Star.
London, England, 1821-05-09 00:00:00

FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.

BILBOA, APRIL 26.

EXTRACT OP A PRIVATE LETTER.
It has fallen to my lot to inform you of one of
those disgraceful plots which the enemies of our Con-
stitution have been treacherously carrying on in se-
cret, but till now had not dared openly to act upon.
Of course you are well aware, that notwithstanding
the popularity of our present system in every Pro-
vince, the disappointed, ignorant, and fanatic, wish
its overthrow—and if they could gain their ends,
there is not any means, however vile and disgraceful,
to which they would not resort: The Friars and Parish'
Priests, of a certain class that is, for even among
them there are many Liberates, are the worst, andi
they do not hesitate to make use of that religion they
profess, and ought to teach, for the most abominable
political purposes. This has been their conduct on
the present occasion, as you will now see.
" Last Good Friday, a day almost entirely devoted
to Church service, the following events took place in
Salvatierra, a town belonging to the Province of
Alaba, two leagues from the boundary of Navarre.
There a secret conspiracy had been formed, and it
was arranged that eight of the neighbouring towns
should rise up. The sermon on that day was con-
fided to a Friar, who, with the greatest vehemence,
preached against the new order of things, and of
course made a strong impression on his deluded
hearers. After the ceremonies were over, he placed
himself at their head, crying, " Down with the Con-
stitution—Long live the Inquisition !" He was joined
by half a dozen curates, several lawyers and notaries,
and in a very short time he had collected 1000 men.
" In the course of ten hours, we learnt here, by the
way of Victoria, what had taken place in Salvatierra,
and our militia and 80 grenadiers, the only disposable
force the Political Chief had, were instantly prepared.
They immediately marched eff to Vehandiano, in
order to act under the orders of the Political Chief
of Victoria. In the meantime General Mendizabel
had left Tolosa with 200 militia, 150 regulars, and
two mountain guns, for the purpose of joining out
people in Victoria, with a view to make an effective
attack on Salvatierra, which is a walled town, though
a weak one. General Lopes Banos, however, arrived
from Pamplona, before Salvatierra, with 500 infan-
try, 80 cavalry, and two small guns, and having sur-
rounded the town, he took the whole of the insurgent
garrison prisoners, amounting to 300 men. The other
700 remaining partisans of the Friar had previously
left the town and gone into the interior, for the pur-
pose of collecting arms, obtaining supplies of money,
and increasing their numbers. At the head of them
was the Friar, with a crucifix in his band, urging'
them on by his seditious and fanatic appeals.
" As soon as the Friar and his 700 followers learnt,
the preparations making against them in Victoria,
and that Lopes Banos had advanced again't their
strong hold, they came down to the town of Onate,
and men proceeded on El Orli°, next to Durango,
and afterwards to Ochandiano. In Bilhoa we heard
of their arrival at the latter place at midnight, on the
21th, and the Political Chief having ordered the
alarm to be sounded, we were enabled to muster 200
militia and a few regulars, who instantly advanced
against the Insurgents. As soon as the latter learnt
their danger, they withdrew to Durango, whither
they were followed by our people, whose Comman-
der, Captain Gana, by an express, has just informed
us, that he attacked them, killed two, wounded seve-
ral, and the rest fled. Half an hour after this action,
the Insurgents were met by 200 Catalonians, who,
by an opposite road, were coming from Victoria to
join our Militia, when a serious affair took place.
" The Insurgents had seventeen killed, many
wounded, and sixty were taken prisoners. The re-
mainder had dispersed in the woods and mountains,
and our people were pursuing them in every direc-
tion, so that not one could escape. Thus the whole
of this nefarious plot was frustrated immediately by
the celerity of the movements of the neighbouring
Chiefs, and the readiness of the people to second
them. I ought here to observe, that during this at-
tempt to raise an insurrection in Biscay, not a single
Biscayan joined the standard of the rebels, nor had
the exhortations of the Friar, or the money he had to
bestow, the smallest effect on the people. This is,
the more astonishing when you consider that Biscay
has lost more (if that expression may be allowed)
than any of the other Provinces, owing to the re-
moval of ancient privileges, &c. but the people are
fully sensible that in giving up these, they have gained
more substantial benefits."
VIENNA APRIL 23.
_ _

The Congress at Laybach has long since terminated
its operations ; but the continued residence of the
two Emperors, and the presence of a great number
-of members of the Diplomatic Body made it appear
that the Congress was still sitting. It is affirmed
that the moment is at hand when it will be entirely
dissolved, and that before the end of the mouth, the
two Emperors will be back here with all the Minis-
ters accredited to them.

The rapid success of the Austrians, both in the
kingdom of Naples and in Piedmont, and the resto-
ration of order and tranquillity in these two States,
seem to have induced some changes in the march of
the Russian army.
It is asserted that the measures of Russia are con-
fined for the present to assembling a strong force on
the frontiers ; and that the Emperor Alexander has
placed 80,000 men of the army, which was on its
march, at the disposal of the Emperor of Austria.—
It is not known whether his Majesty has accepted
this offer.