The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-10-24 00:00:00

be Prince Carignan, the consideration lAkb be has for
their persons, and his gratitude for the services rendered
to him by his deliverance from captivity, orders that
wiereever they enter in Lis Kingdom, they shall be
received and treated as Children of Spain, and the MOO
bettors shall be shown to them.

The powers vested in the Magistracy by the New. Va-
grant Act; and the shameful use which has been m:411. by
some petty despots, of their little brief authority, should
call for ionic strong expression of the public opinion
previous to the next meeting of Parliament; that this new
species of torture to the feelings, outrage to the eases, and
inconvenience to tLe person, may be abolished. There is
one Swabey, in the commission of Magistracy at present;
and Ise has already done more mischief to 'individuals than
leis services to the public can ever atone for. The race
may multiply. " 111 weeds,"—tlie proverb is some,
what musty. We may have a Swabey in every Ace.
Informers are everywhere abundant; and when it is
known that magistrates will believe what they choose
to hear, in defiance of all the probabilities of the
rase, there will be no want of oaths, to back injustice.—
We have given one or two instances of the gross abuse of
which the magisterial authority is susceptible, in sueli.
cases ; but a more recent one has occurred, as stated on
the euthotity of another paper, in whildi Mr. Swabey, when
prevented from committing an actor injustice, thought pro-
per to supply its place by insult, the moat unwarrantable
that we have ever heard of. A respectable young man was
parting with a young female to whom lie was
paying his addresses ; when one of Mr. Swabev's
men, thinking they had no right to shake hands
in the public street, thought proper to interfere in an
insolent manner. On his insolence being retorted, he
accused them of an act of indecency, and took them both
to the watch house. The arrest took place within sight of.
time house of the parents of the female ; and a bribe of a:
shilling was the means of procuring their attendance, sad • .;"
her release on giving bail to appear at the face the neut -,
morning. She was therefore only imprisoned an hour, sod
locked up with some prostitutes, who were also in custody.
The young man did nut chose to trouble his friends, and '
he remained in the watch-house all night. On an
investigation, the circumstances against the proba•
bitity of the charge were so shrine, that even
Swabey was afraid to commit :-- but with
a sort of feeling that we have never observed in
any other magistrate. When he discharged the accused
persons, he said that he believed Me story against them!
This is monstrous! If lie did believe the charge. it was ~
his duty to eosioiet, and not to liberate them. It isitd.ehe -
look of a bitter hostility, arising out of the check to his
career;—and seemed intended to render those mentally
tniserable, whom he could not torment is a bodily way.
There is one singularity attending these prosectitious for
indeceet exposure, that Ole accusations, instead of lighting
upon those who are publicly known to be is the net of

mg sash offence, are
say
made agtioskioie
ntreapeetability ; 'and this sway tend *bet of
theiceusers; wlsich.• •probsbly more to extort moles. .
than from any regagd either to law or morality. The •
conduct of such inagfilkiaties au Mr. Stitbey has a dfitat
We
tendency to encouraii growth of there outages ;seek. •
the Vagrant Act, ass it npw elands, is an admirrattlextea?:'
of facilitating them. Qatip is nstineans ofoettopit
the fangs of an informer, whil‘nfray want five shillfatiellt •
has only to swear, and S;abey Will believe /dm, no tifitter
how absolute the probability may be the other way. In
this state of things, it is absolutily dangerous to more out
of one's own !unfits, after- the watch and patrol are set.
;The press may do,something towards the correction of this
-1141• by exposing it ; but untesa the public take some MOM
siecide4.measure in its own defence, the evil will become
too deeply rooted to be easily eradicated ; and our police
will become as intolerably despotic, as the police of the
Continent.

The progress of Ferdinand in " trangailliziug Spain."
proceeds but slowly. There is no doubt bat that hie
mandates for the submission of all the fortresses were
issued as early as be had the power to do so :—but it.
appears that.in one iustance only has he been soccessful,
Voided Rodrigo has capitulated conditionally, and agered
to abide by his orders, %rhea they arrive. Bat in Catalonia
they have not yet recognized the despot, awl in other
parts of Spain, not hitherto conspicuous for any dettion
in favour of the Uottstitati.m, the Royal Anthonyi
is treated with the greatest in,lifferruce. In GO-
MA, too, Morillo, fearful of bring male a sacrifice,
stands upon the defensive; and though nothing but self
interest could be directed to induce him to act an honest
part, his,listerost and hi, duty to the cause which he bat
hitherto betrayed, may become convertible t'rnu. Not
having done all that Ferdinand wished, i.e has gsisesi
Grope in his eyes:—the Regency, which he refused to
acknowledgr, detects hint ; and being confirmed in than
authority, and having all their decrees sanctioned by the
King, Murillo may well fear their enmity, sod think it
the wiser plan to hold it at hay. We coaltl-mever
esteem him as a man, for ids pa,'
hot he may be pardoned his offences when

went for them. Ferdinantl's lihgeali,), has

nothing for the royalist faction. Olt the

given birth to new dissentious, and Ferdinand

to allay them by any wisdom of contiuet.
unfitted for the age in which he lives. In

when Things werebel..l in greater eitimation

non', or are likely to be again, he might
royal I?noni.a, eI any other foul; or. !atm
of is brought ►qte full contact -with the eaquirii

,4(..the pie* at are, all' the supposed &vim
Iliteti/ sto the greonel ; and semethiL
issaa.leat that remains of the •splentle4 poppet
IseLia king. The Labe, ths' materoitierer.,
fit

at conduct
he makes atoer.,l gar
as hitherto dose
wittier/. it 11460.... A
and is sot emu%
Such a toss is " ; S
smoother times,
Da flog they Ni ' dim
t have woo 4111
!see. tist•stbes:
esquirioir spiol4;l
.of his 1411.4, t:
Wog kis
Mitt
the