Star.
London, England, 1824-08-31 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The Gibraltar Chronicle of the 7th instant, contains
the copy of an Order of the Day by General O'Donnell,
the Spanish Commander-in-Chief in the neighbouring
districts of Andalusia, stating that a factious band had
endeavoured to create an insurrection in Ximena, but
was immediately quelled by the prompt conduct of an
Officer of the Royal Dragoons, who with only six men
attacked the conspirators, and forced them to take to
flight, leaving one killed on the spot. The fugitives
were pursued to the mountains.
The following Proclamation has been issued by
O'Donnell, in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar:—

" Staff of the District in the neighbourhood of Gibraltar.
" Garrison Order, Aug. 3, 1824.
" The Commandant-General is happy to inform the corps com-
posing this garrison, that a number of ruffians belonging to Ximena,
having yesterday assembled in that town before daybreak, for
the purpose of repeating the late Constitutional farces, succeeded
at first in securing and committing to prison some public func-
tionaries and respectable persons, thus disturbing the public
tranquillity; but a gallant Lieutenant of the Princess's regi-
ment (De Gregorio de Conde) happening to be passing through 'the
town with a party of six men of the same corps, this worthy Offi-
cer did not hesitate to attack the seditious with se inconsiderable a
force, and after firing a few shots in the streets, dispersed them
with the loss of one of their leaders, and followed them to the
mountains, where they sought -shelter, and where they are now
hunted, in order to bring them to condign punishment. This will
be the ultimate result of every criminal attempt tkat spy. bad sub-
jects may make to subvert the present order of things, and to re-
produce the evils which we are still lamenting. Honour• to Lieut
Conde, and to the brave and loyal men of his party !
(A true copy.) " 0' DON N EI, L.
" A LVA It EZ, Major." •
PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE.
• •
" lidaultuis:Auatirr iB.
" The British Minister, Sir NVilliarn A'Ootirt,isabout
to leave for the higher and more important'rhission áf
Ambassador to Portugal, very much to the rsgret of the
Btitish subjects residing in Spain. Those at a distance
felt themselves and their intet ests secured by hating a
Minister of so much ability and tirmness ;.and. those who
came in personal contact were delighted at meeting the
gentleman and the man of business; they found them;
selves at their most perfect ease, and the subject of their

1..

affairs attended to with the utmost earnestness. But
here there is little or nothing to do, everything asked on
the part of the British Government has been negatived ;
nothing to be negotiated for ; so that a mere statement
of occurrences is all a Minister has to .end hoar % In
Portugal, on the eve of altering the Government and
forming a Constitution, a British diplomatist, so greatly
endowed, is rarticularly necessary. The Constitution
should be so moulded by the British Minister as to con-
ciliate all parties and interests ; the insurer of its own
stability, and supported and protected by the British
Government, be the north star for the Peninsula, and
other Continental nations. There needs no other coun-
terpoise to Russian or Holy Alliance influence.
The Constitutionalists wish to see a rising in Galicia ;
it would distract attention, and they think final success
would ensue. There is only a French regiment in Co-
runna : but allowing that they are too sanguine, and
that this first movement of Tarifa should be put down,
we have, nevertheless, a pretty clear proof of what is
going on and must take place—it will be the first of a
series of disturbances. We have before witnessed the
successive attempts of Porlier, Richard, and Lacy, when
the despotism was of a milder nature, and the prospect
was flattering until the grand triumph took place.—
The flame is smothering throughout the country. It
will break out in various places till they all combine in
one grand mass.
" Whoever has observed the proceedings of this Go-
vernment, has witnessed the tapid strides it has been
making to its own destruction. All, all are disgusted.
Ot the Grandees, whose number is from 90 to 100, only
fifteen are said to enjoy what is called the King's favour.
Above five-sixths are wandering, and in exile, in Va-
rious parts of the kingdom, Italy, France, and England.
In two of the prisons of Madrid there are neatly 800
prisoners, accused of political offences, whose trials seem
never likely to come on. The true Spanish system is, to
punish first and try afterwards. The extreme heat and
close confinement has engendered the jail fever, and
their situation must be horrid.

" As to this attempt of the refugees, there is little
doubt but it will fail, and the immediate result be the
destruction of those engaged in it—but as to the good
or evil ulterior consequences, that is another question ;
in the present state of things, consequences of either
the one kind or the other it must inevitably have. For
to those who are on the spot, and see what is passing,
it is demonstrated-1. That the present Government,
though restored eighteen months since, has not yet
taken the slightest root, because it has not sought to
organise properly any department of the State ; and on
the contrary, by perverse and imprudent measures, it
has succeeded in sowing discontent amongst every class
and party. 2. That there exists, if not an apparent, at
least a real anarchy, and that not only amongst the
people, but amongst those in authority. S. That
were it not fur the presence of the French troops,
the whole system, or rather the want of system, would
fall to the ground like a house of cards. 4. That ii
prompt and efficacious remedies are not applied,
the presence of the French, supposing them even to
be reinforced, will not be much longer sufficient, for
although they may repress the popular ferment in 11,e
places where they are stationed, yet it is impossible tl.ey
can, spread themselves all over the kingdom.-5. It is evi-
dent that the slightest movement upon any one point has
an immediate and elect' ical effect upon all others, filling
some with affright and stupor, while it inspires others
with confidence and exultation. This must necessarily
be the case where there is such a general discontent
and fierce party spirit fomented by the Government.
is The slightest incident, I repeat, is sufficient to
throw into confusion the population of this country, de-
moralized and devoid of every principle of honour and
delicacy as it is, owing to the long night of ignorance
in which it has been kept. Besides, the people are so
wretchedly poor that the sight of a piastre is sufficient
to make them instantly change from one opinion to its
opposite. 6. That the scanty number of troops orga-
nized from the bands of the Faith, or the old soldiers
who joined them on the entrance of the French army,
can by no means be relied upon by the Government.
They are completely demoralized ; and, as a proof, it is
said that at Tarifa the refugees were joined by whole
companies from the troops under General O'Donnell.
" The great body of the people, without interest or
opinion in the political question, are formidable, horn
their being so easily worked upon by the Priests and
Monks; but even this influence is diminishing consider-
ably here, the re-establishment of the tithes, and the
excessive severity with which they are exacted. On the
other hand, the people are exasperated by the abusive
manner in which the taxes are levied by the Alcades,
who for the most part are Escrikands (notaries), real
vampires, who suck the blood from the people, and par-
ticularly from the better sort of farmers, the only class
in the country who appear to have preserved any good
seose or steadiness of conduct. This class feel bitterly
the disorder of the Admiaistratioa, and are but too
deeply convinced of the little amelioration effected by
the King's return to absolute measures. When, added
to these things, you consider the various parties into
which have the exclusive Royalists who formed
the bands of the Faith, and the mortal war which they
wage against each other, on account of plunder, places,
and employments—when you consider their inveterate
hatred and persecution of all those whose talents or
character give them umbrage, as their own ignorance
and inaptitude to fill any public functions is apparent
to every one—add to this the rage and suffering at the
mon,aynient of their pay and salaries, at ising from the
exhaustion of the treasury, and you will be able to
form some idea, though a faint one, of the chaos into
whioh, this unfortunate country is plunged. The trovern-
meni is without nerve, and incapable of exacting obe-
dience ; so that the Authorities of the most petty village
will and do act independently. The amnesty is nothing
inore than an inst! ument of vexation and extoition, in-
stead of a bond of union and security. Its fine, France
must Dankly declare for either one patty or the other,
for At present they are both inimical to her—the Libe-
rals,tidi s:os gthomodm reason,ock mockery
yfor thef t
hneom
amnesty,uti
cc
.thaendc atphie-
Uhl a Royalists, if possible, dislike the French still more) .
bescauseair
free course hat; not been allowed to their mad.
n.es and vengeance.

THE EVENING STAR.. ‘

LONDON.

t

TILE QUARTERLY REVIEW, No. LX. was
published THIS DAY.

TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 1824. • -
TUE FUNDS.
STOCK EXCHANGE. TWEiVEr O'CLOCK:
Consols opened this morning at 94 to g for the Account ; they
are now at 94g, with no business of consequence doing.