot soldier, and say to him, a Fly to battler
" The journals are too expensive a commodity. We want journals
At a low price to traverse France in every way, and which in their poli-
tical, scientific, literary, and agricultural paraphernalia, shall visit
burghs, chateaus, and cottages, in all shapes, and at the very lowest
price.
" Thanks to the freedom of the press, the labourers and artisans of
the United States have, on matters of government, (let the fact not hurt
our vanity,) sounder, more clear, and better balanced opinions than
n.any of our statesmen.
" Let us confess it without scruple : a moiety, perhaps, of our elec.
tors have rather an instinct than a knowledge of liberty. They feel it,
but do not understand it. They act by impulse. In polities they pos-
sess not sufficient individualism What would happen if the census et
the electorial qualification was limited to the wish and the right of the
people ? A cheap press can only penetrate with rays of light the °pada,
of the electoral masses, and achieve our constitutional education.
" But are we to assert that guarantees are not wanted for the press?
By no means. The liberty of the press, like all other liberty, shook
extend extend just as far ad not to injure another, and no further.
" if it should injure the society it ought to serve, it should be punished
.n the responsibility of the conductor or the author, and by fines pro.
portioned to the guilt of the offence.
" If it engender revolt, it should be punished by the penalties which
e applicable toroth cases.
•• If it defame honour—injure the interests of individuals--it should
~tfee personal punishment and pay damages.
" If it contravene the police laws, it siwuld be corrected by police
-nishments.
"Accountants, notaries, attornies, and huissiers, furnish security to
.tantee their good conduct.
The guarantee of journals is sufficiently established by the personal
i,sponsibility of the conductor, and by the imposition of a security equal
1y to the highest fine. This is equally agreeable to reason and jus.
tree ; it does not clog the independence of the press, it militates against
tie main point of principle; it is what cannot be, and never will be, re.
tu,t.'lt,y the proprietors of journals.