Edwardsville Spectator

From the Philadelphia American Sentinel.

Extract of a letter to a gentleman in this city, dated "Gibraltar, January 1, 1821."

"I find, since my arrival here, the affairs of Spain in a very unsettled state. The change in government has done nothing, as yet, in favor of the country. The Cortes, in fact, have acted and continue to act like madmen, discovering neither a knowledge of human nature, nor Spanish character.

"The mass of the Spanish people, and particularly too, that most to be feared, are under an impression that a Constitution means every thing different from the old system, and that they are no longer to be shackled by restrictions of any kind, or at any rate very slight ones, according to promises made them, which, in fact, commanded their exertions to destroy the old government. Such conclusions, however incorrect, might have been naturally calculated on, and the bad effects avoided by gradual approaches to restrictions and salutary prohibitions. But among the first measures of the Cortes, you find restrictions and prohibitions of the severest nature imposed--whilst the country is still in rags and ignorance, a law prohibiting British and other manufactures of every kind takes effect immediately--and all manufactured articles found in the country after March next are to be burned. These measures, of course, give great dissatisfaction. All other articles, (except bread stuffs, which are prohibited,) are subject to such heavy duties as to amount almost to a prohibition.

"In addition to this--the Cortes have made a dash at the church--and before waiting a sufficient time to prepare the minds of the ignorant community to refuse the fascinations of the clergy, they have turned adrift and in a perfectly destitute situation, an immense number of these unfortunate characters, Now, I would ask any person who has any knowledge of the Catholic character, and particularly the Spanish Catholic, if this measure alone is not calculated to produce the worst consequences.

"The Spanish clergy are the only class in the country that combine all the powers of that education from whence is derived a knowledge of human nature--from childhood a Spaniard has been taught to respect and to consider them as infallible, and the true oracles of the only true religion--and I do contend that the religion of one's childhood, no matter how preposterous, is the one that will predominate in the mind. Oppression too, has ever been known to produce a change in the current of feeling in favor of the oppressed.--The first clause too, of the Constitution says, that "no other religion shall be tolerated in Spain but the Catholic."

"I left Spain in May last, all appeared happy and contented--now the reverse is visible in every countenance. A green ribbon on the hat with the motto in letters of gold "Constitucion a muerte," indicates an unsettled state--it may mean nothing, but "straws show which way the wind blows." All this time Fernando VII. with all the fascinations and blandishments and power of the crown (which, say what you will at home, has still its force,) is artfully rivetting, link by link, the chain that has lately been burst asunder. Royalty, no matter with what degree of rascality connected, has its charm and maintains its halo on this side of the Atlantic, sufficient at any rate to be regarded with caution."