The Statesman.
London, England, 1822-02-18 00:00:00

SPAIN.

The following following interesting intelligence bat been re-
ceived by the Spanish papers, respeclog the receptibn
in the Cortes, of the Projects of Law on the Liberty,
of the Press, &c.
MADRID, Fee. 3.—The Cortes have confirmed the
discussion of the Penal Cod?, as far as Article titll. In
ItliSitting of 2d, the President announced that the
debate on the three projects of law, viz on the Liberty
•of the Press, on the Right of Petition, and on the
Patriotic Societies, was to be entered upon, and that'
they were to be discussed in that order successively.
'Senors Torrents, Frail., Martinez Jr la Rosa, Martel
.y Sanchez Salvador, desired to speak in favour of
• .hern, and 20 members against them. Among the
.laden were Srs. Gann, Calatrava, Romero, Alpaeate,
'Rulgblanch, GulfiJ, Plorcz, Eatrasa, &c. Sr. Calatrava
'obtained leave to speak first. Having adverted to the
importance of the subject, he proceeded—" I believe,
•ffeatiemee, we do a great service to the nation if we
'do not now enter on the discussion of this subject, and
eal), endeavour to apply to the public evils, not is..
sufficient remedies as the Committee proposes, but
-.those efeeilltal and radical ones g high the NOWA
Congress has recognised, and of which it has vat*
.in the face of the nation and of all Eupe. .1'
think that the Cortes, before they enter.orditte dl4.
-cnesion a these three laws, and examine ilk' ressoo4
:alleged by the Committee for proposing tbrus,- ougil
to recollect what they represented to hit Majesty-illy
the middle of December, and which, to the nstsfortime
of his Majesty and of the nation, has nut hitherto pro-
armed any effect.''
. •'" . The Honourable Deputy then proceeded to quote
and to comment upon I passages of the answer of
• 'the Cortes to his Majesty's Message, especially calling
tne attention of the Assembly to the clause which
.itoncluiles with- t' the Cortes would think themselves
t!cficient in tkilrperformance of their duty if they did
not declare to your Majesty that they are firmly pet.-
..traded that the present Ministry dors not possess the
moral energy that is necessary happily to conduct the
Government of the nation, and to maintain, and
cause to be respected, the dignity and prerogative of
the throne."
The orator read also the paragraph in which the
Curtes vrumi,e to co-operate with his Majesty in every
'measure that may (cedare to the prosperity of time
Monarchy. " The Government," said he, " has
availed itself of this clause to propose the laws before
us: lot slat use has it made of the principal part of
the Message of the Cortes? Has it formed a vigorious
administratior, widen inspiring great confidence by
its wisdom and teal ; by its patriotism and adherence
to the public liberty, may remove those evils which
call for a speedy remedy? Has the Government, on its
part done what w y to take the m
which the situation of the state imperiously demands?
What ma has it made of the message of the Cortes?
It will sorbs nay fault if I have to dwell on these melon-
-elec.', truths: it will not be the fault of the Deputies if
they hawses% to speak la the same manner that they
spoke a short time since; bet it will be the fault of those
-who pieced skew under the necessity of speaking so.
Met stall the Government, under these circumstances,
extort from as a repressive measure ? Let it seek the
assistance of the Cortes. but when shall it do this ?
When the Government persists in letting the evils
Continue, and does not do what is required, slain the
'Cortes stiffer the whole burden to fall'on the National
Congress? No! the Coagresa may resolve to do this,
hat my voice shall constantly oppose it." The speaker
asked whether the Corks, having declared the seven
Ministers incompetent, it was imagined that, by re--
diking them to three, and making one do the duty of
two, the Administration would have the moral energy
which the Cortes had declared to be wanting; and he
concluded by proposing, that before the Corks consi-
dered the opinion of the Committee, they should take
into consideration the following proposition:—
" The Ministry net laving been yet constituted with
the moral force necessary happily to conduct the Govern-
ment of the nation, an to maintain and make respected
th
e prerogatives of t kne, notwithstanding what
hfr
•is imperiously demrmA by the situation of the State,
anal what the Assembly presented to his Majesty on the
lath of December last, the Corks, who, without this
remedy, think every other insufficient to remedy the
evil of which she Government speaks, and perhaps even
prejniticial, consider that they are not In a proper situ-
ation to come to any useful determination on the pro-
jects of some repressive laws which have been laid before
theist."

The proposition being read, a debate arose whether
the regul ,tions of the Assembly (particularly Art. 100)
allowed the debate on a motion proposed by the Pre-
sident to be Lroke off, to debate the present motion of
a Member.

It was decided, by 96 votes to 71, that it was al-
lowed, and by the same number that the proposal of
91r. Calatrava should be discussed. Many Members
desired to speak, both for and against the motion. St.
Martinez de la floss made a long speech against it.
Adverting to the expression, `• The Government has
hut the moral energy necessary:Att." lie ob d
that, without those laws, the Ministry mould not have
the necessary energy—lt was impossible the abuses of
liberty sho ild give it them; but the contrary must
happen, as had ►een the cue before with the first
Ministry, after the establishment of the Constitutional
System, which was overthrow. by the public papers,
and by some men who, concealing their ambitious de-
signs under the mask of liberty, propagated subversive
ideas, and availed themselves of the right of petition,
to discredit men who bad so many claims on tbe Na-
tional graiitsde. The liberty of the Press, the Pa-
triotic Societies, the right of Petition, were then abused
to spread distrust of those Ministers, whose loss we,
lament ; and the result proves the truth of what Sr.
Cnesta has said, that the Government exist
long, as there are Nt conservatory laws.
be debate was costumed in tie Sitting of the 3d,
in which it was fisally decided, by 90 votes to 114;
that the proposal of Senor Calairava should nut be
put to the vote —The debate on the three laws was'
tiled for the following day (the 4th).

PARIS, Pen. 14.—The Chamber of Aecisation of
the Rgeal Court has, by a decision of to-day. agaio
sent M. de Beranger before the Coart of Assines of
Paris, on account of the publication of a psasphirit
concerning his first trial. On the 28th instant, the
Conrt of Assizes will try M. They, the ineekmiler,
aremmed of being editor of 'pamphlet called Supple-
meat to the Soogs of 111.1 e Benner."