Herald Of The Times

Extract of a letter dated Port St. Mary, Oct. 16:—“We have all been mistaken in our estimate of the influence of the friars over the multitude; every one expected nothing short of a popular commotion as the consequence of meddling with them, whereas the very reverse has taken place. Not a voice was raised in their favor in Seville; the difficulty of the government was to prevent the mob from plundering the convents, therefore the friars left them."

In Cordova they did rob the churches. In Bornos the populace broke into the gardens of the convents, and carried off the fruit and vegetables before the friars turned out. The last hopes of the nation now rest on Mendizabal-his proceedings hitherto are judicious; he has commenced with what ought to have been done at the outset-putting the extreme popular feeling into action. If they give him fair play, that is, if they leave him a free agent for six months, the cause may yet be saved."

London, Nov. 5.--We have received letters and papers from Madrid to the 27th ult. inclusive. The Gazette of the 25th contains a Royal decree ordaining a levy en masse to the effect of raising an army of 100,000 men, and for this purpose declaring that every Spaniard from 18 to 40 years of age is henceforward to be regarded as a soldier. The exemptions are confined only to such as are physically disqualified-to the clergy, to men discharged from the army and navy, and to the sons of poor widows or of fathers 60 years of age, who support their parents by their manual labor. Exemption may also be purchased by the payment of 4,000 reals, or £40 l. sterling. Our private accounts speak in the strongest terms of the enthusiasm which prevails in Madrid in favor of the new Administration, and in support of the energetic measures which have thus been adopted.

There have been 3,000 convents suppressed within the last three years. The example was set by the Emperor of Russia, who by an ukase, dated the 31st of July, 1832, abolished 187 convents of monks. This was followed by the King of Prussia, who, by a royal order, secularized all the convents in the Duchy of Posen. In 1824 Don Pedro put down 300 convents, and Spain has lately abolished 1,000.