on Belver by Aristot above Taltendre. These divisions together consisted of about 3,000 infantry and 1,300 cavalry. The constitutional troops came in sight of the insurgents about twelve o'clock on the morning of the 28th. The firing commenced soon after, and the engagement became general along the whole line. The royalists were unable to resist the number of the constitutional troops, and fearing that their retreat would be cut off, fled and dispersed themselves, though not without the loss of many killed or taken prisoners. Baron d'Eroles himself was very near falling into the hands of his enemy in the neighbourhood of Martinet, but succeeded in eluding the pursuit of the victors, and proceeded with about 80 men towards the mountains of Andorre. On the 28th Mina passed the night at Belver, and on the morning of the 29th, before daylight, he marched on Puycerda, where he arrived about nine o'clock. The insurgents who were in the town, abandoned it on his approach, and ranged themselves in order of battle near the tower of Denzalabert, which is about the distance of a musket shot from the Embech, a village within the French territory. Mina attacked them in this position, and after an engagement of half an hour, the troops of the faith fled, part towards Our, another French village near Embech, and part towards Llivia, and from thence to Estavar. Mina immediately occupied Llivia, which the regency had by this time had the wisdom to quit. D'Eroles and the Trappist, had repaired to Toulouse.

The only position, which the royalists now occupied in Catalonia, was the Seo d'Urgel, the defence of which had been en

trusted to a chief of the name of Romagosa. It was invested without delay by Mina, though, in consequence of its almost inaccessible position, with no great chance of immediate success. On the 10th of December, an assault was made upon the fort, which was repelled with considerable loss to the besiegers.

In Navarre, O'Donnell had been strong enough to make a show of resistance to the constitutionalists. His principal positions were along the banks of the Lombies. Torrijos, the constitutional general, concluded an armistice with him, which was to last till the 20th of December.

The consequence of these successes of the troops of the Cortes was, that an immense emigration into France took place. Bayonne, Toulouse, and the other frontier towns were crowded with the chiefs, the officers, and the subofficers of the army; all of whom were well received, both by the inhabitants and by the authorities. This was to the Spanish government a subject of great complaint.

The provinces on the French frontier were not the only seats of disorder: there was scarcely a district in Spain, which was not harassed or alarmed by armed bands. Merino, in the neighbourhood of Burgos-Zabala, in the part of Old Castile adjacent to Arragon-Cuebilla, in Biscay and the Asturias-Pereira, in Gallicia -Valderos, in Avila and LeonZaldivar, in Andalusia-these and many others had raised the standard of revolt. Every where, however, great exertions were made to suppress them, and with so much vigilance and success, that, towards the end of the year, Spain, so far as her internal government was concerned, had the prospect of soon enjoying

the complete restoration of the public tranquillity. For this, the new ministers deserve unqualified praise. They saw that the suppression of insurrection was the first of their duties, and in the accomplishment of that important object, they acted with decision and with steadiness, employing strenuously all the means which were at their command.

Under the peculiar circumstances, in which the ministers were entrusted with the reins of government, they had deemed it necessary to advise the Crown to convoke an extraordinary Cortes. Accordingly a royal decree to that effect was issued, fixing the time of meeting, and stating the objects for which the legislature was thus summoned. These were, · 1st, To furnish the government with resources in men and money sufficient to meet the wants of the state, and to deliver the nation without delay from the bands which infested the frontier provinces-2nd. To deliberate on the arrangement of affairs of high importance with some foreign powers. -3rd. To give the Spanish army a new organization. 4th. To complete the code of legal process.

The preparatory sittings of the Cortes were held on the 1st and the 3rd of October. The session was opened with great solemnity on the 7th by Ferdinand in person, accompanied by the queen and the two princesses. His speech on this occasion was in a most constitutional strain. [See Public Documents, p. 538.] He branded as "rebels," all who were in arms against the constitutional system. The country," said he "demands the assistance of numerous and vigorous arms to restrain the audacity of her factious sons; and the brave and loyal soldiers, who are

serving her in the field of honour, call for vigorous and effectual measures to ensure the happy success of the enterprises in which they are employed." The speech then touched upon the eminent local advantages of Spain, recommended the establishment of new military ordinances and regulations, the further improvement of the system of jurisprudence, and the formation of new relations with such states as "know how to estimate the riches and resources of Spain." The speech concluded with the following words: "The extension of the bonds of union among all the friends of liberty, will shed an additional lustre on those eminent qualities, which, to Spain and myself, are the surest pledges of your prudence. All good men will rejoice to behold you once more occupied in providing for their happiness, and the evil-disposed will find in the national congress a barrier impenetrable to their criminal projects." Salvato, the newly-chosen president replied, that the Cortes rejoiced to receive the testimony of his majesty's confidence, and that the sentiments expressed by him were indicative of virtue and firmness; he added, that the national representatives were determined to make the public voice of Spain respected both at home and abroad. Ferdinand, after this, departed in great state to his palace, without having any reason to be dissatisfied with his public reception.

The popular clubs had revived under the present ministry. Their meetings were frequent; they were numerously attended, and often by persons of high considerations. Members of the Cortes, and even ministers of state might be seen both among the haranguers and among the audience. The most

noted of these clubs had taken the appellation of Landaburian, in honour of the officer of the guards, who had been assassinated at the beginning of the commotions in July. Riego was one of its most distinguished members; and at its meetings the most odious cant and the most ridiculous mummeries of patriotism were employed to pervert the public mind. The government, if it had the wish, had not the power to suppress such as sociations; but a law was passed subjecting them to certain regulations. By that law, all persons who proposed to meet publicly for the purpose of discussing political subjects, were to give twelve hours' previous notice of the time and place of meeting to the First Constitutional Alcalde, or the Political Chief of the district. If the meetings were to be periodical, those, who proposed to form the society, were to draw up a set of rules, and present them to the magistrates within the fixed period of 12 hours; not, however, for the approbation of the authorities, but merely to give an opportunity of ascertaining whether any thing proposed to be done called for consideration or interposition. Upon any appearances of sedition, such as acts of violence, or factious acclamations, the Political chief, the alcalde, or the corregidor, was empowered to dissolve the meeting; which was to be done by reading, three times, with a loud voice, the present law, and desiring all the persons then assembled to disperse. In case they refused to obey, force might be used to make them withdraw.

These meetings might remain open until midnight, or one in the

At one of its sittings, a regiment of boys, ten years old, commanded by an officer in his twelfth year, mounted guard at the door.

morning; but, after the last-mentioned hour, the magistrates might dismiss them. If the persons present refused to withdraw, they were held to be in a state of disobedience, and the society incurred the penalty of suspension. It was also declared, that these meetings had no legal character: and that petitions from them could not be received as from corporate bodies, but must be held as expressing merely the opinion of the individuals present.

A new law, not very consistent with the spirit of liberty, was approved of by the Cortes, for the more effectual punishment of conspirators against the constitution. The king, however, refused his assent to it, on the ground, that the executive ought not to be trusted with powers so extensive as those now proposed to be granted.

On the second day of the session, Lopez Banos, the secretary for the war department, read a report on the state of Spain with respect to her external and internal enemies. He first considered the situation of the army; describing the clothing, equipment, military stores and fortresses, as exceedingly defective; but paying high compliments to the patriotism of the troops, which had sustained them under every disadvantage. The important topic of the feelings entertained by the nations bordering upon Spain, was next boldly and explicitly touched upon. Portugal was relied upon by the Spanish government, as likely to lend her aid "in case of extremity." As to France, the report asserted, directly, that, while the government of that country was holding out professions of of all the Spanish conspiracies argoodwill and friendship, the chiefs ranged in France their plans of aggression and hostility; that in

France, the defeated factious found refuge from the pursuit of the national troops, and had also made preparations which could not have been effected without the permission of the administration, and which required sums of money too vast to have been derived solely from their resources in Spain. The Cordon, Sanitaire was also noticed; and the secretary added, that the French government had given orders for assembling in Bayonne, Toulouse, Perpignan, and other parts of the frontier, a considerable force of artillery and infantry, and a vast store of provisions, greatly exceeding what could, for a length of time, be required for the supply of the present number of troops and fortresses. 66 Considering, therefore, (said the report), the alarming progress the insurrection at first made, and the suspicions which must be entertained, not only of our neighbour France, but of all that confederation of potentates known by the name of the Holy Alliance, it becomes necessary to demand of the Cortes an augmentation of the military strength." The proposal which the minister made, was, to raise by a new levy, 30,000 infantry, and 8,000 cavalry, and to make up the existing force to the number decreed by the ordinary Cortes · namely, 62,000 men, it being actually deficient by 10,000. In addition to this, he proposed also the recruiting and organization of the active militia.

Decrees were passed to carry into effect the schemes recommended for the increase of the military force of the country. The finances too were the subject of much consideration; and to meet the exigences that might occur, the ministers, by a decree dated the 4th of December, were empowered to

raise a loan by the sale of perpe tual annuities to the amount of 40 millions of reals vellon. All these arrangements proceeded from a jealousy of the designs of France and the Holy Alliance; with respect to which the strongest suspicions were daily expressed both in the Cortes and in the popular clubs. Constant rumours of impending war agitated Madrid; and the general opinion was, that hostilities were inevitable. But though there was much anxiety, there were no symptoms of fear. The people and the legislature were unanimous and ardent in their determination to resist foreign interference and repel foreign invasion.

During the latter months of the present year, many persons were executed for offences against the constitution, and a much greater number exiled or imprisoned. They were seldom or never tried; and even when the favour of a trial was granted, it was generally a trial before a court martial. It was even attempted to prosecute the late ministers for their mal-administration before a council of war: but the Cortes determined, that they ought to be proceeded against before the established tribunals.

A Madrid journal, bearing the title of Zurriago, acquired towards the end of the year a great cele brity in the capital by the extravagant results to which it pushed the principles of the new system, and the anarchical excesses which it lauded as the only pure patriotism. It assailed the ministers violently, as not being sufficiently constitutional. The ministers answered by exercising their dictatorial power, and sending, without trial, its two principal authors, Pizarro and Jonama, into exile, the former to Ivica, and the latter to the Canaries.