measures of conciliation towards the suffering inhabitants of his kingdom. SIR,-I beg leave to call the attention It is therefore with encreased astonishof your readers to the following most ment that I have perused the above doextraordinary proclamation, which Icument. A long residence in that coun

teries, its secret signs, and its correspondencies, by which it was able in some measure, to penetrate into the hidden operations of the Inquisition. The bond of secrecy that united its members enabled them to co-operate against that formidable tribunal, and was a sort of counterpoise to its effect. The clergy therefore decided upon its annihilation, and the proclamation now before you is one measure taken for that purpose. Ferdinand, a tyrant at heart, found that the priests were his best support, their principles being in unison with his own, and at their request, no doubt, this horrid mandate has been issued.

ten happens that a gentleman, who is invested with the office of Provincial Inqui sitor, receives an order to arrest and place in solitary and close confinement (as is the case with all the inquisition pri soners) his dearest friend, even his wife, and his only child, of whose offence he is haply in perfect ignorance, whose ultimate destination is entirely unknown to him, and the horrors of whose confinement be cannot ameliorate, without the certainty of being himself subject to the same. The provincial prisons of the Inquisition are held in such awe, and wrapt in such mystery, that no human being dare make enquiry as to their contents.-The arrests take place invariably at midnight, and the When Ferdinand returned to Spain, he prisoner is removed by unknown attend- found the liberal policy of Bonaparte ants, at that solemn hour, and. in pro-had given universal freedom to all manfound silence, from provincial prison to provincial prisen, until all trace of him is lost. If he is seized upon in one town, his examination does not take place for months,aud then in another town in the yery opposite part of the kingdom to that of his residence. Should he even return to his family, he dares not speak, nor dare they enquire, as to any thing that has ocCured to him during his absence. The iúmest secrecy prevails on every subject. The Inquisitors are unknown, even to each other, and where a provincial tribuial is sun.moned to assemble, an unknown messenger arrives at ndnight with the order, which is delivered in silence, with some my ysterious signs by which its authenticity is known, and the place of assembly pointed out. You will thus understand how this tribunal is enabled to carry its espionage into the most remote recesses of every family. The priests who, as I have already shewn, are every where,arethus enabled to communicate the most private transactions of every indiviCual, and no one is safe. Anonymous Teny, on whom the king was information being always received, the obliged to pace a considerable reliance, Loly Gffice,in the first instance, transmits had not yet sufciently thrown off the the charge to the Inquisitor in the neigh-influence of superstition, to oppose the Lourhood of the accused, who summons shoals of monks, and priests, who were Immediately before him, the priest with again let loose upon them. Ferdinand whom the accused communes, and on did not temporise. He acted in the most whose report ulterior précéellings are decisive manner, and by boldly seizing adopted. You will at once see, therefore, upon and destroying the friends of reason the nature of the influence which this and liberty, he consolidated his power,, Body possesses, and the absolute power and procceded to the universal des action which it holds over every class of society. of every thing that had been done in hig The principal cause of hatred which absence towards the restoration of persothe Institution has to freemasury is, thai nal and mental liberty. In, these efforts this latter institutionpossesses so its mys- he was seconded, of course, by the whole

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kind. The annihilation of the Inquisition was a death-blow to the clergy, inasmuch as from that very moment, with one accord, the resident priests were dismissed from each family, and the visits of the other class no longer tolerated. Priesthcod thus was rapidly falling into decay, and had the Regency and the Cortes continued another year, Terdmand's Whole. efforts to re-establish them would have been in vain. Tyranny always looks to the priesthood for support. In fettering the mind of man, a tyrant is best enabled to establish his dominion, and we find throughout universal history that there never existed a despotic monarch, who did not place his chief eliance upon the influence of priesteraft. It was upon this principle that Ferdinand on his return looked up to this body to support him, in those measures which he had determined on; and they, in their turn, were delighted to find that a prospect once more opened to them of recovering their fallen i gver.

French in the Peninsula, become very numerous, were actively employed in endeavouring to counteract its operation. To the secret means of communication which this society possessed, is to be attributed the escape of those patriots,

body of the priests. Several of the prin- which had, since the residence of the cipal generals of the old school, who | had never shaken off the bands of fanaticism, and looking up to the prospective rewards for the services they might render towards enslaving their fellow citizens, immediately joined the monarch with their whole weight. It is with regreto Gibraltar, who were afterwards dehave to state that there were British manded by the sanguinary Villa Viciosa, Officers found who would join in so mou- the governor of Cadiz, on whose mandate strous an union against that liberty, the Sir James Duff, the British consul there, blessings of which a reference to the claimed, and for whose delivery to the land of their birth ought to have strong blood hounds of the Inquisition, to the. ly inculcated on their minds. To the honor of the British Parliament, (though, high honor of others, they refused to not until motion after motion had been continue in so despicable a service. made on the subject by the opposition,) On the return of Ferdinand, he found General Smith received so severe a reprithe following British Officers in his mand; and which was, it is supposed, the army-Generals Roche, Dyer, Whit- ultimate cause of his recal. Thus when the tingham, Doyle, Carrol, and Downie. Inquisitors found that the lodges Of these Dyer, Whittingham, and Carrol, of Free-masons, had counteracted some resigned their Spanish commissions on of their projected schemes of blood, it the suppression of the Cortes, and have became necessary to put them down. returned to their native service. Sir They were proscribed accordingly; but John Downie had been a commissary the secrecy attendant on their composi in the British army, which employment tion setting ordinary measures at defihe quitted and received a commission ance, recourse has been had to the profrom the Provincial Junta of Seville. clamation that has been, the subject of This was afterwards confirmed by the this letter. I have at present intruded Cortes; from whom also he asked, and too much perhaps on your valuable coeceived one of the crosses, as they are lumns. 1 shall, in a second letter, tailed, of the order of Charles the id: communicate to you an interesting deand, in compliment to whom our Prince tail of the very artful and extraordinary Regent knighted him. Thus to the methods adopted by the clergy to bring Cortes he owed his all! On the arrival over Ferdinand so entirely to their of the Spanish monarch Sir John bow- views, which have produced the prenie was at Madrid, where he had been sent state of misery and dismay in which all the period of the French cam- all Spain is involved. I am, &c. paign, occupying himself with politics at the seat of government, instead of P. S. Having mentioned the case of sharing the dangers of the seat of war; the two unfortunate Spaniards, who were and, strange to say, was one of those shamefully given up to the vengeance of who were employed in the honourable their Government by a British officer at office of establishing the Inquisition, Gibraltar, I cannot omit noticing the and imprisoning that very same Cortes circumstance that one of these persefrom whom he received his employment. cuted individuals, having escaped the Every other British officer in the Spa- hely blood-hounds, has reached thus nish service rejected, with scorn, this country, and, in consequence of what vile employment.- Sir John Dyer wrote lately passed in parliament respecting his a mest impressive letter, in which he disgraceful arrest, has addressed a letresigned his commission in the Spanish ter to the public, through the medium of service, preferring honourable retirement the newspapers. This genticman's name to being the tool of a despot! How is Antonio Fuigblanch, and the followever, the Inquisition was re-established;ing is the account he gives of his reasons all the ordinances issued by Bonaparte for leaving Cadiz, and of his subsequent and the Cortes, for its eternal suppres-apprehension at Gibraltar:-" There be•sion, were declared void, and additional ing strong reason to believe at Cadiz, rigour was given to its authority. In the "about the middle of last May, that mean time, the Lodge. of Fiee-masons, * Ferdinand the Vilih, instigated by bad

CIVIS.

years, been too much given to foreign politics; to look well to his affairs at home. The time, however, is now arrived for his doing so; and, upon finding domestic matters much out of order, John is astonished, puzzled, and perplexed. With his hands in his breeches pocket, feeling his purse, John looks forward, and is alarmed. Then measuring its contents, by the grip of his intelligent fingers, he looks back, and heaves a deep sigh!

“advice, was about to overturn the constitution, and at the same time having reason to fear the re-establishment of "the Inquisition, against which, exercising the right allowed me by the laws during the existence of the Cortes, I "had written a work, entitled, The Inquisition Unmasked, I endeavoured to place myself in safety. With this view, having procured a passport from "Senor Valdez, then Governor of Cadiz, "and which, for the greater security, I-But, Sir, it is for those benevolent "got countersigned by Sir J. Duff, I went minds, who told him, long ago, how to by sea to Gibraltar; with an intention avoid his present dilemma (notwithstandof coming to London. In the same ing his former obstinacy,) still to assist Passage-boat with me was a Captain him in averting future evils, and prevent"retired from service, by name Doning, if possible, a recurrence of the past, Diego Correa, who was also leaving ·Spain in consequence of the threatened "revolution in public affairs, and with "whom I had no previous communica"tion, although I knew him by repute to "be a brave soldier, and a good patriot. "We had been three days at an inn at

This will be but consistent with our Tenets; and, with your permission, thro' your intelligent Register, I'll try my hand,

Gibraltar, when, about eleven at night, "an Adjutant of the fortress made his "appearance, with a picquet of infantry," "and took us prisoners to the guard-house. "Next day we were examined, and our

declarations taken; and after two days "more had elapsed, we were delivered" "up to the Spanish Consul, who sent us "to the Commandant of the camp of St.

Your publication of the 28th, contains, an ingenious article, under the Head, No. 1, Corn Bill, from the Courier; in which it is stated that "The English. Farmer, cannot grow Corn, unless, by " an importation duty, the foreign Farmer be made to bear part of the Eng"lish Farmer's taxes; and here I take my "stand.”—You, in reply, say, "but he "will not bear part then, for he will not bring his corn, and it is meant, that he "should not-Here I take my stand." The article from the Courier (looking Roque, at Algesiras."-Towards the at its purpose) is written with adroitness, conclusion of this letter, will be found and great ability; but you have, with the following very severe and pointed equal adroitness, and with much greater strictures on the conduct of Sir James aptness of argument, fully and fairly Duff:-" The charges brought against detected, and exposed, its plausible falme in Sir James Duff's letter, viz. that lacy-after which you say " Reduce the "I am the author of The Inquisition "Tares of the English Farmer, and then Unmasked, is as little entitled to atten- "he will grow corn enough, without the "tion as the preceding. Such a charge" aid of foreign supply."-But this Reduc"is the more preposterous, as being brought against me by a citizen of a "free and enlightened nation, which, from principles of religion and a just "resentment, must detest that tril. I could not have believed, without seeing it in print, that this would have "been regarded as an imputation upon "my character: aud the Consul of his "Britannic Majesty has proceeded in "this point as the most fanatic rassal of "his Catholic Majesty might be suppos-contracted an immense debt, and must "ed to have done."

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tion, (as I know you are fully aware, tho' you choose to pause here,) cannot be expected to happen at least in time, and to the extent sought, for the relief of the Farmer; or rather, for the relief, I am disposed to think, of the former blunders of the Ministry. And why can it not? Why because our extravagance and prodigality, in spending, lending, aud giving away the Wealth of the Nation, has been so rapid and so vast. We have

continue to pay the interest of an additional six hundred millions, incurred within these twenty years, to preserve our honour, and our credit from being sullied. We cannot, therefore, reduce

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our taxes, I fear, greatly and suddenly. Country lift her head amidst surroundIf we rest then, upon the grounds of the ing Nations! and still may we find Courier, our Manufactures, and general means, sufficient to meet all purposes.prosperity must decline; and if upon an Methinks I hear the manufacturers and immediate, and an efficient reduction of agriculturists say, "Why, yes; all this pur taxes, the Fund-holders must suffer, may be true, but how are these matters or the Wheels ofthe Government Mail be "to be carried into effect?"-By not too much clogg'd, to perform their usual selling yourselves, first to trading memcircumrotation. This, Mr. Cobbett, is bers of Parliament, then trading members a puzzling dilemma!-a situation of dis- cannot sell you a second time, in suptress and difficulty, naturally suggesting port of profusion, irrational wars, and two Questions.Who brought us into it? the increase of taxation.-Ask one and -What is to be done?-lu apswer to the all constitutionally, but firmly ask, for first, I say, that those, who have been a radical reform in your representation, supporting, and encouraging the War-Be Englishmen, and English property, of passion, not of prudence;-those who but jully, fairly, and honourably repredenominated the voice of reason and of sented; and corruption, tho' encouraged justice, Jacobinism; those who shouted, by the unthinking, and the prodigal, in huzzaed,and bravadoed, echoing toa trium- the most wasteful profusion, will not, phant Majority of their said-to-be-Re- cannot, again bring this country into the presentatives in Parliament, at every distressing dilemma, which the lavish new tax, and at every annual addition of expenditure of the last twenty-three years fifteen or twenty millions of expenditure. has effected. With this remedy, we Such, I regret to say,were a great portion should feed no importation duties upon of this easily-misled Nation, (the Agri- corn, nor be burthened with more pauculturists almost entirely) blinded, and pers, or with higher prices for the nehalf mad, by a deceitful prosperity, cessaries of life than other countries. which they thought must still increase with general wretchedness; and which their self-nourished and destructive favor mistook for sincere and lasting reality. As to the second question.-What is to be done?What but, from past errors, to learn future Wisdom? This is the lot of humanity; and every thing which our newly-awakened reason, prudence, and economy can suggest, should, if possible, be instantaneously adopted :-Cal! the wisest Councils,-not of the present weak, and extravagant school, that has brought England into unexampled difficulties. Let every branch of our administration be rendered eccnomical;" cut off all superfluous expences; part with all irrational costly establishments; call upon our public Men, of large fortunes, to discharge, for a few years, official duties gratis; establish such preventions, with due care, that the same wasteful extravagance, the like mania for wanten warfare, with all its destructive costliness, never may recur, the Government honourably discharge its duties to the people; the Peopic theirs to the Government. Let us bu do this honestly, wisely, promptly, and Constitutionally, and, like old English Patriots, we may still fearless look our Aiculties in the face: Still may

Let

our

Without this remedy, the evils we complain of must continue, seeing we have acquired the Heaven-born taste for millions over thousands. England will then become a Cipher amongst the Nations of Europe! TERTIO.

Jan. 31, 1815.

HORRID BLASPHEMOUS IMPOSTURE'!!*

MR. COBBETT.-The following article, to which the Editor of the Morning Post has prefixed the above terrific title, appeared in that journal of yesterday:

"Paris, Feb. 1.-The Sixth Chamber of Correctional Police, this day, con"demned to five year's imprisonment, "a fine of 200 francs, and the expences of suit, a man named Negede, who "of called himself Le Bon Duu, on ac"count of his alledged inspiration from "heaven! It appeared, this audacious hypocrite had swindled many of his neighbours out of various sums of money-particularly the female sex-in consequence of his blasphemous prétensions."--From this article it appears, hat in France things have considerably altered since Bonaparte was put down. During his reign, any man might have

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elieved, professed, or pretended what he liked as to religion. to religion. Under the pre