Star.
London, England, 1823-08-26 00:00:00

PARTIES IN SPAIN.

MADRID, AUGUST 12.
Instead of the union and peace which the Duke
d'Angouleme' hoped would have been the result of
hi .efforts, and those of the French army in Spain, an
impartial observer is forced to avow, that through
some deplorable fatality, since the installation of the
Regency, everything has fallen into a state of anar-
chy, the remedy for which appears every day to be-
come more distant and difficult. The bands of the
Faith, the authorities of 1819 restored to their places,
the Priests and'Monks breathing fanaticism and ven-
geance, and the unbridled licentiousness of the lowest
dregs of the populace, upon whom alone they exer-
cise an influence, have overturned and thrown into
utter confusion the most prudent plans and best-
meant intentions. The most respectable, peaceable,
and well-meaning of the inhabitants, those who, by
their fortune and their intelligence, form the most
valuable part of the nation, have been exposed to
every species of outrage and injury. In a word, the
Spaniard has been wounded in his two most sensi-
tive points—his self-love and his national pride.
Taking the whole extent of the kingdom, we may
count 200,000 men who belonged to the National
Guard "or corps of Volunteers. It is now considered
a crime to have belonged to this body, which was
composed of respectable citizens, who equipped them-
selves at their own expense. A great number of them
are now imprisoned, and the rest hunted like beasts.
Fifty thousand purchasers of national property have
been turned out of their possessions, and maltreated
by the-Priests and Monks. Of three hundred thou-
sand individuals, of all classes of society, who, from
their intelligence and acquirements, were attached to
Constitutiobal ideas, numbers now fill the nutnerous
dungeons of Spain, from which the rest escape only
by abandoning their houses and families. Added to
these is an immense number of persons who have
filled civil and military employments since 1820. All I
this multitude of citizens is at present in a state of
proscription, and their lives and properties in momen-
tary danger. The presence of foreign bayonets keeps
them silent and inactive, but their sullen and sombre
resignation gives reason to fear sooner or later an ex-
plosion, that may raise a flame of civil war from one
end of the kingdom to the other.
It is extraordinary that the French do not open
their eyes to the fact, that amongst the crowds that'
pass their time in vociferating Viva la Religion I Viva
la Inquisition! Muera la Nacion I there is not one
decent, honest, or reasonable looking person : they
ate composed of the very dregs of the lowest popu-
lace of a corrupted capital. The Grandees and No.
I blesse of Spain have neither will nor energy. They
I have no influence in any way, and, notwithstanding
the losses they have sustained in their feudal and
iother rights by the late Constitutional laws, yet they
appear to be perfectly indiffel eat to what is passing,
and nether take, nor seem capable of taking, any
share in public affairs. On the contrary, the Clergy
do exercise a very extensive influence, and it must
be avowed that it is in part owing to their active ef-
forts that the French armies have marched without
opposition over Spain. Bat in their effective exer-
tions for the French they have not been unmindful
lof their own interests. Taking advantage of the sup-
port of the French, who allowed them to have every
thing their.own way, they have connived to re-esta-
blish their dominion over the. peasantry, still more ef-
ficaciously than it existed even before 1812.
The principal causes which have forced the Consti-
tutional Government to recite to Seville, afterwards
to Cadiz, may be set down as follow :—1 st, Deadly
hatred between the C'ourntuneros and the Freemasons.
2d, Want of State:men. 3d, Sluggish inertness of
the national character. 4th, Incapacity of the Mi-
nistry, particularly in the Financial and War Depart-
ments. sth, 111-placed economy when bargaining for
loans, by which they lost the opportunity of making
them. 6th, Raising the Conscription in three succes-
sive levies. 7th, Too great confidence in their own
power, and too quick a forgetfulness and disregard
of the King's authority. Bth, The secret and most
active efforts of the Clergy, who organized a most
extensive combination 9th, Want of connection and
system in the Revolutionary measures. 10:1), Very
active foreign agency. 11th, Too long entertained
confidence in aid from England. The consequence of
these, have been the defection of several Generals, the
feeble resistance made by the troops, and the apathy
or estrangement of the population.