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THE. .MESSE.VGEU. VIEW OF SPAIX. From, the London ■Morning Chronicle. Ti e French already begin tofind that the conquest ol the Peninsula, with 100,000 men, although com manded by a descendant ol Henry IV. and a protege of the God of St. Louis, is not so easy a matter as they at first imagined, notwith standing also the aid of a Royal* Regency, armies of the Faith, yiu the pray ers of all the bigots and lunatics, both French and Spanish, whom the Pavillion JVlarsan have been able toenlist into their service. The fact is, the French and their friends have been over sanguine, and have totally mistaken the leel lings of the Spanish population at large; neither have the distances and natural difficulties of the coun try been taken into proper account. On entering Spain, the French be haved not only with the most stud ied politeness to the inhabitants, but also with rigid justice, effecting the greatest scrupulosity in payiug for every thing they received, in order to establish, if they could, the character off riends, instead of foes. The experiment however, has not succeeded. —Whereever the French over-awe, the inhabi tants receive them with a sullen gloom, and every compulsive dem onstration of resignation is accom panied by mental reservation. — The young and aged are alone left “ to strew flowers under feet of the French Generalissimo,” the able bodied men have either fled to the mountains, or joined their com raders in arms, to be ready to act when the signal is given. Even in the very ranks ol the Faith are men pledged to the cause of their country, who watch the movement of the French, communicate with the Constitutionalists, and will join them the moment the invaders meet with a reverse, or the T reasury from which they are now paid is exhausted. The Spanish govern- ment formed a peculiar policy, as so on as they found the French were in earnest, suited to the nature of their country, and the strength of the invader. On this they are now acting, and the people, by the greatest sacrifices, second their exertions. A brief elucidation of of this policy, the soundness of which is already seen, we shall now attempt. The Spaniards were early aware that the object of the French would be to push for the capital, in order to establish the Regency there, trusting that the moral effect of this measure would be great, without reflecting that Madrid, besides being an extren\ely dan gerous position,’ is nothing more that a common town of Spain, when the government and princi pal inhabitants have left it, all which has been done. It was the wish of the Spaniards that the at tempt should be made, and fora moment we will suppose the French leave Bayonne with 60,000 effec tive men. Independent of sick and contingencies, let us see how -the / would stand when they got to Madrid. To keep their commu nications open with France along a line of 400 miles, they must neces sarily leave 8000 men, at least, in Irun ; 6000 before St. Sebastian ; 6000 before Pampelona ; from Irun to and in Tolosa, 3000; from the latter, to and in Mirada, and thence to Burgos, 2000; in Burgos, 2000; in Valencia, lOOO; Valladolid, 1000; Arada,Samosierra, Buy trago, and all the mountainous country from Burgos to Madrid, a distance of 4-2,J leagues, 6000. Any military man who has sur veyed the road alluded to, will readily agree that the number of men have we allotted for each place is extremely small, more particular ly when we recollect that St. Sebas tians is defended Ly 3000 picked men, commanded by Brigadier Por ras, a real old Spaniard ; that To losa, besides being a capital, has the Guerilla chief called the Pastor, with 3000 men in its neighborhood, ranging about as far as Alvava, and the man whom of all others the Duke d’Angoulemc most feais : then Vittoria being a capital, is the centre of several roads, and must ha.e a good garrison ; and that Pampelona is defended by 4000 Spaniards. Tudelaand Salamanca aie st-,11 on the Hank, and no provis ion yet made for them. The defiles of Samosierra might more over ea sily be defended, as well as the Gau dararaa. W e have, however, brought the French to Madrid, with an army of 28,(XX) men, 80CX) of whom, at least, must remain there in head quarters, and to protect the Regency. I hey have therefore only 20, (XX) left for ulterior .operations, and Abisbal on their flank with 15,000, and the Portuguese from Almeida besides, with at least 10,000 more. What then are the French to do in Mad rid ? the place in which they have most enemies, because there they are best remembered. Besides a strong force, they would have to build a citadel, which would cost immense sums, to defend them selves from a coup de main , and the guerrillas which would form in the mountainous country round the cap ital. By The inhabitants they would ’ be betrayed at every movement. — To administer each town and province of which they are able to take military possession, they would have to organize new governments, for, the local authorities of every place as they advanced joined the Constitutional army nearest to them so as to enable the General to act with more promptitude. The French and their auxiliaries would therefore have plenty of work on their hands, as the Spaniards would begin, from the moment the line was extended to its furthest ex treme ; and that they are disposed to fight, is very well proved both at St. Sebastians and Logrono, in each of which places the F"reach lost I,4<X) men. The possession of Madrid would therefore weaken and embarrass the French more than they at first anticipated, without being attended with any one political advantage, for the instant they should sit down there, they would be cut off from all communication with the rest of the Peninsulacorps d’armee, which would close in around them, expo sed to all sorts of contingencies.— When Bonaparte attacked the Pen insula, he established a basis of operations by taking possession of St. Sebastian and Pampelona on the one side, and Figuerasand Barcelo na on the other. He besides ad- v..need with at least 150,000 men, yet he lost the battle of Baylen, and was compelled to retreat, in like manner as his brother Joseph, after the battle of Salamanca, who I , , was obliged to go to Valencia in search of the second line, although he had 15,000 men in Madrid - These difficulties the French already begin to experience, and they see that their force is not ad equate to their original object. — The Duke, therefore, demands 30,000 more, and it is yet a query with us whether, with this addition al strength, he will venture to ex tend his line to Madrid ; if he does, so much the easier work for the Spaniards. Spain now posseses a large body of excellent and expe rienced officers, an advantage she did not enjoy when invaded by Napoleon. These officers are the most cnthuseastic Costitutional ists, and they will be able at any time to rouse and wield the pop ulation, and the Guerrilla system has this advantage, that it is or ganized with little or no expense.— The defence of Spam has hitherto been psssive ; but when the ener gies of the coutrv are called forth, the F’rench, in all probabality, will be obliged to confine them selves to the line of the Ebro, even if they add 50,000 men more to their present strength; for they would very naturally anticipate the bad effect from establishing them selves in Madrid with their Regen cy, and having to quit it a fortnight afterwards. Yaw ope an Ve\\s. The following are some further par ticulars, by the same arrivals, from which we extracted the foreign news that appeared in our last. Paris, May 15.—Mina lias entirely oat-generaled his antagonists—both the French ami Spanish Royalists— both regular officers and men of the Faith. A dispatch arrived this morn ing from Marshal Moncey, dated the 18th inst. in which the Marshal an nounces a severe check to the invading army. It was the intention of the commander of the united French and Spanish forces 1o compel Mina to fight near Vich or to drive him within the walls of Barcelona. For this pur pose all the divisions of their army had been inanveyering for ten days.— I refer ydu to the Journal Jes Debats of this morning for an account of the movements which they had made, and the objects at which they aimed. The Constitutional General saw their in tentions and he entirely defeated them. Instead of retreating by Olot and Cas tlefollit, upon Cauipredon, as was at first said, he turned right upon Ripoll, drove before him Romagots and a di vision of French troops, and with the greatest part of his force has matched upon Berga. He has now a free pas sage into Arragon. Having gained the vallev of the Scgra, he can either proceed towards Dei iga, occupy Cer tlagne or threaten the rear of the alli ed troops in Catalonia. This able movement excites the admiration of his antagonists. Some of those antag onists will be reprimanded, and others most likely recalled for allowing themselves to be so out-generalled. — Curia!, D’Eroles, and Donnadieu, have got orders to exert themselves to repair the fault which they have commited, but that will not be in their power. Mina and his troops are ac customed to the mountains and the climate. The French are already suf fering from heat, scanty subsistence, and fatigue, and there is no chance now that they can do any thing in Catalonia. The Government here is in great eonsternation. Moncey has ordered the Generals engaged to be repriman ded ; at the same time orders have been given to palliate their fault, by saying that Mina is flying before them. “It in said that an army of reserve will be organised immediately, to be marched into Spain. Paris, May 18. The report yesterday circulated of the complete defeat of a corps of Roy alist Spaniards, 2000 strong command ed by Romagosa, by Mina, who fell unexpectedly upon them, becomes to day more probable. It is said that the plan of Mina, was to attack in order to disperse the two divisions of Eroles and Romagosa, before coming to hand with the French army.—lt is said that Gen. Quesada, who was blockading Santona w ith 3 or 4000 men of the Ar my of the Faith having attempted to cause some soldiers to be shot, for want of discipline, was suddenly aban doned by his whole corps d’armee.—- It is even said that there was a sort of mutiny, and that the general of the Faith was obliged to fly, accompanied only by a single aid de camp. Accor ding to the same story, several battal lions had been detained from the French army in the vicinity, in order to keep up the blockade of Santona. It is said that the Marshal, Duke of Al bufera, (Suchet) is about to take his de parture for the army. The Constitutionalist prisoners to the number of 60, taken at Logrono, have arrived at Vittoria. All efforts to incorporate them with the bands of the faith have proved unavailing,—all refused, declaring with the greatest en ergy, that they preferred to be shot. Perpignan,May 10.—Gen. Denadieu entered Vith on the 6th. There was only a slight skismish in the wood of Tosea, between Olot and Laspresas, where we had about 30 men wounded. The enemy continued his retreat, pas sed over the bridge of Roda, over the Ter, where he abandoned the left bank of that river,and retired upon Isucanes. Then it was that Gen. Donadieu en tered Vich, and that the enemy de tached 4000 men tore-ascend the Ter by the right bank, and taking the road from Vich to Rippoll, passed through this last city and arrived the Bth at Catnpredon. a place situated about three leagues from our frontier, in or der to cutoff our communications with that place, whence Gen. Donadieu draws all his munitions and provisions. The entry of this corps in Campredon was announced by the sudden and un expected arrival of those same monks, who, on the 4th, at six o’clock in the morning had gone out of the town, with ringing of bells, to repair to their re spective convents, and take possession of their rents and emoluments. Latest erom Spain. By the arrival at Boston, of the brig Canton, from the north of Spain, the editors of the Daily Advertiser are furnished with verbal intelligence from that country some days later than the advices before received. The Canton arrived at St. Andero, Qor Santander, a town in the North of Spain, in the province of Biscay, and a bundled miles West from St. Sebasti ans] 27th April, and Captain Tunison has regularly kept a Journal of events from that date to the day of his depar ture-some extracts from which fol low. April 27th, Gen. Longa entered St. Andero at the head of 300 militia, in opposition to the Constitution, and immediately pulled down the stone, on which was inscribed, “ Long live the Constitut ion,” and erected another in the same place on which was en graved “ Long live Ferdinand the VII” May 3—3000 French troops entered St. Andero, commanded by Gen. Dabion on their mrsvHi to M; did. May s—the5 —the French left St. Andero, leaving the Spanish General Longa, to keep out the Constitutionalists.— At 10 o’clock at night one of Longa’.- spies brought intelligence that a paity of the Constitutional troops w ere with in six leagues of St. Andero. Longa with all his men immediately embark ed in boats, and crossed the harbor to the opposite shore, leaving upwards of 100 stands of arms behind them. May B.—Gen. Longa and his men en tered the town again, who were sup ported by 1300 French troops in their rear. May 10th—the French troops entered the town, consisting of 1500 men, and at 6 P. M. loft it again tor sSt. Antonio, or Santonio, to attack that place, in co-operation with a French squadron, w hich was blockading it.— St. Antonio is about six leagues east of St. Andero, and is very strongly forti fied. The garrison consists of three thousand Constitutional troops com manded by good officers, all of which have sworn never to surrender, llie squadron blockading St. Sebastians and St. Antonio, consists of two ships of the line, one frigate, one corvette, and three brigs of war. On the 15t.h May one of the brigs came into St. Andero harbor, and on this day, 18th, she left it again, and again re turned having lost both masts by the deck by a gust of wind from W N W. She was towed oft'by the boats belong ing to the squadron, 3 of which were near at that time. May 20—By this day's post the defeat of the French is confirmed, the battle was fought with in a few leagues of Catalonia, (in Cat alonia.) The two armies amounted to 20,000 men each, the loss of the French is stated to have been 5,000 men— that of the Constitutionalists’ army 3500. May 22.—Gen. Longa’s 300 men were all taken prisoners by a par ty from the garrison of St. Antonio— also a French detachment was captu red by about 200 men with from 3 to 500 mules laden with stores and amu nition of various kinds, with gIOOO in money, all intended for the French ar my which they supposed to be besieg ing that place. M. * 24.—9 A. M. all the officers of the Custom House, and all the people of the town that are in opposition to the Constitution, left St. Andero and crossed the harbor to the opposite shore. This flight was occa sioned by a report that four hundred Constitutional troops were within about two leagues of St. Andero. At 4 P. M. the Canton left the harbor of St. Andero—at 5, saw the French squadron to leeward. The Canton was 32 days at St. Andero—during that time the town w as left four times without a Governor and not a single person to transact any kind of business in the Custom Flouse. All the Span ish vessels in the harbor were obliged to take on shore their fire-arms—those of the Canton were also, demanded, but not given up. In addition to the foregoing, we learn verbally from Capt. Tunison, that he saw a copy of the official account of the battle mentioned under date of the 20th May, which represented the French to have been completely defea ted. The Spanish forces were com manded by Gen. Mina. —The greatest* enthusiasm prevailed at St. Andero and the neighborhood, and even the females volunteered their services to the Constitutional army in defence of their Country. Accounts had been rccieved in Lon don from Rome, that the Pope had already ordered petitions to be offered up in all the churches in favor of the French invasion of Spain. IRELAND. Dublin papers to the 17th May, have been received in N. York, they detail numerous outrages of the White Boys. Within a few days, 6 or 8 houses had been burnt in Li merick. In Cork, an attempt was made to assassinate Mr. Bernard Low, a magistrate. Mrs. Sullivan, a widow with 13 children, in the South part of Cork, a tenant of Sir J. R. Millar, having taken some legal measures to recov er rent from an under tenant, on Tuesday night received the follow ing note at which time her house was surrounded by a number of men, some of them mounted. “ Capt. Rock begs leaf to acquaint Mrs. Sullivan if she doant Return Recumpence for the act so commit ted on the poor thats in her neabor hood that I will consume her and her substance to ashes and take care you will obey thies order or eles I will visite you speedily and he may have his lot after your Deth for I will car) Distruction in my hand my Sword is drawn for that country take cave you woant Partaket of first of my roath I have a little more in this Neaborhood “Sind “General ROCK.” Westmeath, May 7. During the week, several families have passed this town on their way to Dublin and Liverpool, io pr Cu;f a passage to America, i hey a i appeared to be in comfortable cir cumstances. It appears from the Belfast Chronicle, that William Macnatn. ara,the celebrated Irish Pedestrian has realised his boast, that h* would walk or run, as he pleased, ninety-six miles in twenty.f oUr hours, encumbered with a wheel barrow the whole way. He pe r , formed his undertaking tn twenty three hours and ten miutes, carry ing one vvheell barrow for ninety, four miles, and troo w heelbarrows for the last two miles. He tvas excited to this attempt by no other consideration than to throw, if possible, the celebrated Russell in. to the shade ; he surpassed his ar rival, as Russell occupied twenty, three hours and thirty minutes in walking the same number of mij es unencumbered. Mr. Houlton, a Catholic clergy, man at Westmeath in Ireland, was lately convicted and imprisoned forjatiending at'her owmequest,she belie veing herself to be dying, Jane Moffat, the wife of a protestant.— The clergyman was charged with an assault ; and the testimony of Mrs. Moffat being rejected, he was condemned.— Moffat, the husband, “ swore in court, that he would stab any Catholic, who, pro fessionally, should dare to visit any of his family!” On this man’s testimony was the clergyman im mured in jail! But the Loid Lieut, the Marquis Wellesley, on a representation of the case, much to his credit, despatched an order for his immediate discharge. FROM SOUTiTaMERICA, FROM THE NATIONAL ADVOCATE. Reported capture of Maracaibo, and to* tal defeat of Gen. Morales. Curacoa, May 30, 1823. We have had for several days past, flying rumors of the fall of Maracaibo, and defeat of Gen. Mo rales, —all of which, however want ed confirmation. By an arrival to day from Aruba we have received the grateful intelligence that the re ports are true, and that Maracaibo has actually surrendered to the vic torious arms of Colombia, a nd fell in the following manner: On the 19th inst. two Spanish ar med schooners sailed from Mara caibo for Porto Cabello, not know ing that the Colombian Admiral, Padilla, had crossed the bar a few hours previous, and by whom they shortly captured ; the whole fleet thferi Ifeod to the Lagoon, and at day lighq Admiral Padilla man- these two Spanish schooners with &amen and marines, ordered them to hoist Spanish colors and make sail Tar the citv, and that he would send a few sail in chase, wTitch, however, should net over take them ; all things being prepa red, at 7 A. M. the manoeuvre com menced, the whole Colombian fleet made sail in chase of these two de coy vessels, —they were seen by the forts, which, not suspecting the trick, began to fire on the Colombi ans and protect the supposed Spa nish schooners, which anchored close under fort St. Carlos, and re mained in battle array, firing blank catridges at Padilla, till his fleet en gaged the forts. A landing was then effected from the schooners, and the crews entered the fort with three cheers ; in a few moments, however, the Spaniards found out the cheat, and were thrown into con fusion ; this gallant little band of Colombians harassed them in the rear whilst Padilla in front was put ting in a galling fire—the carnage now became dreadful, the Colom bian brig of war Mars was sunk by a point blank shot, and nearly all on board perished. Morales, find ing his situation a bad one, retreat ed with his army to Gibraltar, leav ing Admiral Padilla and the Co lombian forces in possession of hi ? stronghold ;the forts being manned by the Patriots and their flags hois ted, they proceeded towards the ci ty, “ which immediately rallied round the standard of Liberty.”— Morales, nist thinking himself safe, went on Porto Cabello, ta king Coro in his way. When two days march from Coro, near Valen cia, he fell in with the advance guard of Gen. Paez; an action ensued, and Morales’ army was completely routed. In this, as in several other actions, the Spanish General d’ s * played a want of courage, leaving the field of battle, and his army to