the 12th instant, the same paper gave the public the following additional assurance : "SECOND EDITION. Courier Of "fice, four o'clock. A gentleman HIGH "IN OFFICE, has received from one of the first Merchants of Liverpool, a "letter of which the following is the sub"stance: That he sincerely congratulated "him on the news from Oporto; that " he did not give implicit credit to it in the "first instance; but that he had since seen "the Captain of the vessel, who had assured him that he was AUTHORISED "BY THE BRITISH CONSUL AT "OPORTO TO USE HIS NAME, and "to state that the intelligence of Lord Wellington's Victory came from him." "The conclusion of the Letter is the most important." And I have now to add, THAT A FRESH ARRIVAL, THIS "MOMENT, BRINGS A CONFIRMA"TION OF THE INTELLIGENCE." After this it would have seemed to be a complete proof not only of jacobinism, but of treason, to doubt. Yet, as if this were not enough, the same writer, having had the Sabbath to repose and to reflect on his moral duties, came out with the folFowing: "We had hoped in this day's "Paper to have been able to have com"municated official intelligence from Portugal, confirming the accounts brought "to Liverpool. But no dispatches have yet been received, nor any later ac"counts either from Oporto or Lisbon, "than those we inserted on Saturday. "There is, however another vessel, the Iris, "arrived at Liverpool, from Lisbon, the Captain of which, whose name is Harris, "has DEPOSED, that on the 30th, when "he left the Portuguese Capital, a telegraphic message had been received of the "defeat of the French after two days hard "fighting with the loss of 20,000) men in killed "and wounded, and 5,000 on the side of the "allies.". -So it was with PETER. Having told a lie, and being closely taxed and in danger of détection," he began to curse "and to swear, saying, I know not the "man: and, instantly the cock crew." And, so it was here; for scarcely had Captain Harris's deposition got forth, when out came the official intelligence, telling us, that the French had advanced, had relieved Rodrigo, and had compelled our army to retreat, with some loss; instead of our having fought the army for two days, completely defeated him, killing and Wounding 20,000 of his army. Now, I ask the reader, whether any thing more " disgraceful than this conduct in our press was ever heard of in the world? It was not the Courier only, but the Sun, the MORNING POST, and all the prints of that description, making, at least, four fifths of the daily London Papers. And this is what they call serving the cause, is it? This is the way for a writer to give proof of his loyalty? It is truly an infamy on the nation. What must foreigners think of a country where such publications are tolerated and encouraged? What must they think of our morals, our taste, and our understandings? For my part, I have long thought and often said; that a press, conducted as ours is, is the greatest scourge a nation can endure. The taste of the people becomes vitiated through it; the public mind is debauched; and, at last, there grows up a love for lies, while truth is coarseness and libelling.--Having pointed out these shameful publications to the indignation of those who retain a hatred of falshood, and which I thought it absolutely necessary to do, let us now take a look at the real intelligence, as contained in the Gazette, which, I shall publish at full length in my next.--The Dispatches of Lord Talavera are dated from the places farther in the rear than the position which he held at the date of his former Dispatches. It appears that the French, perceiving that he had invested Rodrigo, and wishing to throw into it supplies, marched against him and compelled him to retreat, while they effected their object of relieving Rodrigo; and that, having done this, they again distributed their army in nearly the same way in which it was distributed before. -This appears to be the true, not the venal, not the lying, not the hireling, history of the transaction. The dispatch of the viscount gives a pretty minute, though not a very clear, account of the different movements and rencontres, none of which seem to have been of much importance: mere skirmishes between an army whose object was to retreat unbroken and one who does not appear to have been very desirous of a battle, though superior in numbers.But, the closing paragraph of the dispatch ought to be read attentively; because it not only states the reasons for our retreating, but also glances at the utility of our having invested Rodrigo. This is very material indeed; and, in fact, it is all that is of much consequence in the dispatch. Let us, therefore, take the words:" The enemy having collected "for the object of relieving Ciudad Re ་་ position that it could not have taken place, really had taken place; it was truly curious to observe his change of manner and of tone. Only the day before, when he was tooting forth the letter of the man drigo, the army of the North which | nate lord Talavera is in his literary friends; "were withdrawn from the attack which and, if we wanted a complete proof they commenced on General Abadia, of it here it is. It must be a reputa"in Gallicia, in which are included 22 tion like that of a Marlborough or a Na"battalions of the Imperial Guard, and poleon to withstand the efforts of friend"General Souham's division of Infantry, ship like this.And so, Mr. Courier, "composed of troops recently arrived in you could see "no reason to believe that Spain from the army of Naples, and Lord Wellington had invested Rodrigo "now drawn from the frontiers of Na- "merely to retire the moment Marmont ad"varre, where they had been employed in ope"vanced;" and you could see 66 no use in "rations against Mina, together with five producing the advance if we did not fight divisions, and all the cavalry of the "him". Come, now, do not eat your "" army called of Portugal, composing al- words. Stand to this. You have said it, "together an army of not less than sixty and that, too, within these seven days; "thousand men, of which six thousand therefore, stand to it. It is now your "were cavalry and 125 pieces of artillery; affair; and I leave it to you, with this in I could not pretend to maintain the your ear: that before you laugh at any "blockade of Ciudad Rodrigo, nor could act imputed to a general whom you are "any efforts which I could make, prevent, or incessantly extolling, take care, another materially impede the collection of the sup- time, to ascertain that he has not complies, or the march of the convoy for the re-mitted that very act. It was truly lief of that place. I did all that I could amusing to observe the Courier, when, on "expect to effect without incurring the risk of Wednesday night, it brought out the offi"great loss for NO OBJECT, and as the cial dispatch, announcing that that very reports, as usual, were so various in re-thing which he had ridiculed upon a sup"gard to the enemy's real strength, it "was necessary that I should see their "army."The Morning Chronicle finds fault of the obscurity of this passage, and certainly it is less clear than the importance of the subject rendered desirable. The first high in office;" the "solemn declaration" part, however, of it leaves us to infer, that the of one British Captain, and the "deposition" French armies were drawn away from their of another, he was all life and talk; but, hostilities against the Spaniards by our in- now, out he comes, dull as a clod; his vesting of Rodrigo; and that, therefore, long ears, that were, the day before, we are to look upon that as the price of pricked up like a brace of bayonets, now the efforts before Rodrigo. Then, when flap his jowls; and, instead of the incesthose armies were so drawn away, there sant noise which we heard from him bewas no longer any object in investing Ro- fore, he, with seeming difficulty, faintly drigo. If this be not the meaning of the brays out this laconic introduction to the passage, I must confess that I am unable to official dispatch: Lord Wellington dive into it, and shall leave it to be got at "retired to Sabugal after one or two smart by some of those who have had " the ad- "skirmishes. The following supplement "vantage of a liberal education," and who," to last night's gazette was published this of course can repeat fifty or sixty words" morning."And not another word! of Latin and Greek as glibly as any magpie or parrot in the United kingdom.The Courier, however, as we have seen, in the above extracts, has taken care to shut the door, as far as it is able, against every reason for not fighting upon this occasion. Having," says he, "no reason to be"lieve that Lord Wellington had invested Rodrigo merely to retire the moment Aar"mont advanced, an advance which it was "no use to produce if we did not fight him, we have no doubt that a battle has been fought.". What a slap in the face was here! What a salutation from a friend! I have more than once observed how unfortu " Well; it is a symptom that there are some small remains of shame. The SUN and the MORNING POST have no scruple to come round, smack, at once, and to commend as a proof of the greatest skill and courage, that which they but the very day before laughed at, when they had no idea that it had taken place. The Courier is not quite so bad as these; and, though I dare say he will now be able to find out a reason, and a very good reason "for invest 66 ing Rodrigo merely to retire the moment "Marmont advanced;" though I dare say he will now find out that there was great " utility in producing the advance too, commanded by the most experienced and intrepid generals that Europe ever saw? Aye, but this defence of his conduct cannot be made by the venal writers, who call themselves his "friends;" for they have said, that he had 47,000 British troops besides many thousands of Portuguese equal in valour and discipline to British Troops, and, in so saying, they have condemned him beforehand. "if we did not mean to fight;" though I "ing that advance without fighting" when SPANISH CONSTITUTION.- -The plan of the New Spanish Constitution I have inserted entire in this Number to the exclusion of some other matter that I very much wished to insert; but, it was desirable to have the whole of this important document in an undivided state. I request the reader's particular attention to it. I shall hereafter have to offer some observations on it; but, in the meanwhile, I beg the reader to notice the principle upon which it sets out, a principle, for inculcating which in the shape of a toast, the Duke of Norfolk has reason to remember. The provisions also for the election of the Cortes; the right of suffrage, and many other points deserve particular attention; but, I have no room for any thing more at present. WM. COBBETT. State Prison, Newgate. Friday, OFFICIAL PAPERS. SPANISH CONSTITUTION. INTRODUCTION.-In the name of Almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, the Author and Supreme Legislator of Society.-The general and extraordinary Cortes of the Spanish Nation, convinced, after the most minute examination and mature deliberation, that the ancient fundamental laws of this Monarchy, accompanied with suitable provisions, to resume their regular and permanent execution, are adequate to accomplish the great object of promoting the glory, prosperity, and welfare of the whole nation, decree the following Political Constitution, for the good government and right adminis tration of the State. TITLE I.—OF THE SPANISH NATION, AND rias, Old Castile, New Castile, Catalonia, OF SPANIARDS. CHAPTER I.-Of the Spanish Nation. Art. 1. The Spanish Nation is formed by the union of all Spaniards in both hemispheres. 2. The Spanish Nation is free and independent, and neither is nor can be the patrimony of any family or individual. 3. The Sovereignty resides essentially in the nation, and to the same belongs exclusively the right of establishing fundamental laws, and of appointing the most suitable form of government. 4. The end of Government is the happiness of the nation, since the object of political society can be no other than the welfare of the inhabitants of whom it is composed. 5. The nation is obliged to preserve, and to protect, by wise and just laws, the civil liberty, the property, and the other ·legitimate rights of all individuals who can claim it. CHAPTER II-Of Spaniards. 6. Spaniards are, 1st, All men born free, or made free, in all the dominions of Spain, and their sons.-2d, Strangers who have obtained letters of naturalization from the Cortes.-3d, Those who, without these letters, have lived ten years in a state of freedom, according to law, in any town of the Monarchy 4th, The sons of each of these classes, born in the Spanish territories, and who exercise any trade in the place of their residence.-5th, Freed men, who have acquired their freedom in Spain. 7. The love of their country is a principal obligation on all Spaniards, as well as justice and benevolence among each other. Cordova, Estremadura, Galicia, Grenada, 12. A more convenient division of the a constitutional law, as soon as political Spanish territories shall be established by circumstances will permit. CHAPTER II.-Of Religion. 13. The Spanish Nation professes the Catholic, Apostolic, Roman, only true Religion, to the exclusion of all others. CHAPTER III. Of the Government.' 14. The Government of the Spanish Nation is a limited hereditary Monarchy, 15. The power of making laws resides in the Cortes jointly with the King. 16. The power of executing the laws resides in the King. 17. The power of applying the laws to civil and criminal cases, resides in the tribunals established by law. CHAPTER IV.-Of Spanish Citizens. 18. Spanish Citizens are those who derive their origins, in both lines, from the Spanish dominions of both hemispheres, and who have acquired their freedom in any place within the same dominions. 19. He is also a Citizen who, enjoying already the rights of a Spaniard, shall obtain from the Cortes the real letters of Citizenship. 20. For a Foreigner to obtain these letters from the Cortes, he must be married to a Spanish woman, or have introduced and established in Spain some useful disCovery, or branch of industry, or acquired property which pays a direct contribution, or established himself in business with a considerable capital, in the opinion of the Cortes. 21. The legitimate sons of foreigners domiciliated in Spain, are also Citizens, who, having been born in the Spanish de minions, have never left them without the permission of Government; and having attained the age of 21 years complete, have acquired the right of Citizen in some place of the same dominions, by exercising in it some profession, office, or useful art. 22. For those Spaniards who, by either side, derive their descent from Africa, the path of virtue and desert lies open, by which they may acquire the rights of Citizens. In consequence of this, the Cortes are empowered to grant letters of Citizenship to those who have rendered eminent services to their country, or have distinguished themselves by their talents and good conduct; but upon this condition, with respect to these last, that they are born in lawful wedlock of free fathers; that they are themselves married to a free woman, and acquired the rights of Citizenship in the dominions of Spain; that they exercise some profession, office, or useful art, with means sufficient to support their family, and to give a good education to their children. ..23. None but Citizens can hold cure employments, or chuse others to fill them, in cases specified by the law. 24. The privilege of a Spanish Citizen is lost: 1st. By acquiring naturalization in a foreign country. 2d. By accepting an employment under another Government. 3d. By a sentence imposing ignominious or infamous punishment, should it not be afterwards repealed. 4th. By having lived ten successive years out of the Spanish territories, without a commission, or permission from the Government. 25. The exercise of the same rights is suspended : 1st. In virtue of a judicial interdiction, by reason of phrensy or madness. 2d. By being in a state of insolvency, or in debt to the public revenues. 3d. By receiving wages as a servant. 4th. By having no employment, or visible means of procuring a livelihood. 5th. By, being involved in a criminal process. 6th. From the year 1800 all those who enter anew upon the rights of Citizens must learn to read and write. 26. The rights of Citizenship can be lost or suspended only by the reasons specified in the two preceding articles, and by no other. 27. The Cortes are formed by the union of all the Deputies who represent the nation, named by the citizens after the form prescribed. 28. The basis of national representation is the same in both hemispheres. 29. This basis is composed of the population of inhabitants, who, in both lines, are natives of the Spanish dominions, and of those who have obtained from the Cortes letters of citizenship, as also those comprehended in Article 21. 30. To compute the population of the European dominions, the last Census of 1797 shall be had recourse to, till another can be taken, and a corresponding one shall be formed, to ascertain the population of. the provinces beyond the seas. 31. For every 70,000 souls of a population, composed as is stated in the 23d Article, one shall be deputed to the Cortes. The population being distributed over the different provinces, if in any there should be an excess of more than 35,000, one Deputy more shall be elected, as if the number amounted to 70,000; but if the surplus should not exceed 35,000, this is not to take place. If the population of any province should not amount to 70,000 souls, it shall be joined to the rest, in order to complete the number requisite. for the nomination of a Deputy. island of St. Domingo to be excepted, which is to send a Deputy, though the population should not amount to the number required. CHAPTER II. The Of the number of the Deputies to the Cortes. 34. For the election of Deputies to the Cortes, Electoral Juntas shall be held throughout the different parishes of the CHAPTER III.-Of the electoral parish Juntas. different provinces. 35. The Electoral Parochial Juntas, shall be composed of all the free citizens and residents in the bounds of the respective parish, among whom the secular ecclesiastics are to be comprehended. 36. Those Juntas shall be held always in the Peninsula, the islands and territories adjacent, the first Sunday of the month of October of the year preceding the holding of the Cortes. 37. In the provinces beyond sea, they shall be held the first Sunday of the |