The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-25 00:00:00

Marian :5-tut4

LONDON, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1846.

Every successive day the intricacies in which the
Spanish Government has been recently involved are
assuming a more ominous appearance. Even when
the Moorish invaders under BOABDIL were most
triumphant in the plains of Grenada, the Spaniards
still preserved a substantial hope of release from
foreign domination; the sceptres of FERDINAND and
ISABELLA were still the insignias of a protective
puissance; the genius of MENDOZA and XIMINES still
remained in their fullest vigour. During the con-
flicts, again, which were directed by the batons of
MASSENA, and SOUI.T, and WELLINGTON, the people
of the Peninsula were still cheered amidst their mis-
fortunes by the prospective guarantee of their re-
storation to tranquillity in the shape of an European
treaty of peace. Throughout even those sanguinary
campaigns, in which the causes of the infant IsA.
BELLA and Don CARLOS were sustained at the sword's
point, and at the culverin's mouth, there was yet the
probability of a speedy and definite settlement to
their grievances through the double interposition
of England and France. Almost all the
darkest and dreariest epochs of Spain were
illumined by some promise of extrication from
national difficulties. At the present juncture, how-
ever, the future is only portentous of sorrows ; if we
scan the possibilities of that future, we recognise only
anarchy upon anarchy, commotion upon commotion,
political turbulence in the metropolis, military insur-
rections in the provinces. From the Pyrenees to
the southern boundaries of Andalusia, from Catalonia
to the frontiers of Portugal, there are presented the
same discouraging evidences of disaffection, the same
apparent readiness to engage in some overt act of in-
subordination against the Afrancesados ;, and the
Afrancesados form the Government. In one direc-
tion appears the Due DE AIONTPENSIER, backed by
the influence of France, and sustained by the favour
of ISTURITZ and his colleagues. In another appears
Don ENRIQUE, appealing to the nation from his place
of banishment at Ghent. At London a fresh em-
barrassment is being germinated in the conclave of
Carlists, headed by the Count DE MONTEMOLIN and
General CABRERA. Every imaginary ingredient
is accumulated in the cauldron calculated to render
the political mixture most deadly and pernicious.
While these antagonistic interests are being thus
simultaneously fostered, the arrangements fur the
performance of that ceremony, the mere announce-
ment of which aroused all these conflicting passions,
are continuesl in active operation. The requisite dis-
pensations from the Sovereign Pontiff are reported to
have arrived at Marseilles on the 14th inst. Accord-
ing to the Clamor, apartments of a sumptuous cha-
racter are being prepared in the mansion of the
French Ambassador for the reception of the Due DE
MONTPENSIER. According to Galignani, packages
have already passed through Bayonne containing the
bridal ornaments and robes of Queen ISABELLA and
her sister. Every preparation worthy of the occa-
sion on which the Sovereign of SPAIN and one of the
richest heiresses in the world are to be espoused
appears to be making, both in the banquet-halls of
Madrid and the workshops of Paris. Whatever may
be the secret emotions of the royal personages in the
Escurial and the Tuileries—no matter whether the
sentiments of the Orleans be those of exultation,
while the sentiments of the Bourbons be those of
humiliation—their subordinates are kept in as cheer-
ful and active employment as though an ordinary
state procession were about to pace the cor-
ridors of the palace. Meanwhile the Spanish po-
pulation, with something akin to unanimity, are
chafing under the yoke of their Afranessado rulers,
and are not merely prepared, but desirous for some
catastrophe which may effectually and permanently
rid thr.m from foreign interference, and preserve to
them their independence as a nation. A generous
and enlightened opposition is raised, moreover, within
the: French territories; and the English people gene-
rally are indignant at beholding even the semblance of
coercion, whether employed towards a couple of youth-
ful princesses, or to an indolent but still chivalrous
community. Precisely at this particular stage of
these proceedings curiosity is aroused and cor.jec-
tures are excited by two very suggestive pieces of in-
formation. One, that several police agents have been
dispatched to London, to reconnoitre the movements
of Don CARLOS the younger, and his associates—so
that sundry Parisian officers of surveillance
may have an opportunity of cooling their
heels on the door-steps of the Brunswick Hotel,
Hanover-square, of becoming themselves objects of
espionage to the metropolitan police, or possibly
even of being ordered to "move on" as suspicious
characters. The other intelligence to which we have
already alluded as so suggestive, is, that directions
have been forwarded to Vice-Admiral Sir WILLIAM
PARKER, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean
station, to remain on the cruising ground of the
squadron of evolution from the Tagus to Cadiz and
Gibraltar. Such are the principal external circum-
stances attendant upon the internal commotion of the
Peninsula.

Active measures are now being made to interfere
with the Ministerial arrangements relating to the
INrANTA's marriage with a French Prince. Within
the Chamber of Deputies, on the 17th notwith-
standing the decided objections of Senor ISTURITZ, the
protest of Don ENRIQUE was formally perused to the
representatives by the Secretary, M. NOUDAL. As a
fitting corollary to this interesting document, M.
PASTOR DIAZ addressed the Chamber during nearly
an hour, enlarging upon the evils which the proposed
marriage of the INFANTA was calculated to call down
upon the Peninsula, and impressing upon the
Spanish Government the importance of the objection
raised by Great Britain. From these circumstances
it will he manifest that the friends of independence
and the lovers of nationality are not passive even
within the purlieus of the Court, within the presence
of those official personages whose principles have been
contaminated by the Afrancesado influence, and
within the hearing of the obedient President of the
Council.

Spain must not degenerate into provincialism.
Spaniards must not dwindle down into a nation of
sycophants. Let them summon to their recollection
the hours of their glory and their greatness, when
their Government was dominant among the most
dominant Governments of Europe, when their
MURILLOS, their SAAVEDRAS, and their Soms were
an evidence that the inrellect of Spain was
no longerdormant; when the geographical discoveries
of COLON were a proof of Spanish enterprise; when
the progress of CORTEZ was a testimony of Spanish
prowess ; when the crown of ISABELLA was a symbol
of the generosity of the Spanish ruler; when the
councils of X!MENES attested the wisdom of Spanish
statesmen. Spaniards have arrived at a terrific ordeal,
but with courage and circumspection that ordeal may
be passed triumphantly.

The frequent instances, recently brought to light,
of the neglect, misconduct, violent treatment, and
positive inhumanity on the part of the police, call
aloud for unmitigated censure. If not daily, we are,
at the least, every week shocked by the most flagrant
examples of atrocious conduct on the part of members
of a body, instituted for the protection and comfort
of the public, but fast degenerating into a tyrannir,o
scourge, and becoming as imperious as they seem
wantonly to imagine they are almost irresponske, both
from the vast number of their corps, and
:e absolute
necessity that exists for some such a fo-ive being kf_pt
on foot for the protection of life r;nd property. We
are not, we are perbuadei, :yielding to a delw ;ion,
when we express our conviction, that the opinion
and outraged feelings of the country will soon
suffice to impose a salv4ry check upon the iiii-4-ted