The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-01-14 00:00:00

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THE FUNERAL OF MARSHAL PRIM.

On New Year's Day the remain% of Marshal Prim,
after being embalmed, were conducted with great pomp,
from his residence in the Ministry of War to the
Itaailioa of the Atocha. to lie in State for three day s.
With the exception of the funeral honours to the Duke
of Wellington, I never remember any sight more fins
posing (writee The Times' correspondent at Madrid).
Large forces of Civil Guards, mounted and on foot,
opened the march. These were followed by two or
three hundred pauper men sal boys, each bearing a
long lighted candle, a cmtom never omitted at funerals
here. Behind these came an immense number of
clergy in their white vestments, bearieg meats and
other insignia, of the Catholic religion. Nt xt was the
hearse. which was the handsome one belonging to the
Royal Home, which had carried Ferdinand VII.,
Name, 2, °Dolmen, and a host of other Spaniel* title.
brit ies their last resting.placee. Six magnificent black
hones drew it along, led by six servants i.f the &veered.
One of his coachmen, in black velvet livery, rode the off
leader. Tne beanie tieing open, the miter oettin was
vieihle. It was of bronzy, handsomely gilt, with figures
of angels atthe corners, The Mae: c.,ffin is of polished
mahogany. Within that is the zinc one containing
the body. A plate of glare is inverted over the upper
part, so that the head &MI &portion of the body can be
eern. The body is anneal in the nuitirm of a Captain-
Genmal of the Spare eh Army, the very ewer I have
,so often seen him wear. Oa the top of ths c,ftitt axe re
his sword, hat, and baba. Ovi r the end hung the
titan& and stashes of his various Orders. From the
hearse hung six black ribands, whieh were held by
Generals Coetreras and Nouvilas, ex-Ministers Silvola
and Figuerola, and Demand Montninae and
Rodrigo; a. Brlaliel the beans came two wen
Loan of the Marshal, led by soldiers in deep
1011.,urbing. At the sides of these and of the
hearie were the portent of the Cartes, those of
the Minietoro, the servants of the deceased, and
twelve old peneienen who had been whiten. A
long double tile of irentli men followed these, con-
eietieg of tinee inhaletants of Madrid who ilemired to
chow their respect to the memory of Marshal Prim,
but who held no official position. These numbered
3,000 or 4 000. Next followed chiefs and officers of
the army unattached, Cominiseions from the Ayunta-
mitaito and Diputaciou Provincial, superior autheritin
of the Province ; General 'violent°, the Captain-Gene-
ral of New Castile ; Secretaries of the various
Minieteriee, and of the Board of Admiralty; the Tri-
bunal of I:waiters ; the Supreme Council of War; the
Judges, the Council ot State, and the Deputies to the
Cortes. The Regent followed, with Sod or Zonate,
the President of the Cortes, on his right hand. Behind
him were Ministers Moret, Sagaata, Montery RiloN
and Ayala. 'fhen came Starr Garcia Cabrera, the
private seerrtary of the thcemstel, end Seelor Arrellano,
a relative of the widow, representing the family. Ihe
Coadjutor Bishop of Madrid followed, and alter him
the Diplomatic 11.dy, among whom were our Minister,
Mr. Layard, the American Minister, General
S Ales. the Italian Minister, Comendador Blanch,
awl the Austrian Minister Count Karnaky.
The members Of the Tertulia Preget state, of
which Marshal Prim was Provident, bronght up the
rear of the long cavalcade, together with a large
number of persons who had been exiled for political
offerars durng Qmen Isahellahs reign. Lar aim and
Hunan. followed; then a haig line of carriages. The
first of these was the t rivate carriage of the late Mars
shah. Then came the Ministerial carriage in which he
was shot, bearing all the traces of the crime—broken
windope, smashed doors, and PI nithetained ents and
lining, ex .ctly as it was after the aeaanins h.d com-
pleted their de.idly work. It was the a 1-ct f much
retention. The Itsyal S.ate carriage, drawn by nix
iron-gray horses, followed. It Wag remarkable for its
new gilding and (lee ratlon. The cervagee of the
R gent art President of the Cortes, of the Ministers,
the Arab gander., of the Ayuntamiento, and a long
lisle ot private ones concluded this part of the display.
Ttiousaeds of troops and volunteers with reversed
arms ended the procenion. The body was received at
the church by the Commandant° of the I Italian.
When the solemn responses were over and the military
salutes tired, it wag depoeited in one of the chapels,
where it tereaics for the present, and is visited by
Collllth Ps thousands.

During the line of march the order of the crowds was
perfect, and many among them wept as the solemn
cavalcade parsed by. The Condeaa de Runs witnessed
the first part of the proceedit go from a balcony, but
just before the body was removed she insisted on
seeing it once more. Conducted to it, she fell into a fit
aid bad to be carried to bed. The tale of Duquesa de
Prim has been conferred on her, with auccesoion to her
only daughter, Isabel Prim y Agiiero. Toe Marquisate
de los Caatillejoa ir rate-d to a dukedom in the person
of the only sou, Don Juan Prior y Agiiero. These
hotoars and titles are at this moment but sorry con.
solation for this lonely widow, who has suotained a loss
nothing can repair.

The following, on the reception of the King, in an
extract from the letter of a lady residing at Madrid:—

The King has just met his electors, the Cortes Constion
seutes and has sworn to keep the Constitution of
.1— says he is what they call hi re simpat.'co an expressive
word, meaning Rifted with the power of making himself
loved and of It fluenciug those round him In the Congrese
tame was enthusiasm, In the sireets ray little ; hut. remem-
bering the mad exciterm, nt that welcomed the murderedsoldier
w/vi lies in the Basilica ale Atocha some two yenrs ago, we
know how worthless are the elves of a people so uncalm.
hating as this. God grant the yoeng King may feel himielf
strong enough to an without the 'Omaha. of poPore,bl until
he has earnt it, Visa el hey! A friend has just come in
from seeing him pass in the streets, unit he exclaimed, on
entering my room, 'A complete success." Ile had been up
and I lowe the line, and among the gente do ChorWta, men
In nape of the artisan clan, ad heard only kind words, An.d
expressions of goodwill. If the people take him to thelrarms,
a fig for the 0,111 iqueroe ! Many, too, remembered the dead
General. .• Ile who lies dead, say what you will, was
w vthy ;" aid on one man saying, as the King entered the
Palace amid the hearty cheers of the crowds, "..lhora eons
en In coca, te he costado bien pr.." ("Now you are at home
in your own home, little has it cost you his fellow
answered, "Ferried. )aho cosh, much° it gee descanea en
Atoeha pule le costS la vida" (" Very true, but it cost not a
little to him who gleans In Atochs, as he pad with his life'.).
One might say that the people accept the young King u a
legacy of thetr dead hero.
the first visit paid by Amadetia was to the mangled
remains in Atochia: the second to the broken-hearted
widow.