The Statesman.
London, England, 1810-10-20 00:00:00

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STAYS PAPERS.
. .

ACTS OF CORTF.S.
Don Ferdinand PI. by the grace of God, King
Hof Spain and of the. Indies, and in his absence uml
captivity the Council of Regency, authorised ad
interim, to all to whom these presents come: Know
ye, That in the General And Eatr.lordinary Cortes,
assembled i t the Royal Isla of Leon, it is resuived
and dcfcreetl, as follows;--
t 4. The Deputies who compose this Congress,
and who represent the Spanish Mobil, declare
themselves legitimately constituted iu General and
Extraordinary Cortes, and that in them resides the
National Sovereignly.
The General and Extraordinary Cartes of the
Spanish Nation, assembled in the' Royal Isla of
Leon, conforming wholly to the general will, pro. !
nOunced in the most energetic and pub:ic manner,
acknon ledge, swear, and proclaim anew, as their
only and legitimate sovereign, Senor Don Ferdi-
nand VII. of Bourbon : and declare null, of no
value or affect, the cession of the Crown said to be
made in favour of Napoleon, not only on account
of the violence which attended those unjust and illy.
gal acts, but prinupally on account of their want.
ing the consent of the Nation,.
" It nut being suitable that the Legislative
Power, the Executive and .judicial, shotild be
linked ; the General and Extraordinary Cortes tie.
clue that they reserve to !heniselvcs the exercise of
the Legislative Power in all its extent.
• "..The General and Extraordinary Cortes de-
clare, that the persons to whom they delegate the
earcuive power, in the absence of our legitimate
King ant Lord Dou Ferdinand VII. are responsible
to the nation tiering the time of their administration,
conformably to the'laws.

64 Tile General and Extraordinary Cortes *litho.
rise the individuals of the Council of Regency, that
they, under that same denominatlou, in the mean
time, and until the Cortes choose a Government
Enure suitable!, exercise the Ex cutive Power.
" The Council of Regency, acting under this
authorization, declared anteriorly, shall• ackno'w.
ledge the national sovereignty of•the Cortes, and
shall swear obedience.to the laws and &eves which
emanate from them ; for which mime, it shall
pass immediately, when this Decree is en tde known
to it, to the Half gt the Satings Of Via Cortes, who
welt for its performing this act, and are in perma.
vent sitting.
". It is declared, that the formula of the ac-
knowledgment ind oath, ta‘ be taken by the Coun.
ell of Regency, is as follows i
Po yoti acknowledge the Sovereignty of the
nation represented•by the deputies of these General
and Extraordinary Cortes ? Do you swear to obey
their decreel, laws, and the constitution to be esta.
blisited, according to the sacred ends fur which they
are united, and to order them to be observer!, and
to make them be executed ?--to preserve the lode.
pendence, the liberty, and integrity of the tiatie;n
—the Catholic Apostolic: Roman Religion /...the
monarchical government of the kingdom ? —to re-
establish em ttie throne onr beloved King Don Fer.
dinand VII. of Bourbon ?—and to act in every
thing for the good of the State ? According as you
act thus, m4y God assist you ! but if otherwise,
you shell be responsible to the natiol cooformably
to the I, is., '

io
4f The General and Extraordinary Cortes ap-
point, for the present, that all the tribunals and
courts of justice established in the kingdom do con.
thine administer ig jus'iee according to the laws.
't The al aoil hxtraordivary Cortes cot: firm,
for the presolit, all the cisil and military authorities,
of sz hate% Cf la.s tiey may be.
4. The Lienoral and Extraordinary Cortes de.
Clare, that tint persons of Deputies arc inviola_
flo, and that no action can be brought by any
atithority, or aily intlisidual, against the leputies,
except in the terms which t4tall be laid down in the
General ,egulatiun about to be funned, and fur
*hich purpose a Committee shall he appointed.
" The Coiincif of Regency shall be made ac.
quainted with this, and shall forthwith pass to the
of the Sittings of the COl:iff, -to take the oath
pointed out ' • deferring the publication and eircula.:
lion of this Decree in'ttit: kingdom, till the Cortes
point out how it is to be done, which shall be de-
clared with all expedition.
(Signed) " RAIdDN i.A2IARO DE DOTY, President.
" I:v4insTo PLREA CASTRO,"Sic."
" Royal Isla Of Leon, 24th sevt. 1010,
• at If o'cloca at own."
~ • •

qy a second Decree? dated the 15th of geptem.
ber, the Cortes are to be addressed by the title of
Majesty ; and the Executive Power by that of
Highness. Tlie publication of the Laws which ema-
nate from the Cortes is to be made in the following
manner :-
44 Don Perdinapd VII. by the grace of God,
King of SPaiis and the and in his .atiselice
and captivity the Council of Regency, authorised
ad Wolin; to ell to whom these presents come :
Know ye, that in the general and extraordinary
Cortes assembled in the Royal Isla of Leon, it has
been resolved and decreed 03 follows, &c."
The sonic Decree requires all Civil, Military,
anti Eceleslastieal authUtities, to acknowledge and
take thu oath of obeibence to the General COrtes of
the nation. •

Unit:C[ll+f. ADDREIED SY Tile Cot vcir., OY Rt.
lISNCY To Tlitick:NEstAi, AND ElTltAiiiiDeNAttY
aoitilti, ANL; TUE 1tt?Y.4.1. //ECRU, IN ANsWEit.
44 SiNait,-7Tile Gimlet' of RegenCy desires,no.
thing with su duel' ardJur as to Convince the nation
of the profound respect -which it feels for the laws,
and of its proper Orforinanee of the ardoutis fungi
tuns which bore been cetn,nitted Co its charge,
guided by this Orincipiet which shall always be Itie
rule of its Cotbduei, it liu:;ll4teil•not S Moment. to'
take ibe oath of vbeJleocr oo the laws and decrees
wlai.ch cumuli: from toe Coiteis agreeiblo to the
copy'of tie 11.•cfee qbich y•.;‘!..Dltjesey addressed to
the Council by a doiiutatiou. •
it In that rams bt wtich your Mai st
reserved 40 .yout;o4 the Aerceoi of the Le4i.7ois.
Power in 411.11 s i4ellt. It %di appotored did In'
Conned of llegooCy in tub meantime; anal
ußtil the Cortes elt•et it G.ift.risfile?f, wit b inky
more suiiable, .9Lereise titu'l;.‘ eittivc iiieker, wader
respoustutht, to dos. taationo cusi4ol4oly .mvs..the

. -

• . •

leireessenewsw
laws. The Council of Regency eassot stir a single
step in the difficult career of the aultority entrusted
to it without knowing be.fore.hawdlhe precise Ne.ito
et the responsibility to which that Decree subjects
them ; for how can they regulate themselves by it,
if they know neither its latitude nor the boundaries
by which it is cireuinserihed f If it be nut clearly
and distinctly pointed Out, what are the °blip.
lions of the Executive rower, and what arc the
powers that are conceded to it Z Without this clear
and precise distinction, the respossibility expre•sed
in the D.,crce will remiss without effect ; fur the
line of separation between both'power's, not being
fixed. by our ancient laws, nor the powers peculiar
to each, the Council of Regency will fluid itself be.
tween two extremes, in danger of stumbling upon
either, notwithstanding .11 it may do to avoid It ;
either at one time exercising an authority, which
may, in the opinion of the Cortes, not be compre.
iteiolcil in the attributes of the—Executive, or
iivt at another time, from the sari* respect for the
Is 4s, to use those powers which are necessarily
in the idea of the Executive Government;
and the free and expeditious exercise of which is at
present rendered more necessary than ever by the
circumstances of the State. In proportion as these
circumstances imperiously demand that there be a
rapid and coiktinued communication between the
two authorities, in order that they may contribute,
by their combined efforts, to the salvation of the
country, so it must be a thc greatest importance
that the mode of punning that object be fixed and
established by a Decree.
" The Council of Regency awaits, therefore;
your Majesty's declaration ;—first, what aro the
obligations annexed to the resiwnsibility imposed
by the said Decree, and what are the distiectivo
powers which are entrusted to the Executive; se.
condly, what rule or order is ,to be followed in
the communications which must necessarily and con.
tinually take place between your Majesty a*d the
Council of Regency.
(Signet) FRANCIACO DE SkIIVEDRA.
• " X %VIER DE C.ASTANDS.
" ftkpl ID DE• ESGAiNO.
" I:WEL D. LARDI4ABAL
" Royal Isla of Leuu, Sept. 26; 11310.".
•
tc The General and Extraordinary Cortes declare,
that in the Decree of the t-Ith' September 'Of this
year, limits Have noCheen fiaed to the powers Which
aro proper to the Executive, and that till a regula.
lion be formed by the Cortes whiChliayshark then:*
out, it do eitereise all that potter which may be
necessary for the def.inci;, security, 'and ettinl.
nistration of the State in die preterit critical ciliates.
stances ; and also that the'respiansibility which the
Council of Rigency reenires, outwit: only the atta
solute inviol ibility which belongs to the sacred per'.
son of the King. With regard to the bode of
communication between the Council of ltegenex
and the Cottes, till thine shall establiili 'a more
convenient ones the model now adopted shall be
followed. This shall be communicated to the Coun.
cif of Regency in answer to their Memorial of ti;
26th of the current month.
" Given at the itoyal I.la of Leon, r.,t four in he morning of
the Yiue September, 481 e.
(Signed) " RAMON LALARO DE CIOU, President
" EVARISTO PEREZ DWCASTRO, •
" bIANUEL LUXAM.

SPANISII pAezits,
Elm' Tait GAZETTE EXTWAQRDINARY oir CA•
TALOI9:At *Err,

LETTER FUOM GENERAL O'DONNELL TO THE fgt.
;.• •
EIDENT oF TUE iONTA.
44 MAST EXCELLENT 6.lll,—Thei Movement whic4
the army of Alarahal Macdonald matte towards the
town of Cervera, acquainted me that his object watt
to place himself in a .centrical point of observatioci
which might cover thp operations of that of luchet,
which wai placed against Torttasa;to threaten, by
his rear guard, the line of the 4lubregat, and, at On
saute time, to occupy an extent of country w4iel4
might aderd hitn spbsistence.
•.• Thu kind of warfare which it suited us to,
carry on had determined me to attack ail the post 4
which the enemy heti left in his 'rear, and which,
front their distance from our poiitioiis; haconside:
ed secure front stir Prise • and trt :consequence
whatever might result, to follow tip myoppeatie
not losing any oppOrtunity witiefa might occur
obtaining the smallest adiantage ever the enemy
and in order to carry into effect this plan, I ortlerc4
for embarkation at this port several pieces of artil.
I;•ry, ammunition, and a small detachment of troop,
convoyed ijy his Britannic Majesty:a rigate the
Gurnbrian, four feluccas, and a Spanish f
rigate, thfi
bfuna, which might bu united up their crept%
ground Barcelona.
The indicated movement of file enemy nom
Cervera, in-far from inducing me to illange *hit
plin, put it in my newer to carry it into More ad.;
vaistageous execution ; and I urdered•the the curio
of eifantry of Tarragona, liibuia, Averica, Geroua,
and Arregon, and the 'Spaniai !MIAMI," h the
dragnet's of Ntimatitia, under Ow cominand 'Of
Mar,lial the Marquis de Campo Verde, stitsol4
march upon Viliafranca, for which point L' set oue
front the fortress of Tarragona 'on the fitii instau
placing myself at the bead of the above'divisidti."
there the General details a variety of prdintip
nary marches of his troops, among which were hiis
sending off a part of his force, under Colonel .Floe
isoratO de Fleyres, for the attack of Sass Velici de
and Yalatitos, while he himself resolved to
attack General Schwartz, who MX; posted Id
Bisbal.]
64 Scarcely had I presented myself in front of
Bishal, when I ordered Brigadier Don' ../olie'Sati;
juan -to seize frith the cavalry all thbareaucs to ittif
town, to prevent theta from sallying fortlatb/p
rituretnent was executed with incredible trrOssity,
that in less than tin minutes all the Poltits sett
' seized. The Infantry, without regarding .the laugh/
of the eiletity, penetrated imtuedttitett jnh th 4
town; and fired rests ditierent parts Op ..att
fortress, to" which "the enemy had retreated tinr:i
ing this several parties of cuitassitssi Who Were'Pat
troling outside the toAti, were all flit hit oar ca;
ratty; who behaved with the greatest pale. 11'.4
*6 I then deManded a surrender of /he fort,
rshicfi was refused; 'and.;[ therefore -detertniued tO
attempt setting 4re'cti the gittea„ advancing, for this
swoon, to Zedeotteltre j but scarcely i