French Papers.
The Times, 1824-02-19T00:00:00

(From the Jouriial des Dcbats.) We c;not refraln from fixing the attention of our readers uPon the recent decree issued bY the Ying of Spain in favour of freedom Df commerce in the Spanpsh colonies. It detaches the quesdon of commercial interests from that of the independence of the colonies; it places on a distinct basis the interests of commgercial natioss, at the ssme time that It creates or re,unites in the colonies i numerous party to the parent state. It annoances the return of practical and reasonable ideas, and paves the way for subsequent ameliorations. The principle u an which this decree is founded is comprehen. sive, and in accordance with the enlightened policy of the age. The ships of the allied and united pow/ers, admittcd into the ports of the Spanish colonies, will pay import and export duties upon the foot. ing of the equality between the subjects of thtse powert. In vain wil it be said that Spain concedes nothing, because she does not retain her colonies. Becides that this view is not eorrect, seeinz that she stiU possesses several colonies of great importUnce, and that others art faY from being entirely separated aid pacifed. S pasin is her dide tbe right; and the right, even without means Of action, c9nstitutea ass immense passive? force. Wben~s the prejudice. of aU classlesof Spanirds upon the questioh of authoti-.y ovet tim bcoinies are remelnbered-'henlt is recolleeted that the Cotes okitt1y determpind tO adort, wstk resect to their trs.sAhiantic psesions the b oioti j (hailu V v ic ourseves thlat this 2 decree, S Jalutaryto San s,i-e,be rmlae *Erery thing may now be hoped f tr. Spain has placed hersedf iL tbemost favourable position for listen- ing to irran ements with her colonies ; and, after such a CcIOn, shie may and ought to caleulate upon a general feeling of o.viwl Having, in exercise of a ~rit, opened the American colonies and the Spamshis ands to the ships of aU nations, a great and nemor- able revolution in the commercial and the political world has been accomplished; it is one of the most auspicious results of our enter- prise in SpDan, and upon which we cannot too warmly congratulate the Government. This result will be the more duly appreciated by an parties and by all intesests, because France has stipulated for no exclusive ad. vantages for herself ; she has conside-red only the interesto of s6pain, and included herself modestly and generously among the crowd of n3tions invited to partake of these new sources of wealth (From the MonitearofMoonday, Feb. 16.) The of~cialpart onan a Royal ordinance appointing the lMar- quis de TaFaru Knight Commander of the Orden, to wear the in. signia..tIl his receptnon, as a testimnony of his ll!jesty's satisfaction, snu,a -rgompense tor his good and loyal services. - (~~~Non-official Dr* HSCAFFHAUSEIZ,VEB. 7. The surveiUance of foreigners still continues in Switzerlad, and eccasions frequent reports. In the frontier Cntons however eans are fatnd to unite equity with the strict formalities which have been erscribed. Mduchmore rigour is shown on the northern fronties of ,smnbariy towards all strangers coming from Switzerland, who are again subjected to a rigorous examination, even where their passr portsare in order. Those whohave not parsports countemaigned by the Austrian Minister in Switzerland, are obliged to reeturn to Berne to have this done, even when they are persons well known, and b'aring passports delivered by their own Governments ' FRANKFORT, FEB. I Proceedings on account of politicj misdemeanom, have corn menced for some time past in various parts of Germany. The teal o!.ject of those proceedings is not Iknown, and there ore different re- ports on the subject. U1'e have lea tnothing nevt respecting the persona arrested in se. veral parts of Bavaiia. A tenta commnittee, it seemsq, has been appoanis at Municb, to which aUl magistrates employed in the pro- ceedings are bound to report all the circumstances that cometo their knowledge. The P,avarian Government has required of the Court of Prussia, t iht General Lestocq shall be given up. After quitting the service of Wurtemberg, he had fixed his abode at Deuxponts, the tribunal of wlhich city condemned him to a long imprisonment. 1I. de Lestoc4 had set out for the North of Germany. He has been given up, and conveyed to Deuxponts. ROME, FEB. 1. The Papal authorities of Ancona have received news that JussuiFT Pacisa, Governor of Patras. had nt langth succeeded in opening negotiations for tbe surrender of that place, with Prince Mlaurocordato, wrho had at first required that the Turkish garrison should surrender at discretion. FPtENCH FVNDS, Paris, Feb. 16.-Five per Cents. 99. 85.; Loan of 1823, llj. Bank Stook 1730. Neapolitan Rentes,85~. Spanish ditto, opened at, 27j.: c'losed at 26. Exchange en London, 1 mot,25rr;a ots 25. 3.'i.-Cv u-s lc utentique. FRENCH P_ PERS. FAMS. k EB. ilD.