London, Saturday, May 15,...
French papers to the 13th are arrived, and in these is to be found a something caUed-we sbould presume by the rule of contrariety-an amnesty, addressed by the clement FERDINAND of Spain to his subjects. It is sometimes said, foolishly we think, that, the excepdonR prove the rule; but in this case, certainly, the exceptions prove that there is no rule; for there is nothing but exceptions. All are par- dored except every body. That is the rule and the excep- tions, in six words. They are principally, says the Journal des Debats- " 1. The chiefs of the insurrection of the Isle of Leon. " 2. The members of the Cortes who proclaimed the de- " position of the Kinig at Seville. " 3. The chiefs of the militarv insurrections in the dif- " ferent parts of Spain, at Madrid, and other cities. " 4. The assassins of Venuesa, the Judges of Elio, and "the authors of the massacres in the prisons of Grenada." It appeats that the Spanish Government requested the presence of the French troops in Spain after the 1st of July next ensuing, the term previously fixed for their de- parture; and to this request the French Government has acceded, on condition that this nominal amnesty should be published. The French are, therefore, still to remain; and yet tne invasion of the Peninsula is sail to be termi- nated ! The recovery of the trans-Atlantic provinces is still spoken of with a pretended confidence. Afler publishing an amnesty which excepts all those who required the protection of such an act, FSRDINARD issues a decree against the press, in which liberal books enjoy as little of the benefit of amnesty as his constitutional sub- jects. The following extract from the Madrid Gazette con- tains the essence of his legislative wisdom on this point:- "M MADRID, MAY 4. "The King, struck with the injury that is done to religion I and the State, by certain books, introduced into the kingdom: from foreign countries, issued a decree, which contains the following regulations :-A register sh3U be kept at the frontiers of all the chests of books which shall be addressed to booksellers or merchants at .ladrid, or other cities of the kingdom. " Every book which is in the Index, and in general every work the introduction of which has not been formally authorized, shall be detained. " This licence cannot be granted tiUl after the examination of a copy, which shaU be sent to the Council. " If the proprietor neglects to procure it vrithin the term of one year, his books shaU be lost froni him. " Prohibited books shall be deposited witlh the Ordinary of the diocess where the seizure of them shall be made; the importer, be- sides the confiscation of the books, shall be punished in a fine of 500 ducats, which shall be increased, and even accompanied with cor- poral punishment, in case ofta repetition of the offence. " The prohibition extends to detached leaves, and to the papers in wvhich the books are wrapped up experience having shown that this means has been made use of to elude the law. " Engravings, paintings, and other proe'uctions of the arts of de- sign, shall be subject to the above regulations. " Private persons who may have in their possesion prohibited books shall deliver them, within the time of two months, to the ordinaries of their diocess, under the penalties prescribed by the existing laws. "The President of the Council of Casdtle, the Ordinaries of the Di- oceses, shall be at liberty, when they shall think fit, to order the pub- lic librari s and warehouses of the booksellers to be searched." FRENtCH FUNDS. -The C'ours Authentique is not come to hand, but the following quotations are from the Etoik :-Exchange, Alay 12.-The Five per Cents. opened at 104. 30.; the end of the month, P04. 80. LONDON, SATUR)AY, MAY 15, 1824.