The Statesman. — 1823-11-10 (London, England)

LORD MAYOR'S I/AV.—Holiday at the Public Offices.  Zits *tatcontan.  do not  If the sacrifice of Riego awakens no indignation in" Europe, the age not only of chivalry, but of all hononrable feeling, is at an end. A Bayonne letter gives us the following horrible statement, withou► any comment:— " Riego has been tried,and could not find any Counsel to defend him, and it was necessary to provide him with one by drawing lots. His sentence is to be strangled and quartered ; and it is supposed that this sentence sill be carried into execution, as the King is not likely to pardon him.' If this infamous sentence be carried into effect, his blood be upon the head of Ferdinand, and all the despots of the Holy Alliance; and may it have ample retribution in the equally ignpminious, but far more deserved punishment, of thus terminating their own lives. The murder of Marshal, in comparison to this contemplated outrage, was a venial offence :—for a sanguinary tyranny in that instance might find pretences for glutting itself with blood, ultich are not offered with regard to Riego ; who has now been for more than three years the soldier of a system acknowledged by the King, and recognized by Europe; and his only offence is that of having nobly defended a cause which he was the first to originate. We' repeat that England ought to prevent this murder ; unless he had been accused and convicted of other offences, than his devotion to the Constitution. A noble interference °olds behalf would in some measure redeem the character of England with reglad to Spain. It would do us some service, which may be one day required, with all the intelligent part of the population; and if we could save him, we should found a claim to the eternal gratitude of all holiest Spaniards. Even, if it were conceded, that our interference could not save his life, still it would be discharging a duty to humanity, to put on record our unavailing protest against a murder which will he even more ferocious, more cold-blooded, more infamous, than the murder which has so recently startled the population of the metropolis. We cannot suppose that our ministry would wish no notice to be taken of this nature; but, as Hamlet said, " my uncle is King of Denmark," and, unluckily, Sir W. /Mona is our Minister at Madrid; and no man has ever laid to his charge the guilt of any regard fur the ioterests of those who leave dared to oppose a despotism. Some special messenger should be sent out—but why should we expect this, when we are speaking of what should be done by the approvers of sanguinary scenes at Manchester, in 1819 ? We can only regret that the vindication of the characte'r of England should be left in their hands.  The restoration of what is culf4A church property pro. ceeds rapidly in Spain ; and this restoration, which annAilates all hope that the Uovernment will ever be able toidiudrarge its contracts with the money lenders, is likely to hare a strong effect in, still further diminishing the value of what are cane I Spanish s-corities. The old paper money of Spain was not worth the interest which was done upon it ; and although the French Cabinet, for its own purposes, will take care that the interest shall be paid for a quarter or two, the payment will be made no longer thas England is at peace with France ; and not even so long, if that peace, by any miracle, should last a few years !  The Bourbon party in this country, of which the Hem Times is the organ, wishes to lull the public into a belief that there can he no apprelten4ons arising even from the possession of South America by the French ; and very kindly assures us, that its royal patrons do not design " to evAirpate democracy altogether ;" that they will suffer a litde of it lo flourish in North America, where the inhatitants "naturally formed a republic, because they bed " no motored seeds of aristocracy in their community—no " distinctions of birth, or eyeteeth, or rank." Does this knave mean to say, that these are natural distinctions ? We bad thought that they were artificial on•s. The colonies of Spain he contends are aristocratically inclin• ed ; and therefore the old fetters may he justly rivetted upon theta; and that toe without any possible prejudice to our interests. The Nabob of Arcot had once his hireling re' presentatives in what is called the English House of Commons. A King of France had also his dependents there; and if we could venture to argue from appearances, we  should say that a certain morning Journal belonged in chief to M. Chateanbriand. If it do nor, the Editor, in his hatred of the-prirciples which he has deserted, would lend himself to the destruttion of England, in order to extirpate every liberal opinion. Since England annot put stop to the progress of the amid out of its courtly trapamels. he would give England to the Holy Alliance as a bribe to it to perform the duty. The Ministry here, which, with all its faults, may not volunteer its services to an absolute and general suicide of the interests of this conntry, is certainly alarmed at the prospect before it ; and well it may be, for it cannot prevent an attempt on South Ante. rice without a war ; and a war now undertaken would be expensive, and hazardous beyond calculation ; unless the liberal spitit could be revived in Spain, and the scattered elements of the Constitutional system be again col lected. Of this, by promptness and energy of confine', there might be some hope ; and the right of interference it admitted by the Atm Times; which says that Europe has a HIGHT to demand the fulfilment of those promises of good Government. which Ferdinand made to Spain, on his restoration in