three which border on France, but the factious who roamed about its territory soon succeeded in exciting discord. Slight commotions took place in the month of May and June, but in the month of July there appeared symptoms of a general insurrection—the consequence of the operations in Navarre and Catalonia, the loss of Seo de Urgel, the taking of Marella, and the affair of Siguenza. But the most important occurrence of that month was the loss of Mequinenza. In the month of August the re-conquest of Mequinenza was seriously contemplated, but the excursion of the Trappist from Catalonia to Navarre, and his return with Quesada to Catalonia, required the continued attention of all the troops in the district. At present the province of Calatayud is tranquil, as is also that of Saragossa. In the province of Huesca, the insurgents have fortified a point. They have obtained several triumphs in this quarter, which have lately been augmented by the defeat of part of the column of Tabuença. The character of the insurrection in this district is less serious than in the other two which adjoin France, because the country is less accessible to foreign instigation, and because there always has been since the beginning a disposition to stifle the commotion. The disturbances have always been excited by factions from other districts. The insurgents possess no fortified point in the territory, except Mequinenza, and there is no information of their having organized any system of administration, or of their having formed a governing junta. Art. 12. Attitude of the Insurgents of the 7th Military District. In this district the insurrection has assumed so decided and formidable an aspect, that the government has determined to establish in it an army of operation. The disturbed state of Catalonia is the more remarkable, for, until the beginning of the present year, there appeared no symptom of insurrection in that part of the country, and the principal towns, such as Barcelona, Reus, Tarragona, Manresa, Mataro, &c., were always distinguished for a truly constitutional spirit; and the revolution here is the more to be feared, as the mountainous nature of the country is in an extraordinary degree favourable to resistance. If the revolution were general in the 7th district, there would be reason to fear the powerful measures which the inhabitants would have it in their power to adopt; but, fortunately, only the rustic population have hitherto taken part in the rebellion; the population of the towns have decidedly declared themselves favourable to the just cause. It has been found that almost all the small and inland towns have joined the insurrection, while all the large towns on the coast have decidedly opposed it. Hence it may be inferred, that the Catalonians have been misled by the corporations, or individuals who are interested in the counter-revolution, and suborned by foreign money. Where the people are well-informed, there has been no rebellion; where ignorance and superstition prevail, it has marched with rapid strides. It may also be inferred, that the present misery of Catalonia, occasioned by the fever at Barcelona, and above all by the loss of the trade with America, has had an influence in producing discontent; for the inhabitants, being absolutely deprived of the means of subsistence, resolved to take up arms in a war which was recommended from the pulpit, and by which old rancours and animosities have been revived. Thus may be explained the motives which actuated the people of Catalonia, who have at all times been so zealously watchful of their liberties, and have now declared themselves the defenders of institutions introduced into the country in consequence of the victories obtained over their ancestors. The revolution in Catalonia was commenced in the month of April by the band of Misas, which was shortly joined by that of Mosen Anton Goll. In May it became general, and the four provinces of that district were in a few days the prey of civil discord. From that moment the forces and proceedings of the rebels became formidable: fortunately, however, the few troops of the 7th district lost no time in proceeding to the principal points, where they obtained signal triumphs. The general of the 7th district gave orders for the occupation of all the fortified posts, as well as of those which, though unfortified, were of any importance. Such was the state of this district at the latter end of the month, that the general declared, with good reason, that he should find it impossible to maintain his ground without prompt aid of every kind. The government speedily adopted every step which the urgent state of affairs rendered necessary. In the month of June the in surrection increased still more considerably. The factious committed horrible assassinations on individuals belonging to the constitutional party; they invaded new districts, sacked many towns, and augmented their columns; but the constitutional troops marched on every point, and destroyed the factious wherever they met them. Several towns gloriously repulsed the factious, even without the aid of the regular troops: but, in spite of this firm and persevering conduct on the part of the troops and inhabitants devoted to the constitution, the 7th district sustained a severe loss, through the factious party gaining possession of the forts of Seo de Urgel. In July the insurrection continued its progress, and the troops continued to oppose it at every point. Many important operations were effected, in which the local militia of the different towns took a considerable part, as did also the miqueletes or light troops of the natives of the country, raised at the expense of the inhabitants. But the influence of the taking of Seo de Urgel was sensibly felt amidst all these triumphs, since it enabled the factious to maintain a tranquil position in the midst of the plain of Catalonia, and in the course of this month it was observed that they had assumed a form of administration and government. In the month of August the insurrection acquired new strength, and though it was hoped that they would receive a decided blow in the monastery of San Ramon, which they had fortified, yet that expectation was not realized. Protected by their position at Seo de Urgel, the insurgents organized a government junta for the province, and attained to so high a pitch of insolence as to instal in that town a self-styled regency, composed of three individuals (Mata Florida, Creus, and Erolles), noted for their constant aversion to liberal ideas. In September the insurgents received fresh encouragement from the retention of San Ramon and the return of the Trappist with the reinforcement of Quesada. But it is hoped that the insurrection will rapidly diminish, and finally be totally suppressed on the appearance of general Mina in Catalonia. Art. 13.-Insurrection in the other Provinces of the Peninsula. In some other provinces of the Peninsula there has been insurrections more or less formidable, according to the lesser or greater resources which the factious have had at their command: but all have been suppressed through the energy of the government, the efficient operation of the troops and militia, and the circumstance of the factious being deprived of foreign support. On the 7th of July a formidable insurrection was put down at Madrid. A similar, though not an equally speedy and glorious issue attended the commotions of Cordova, Ciudad Real, Cuença, and Malaga, which were excited by the mutiny of the carabineers, and the affairs of Seguenza and the Serrania de Ronda. On some other points public tranquillity has been temporarily disturbed, but as speedily re-established. The greatest evil produced by these latter commotions has been the interruption of public correspondence for a few days. The government has, however, re-established the communications. This is a succinct picture of the present insurrection in the different provinces of the Peninsula, and from it may be deduced two consequences most flattering to the cause of liberty:-1st, that the army is the firmest support of that cause; 2ndly, that among those devoted to it is to be numbered the most enlightened, the most industrious, and the most wealthy part of the Spanish nation. CHAPTER IV.-General Idea of the Measures employed by the Minister of War in August and September last to repel the Aggressions of the Enemies of Liberty. The Cortes have already been. made acquainted with the military attitude of the neighbouring powers, and of the factions which have manifested themselves in the Peninsula. In the view which has just been taken, they will observe also those points of our territory which have been subject to insurrection, those which are threatened with it, and those in which the public spirit creates some dread of its appearance. shall now proceed to explain the measures adopted by my department to crush the insurrection in its commencement, and cause it to disappear from the land. I Art. 14.-Movement and Destination of the Troops of the Permanent Army. As soon as the insurrection made its appearance in the northern and eastern provinces, that is to say in May last, no time was lost in directing thither all the It has already been stated that the Cortes, before the conclusion of their last ordinary sitting, authorized government to place under arms a certain number of the troops of the active militia, to assist the permanent army in the execution of the new military views which presented themselves, and which, since the last ordinary sitting of the Cortes, increased so considerably in consequence of the progress of the insurrection and the events of the last days of June and the first of July last, that an increase of force was found necessary to make up for the deficiency caused by the insurrection in the corps of the infantry and cavalry of the royal guard, and some troops of the active militia. Under these circumstances, the government did not hesitate to have recourse to the employment of the whole of the active militia, even previously to receiving the sanction of the Cortes, both because the safety of the country demanded it, and because the authority granted by the Cortes to the late minister, for the employment of a part of the force, did actually in a certain manner authorize the employment of the whole, in case circumstances should require it. Art. 16. Organization of the Army of Operations, and the Appointment of Military Chiefs of Districts and Provinces. In order that these forces might receive a proper direction, the government thought proper to organize them into armies of operations, and determined this organization with a view to the class of war to which those forces were previously destined. To the commandants-general of the 5th and 6th districts was confided the command and direction of the troops of their respective districts; and, with regard to the 7th district, in consideration of its importance, and the character of the insurrection of its provinces, as well as the difficulty of its communications and the complexity of its coasts and frontiers, it was determined to appoint a general-inchief of the army of operations in addition to the commandantgeneral of the same district. The appointment for this employment fell upon an officer eminently qualified for the situation, for, besides being a decided advocate of 'the constitutional system, and having suffered persecutions for the liberty of his country, he signalized himself in a distinguished manner during the last war, and possesses a thorough knowledge of mountain warfare, which is the duty in which the troops under his command will be engaged. In connexion with these generals have been established the corresponding staffs for facilitating the directions of the miltary operations; and, notwithstanding that the principal staff decreed by the organic law of the army was not yet formed, nor were there the means of forming it, his majesty's government supplied its deficiency by a provisional one, composed of well-merited officers, all devoted to the defence of the just cause, and many of them versed in the precious lessons of the late war. On the other hand, military chiefs, on whom the government may rely, have been placed at the head of the districts and provinces. It is not to be inferred from this, that those who previously filled those situations did not inspire confidence, but, in consequence of the ill health of some, and the desire of others to be exonerated, from private and personal motives, the government thought proper to appoint others in their stead. There are now placed at the head of all the districts and provinces, officers of decided patriotism, who, by their physical disposition, and the opinions they profess, are qualified successfully to discharge their Besides these provisions, it has been thought proper to take advantage of the power granted by the Cortes for extraordinary occasions that is, to declare in a state of war those military districts in which such a measure was absolutely necessary. The government has applied this measure to the 5th and 7th districts in which the insurrection has manifested itself in a scandalous manner; and though there would be a sufficient excuse for subjecting the 6th and 8th also to this severe law, it has been thought advisable to suspend for the present that declaration, on the ground that the insurrection has not yet extended so far in these as in the former. Doubtless, it may soon be necessary to have recourse to this rigorous measure; and in that case the government will not fail to apply to it. CHAPTER V.-General Idea of the Measures which the War Ministry considers necessary and urgent, and which will be successively submitted to the Cortes in particular Estimates. From what has been already stated in this exposition, the congress must be convinced that his majesty's government has not at its disposal, either sufficient forces or the pecuniary means necessary for meeting the demands of the public service. What, then, would be the situation of the country, if the difficulties were to increase, while the insurrection, instead of being extinguished, is spreading; and while some foreign powers may wish, or consider themselves bound to interfere in our internal affairs? The facility with which the insurrection has risen, from perfect insignificance to a state calculated to create alarm, and the suspicions which must be entertained of the intentions, not only of our neighbour, France, but of all that confederation of potentates known under the name of the Holy Alliance, renders it necessary for his majesty's government to demand of the Cortes sufficient means for producing a state of activity, capable of defeating the plans of our enemies. These means, the necessity for which is imperious, resolve themselves into four classes, viz. the recruiting of the army; the recruiting of the active militia; the prompt organi |