The Sun.
London, England, 1841-10-25 00:00:00

MORNING SUN

TRIAL OF GENERAL LEON.

The following account of the trial of General Diego
Leon, which took place before a Court-martial on the
12th and 13th, is given by the Madrid papers
" The members of the tribunal were Admiral Dio-
nisio Capaz, Major-Generals Pedro Mendez Vigo, Nico-
las di Isidoro, Pedro Ramirez, Jose Cortinez, Jose
Grases, and Brigadier Ignacio Lopez Pinto. The pro-
ceedings commenced with the reading of the preliminary
examinations, which comprised the declaration of the
prisoner and the evidence of General Puig Sarver, Cole
Domingo Dulce, of the halberdiers, and other witnesses.
The declaration of the accused was to the following
effect:—He admitted that he was acquainted with the
plan which had been conceived of depriving Espartero of
the Regency, but denied having given his consent to head
the movement. When the drums beat on the evening
of the 7th, he desired his servant to fetch a hussar
uniform, but without a sword. At.half-past twelve
he entered the Palace, where he was, he confessed,
received with acclamation by the insurgent soldiery,
but he declared that he replied to them, that
they should reserve such demonstrations for Queen Isa-
bella. He had entreated the halberdiers to cease tiring,
he said, as that was the only means of inducing the
troops to discontinue firing, and he was desirous of pre-
venting further alarm to the illustrious orphans. Not
having succeeded, he proceeded towards the iron-gate,
and even refused the escort offered to him by several
soldiers. At a short distance he lost his horse, and re-
placed it by another, which he purchased of two soldiers
of the Royal Guard. At Colmenar he resolved uporere-
turning to Madrid, and there he fell in with the Hussars, '
to whom he surrendered. The declaration of the ac-
cused ended by his stating that he had gone to the
Palace on the evening of the 7th, because it had for
some time past been arranged with General Puig Sam-
per, that, in case of alarm, the different Generals in
garrison at Madrid should assemble at that rendezvous,
and the latter part of the declaration was confirmed
by General Samper. Amongst the documents laid
before the Court was a letter found in the pocket-
book of the prisoner, written and signed by him, and
addressed to the Regent, informing him that Queen
Christina wished to resume the Regency, and inviting him
to renounce it, and thus prevent the effesien of blood.
There was also an address to the chiefs of the army in the
pocket-beak, inviting theta to obey the authority of the
Queen-Mother. Tile fiscal (or prosecuting officer) then
addressed the tribunal, going through the evidence, and
represented Qeneral Concha as the ostensible c7tief of
the revolt, and Leon as an accomplice. He demanded,
therefore, that both might be condemned to death. A
religious silence was observed at this part of the addresi
of the prosecuting law-officer. General Roncali addressed
the Court for the prisoner, but his emotion was so great
that ha was scareety audible. In giving the history of
the your.; Getierel then on his trial, he wept greatly. lie
described life of Diego Leon as one of devotedness and
glory, and Contended that he was not one of the chiefs of
the conspiracy of the 7th, and that there was not the
sLightest proof of his having shown himself at the soldiers'
quarters. Europe, said he, which had sometimes seen an
amnesty granted even to the regicide, would shudder at
witnessing the punishment of death inflicted for a poli-
tizal offence, and concluded by imploring the tribunal, if
it found the prisoner guilty, not to pronounce capital
punishment. General Leon having demanded to be
Lead, he was brought into Court. He proceeded with
great calmness of manner to the seat which was appro-
priated to him, and then addressed his judges. Ile as-
eeeled that hi' was falsely represented as the chief of the
movement. "If this had bees true," added he with a
then voice,—" if I had presented myself at the Palace
at the head of the soldiers, my body would have been
found in the midst of the brave men who fell ; never
would I have abandoned them ; never would I have '
been taken as a fugitive." At this portion of the ad-
dress of General Diego de Leon there were several
approving excla,mations. " He repeated his declaration
that he had never consented to accept the title of
chief of the insurrection, and observed, with reference
to the circular which had been found upon him, that it
Lad never been sent. He had this circular and the letter
to Eepartero by him, he said, for the purpose of giving
them to the person who should be named by instructions
from Paris to receive them, as he was resolved to take no
part in the affair. The President of the Court having
observed to the prisoner that it was hia duty to apprise
the Regent and the Government of the plan of the con-
spir.tors, he replied that he himself was not thoroughly
a q sainted with it. He did not consider, he said, that
he was bound to be an informer; but he had twice at-
tempted to see the Secretary of the Regent, but could not
meet with him. After the prisoner had done speaking,
the Fiscal applied to the Court for time to prepare his
report, and the Court rose. On the re-assembling of the
Court the sentence of death was pronounced by a majo-
rity of four to three, and the sentence was immediately
transmitted to the Supreme Tribunal of War and Ma-
rine. This-tribunal passed nearly the whole night in
deliberation, and eventually confirmed the sentence. The
decision was communicated to the prisoner, who was
ordered to prepare for death in twenty-four luurs, un-
less the clemency of the Regent should declare itself in
his favour."

ENCROACHMENTS OF THE SEA
The late boisterous weather, which, all along the
south-eastern coast, has been detrimental to the ship-
ping interest, has done some damage at Dover, and
carried away such an immense quantity of beach, that
the sea now washes in from ten to fifteen feet nearer
the marine parade and Waterloo-crescent than it for-
merly did. To the westward of Stonehead, where the
beach used to accumulate in large:quantities, and, pass-
ing thence to the mouth of the harbour, prevent free
ingress and egress to the vessels, scarcely a pebble is
now to be seen. It is conjectured that this has been
caused either by the enormous fall of chalk at the
Round Down MT, about twelve months ago, having
stopped the progress of the shingle beyond it, eastward,
as formerly, or from the, large quantity of beach used
in the construction of the sea-wall between Dover and
Folitstone. Some old,beat-houses, situated opposite to
the back of the York Hotel have been washed
down ; and the base of Bulk Rock, on which is
built A.reholiff Fort, tbeicsideoce of the Commandant
of the garrison has been undermined by the sea to a
great eater*: the various deep clefts in this rock would
also leadto an impression that a portion of it must
soon give way. The houses beyond have by the late
gales been placed in imminent danger, owing to the
platform on which they were built, and which extended
several feet in front, having been nearly all carried
into the sea ; and some of the smaller buildings, ope
the residence of a poor family, have been pulled down
to prevent the materials being washed away, and to
mike a road to the other houses. The platform lead-
i:.g• to the entrance of the tonne 1 under the Shakspeare
Cliff, which was many feet in width, has also disappeared,
with the exception of a narrow slip, hut as a second
tunnel is yet to be excavated, it will be but a trifling loss
in addition to these already experienced by the South-
Eastern Railway Company. It appears certan that in this
place the railroad will never stand unless a wall, and
t'i-iat really a good one, scientifically built, be erected to
defend it from the encroachment of the sea. The
whole of the beach having been carried away, there is
nothing to protect that stupendous cliff which Shak-
speere has immortalised, from the raging surf that seems
bent upon its destruction. Several thousand tons
weight fell into the sea on Sunday, near the mouth of
the Railway tunnel, and many huge masses may nog
be seen tottering over a very deeply excavated base,
rendering a walk near it extremely dangerous. The
inhabitants of Dnver have applied to' the Deputy-
Lieutenant-Governor of Dover Castle, to ascertain if
the Harbour Commissioners could assist them in adopt-
ing means for preventing the sea making further en-
creacbments on the town, and that gentleman promised
to communicate immediately with the Duke of Well-
ington on the subject. The Noble Duke heard of
the circumstance at four o'clock in the afternoon, and,
attended by single groom, started instantly on horse-
back from Weimer Castle, careless of the prevailing
stiff breeze and threatening clouds. He arrived at
Dover (a distance of eight miles) at five o'clock, re-
mained full half an hour, and then returned in the same
manner. His Grace looked remarkably well, and was
much cheered.
Owing to the rains which
. have recently fallen, the
lofty cliffs which extend from Hurst Castle to Christ-
church, on the eeist.e
f f
• ha beengreatlyencroached
s Hampshire,
known
uude rth
C
upon by the the
name of " Hordle ffs, '
Ae and when the wind sets in freab from
a- t, masses of impending earth are
continually falling, ca
the west and south=west,
down with them, at times,
cottages which were but a
few years ago tenanted in
safety. Tire old church of Hordle, which was built in
the reign of King Jolla, has been obliged to be aban-
doned, and a new one erected, the site of which is re-
moved farther into the land, at some distance from
the cliffs.

.'-'-------
part of this
the THE CURATE AGAIN.—In another
I brief outline of im-
properday's Mercury we have given_
We regret
l laSt week. .
conduct of Mr. 3letcalf, one of the curates of the
Vicar of Huddersfield, at a funeral
to state that no signs of amendment are yet apparent in
this Young clergyman, and we fear some blame attaches
in a higher quarter, otherwise he would not dare to out-
is the general
rage the feelings of the parishioners. This
impression and it would be well for the Vicar to take
timely warning of a line of conduct that
instance,
For
bOneefalaces, ant disturb his own peace.
may counteract.
on Monday last, the remains of 111 r. John Hanson, sew.,
was
an old azni )4/claf- respectable inhabant, were takn to
Ilk the- church "for interment. The Paneral certainly _
rnuch 1--.?.)-(,act tive time, owing to the sudden illness of ,
cre/ of thedereased's sons. The curate was an the vestry lin no friendly raw
solicited, and the •, and it was not until twice earnestly !
cause of delay explained, that he would I
consent to perfoim his duty and inter the corpse, which
ha did in all way but a gracious and reverent manner. I
Surely he and his patron mista the chacter of th 1
neighbourhood where such unseemlvke acts are now so fee I
quently exhibited.— Leeds Mercury.
PORTSNOU NELSON'S LAST SHIP, THE VICTORY.
•
TII, OCT. 22.--On Friday tli• wardroom i
officers of this distinguished old ship, in which Nelson
, gave a dinner to their new Captain W. W. Hen-
died
derson, Esq., C.B. n•
, --.11, and a party of friends, in cele-
bration of the 36th anniversary of the glorious battle of 1
Trafalgar, and as a testimony of their anxious wish to
keep alive the recollections of that brilliant day. -I
Accounts received from the Canton de St. Gall state, that M. Neuhaus's plan, approved by the Govern-
ment, was rejected by a majority of the Grand Council Govern-
of 77 against 57. M. Baumgartner's proposal to re-
establish all the convents, with power to make the ne-
ce:sary concussions, was adopted by a re2sqoritY of 76'
again 66.
0