The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-08-07 00:00:00

NPANISII CAUSE.
We-have heard of complaints having been urged against
the Mewl!era of the Spanish Committee fur inertness in that
department of their duty which related to occasional and
animating appeals to the public in favour of the cause they
are otherwise assithonsly promoting, and streek with the
apparent justice of stash accusation, we thought it our d ity
to satisfy ourselves respecting it from the best authority
within our reach, and it is with rell pleasure we find that ton
mach prntliiire, rather than any deficiency of zeal, has hi-
therto occasioned their silence.

. The Spanish Committee,it appear•, have long entertained
an earnest doire to make a further appeal to the puhlic iu
aruur of the Spanish Cause; hut, huwerer, unshaken and
nt►diminished has uniformly been tits eaulidence of the
.Members cotnpasing it in the charartrr, towage, and I-011.
smog of Spaniards, they could nut bnt perceive the unfor-
innate ►mpression ma le upon the public nt:nd, ■ris.ng more
probably from a too great reliance on the Bulletins and de-
grading falsehoods exclusively published and conveyed
through the perrrrted medium of the French press, than
from a just view of the actual state of tMugs in the Penin-
sula, and a fair calculation of the inferences to be deduced
from it. As long as such a prejudice 'existed, they consi-
-41 red any efforts on their part to remove it would be ineffee•
tusl, and therefore they detertni,ted tu wait for that re-action
which they confidently anticipated, and which should speak
fur itself.

Acknowledging the justice of their sentiments, sill we
are of opinion that the very anticipations of the Committee
are already sufficiently realised ti admit the expectation
that hopelessness, despair, or •even cam ~,,, prodener,
will no longer impede the natural diaAtes of just and
generous hearts, and for these reasons
:
It is notorions that the Alinishers of San ifignel placed
stub reliance on the result of fliti.ll mediation a. to have
been completely deceived (until a live period in the nego-
, eision). respecting the probable oectirrenct• of an e oar at
all between France and Spain. Ifirwrvor isexessablr us ty
hsve been such an impussioa or deluaion, the unfortunate
[ result was a want of titue, its well as means, for due pre-
, aeation to meet tit.— enemy on the epening of the
The few troops actnally in arms wet-, thrre--
f .re placed as garrisons in the mast isnaortatit of the rOr.
tires...F. upon the security of which evidently depended
Alm .st every /lope of n protracted, and finally successful
' struggle. 'Else precaution itlitorbett heatly the whole of
thrie regular ifectior Surio; and left nefhintf in the Ileld
r Table of contending with tan softiies of lir.:ose. either is
'discipline or 111111115.0r5.. Toe crook. Jill might hos breciet.
pencil, fins hero (with the e*Ceptlitii,iistleed4 of their fir
corps d7aesove) a an Wart knele eathett atlas a Wf
movement on the pa t of the en-tny Iron/ the Pyrer
[ the walla of Cadiz atal Uorunna.

Reid. and SEONSY died on

Nevertheless, Ilse Spanish Armfr; altholgb In rei'elm..
;ions instances the devoted vietiths of treachery, battlintoi
filly and nobly discharged its duty whenever clreamitaititaM
,Lave -permitted—it has steadily adhered !xi honour, Ilh'
emotry, and its Constitution. Ustalonra, Peannelena.- !IL
Sebastian, Santos*, St. Ander°, [matron°, Cadiz, .and•
Corium bear witness to all Europe of its courage and pa-
triotic devotion? What, then, is wanting to its Seal
miessph but time to levy and organise men; and awoesseto
'lathe, aeon. and equip them for operations in the fa 7•-••
The maintenance of their fortified towns inures the first,
44141 British sympathy has tee power (if generously alert
gel) of promoting the attainment of tbiliter.
If, as bas been insidiously proclaimed. the majority of
Spaniard. are in favour of the French aggression, why lop
lit nut appeared who, the extension of the French artay
over lb. Surface of the country, has afforded ample scope
fee the developetnent of the national opinion, by removing
*very barrier to its manifestation ? ff. on the emit
~I,
(awl as facts sow undlspetably Amman"), the antliori ' '
ral
*is unnatural and atroctens media shall sprit t• ht)`''
,nonneueEeileie minority of unprincipled-fanatics. urgmf on
by lb Preach Bovernment to the paraeldal act for its own
interests; upheld by a French army, and supported by
French funds; those funds with shame, be ft spoken)
partly derived front British sources • if such be the
real case, shall it be said that Br:floes, the friend.
of humanity, juitice and liberty ; the advocates of the
rights,
.and nf the law of nations, unfeelingly iged pas-
sively contemplated this scene of iniquity, mod refused
in the critical hour .of unmerited distress, that meow
which might now enable the oppreised portions of the
Peninsula to vindicate their wrongs, :Aid secure themselves,
at least, from a direful perseention already commence I,
from a malignant and cold blooded despotiiin already at-
eialls announced as their future doom, and froM a Holy,
Office (the infernal I titiosliitiOn!) already re•ertablislied, an I
preparing its stokes fart it further purification by fire
and faggot ? Will Englfllmsen, Scotsmen. or Irishmen,
will the Ancient Briton, in the West, after the en•tisputed
proofs now given of firmness, fidelity, and self-devottoo to
their country and its free incitutious by dhow allfaily in
arms (whose numbers are hourly increasl yiell any
Imager to an ungenerous and unmanly apprekestion of the
issue, and thus invoke, perhaps, a calamity they would
Wert to deplore, by withholding a relief which is this hoar
of Spanish peril and depression, would go far to insure
her deliverance from the degrading bondage of Preach do-
minion ?
We may confidently assure ourselves that the Spanish
Committee. ander all and every variation of fartutte in the
Penininia, will continue Aealously to discharge the pmts
ful duty entrusted to its management, as long as radio;
spirit here shall provide the means, and enrelaging perm?•
veranee in Spin shall a arrant the application arisen; in
its favour. Happy are we to learn that the moral effect
already produced by England's. batinty (though hitherto
so limited) has been sensibly felt and acknowledged by the
Spaniards themselves. Let true British feeling lint fellow
up with energy and dispatch thr i. lst thus given t.) the
;national spirit of Spain.. and every thing, that can be ex•
pectid from renovated hope. f increased and daily
mereasinit confidence. and from men r•solveol on death
rather than concession to atrocious injuries and insult*,
may, With confidence. bo.oredicted.

~. NATIONAL 4:0NORIMIOF ORRECR.

(PROM ♦ PRIVATE LRTTER.)

The assemblage of a new Congress arose rather from
the desire of Government to ascertain the general views
and wishes of the people than any public emergency. The
result ba: been highly satisfactory to all pieties, and pro-
ductive of the most salutary effects, both with regard to
the civil and political administration of affairs. The elec.
don of new Deputies commenced in the early part of Je-
scary, being completed by the end of March. The mem•
hers of the Executive determined that the meeting should
be held at Astros, a small town on the sea coast opposite
Hydra. In order that all parties should concur in the melt•
sures about to be proposed, one of the objects suggested
by Mavrocordato, as President of the Executive, being
that of consolidating the social edifice, by transferring
the powers confided to the three local Juntas of Epirus.
Livadia, and the Peleponnesus, to the Central Govern-
ment, nearly all the Chiefs and their followers were
invited to attend. Such was the interest taken by the
people in the question about to be discussed, that
most of the towns and villages sent an additional number
of representatives, so as to leave no doubt on the part of
Government on the anxiety felt by the public, as to the
result of the deliberations. When these commenced on
the 15th, there was not less than fourteen thousand men
collected at Astros. As this meeting may be said to have
formed a new era in the history of the Hellenic Confede.
ration, it may be as well as to give a short analysis of the
proceedings, with the dates. 1 must first begin, by inform-
ing you that the Congress was held io a garden, and un•
der the shade of lemon trees. Some of our Parliatrien•ary
friends will shrug up their shoulders when they hear the
hour of meeting tilted by the Grecian House of Commune
—viz. day-light. While the delegates and deputies to the
number of three hundred, were occupied its the debates
within the precincts of the garden; the citizens and sol-
diers mixed promiscuously outside the walls, where, being
shaded from the son by a grove of olive tree,, they also
discussed every point connected with their interests as'
zealously as their representatives, and waited the
close of each Sitting with the utmost anxiety.
April 13:b. (preparatory).—The Members formed into
a Secret Committee for the arrangement of various points
'connected with the internal administration—Preto Bey was
elected as President, Theodore Negri, as Secretary. Among
'other matters, it was settled that instead of one, a Commis-
sion of three individuals should perform the functions of
Minister at War during the ensuing year. These Comanio,
sioners to be chDsen from amongst the most experienced
and approved citizens of Sparta, the Peloponnesus and
Terra Firms. Another object of this meeting was to dis-
Cuss the propriety of adopting a Criminal Code, pro eta-
pore, and recommending the Ministers to attend to the
subject without loss of time.
Form of oath administered to each member; by the secre-
tary :—"1 swear,in the name of Goo and my country, to act
with a par.: and unshaken patriotism, to promote a sincere
union, and adjure every thought of personal interest in all,
discussions which shall take ptacc su this second National
Congress."
12,1 i Ind 13th!. Cotntuit-ee named to the revise the Consti-
tuiion. An abridgment of the Code Napoleon recommend-
ed ad ieteriin Com.uittee on the appointment of
prefects and local atimiuistratioh of the onset:amt.- Mb.
lliansittatiou of public accounts-‘-budget t but and s-a
forces voted.-;-ljth. The propriety of appointing a Patri-
ere!, and Synod discussed; referred to Government.—ldtb.
Ht.pOrt on the Cate of religion. Pauses proderetl from the
tlitation sent to the Congress' of Verona. (A false report;
itling arrived that a Turkish army a Infused towards isaei
rkssis, the Cunitess dermal that a body of Grey lie, under'
Penorciis, a popular Odd, ohostlil *Et out Atte same day 4
441'. * _ - - . . . _