establishing representative assemblies, was published on the 28th of May. The preamble is remarkable for its extreme liberality, granting to the people liberty of conscience, with a scrupulous distinction between what belongs to the state, and what to the church; liberty of opinion, with restrictions by law against abuse; an equal right to all native subjects to every rank in the public service, and to all the distinctions due to merit; equality of laws, and of citizens before the law; impartiality and promptitude in the administration of justice; equality in the distribution and payment of imposts; and, as a security to the whole, "StatesGeneral formed from all classes of domiciled citizens." The American Papers contained the following account of the capture of Pensacola. "Head-Quarters, Division of the South, Pensacola, May 28. "Major-general Andrew Jack son has found it necessary to take possession of Pensacola. has not been prompted to this He measure from a wish to extend the territorial limits of the United States, or from any unfriendly feeling on the part of the American Republic to the Spanish Government. The Seminole Indians inhabiting the territories of Spain have, for more than two years past, visited our frontier settlers with all the horrors of savage massacre helpless women have been butchered, and the cradles stained with the blood of innocence. These atrocities, it was expected, would have early attracted the attention of the Spanish Government, and, faith remedies adopted for their supful to existing treaties, speedy pression. them was acknowledged; but "The obligation to restrain weakness was alleged, with a concession, that so far from being able to control, the Spanish authorities were often compelled, from policy or necessity, to issue munitions of war to these savages, thus enabling, if not exciting them, to raise the tomahawk against us. of self-defence, therefore, comThe immutable laws pelled the American Government to take possession of such parts of the Floridas in which the Spanish authority could not be maintained. Pensacola was found in that situation, and will be held strength sufficient until Spain can furnish military existing treaties. Spanish subto enforce laws will govern in all cases jects will be respected; Spanish free toleration to all religions affecting property and person; a guaranteed, and trade alike free to all nations. "Col. King will assume the command of Pensacola as a Military and Civil Governor. they affect personal rights and "The Spanish laws, so far as property, Colonel King will take possession will be enforced. of the archives of the province, and appoint some confidential individual to preserve them. It is all important that the records of titles and property should be carefully secured. He will cause landed property belonging to the an inquiry to be made into all the King of Spain, and have possession taken of it. The claims of property within the range of gun shot shot of Fort Carlos de Barancas will be scrupulously examined into, and should they prove valid, a rent allowed, but possession in no wise given. This property is necessary to the United States, and under its laws may be held, an equivalent being paid. "The revenue laws of the United States will be established, and Capt. Gadsden is appointed to act as collector, with full powers to nominate such subofficers as in his opinion will be necessary to the faithful discharge of the trust imposed on him. He will apply to the Governor of Pensacola for military aid in all cases where it may be necessary to correct attempts at illicit trade. (Signed) "AND. JACKSON, Major-Gen. Com. It is announced in a paragraph from Cobourg, that the marriage of his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent with the Princess Dowager of Leiningen was celebrated in the evening of the 29th of May. by law and custom on such occasions. The great Officers of State, and others, who are frequently invited for the purpose of giving additional splendor to the proceedings, were not summoned, it being the particular wish of the Queen that the marriage should be as private as possible, in order to spare her Majesty all unnecessary fatigue. 2. Spires.-The new Bavarian Constitution has been published in Rhenish Bavaria, and has excited general satisfaction. The proclamation of this constitution was made here with the greatest solemnity. At the same time arrived a Royal rescript, by which his Majesty maintains and guarantees the existing institutions of Rhenish Bavaria. Thus the inhabitants of this province are going to participate in the benefits of the general constitution, and to preserve at the same time their judicial organization, their jury, the publicity of their sittings, their councils, general, provincial, &c. Buenos-Ayres Gazettes supply us with the following OFFICIAL DECREE. Department of State, June 3. In order to support the numerous charges upon the state, the funds of which have been applied to effect our political emancipation, while the arms of the enemy have intruded into our most productive provinces; and with the wish to pay off as soon as possible the national debt, increased by the generosity of the inhabitants; also to avoid as far as may be the evil of direct contributions; for these purposes, on on the 13th of January, in the last year, I carried into operation the duties on imports which are now imposed, adopting the general system, as to their collection, which has been resorted to by the most polished nations of Europe, and incorporating with the arrangements the judicious provisions of the decree of the 29th of March, of the same year, as to public bills, and the 8 per cent reduction in the 8th article of that decree; (this diminution is in favour of American merchants, by whose assistance the public bills were put in circulation). Notwithstanding these prudent and moderate regulations, conformable with equity and justice, considerable clamour has been raised against the exorbitancy of the duties, the complainants not attending to the urgent necessity which required them, in the form of an indirect contribution, extending to all classes of consumers, and under this false pretext of exorbitancy, a contraband trade has been carried on, in defiance of all the precautions that have been introduced to prevent it. Under these circumstances, to promote the increase and prosperity of commerce, and to remove every obstacle to its success, I have determined on a very large reduction in the duties of imports, and have informed the Customhouse of the capital of the same, which is to take effect from the present time, under the subsequent conditions :— 1. The payment of the duties is to be made, two-third parts in money, and one-third part in public bills; modifying this pay ment by the first article of the decree of the 29th of March, 1817. 2. The Custom-house is to receive for these two-third parts of the duty, all such of the public bills as have been issued by the Supreme Government, on which is expressed on the face of them that they are to be current instead of cash. 3. Credit for the duties is to be given to the importers, on taking possession of the goods, 20 days for the half amount, and 40 days for the remainder. 4. For the security of the state, the Custom-house officers are to have a guarantee, satisfactory to them, which is to be required without distinction of persons. 5. This article provides for the mode of payment, when the importer neglects the discharge of the duties. 6. The 8 per cent granted under the 8th article of the decree of the 29th of March, in favour of the natives of South America, is reduced to 4 per cent; and also with respect to others to whom the same favour was extended. toms, and by them to their Collectors: My Lord; I have the honour to acquaint your lordship, that by a letter I have just received from Mr. Squitcovich, our ViceConsul at Óran, dated the 27th ult. I am informed that the ravages of the plague in that city have been so extensive as already to have swept off one half of the population. On the day on which he writes, 150 persons had died. Mr. Squitcovich further adds, that the whole province of Oran was infected; and that the mortality was considerable in Tremesen, a town on the Morocco frontier, having a population of between 20,000 and 30,000 souls; and that the disease had already began to show itself at Fez, the usual seat of Government of the Morocco dominions, and a city, from its numerous population, and the commercial spirit of its ínhabitants, having the most extensive relations of any in the empire. My last advices from Mr. M'Donnell, at Algiers, are dated the 23rd of May. The deaths, during the preceding week, had not exceeded 50 per diem, while previously to that they had in some instances amounted to 120. I fear, however, this decreased mortality is rather to be attributed to the reduced population than to any other cause. Mr. M'Donnell states, that the crew of the frigate presented by the Emperor of Morocco to the Dey of Algiers, had, after remaining a month on shore, embarked about three months pre viously on board a hired vessel, to be landed at some port on the Morocco coast. We have not yet received any intelligence of its arrival. It is needless to observe that this crew must have the disease amongst them to a great extent. In consequence of the above intelligence, I am employed in taking further measures for the security of the public health of the garrison. (Signed) G. DON, General. To Earl Bathurst, K.B., &c. 6. Winchester, (Virginia).This town and its vicinity have been visited by one of the most destructive floods known for many years. It commenced raining on Saturday night last, and continued at intervals during the whole of Saturday and Sunday night. All the water courses were raised to a height scarcely ever before known. The damage sustained is immense; but it is impossible for us to form any thing like a correct estimation. Mill-dams have been broken, fences swept away, meadows overflowed, and much grain in the low grounds destroyed. The injury done to property in this town alone is supposed to amount to 30 or 40,000 dollars-principally caused by the filling of cellars, where groceries were stored. 17. Bourdeaux.-We are now very much occupied with an incident which interests the whole of the reformed church of France. One of the deacons of our church has just been condemned to pay a fine by the Tribunal of Police for not having decorated decorated the front of his house with the usual hangings, during the procession of the host on Corpus Christi day. This prosecution appears to us a manifest violation of the 5th article of the Charter; but what appears more surprising still are, the arguments employed by the public ministry (the law officers of the Crown) who demanded the condemnation. They rested these argu. ments on a regulation of 1757, which they cited at the audience as their authority, and which you will observe renewed the rigour of the persecutions against the Protestants, the exile of their pastors, interdiction of their assemblies, the annulling of their marriages, the declaration of bastardy on their infants, &c. What must we think, in the age in which we live, of seeing such atrocities dug up from their grave? No attempt is made, it is true, to bring them again into exercise at the present moment, and the attempt could not succeed though made; but it might be expected that shame would restrain them from recalling those barbarous decrees, especially as by so doing they violate existing laws, and aim a direct blow at rights consecrated by the charter. Article 5 of the charter is thus expressed:-"Every man professes his religion with equal freedom, and obtains for his worship the same protection." It is evident that, if the Protestants can be compelled to put out hangings, then to bend the knee, &c., acts prohibited by their conscience, there is no longer any toleration in religion, and by degrees we may expect the revival of former abuses. Attempts of the same kind appear to have been made in the whole of the South. We know of energetic representations made, addressed to the government by divers consistories, and we think it necessary to display zeal and firmness in the delicate circumstances in which we are with regard to the Concordat. The Concordat pre sented to the Chambers, but not discussed, threatens us with a revival of all the laws of the Church, and you are not ignorant what the ultra-montane party mean by these expressions. I know that some of the provisions of this charter may be amended, but is it not deplorable that the idea of proposing them should have been entertained? If we show weakness or indifference, can we tell how far our supineness or want of energy may be abused in the discussions of the approaching session of the Chambers, to extort from them concessions which may endanger our liberty of conscience? A peculiar system of management appears to be adopted by those who move in these affairs. They appear to act in concert, as the same attempts have been made in different places. The condemned have demanded signed copies of their sentences; they have not received them, and probably never will. This mode of proceeding appears a tacit confession on the part of the Authorities that their decisions are not founded on law. It is to be remarked likewise, that though several Protestants resisted a compliance |