The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-29 00:00:00

INSURRECTION IN CATALONIA.

On rearlieg the order of the day,
Mr. BORTH WICK called the attention of the Secre-
tary of State for Foreign Affairs to a proclamation issued
by General Breton in Catalonia, and dated the 4th day of
March, 1847; and moved for copies or extracts of any cor-
respondence which may have taken place between the Go-
vernments of Great Britain and Spain, upon that and other
simiral measures. The Hon. Gentleman then read the
articles of war which had been declared. Amongst others,
they stated that the whole family of any adult who formed
the rebel army should be subject to death, upon proof
that they were instrumental in advising or en-
couraging to the commission of the offence. Un-
der the regulations of these articles of war the mo-
ther of General Cabrera was shot because her son had
left the university, and she was unable to state whither
he had gone. The perpetrator of that unmanly action
had been promoted. As Queen Isabella was unfortu-
nately an ally of this country, he could only ask the
Noble Lord to remonstrate, so as to prevent the
recurrence -of such barbarities. The only thing
that kept them from being perpetrated even now
was the forbearance of the people of Spain.
The Hon. Member read a circular addressed by the
Count de Montemolin to his adherents in
Spain, instructing them not to make reprisals,
but to oppose the enemies of Spain and
steady discipline, order, and conciliatory conduct.
This was dated the 10th March, 1847, and
exhibited tie spirit by which that Prince was actuated.
He could not ask the Noble Lord to interfere in Spa-
nish politics, but he wished to bring under his notice
the fact that the best blood of Spain had been shed in
order to establish a Government which was degrading that
country in the eyes of Europe, and disgracing the name
of e. mean. He did riot allude to the unhappy Princess,
who was but the fiction of a bad system, but he alluded
to her ill-intentioned advisers. On this In ad he thought
it was his duty to call on the Noble Lord to say that the
tide of barbaritk should he turned,—that hitherto it had
come, but it should be allowed to proceed no further.
He knew the orders of the House debarred him from
referring to other matters equally important, but he was
contented to rest upon the statement he had made. lie
could not read any more extracts with respect to Conde
elontemolin, but he could not help referring to
the proclamation of his father, when he signed his me-
morable abdication, in which he stated he would not
wield the Government of Spain until she was untram-
melled by the machinations of others. Fourteen years
experience had found that the utmost unhappiness had
attended the reigns of the Sovereigns of Spain, and
that no new Minister had proved an exception to his
predecessor in misgovernment. Thus Europe had been
startled from time to time, and Spain impoverished and
demoralized. If he referred to the speeches which he
had made in former Parliaments, he might show that
his predictions had fallen far short of what had
actually taken place. The question he wished to ask the
Right Hon. Gentleman was whether any remonstrance
bad been made to the Government of Spain, and whether
there would be any objection to lay the correspondence
on the table of the House.
Lord PALMERSTON said that the ansa er he
had to give the Hon. Member was that he
had no official information with regard to
the subject which the Hon. Gentleman had brought
under the consideration of the House. The first infor-
mation he had of the circumstances was from certain
extracts which had been sent to him by the Honourable
Gentleman, and of course no steps had been taken by
her Majesty's Government. If the Hon. Member wished
to know the sentiments of her Majesty's Government
with regard to that proclamation, he had only to
say that any Hon. Member in the House had
only to consult his own breast to know the feelings of
disapprobation, disgust, and indignation which those
occurrences had inspired. Colonel Breton, he
should add, was no longer in the office he was when
that proclamation was issued. He also wished to
say that the object of the British Government always
was to impress upon the Spanish Government the neces-
sity of acting upon humane and notbarbarous principles.
He wished to state that these atrocities had not been
committed, as had been represented by the Hon. Member
entirely upor the side of the Queen's troop;;; in point
of fact, they had been equally committed on both
sides. He regretted to see in the proclamation issued
by the Prince reference made to ranks and armies.
and fields of battle. Words which, if they mew any-
thing, meant that it was his intention again to make
Spain the theatre of a civil war. He should
be very sorry if men were the case; but
he would say, that judging by the conduct of
the former, ever since be came prominently before,
the public eye, that if Spain were again to be made the
scene of civil war, such a course would not be pursued
either with his approbation or his sanction. He trusted.
then, that those who had influence with the Prince woul.
persuade him to restrain his followers.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir DE LACY EVANS said that he could on ;.
regret that the Honourable Member did not evince equal
anxiety when his own fellow-subjects were affected.
He arrived in Spain after the Elliott Convention had
been framed, and he continued to serve there for the
period of his engagement t and with regard ti
the observations which had been made, that
both sides were equally criminal, he coulii
state, of his own knowledge, that not one gene
ral -officer who was serving in co-operation with
him had attempted to violate that convention, but haa
been most anxious to keep it inviolate. He knew that
the men were liable to atrocities from the enemy, but be so
guarded his lines that during two years he had neve'
lost even a sergeant's detachment. Occasionally while fall-
ing back in columns, or in a state of inebriation, the men
were literally kidnapped, and were barbarously mur-
dered on the authority of those officers who were new,
erecting the standard of the Conde de Monteznolin

Spain. - He had on one occasion taken 1,000 men and 100
officers, all of whom he had the right to put to death ii
retaliation for the murders already committed, but ht
did not do so, and the men and officers wrote
to Don Carlos, deprecating the cruelties to which
they had been parties, and employed him to
take measures for putting a stop to them.—(llear.)
Now in this he had his vindication and satisfaction for
the conduct he had pursued.—(Hear) But what %a-
the consequence after this ? When he had left Spain
number of the soldiers who had served under him again
enlisted in the Spanish army, and some time after one
hundred of them were taken prisoners in a church ann
put, to death.
Lord JOHN MANNERS rose, and was
[LEFT EPEAKLNG.