[ 361 ] HISTORICAL CHRONICLE. FOREIGN OCCURRENCES.. FRANCE. Letters from Angouleme contain the following account of a horrible outrage committed near Confolers:-A young couple, who were on the point of being married, went together to invite their relations to the nuptials. The girl was mounted upon her lover's horse, followed by him on foot. On their arrival at a village where the young man wanted to see some person, he left his destined bride to wait his return in the road. Immediately after three ruffians arrived, who, after grossly insulting the young girl, obliged her to alight from the horse, stripped her naked, committed outrages on her person which decency will not permit us to relate, and threatened to murder her; they then killed the horse, cut open his belly, took out the entrails, and in their place put the unfortunate young woman, sewed up the animal's skin, and made off. Some children who were passing by afterwards heard cries issuing from the bowels of the horse, and immediately ran in great fright to tell their parents that the devil was in a dead horse lying in the road. In the mean time the young man arrived and heard the groans of his expiring mistress. She was dragged out of the horrid situation where the villains had placed her, and transported to the nearest barn, where every attention was paid to her. police set directly about pursuing the horrid monsters who had committed an offence new in the annals of crime, and were fortunate enough to arrest them. They were recognized by the young woman upon confrontation. The aufortunate victim could not survive the outrages which had been perpetrated upon her, and expired five days afterwards. SPAIN. The The Revolution in Spain has received its consummation by the acceptance, on the part of Ferdinand, of the terms proposed to him by the Constitutionalists. The following interesting particulars describe the circumstances which led to this most important event. From the beginning of March to the 8th, but especially from the 6th to that day, dispatches arrived at Madrid in rapid succession from the provinces, which convinced the Government of the impossibility of supporting any longer the system of arbitrary power. They were too well apprised that the insurrection which broke out in the Isle of Leon was making a geGENT. MAG. April, 1820. neral progress throughout the nation, and the intelligence was assuming every in stant a character more alarming. The troops under the command of Joseph O'Donnel had passed over to Riego. Those before the Isle of Leon had joined Quiroga; while the Count L'Abisbal, who had secretly left the capital for Ocanus, abandoned the Royal cause, and proclaimed the Constitution, which was sworn to by him and his troops, and also by a regiment of cavalry quartered at the lat ter place. The news of these events was accompanied by information, not less conclusive, from Gallicia, Leon, Old Castile, and Murcia. It was known, also, that the fine regiment of Malaga, with its Colonel, Picquero, had taken the oath to the Constitution in Ciudad Rodrigo, and was marching upon Astorga. These important events burst upon Ferdinand like a clap of thunder.-Ballasteros was sent for from Valadolid, whither he had been banished, and vested with the command of the army of the centre. On receiving this charge on the 5th instant, he observed to the King, that, under existing circumstances, it would be necessary to convene the Cortes, and the powerful reasons he gave had great effect on the King's mind. As a preliminary step, however, the decree, calling on the various branches of the Administration for their opinions, was issued; but it was not satisfactory, and created general murmurs. The people openly declared they would not be satisfied with any thing short of the Constitution of 1812. Such was the state of things when Abisbal's defection threatened the capital, if the King did not instantly proclaim the Constitution. Scarcely was this known, when two expresses brought advices that Arragon had revolted, as well as Valadolid, the moment Ballasteros left the latter city. These incidents caused a confusion that presaged a Revolution in the Capital, which must have been extremely serious; and in order to prevent it Ballasteros went to the Palace, and firmly told the King, that between the acknowledgment of the Constitution and his dethronement, or perhaps worse, no alternative was left. He must now choose one extreme or the other, but not a moment was to be lost. Such was the dilemma in which the King stood at the moment, and thus in fact was he brought to his senses. He consented, and Ballasteros instantly went forth to tranquillize the people, people, already assembled on all sides, and calling out for the Constitution. As soon as the popular ferment was allayed, the King ordered Ballasteros to proceed to Aranjuez to inform Abisbal of his cousent, and to notify the same to the troops; but Ballasteros plainly told the King, that it would not be so easy to pacify the latter as it was the people of Madrid; and that it would be useless for him to go, unless he could carry some positive proof of the King's sincerity. For this purpose he added, it would be necessary to put the national code into operation at once; this alone would satisfy the public mind. In Consequence of this, the King sent for the Inquisitor-General, and told him, that from that moment his functions ceased, and ordered him to set all his prisoners at liberty, This was done, and among the inmates of the infernal dungeons was found the Count de Montijo, who it was supposed was at Santiago. The decree of the King, convening the Cortes, acceding to the Constitution, &c. was made out, notified to the various departments of State, &c.; and furnished with all this, Ballasteros set out for Aranjuez.-On the day of the King's acceptance of the Constitution, the whole city wore the appearance of a great public festival, rather than a national revolution, or change of the form of Government; and all ranks participated in the general joy. The reflection that this beneficial change had been affected almost without the effusion of blood was common to all; and even the lower classes spoke of the circumstance to each other with pride and triumph. THE CONSTITUTION OF SPAIN. The following is an abstract of the Constitution of the Cortes; from which our readers will be enabled to estimate the respective powers of the King and of the Cortes: Art. 2. The Spanish nation is free aud independent, and is not, nor cannot be, the patrimony of any person or family. 3. The Sovereignty resides essentially in the nation, and the right of enacting its fundamental laws belongs exclusively to it by this same principle. 27. The Cortes consists in the union of all the Deputies that represent the nation, nominated by the citizens, in manner as thereinafter stated. 28. The basis of national representation is the population. 31. For every 70,000 souls there shall be one Deputy to the Cortes; any odd number exceeding 35 000 shall name a Deputy for themselves. St. Domingo names a Deputy; and the Ultra Marine population, viz. that of North and South America, elects Deputies in the same proportion as that of Old Spain. 1 104. The Cortes to assemble every year in the capital of the kingdom, with power (by Art. 105) to remove to any place, not more distant from Madrid than twelve leagues. 108. The Session to begin on the 1st of March, and continue three months. 109. The Deputies shall be renewed entirely every two years. 110. A member is not eligible to two successive Parliaments. 117. The Deputies swear to preserve the Roman Catholic religion, to protect the political constitution, and to conduct themselves faithfully to the nation.-N. B. All reference to the King is omitted in this oath. The powers and duties of the Cortes are 1. To propose and decree the laws; and to interpret and alter them on necessary occasions. 2. To take an oath to the King, to the Prince of Asturias, and to the Regency, as is pointed out in their places. 3. To determine any doubt of fact or right, that may occur in order of the succession to the Crown. 4. To elect a Regency or Regent of the kingdom, when the Constitution requires it, and to point out the limits within which the Regency or the Regent must exercise the Royal authority. 6. To nominate a guardian to the King minor, when the Constitution requires it. 7. To approve, previous to ratification, the Treaties of offensive alliance, of subsidies, and the particulars of commerce. 8. To permit or refuse the admission of foreign troops into the kingdom. 9. To decree the creation and suppression of offices in the tribunals established by the Constitution, and also the creation or abolition of public offices. 10. To fix every year, on the proposal of the King, the land and sea forces, determining the establishment in time of peace, and its augmentation in time of war. 11. To issue ordinances to the army, the fleet, and to the national militia, in all their branches. 12. To fix the expenses of the public administration. 13. To establish annually the taxes. 19. To determine the value, the weight, the standard, the figure, and description of money, 22. To establish a general plan of public instruction in the whole monarchy, and approve that which is intended for the education of the Prince of Asturias. 24. To protect the political liberty of the press. 25. To render real and effective the responsibility of the Secretaries of State, and other persons in public employ. Lastly, 26. 1820.] Abstract of Foreign Occurrences, 26. Lastly, it belongs to the Cortes to grant or refuse its consent in all those cases and acts which the Constitution points out necessary. The King enjoys the following powers under Article 171. He watches over the prompt and perfect administration of justice throughout the kingdom; declares war and ratifies peace, subject to the approval of the Cortes; nominates Magistrates; presents to ecclesiastical dignities; is the fountain of honour; has the command of the army both by sea and by land; regulates all diplomatic and commercial relations with other States; appoints Ambassadors, Ministers, and Consals; can pardon criminals, except in certain cases; proposes to the Cortes such projects of laws as he may think necessary, but it is for the Cortes to deliberate or not upon such propositions; has the power of appointing Ministers. The King cannot, under any pretence, prevent the convocation of the Cortes; nor when assembled can he suspend or dissolve them, nor in any manner interfere with their sittings or delibe rations; and all persons who shall advise him to act contrary to this article shall be deemed traitors to the country. The king cannot leave the kingdom without the consent of the Cortes; nor can be without their consent form any offensive treaty ; nor private treaty of commerce with any foreign power; nor furnish subsidies to a foreign power; nor impose any taxes or duties; nor can he of his own authority deprive any individual of personal liberty, or of property, without due course of law. Before he contracts marriage, he shall communicate his intention to the Cortes, for the purpose of obtaining their consent, without which he shall be considered to have abdicated his throne. Should a law have passed the Cortes and fail on three successive applications to obtain the Royal consent, on the third refusal, the sanction of the King shall be supposed to have been obtained, and the law shall be in full force. A permanent Committee is to be nominated before the close of each Session, and to continue sitting in vigilant attention to the proceedings of the Government, until the next assembly of the Cortes. This Committee has the prerogative of summoning an extraordinary meeting of the Cortes, when the Crown shall become vacant, or the King incompetent, or when his Majesty may be desirous of convoking them. Letters from Cadiz, dated the 14th of March, confirm accounts in the French, papers of an outrageous act of treachery at Cadiz, which has covered the streets of that city with its slaughtered citizens. It appears, that Gen. Freyre issued a proclamation on the 9th of March, declaring his attachment to liberal principles, and 363 professing his readiness, aud that of his army, to take the oath to the Constitution, and avowing his intention of re-establishing it more sacred than ever. He also declared his intention of re-establishing the Constitutional Municipality as it stood in the year 1814 ;-yet on the same day, while preparations were making, according to the desire of Freyre, for the performance of the solemn act of adhesion, and while universal joy and confidence animated all ranks of the community on account of his proclamation, the troops suddenly fired upon the unarmed multitudes, and proved themselves worthy of rivalling in bloody execution the chief actors in the Sicilian Vespers, or the Massacre of St. Bartholomew. It is said, that an attempt had been previously made to entrap Quiroga; but that he escaped the snare, by declining to enter Cadiz on the invitation of Freyre. The estimate of the victims of the atrocious scene at Cadiz on the 10th ult. is as follows:-372 men, 39 women, and 27 children, dead; the wounded are in number 500, a great many of them grievously. It is a fact worthy of being recorded, and greatly to the honour of the Spanish soldiery at Cadiz, that when the guilty regiments, who took the lead in the atrocities of the 10th, arrived at their quarters in Port St. Mary's, their former companions in arms were drawn up to receive them, and expressed the utmost abhorrence at their conduct. They were then, as a mark of ignominy, deprived of their arms and other insignia of a soldier, and marched barefooted to a small village called Chipiona, there to remain till otherwise disposed of. His Majesty has issued a decree, declaring all Spaniards who shall refuse the new oath to be incapable of holding public offices, and to be unworthy of remaining in the country. The King has appointed the revenues of the late luquisition towards liquidating the expenses of the state. Mina is appointed Captain General of Navarre. The Spanish exiles who accompanied Joseph to France, are permitted by a proclamation of the Supreme Junta to return to their native country, and recover their sequestrated possessions. ITALY. An article from Turin mentions an instance of judicial cruelty in the punishment inflicted upon a postillion, named Dunan; who, having been accused of stealing the ornaments of a Madonna, has been burnt alive at Chambery, after hav ing had both his hands cut off. GERMANY. The Grand Duke of Hesse, influenced as is believed by events in Spain, has given a constitution to his subjects. The The King of Prussia has recently testifed his sense of the kindness shewn by the British nation to his subjects, under the devastating consequences of the dreadful battles fought in the years 1813 and 1814, by presenting to the Honorary Secretaries of the subscription for that purpose, rings or gold snuff-boxes elegantly ornamented with his Majesty's initials in diamonds. These were accompanied by letters written by his Highness Prince Hardenberg, by command of his Majesty, and were transmitted through the means of the Prussian Ambassador, Baron Bulow. ASIA. Letters from Batavia, of the 11th of December, state, that the expedition of the Dutch against Palembang had wholly failed in its object, and was returning to Batavia. AMERICA, &c. The naval force of the United States of America consists of 36 ships of the line of 74 guns each, 25 frigates of from 44 to 14 guns, 11 brigs of war of from 20 to 12 guns, 12 schooners, and a great number of gun-boats. The disasters attendant on the operations of Lord Cochrane follow in quick succession. Accounts have reached Lon don, from Chili, of Nov. 4, stating that the squadron under Lord Cochrane had been repulsed a third time off Callao. A group of small islands has been discovered by Captain de Peyster, of the ship Rebecca, in the Pacific Ocean, lying in the track between Valparaiso and the East Indies. New South Wales. By a late return it appears, that in 1818 the land cleared and cultivated, consisted of 284,000 acres, or double the surface of Rutland. That the produce was 1543 bushels of wheat, and 42,000 of maize; and the stock, 700 horses, 6500 cattle, 700 sheep, and 700 hogs; while the total population was 25,000. In the year 2000, perhaps, the Republic of New Holland may sway the Eastern Archipelago. DOMESTIC OCCURRENCES. INTELLIGENCE FROM VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY. As some men were lately making a drain on the premises of a gentleman in St. Giles', Norwich, they accidentally discovered a well 76 feet deep: on a stone was the date of its construction, 1222 (598 years ago). The latter end of last month, the College stables at Hereford were destroyed by fire. On the 2d inst. during divine service, a part of the roof of the college was discovered to be on fire by Mr. Hayter, the organist, who hastened to the part, and with assistance succeeded in extinguishing it. On the flames being extinguished, it was discovered that the beams and joists where they commenced had been partly saturated with spirit of turpentine; a quantity of brushwood from besoms taken from a room near the place; hay, straw, and some matches, were also disposed of so as to spread the destructive element. April 8. At Chester Assizes, James George Bruce, and Jacob M'Innis, were tried for shooting at Birch, the Stockport constable, on his return thither after arresting Harrison, the preacher, at the Smithfield meeting. According to the evidence, while Bruce kept in front of Birch, holding him in conversation, M'Innis, who stood behind Bruce, fired the pistol. They were both found Guilty. M'Innis on hearing the verdict, exclaimed in a stern tone," Bruce is innocent: I am the man that shot at Birch; and Bruce knows nothing of it, nor any other person." And Bruce likewise solemnly declared he was innocent and totally unacquainted with M Innis. On being brought up to receive sentence, Monday morning, Bruce presented a petition to the Judge, protesting his innocence-M'Innis, the other prisoner, said" Bruce is innocent. I never spoke to the man before I shot at Birch. though I did shoot at him, and I had many reasons for doing so, every man who swore against me swore falsely. Birch swore falsely, Pearson swore falsely. No man living knew a word about it but myself. I shot at him; this man is innocent."-Mr. Warren (Chief Justice of Chester) then passed sentence of death on both, and ordered M'Innis for execution. M'Inuis "Thank you, my Lord: it's a good cure for a spin of the head." This wretched man for a time refused all the consolations of religion, disbelieving the existence of a God! After returning to the gaol, however, it is understood that he was brought to a proper sense of his awful situation. He has been since executed.-Bruce, it is supposed, will not suffer. April 10. At the Chester Assizes, Sir Charles Wolseley, Bart. and Joseph Harrison, were tried on an indictment charging them with intending to excite commotion at a meeting at Stockport, on the 28th of June last; with unlawfully assembling to disturb the public peace, and by sedi. tious speeches to stir up the people of this realm to hatred and contempt of the Government and Constitution as by law esta blished. Mr. Pearson addressed the Jury ON 1820.] Intelligence from various Parts of the Country. on behalf of Sir C. Wolseley. Harrison spoke in his own defence, and at great length his speech was a strange and unconnected medley of politics and religion, given with a violent methodistical twang, which occasionally excited risibility. The Counsel for the prosecution next replied, and the Judge summed up to the Jury; who, after consulting about three-quarters of an hour, returned with a verdict of Guilty against Sir Charles Wolseley and Joseph Harrison. April 13. Mitchell (denounced as a spy at the York Meeting) was tried at the Pontefract Sessions, for having, on the 4th of October last, made use of seditious words in a meeting at Halifax. He was found guilty, and sentenced by the Court to be imprisoned six months in York Castle, and find sureties, for two years, himself in 100%, and two sureties in 50%. each. April 17. This afternoon Rainer, the celebrated Kentish pedestrian, ran half a mile down Chatham Hill, a very steep and bad piece of ground for such an exertion, in the short space of one minute and fiftyeight seconds; being two seconds within the time for which he was matched to perform the task. April 18. Harrison, the preacher, was tried at the Chester Assizes, on two indictments, which charged him with uttering seditious expressions in sermons which he preached at Stockport in August and December last.-The following formed the substance of the second indictment;"Kings, Princes, Dukes, Lords, Commons, Parliaments, Archbishops, Bishops, Prelates, Rectors, High Constables, Constables, Sheriffs, Deputy Constables, and Bailiffs, are all corrupt; and the time is near at hand when they will be upset. The people should rise en masse to suppress such a tyrannical Government as the one of this country; and it will not be long, but very soon, that it shall be overturned, and many a bloody battle may be fought, and many a one incarcerated in prison before it shall be accomplished." He was found Guilty, and sentenced to one year's imprisonment for each offence. The election of sixteen representative Peers of Scotland, took place at Holyrood-house, Edinburgh. The following were returned: Marquisses of Queensbury, Tweeddale, and Lothian; Earls of Home, Kellie, *Elgin, Balcarras, *Stair, and Roseberry; Lords Forbes, Saltoun, Gray, Sinclair, Colville, Napier, aud Belhaven. Those marked (*) were new candidates, who have thrown out the Duke of Roxburgh and Vis. Arbuthnot. Flaxman's beautiful monument to the memory of the late Countess Spencer has just been erected in Brington Church, 365 Northamptonshire. It consists of a tablet with an appropriate inscription; on one side of which is a group representing Religion, personified by a female, whose eyes are fixed on high, holding in her right hand the New Testament, and in the left a Cross'; Charity is represented on the other side of the tablet, by a mother fondly cherishing a sleeping infant to her bosom, while she is contemplating with maternal delight the caresses of its brother and sister. OCCURRENCES IN LONDON AND ITS VICINITY. His Majesty, it is said, has been pleased to appoint Mr. Colman, the popular dramatic author, Lieutenant of the Yeomen of the Guard, in the place of Captain Davis. Mr. Foster is the only Commoner now alive who sat in Parliament in the first year of Geo. III. and is now returned to the first Parliament of Geo. IV. Thursday, March 23. A Court of Common Council was held at Guildhall; when the Marquis of Camden being introduced, he received the Freedom of the City. The following is the Speech of Mr. Chamberlain Clark on the occasion: "My Lord Marquis Camden,-I give you joy; and in the name of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council assembled, do admit your Lordship to the Freedom of the Metropolis of the British Empire. "The pleasure and honour which I now receive from this official act of duty, arises from an unanimous Resolution of the Court That being highly sensible of, and duly appreciating, the public spirit and disinterested conduct of the Most Noble Marquis Camden, in making, during his life, so large a sacrifice of his private fortune, as the giving up to the service and necessities of his country, in aid of the public revenue, for the exigencies of the State, all the fees, perquisites, or emoluments he might receive, in right of his patent office of one of the four Tellers of his Majesty's Exchequer, beyond the sum which was enacted by Parliament, to be paid to him; do return the Noble Marquis their warmest Thanks for this munificent and praise-worthy act, truly becoming the Patriot, and which will hand down to posterity, with grateful recollections, the illustrious name of Camden.' "And the Court, with equal unanimity, resolved, That the Freedom of This City be presented to the Most Noble the Marquis Camden in a box made of heart of oak, by the whole Court, in testimony of the high sense they entertain of his great disinterestedness upon this occasion.' "My |