The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-04-30 00:00:00

much later than with us, has been signalized by
falls of snow,

SPAIN.

MADRID, APRIL 24..
, Certain Spaniards in England have recently
written letters to friends here, stating that the Eng-
lish Government is hostile to the present dynasty
in Spain, and would encourage a plan for its over-
throw. These letters have been shown, their con-
tents talked of, and they have doubtless excited
satisfaction and hope in the breasts of numerous
enemies of the throne of Isabella IL The assertions
they contain are, however, entirely false. I need
but very briefly repeat what I lately positively
affirmed, that England and, there can be scarcely a
doubt, France also, will maintain the present Queen
so long as they can possibly do so within certain
limits of interference. I may add that, acting in
accordance with the instructions of his government,
the British Minister at Madrid not only takes no
heed of, but utterly ignores, all the schemes of the
above subversive tendencies that have been, and
still are, at times, put forward.
The much talked of manifesto, hitherto unpub-
lished, of Marshal Espartero to the Progresista elec-
tors of -Barcelona, is now before me. It is a well
written document, and although its great and, as it
would seem to English readers, superfluous
length would render its complete publication
a matter of -difficulty, its entire sense and
substance may be given within moderate compass.
Alter a rapid sketch of his service's and career, and
a denunciation of those who generously-and oppor-
tunely select the present time to cry him down, and
to declare hint incapable and politically dead, the
Duke vindicates his constant adhesion to that
liberal union which was the result of, and
imposed upon him by, the military insurrection
and popular revolution of 1854, and the votes of
the Constituent Cortes. He could not doubt, he
says, of the sincerity of that union which, during
two years, the majority of the Cortes, the most im-
portant personages of the Liberal party, and many
of his own most intimate friends and allies declared
to be indispensable to the salvation of the country.
To facilitate its duration he sacrificed all personal
feelings, and was inexorable only when the funda-
mental principles of his political creed were in
question, Condemned to the difficult task of recon-
ciling heterogenous and often antipathetic elements
of compensating diverse tendencies and opposite
movements, always caluminated by his adversaries,
often unjustly judged by his friends, the presi-
dency of the Council was to him a prolonged and
insupportable torturer Many times he desired to
resign it, and refrained only in compliance with the
urgency of his friends and of many who are now his
friends no longer. But while in unison with the
Constituent Cortes (to whom he thinks posterity
will do more justice than they have received from
their cotemporaries), he laboured to establish in
Spaina truly constitutional regimen, a vertigo of am-
bition and a reactionary spirit took possession ofcer-
tain men who perhaps now heartily repent their own
work. Following a plan prepared long beforehand,
these men waited the opportunity of a rupture. This
was afforded by the vacation of the Cortes, and the
pretext only was wanting. This, too, was found.
Eseosura had entered the cabinet with the consent
of all the ministers, and had been for six months
an active member of the administration, speaking in
is name almost daily in the Cortes, and never
having dispute or discussion with any one of
his colleagues. Espartero continues:—
Nevertheless, on Escosura's return from Valladolid,
whither he had been, by unmimous agreement, and as
representative of the whole Government, on account of a
political question entirely foreign to the unhappy events
I (the incendiarism and disturbances in June, 1855) of the
capital of Old Castile, the Minister of War (O'Donnell)
after opposing, for four hours, the opinion of his colleague
with arguments which he himself has since qualified as
pretexts, ended by declaring that he considered himself
incompatible with him. While the other Ministers,
astonished at such an unexpected hostility, and unani-
mously approving the Minister of Interior, the only charge
against whom was that he was too liberal, endeavoured,
with patriotic zeal, to conciliate minds and smooth away
the differences. Escosura handed to me his resignation,
and the Minister of War announced to me that if Escosura
did not quit. the Cabinet he himself should resign. The
conflict lasted during three days of inexpressible anguish.
All that the spirit of conciliation could suggest—all that
human dignity could yield without degradation—all was
tried—all were willing to sacrifice for the sake of the
union. But this was now impossible. Those who till then
had profited by it thought themselves strong enough to
break it, and only on condition that it should be for ono a
stamp of ignominy, and for the Progresistas a chain, would
they have consented still nominally to preserve it. My
resolution was instantaneous, but immutable. To refuse
to agree to the expulsion of the Minister charged with
Liberalism—of a Minister who had a m ajority is the
Cortes, and who, in truth, was guilty of nothing but zeal
for the good cause, and friendship for Espartero—to refuse
also to agree that the Minister of War should retire, when
there was no cause for his so doing—to declare to Her.
Majesty that, as the retirement of either of the two mem-
bers of the Cabinet in question could not, under the cir-
cumstances, but produce fatal consequences, I could do
no less, if both did not agree, than also resign. Any other
course would have been to degrade myself, and that use-
lessly, and to be wanting to the Throne and to the nation-
I carried out my resolution. My reasons were not listened
to ; the sacrifice of the Progressista Minister appeared
convenient; and with his, were accepted my resignation
and the resignations of our other most worthy colteagues ;
he who, until then, had also been so in the Department of
War, charging himself with the formation of the New
Cabinet. This is the trnth, succinctly told, but faithfully
explained, concerning those events.

The Duke then speaks of his conduct during the
crisis, which lasted too long for possible conceal-
ment, and during which Madrid was in a ferment,
the different fractions of the liberal party assem-
bling for common defence, the reactionary party
marshalling its forces, and a conflict apparently im•
minent. His advice, he says, to those who
approached him, was to remain quiet and within
the limits of the strictest legality ; if, he said, they
were attacked, right would be visibly on their side.
Above all, he insisted that his name should never
be made a banner of discord and civil war. On
quitting the palace at dawn on the 14th of July, no
longer minister, he renewed his recommendations
and entreaties, and, hoping that his complete dis-
appearance from the scene would in some degree
calm the excitement of the public mind, he left his
official residence and repaired to that of a friend ;
but all was in vain, the National Guard was under
arms, not, au has been alleged, to embarrass the
exercise of the Royal prerogative, but to preserve
order and to protect the deliberations of the
Constituent Cortes then assembled, in fulfilment
of their sacred duty, to deliberate on the difficult
situation of the country. For many hours the new
Government might have avoided the bloody con-
flict by going to give explanations in the Cortes..
or by at least replying to a message from that body
—a message which, on the contrary. was received
with contempt and ignominy.
The conflict begun, Espartero declares that
nothing could equal the martyrdom he endured at
being compelled to inaction. The charge tounded
on this complete inaction," he says, " is the gravest
and most unjust of all those brought against me.
There is little generosity in attacking one who, it
is well known, neither can nor ought to say ell that
would combine to justify him." On this point the
Duke maintains great reserve, but intimates enough
to confirm what everyone here well knows, that the
conflict was not, as it ,was endeavoured at the time,
both in and out of Spain, to make it appear, a
struggle between two ministries, but between
the throne and the people, The Queen had, as
usual, broken her
,promises, and, in conjunction
with O'Donnell, betrayed the man who certainly
saved her Crown in 1854. The Progresista party,
the people of Madrid, the whole nation in short,
knew this, and the throne was in greater peril
than ever; for, had the popular cause triumphed,
it would assuredly have been swept away—at least
for the tithe, and probably never to be again occu-
pied by her who now sits upon it. On this part of
the subject Espartero, with his habitual respect for
Royalty abstains from speaking plainly ; but the
following lines are significant and intelligible
enough to all acquainted with with the events of
the last three years in Spain :
Haw could I take part in the fratricidal strife which had
commenced in spite of all my solicitude, when it was
evident to me that the fatal imprudence of those who had
provoked it had rendered impossible that its result should
not be the immediate, although transitory, ruin of one of
the institutions to whose support and defence I have con-
consecrated my whole life. I will say no more. Yon will
divine that which duty forbids me to speak. I will say no