The Sun.
London, England, 1834-08-14 00:00:00

PUBLIC CHARACTERS IN SPAIN.

The following sketch of the characters of some of
the most distinguished public men. belonging, and in
opposition to, the Spanish Cabinet, is from the Cor-
respondent of a Morning Paper. The writer does
great injustice to the abilities of most of them, and
vilifies the moral character of others in such a way as
to make it evident he wrote under strong prejudices,
and with the most biassed judgment. Nevertheless it
is so graphic, and contains so much biographical in-
formation, that we deem it well worth the trouble of a
careful perusal :

The leading members of the present Ministry, Messrs. Mar-
tinez de la Rosa, Moscoso, and Garely, belonged to the Spa-
nish juste milieu or moderate party during the revolution from
1820 to 1823. In that party were then numbered Arguelles
and many other eminent patriots. But after the affairs at
Verona, and the French invasion in 1823, the party was split,
into two branches. One of these stuck to the last to the cause
of the constitution. Those who did so went mostly into exile,
or the few who remained in Spain became the objects of vio-
lent persecution. The other branch kept aloof during the
struggle, and though they were also persecuted after the res-
toration of despotism, yet they met with far more lenient treat-
ment from the absolute government. Martinez de la Rosa,
who had remained in Madrid after the French army had en.
tered the town, and while most of the patriots had followed
the Cortes to the southern provinces, was, indeed, ordered to
travel, and not allowed to return until 1831 ; yet his punish-
ment went no further, while sentences of death and confisca-
tion, or at least of imprisonment in the presidios, became the
lot of his former friends.

In 1232, when Ferdinand became ill, and the Queen took the
helm of Government, the last named division of the moderate
party, whose leaders were in the country, aimed at, and were
looked to as likely to succeed in forming the administration.
The nomination of M. Zea uas an unexpected obstacle in their
way; that bold man, whose energy is his sole good quality,
kept himself in power for more than a twelvemonth, and after
the King's death; yet the fulfilment of the expectationi of the
party formerly alluded to had only been delayed, and, by the
appointment of Martinez de la Rosa, they attained the object
of their ambition.

Martinez de la Rosa is a man of middling talents. His
literary fame stands high indeed among his own countrymen,
yet foreign critics have found his works (a collection of which
appeared in Paris in 1828, 1829, and 1830), cold, spiritless,
and full of common place. His dramas are frigid, his style
elegant, but nevertheless, there is hardly one bold or novel
thought in all his productions.
In the Cortes he shone as an eloquent orator. He speaks,
indeed, with fluency and correctness, is tolerably skilful in
debate, possesses the talent of well arranging and distributing
the subject matter of his speech, and when warmed, exhibits
great feeling, which he has the art of making his audience
partake of. These are no common qualities. Yet a shrewd
and attentive hearer could easily perceive in his rhetorical
effusions the want of statesmanlike knowledge and of enlarged
principles.
. _

His character is that of a very amiable and worthy man, yet
insufferably vain, full of prejudices, and consequently of ob-
stinacy. He has a decided penchant for the aristocracy ; not,
indeed, that he wishes to be thought one of them, for he has
the good sense to feel proud of his plebeian birth, but he has
been flattered by the notice taken of him by high-born fools,
and still more by their ladies.

Such is the Prime Minister of Spain. When he was
placed at the head of the Government, he soon gave proofs
that he is one of those who have learfied nothing and forgotten
nothing. His fear and dislike of the Exaltados led him to
look upon them as more dangerous enemies to the Govern-
ment than the insurgent Carlists. He is decidedly the man
whom the'French call homme de coterie. He called around
him the same men who had been his colleagues in 1822.
Martinez de la Rosa called near him his former colleague
M. Moscoso. This gentleman was placed at the head of the
Home Department, the place he also filled in 1822. He is a
country gentleman of shallow information, haughty, of repul-
sive manners—harsh, overbearing, prejudiced, and altogether,
though not one of the unworthiest, yet one of the most un-
amiable characters that ever formed part of a Ministry. His
hatred of the Constitutionalists lately returned from exile is
one of his leading principles. Not long ago he is known to
hate said to his colleague, Count Toreno, " I will not be sa-
tisfied till I have done with all the emigrants." " Then (re-
plied the Count) you must do with me too, for I also have
been an emigrant."
M. Garely, now at the head of the law department ( Minis-
tro de Justicia) is a worthy and well-informed gentleman.
His religious feelings are warm and deep. He belongs to the
Jansenist division of the Catholic Church. In his Minsterial
capacity he has shown a more decided bias in faviour of the
liberal cause than any of his colleagues, with the exception of
Count Toreno ; yet he is likewise prejudiced against the Ex.
altados.

General Zarco del Valle is the most unpopular of the pre-
sent Ministers. He is not destitute of talents, but he is thought
to have no principle at nll. lie is a pliant man—supple,
clever in business, and has the credit of a being a bitter, though
a polite enemy. He passes, and deservedly so, for being the
the tool of the Marquis de las Amarillas.
The Minister of the Naval Department is taken no notice
of. He is an old man, and no Constitutionalist—a mere
commis, as the French would say.
I must now speak of the new Finance Ministers--the ablest,
undoubtedly, and the most popular of the Ministers—Count
Toreno.

This gentleman is well known in England. In 1808, being
still very young, and bearing the title of Viscount Matarrosa,
he was the Envoy of the Junta of Asturias, and in this capacity
was the first Deputy of the Spanish Insurgents at the time of
the rising of the nation against Napoleon. Then he formed
anintimacy Kith Mr. Canning, which subsisted till the death
of the latter. His principles were not, however, those of that
Tory statesman.

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In the Cortes of 1820, he partook of the opinions of Martinez
de la Rosa, and of his unpopularity with the violent party, too,
perhaps to a greater extent. His eloquence is more vehement
than that of hi 3 colleagues ; his literary attainments inferior,
though still considerable ; his temper more violent ; his ambi-
tion more daring ; his knowledge of theoretical and practical
politics, and of the state of Europe, far superior. He is allowed
to be fitted for a statesman. While residing in a foreign land,
though not condemned to death or confiscation,he was consistent
in his politics. While Martinez was a constant visitor at the
Spanish Embassy, Toreno was the friend and adviser of Ge-
neral Mina While the former was exclusively engaged in li-
terary pursuits, or in the gaieties of a Paris life, the latter was
ever engaged in looking for means to better the situation of
his native country. After Ferdinand's illness, and the change
of measures brought about, Toreno re-entered Spain. After
the King's death, he came to Madrid. He was talked of as
one of the best possible heads of a Ministry ; but when Mar-
tinez de la Rosa became the Premier, he was offered a seat in
the Administration, which he declined accepting. Since that
time he was looked to as the probable leader of the Opposition
in the future Cortes, his election being deemed sure. Yet, a
few days before the election took place, very unexpectedly, he
became the Finance Minister. Such an event has astounded
everybody. He is supposed to be too proud to submit to form
part of a Ministry to which he does not give his name. Strange
to say, he is considered to be still in opposition, at least to the
majority of the Cabinet. What his views are, it is not easy to
guess. Some think it is his project to undermine the Admi-
nistration of which he is a member, and, as M. Zea was driven
from his place by his colleague, M. Burgos, and M. Burgos
by his colleague, Martinez de la Rosa, so they suppose Count
Toreno will send his present colleagues, at least some of them,
to the right about, and assume the lead.
The individuals sent into durance are most of them well-
known characters. The first of them is Palafox, the far-famed
defender of Saragoss i. He had very recently been created a
Grandee of Spain, with the title of Duke of Saragossa ; for
though he belongs to a family of Grandees, and one of the
most ancient too, he was not a Grandee himself. Palatal( was
a Constitutionalist from 1820 to 1823. He is a very weak
man in all senses, whether we consider the reach of his intel-
lect or the energy of his mind. As he is known to yield to
any suggestion whatever, people are apt to suspect that be
may be betrayed into some very imprudent step ; of a crime
he is incapable of.
Of the persons imprisoned, Romero Alpuente is the next in
importance. He has resided long in England. He is an old
mail, almost in his dotage, very infirm, an eccentric charac-
ter, and a perfect cynic. He has ever delighted in putting
forth the most violent doctrines, and courting the favours of
the lowest mobs. He was a great favourite with all the un-
principled and the violent during the sway of the late Cortes.
He was a member of those of 1820 and 1821. He possesses
some talent and information, yet he is often very abusive in his
argument and his doctrines. He was called " uglily ugly"
(framente fee), for, in fact, he has a horrid countenance, lean,
emaciated, and is labouring under a disease which was sup-
posed to be leprosy. His delivery is slow, dull, and frigid,
and his manner formed a curious contrast with the matter of
his speeches.
Romero Alpuente had been elected a member of the pre-
sent Cortes, but his election has been declared null for want of
an income, which is a necessary qualification.
Calvo de Rozas is the third person among the supposed con-
spirators. He was a member of the Central Junta, and a de-
cided Constitutionalist in 1820. In 1823 he was named a
Minister by the late King, acting then under the influence of
the more violent or coniunero party. As his late Majesty was
no friend to his principles, it was supposed that he meant to
avail himself of his services to put down the San Miguel Mi.
nistry and their supporters in the Cortes. Ido not know that
Calvo de Rozas lent himself to the projects of Ferdinand in
their full extent, though he has been accused of it. The truth
is, however, that he remained in the country after the restora-
tion, and was not persecuted. He has the character of an
ambitious and unprincipled man, and possesses some taletits.
The notorious General Van Halen is also in prison. His
extraordinary career is well known in Europe. As he is no
longer a Spanish officer, but a Belgian general, and was here
only as a visitor, it is to be wondered that he should eneage in
a plot. His restlessness leads people to believe his guilt; yet
this very circumstance may afford a reasonable motive for
doubting it, for the Government may possibly have been in.
fluenced by the same belief, formed upon slight grounds.

Last week upwards of 100 sheaves of wheat stand-
ing in a field near Lymington, were completely threshed and
cleared of the corn without the perpetrators of so new and ex•
tensive a depredation bring discovered.