The Sun.
London, England, 1856-08-29 00:00:00

MONUMENT TO GENERAL MINA.

BAYONNE, August 25.—The Countess Mina,
widow of the celebrated Spanish guerilla chief,
left this yesterday for Pampeluna. She has been
invited by the municipality to attend the inau-
guration of a handsome monument to the me-
mory of General Mina. On the monument
which is erected by the province to the famous
Navarrese chieftain are inscribed these words—
" Navarra a su hijo predilecto Francisco Espoz y
Mina." Madame Mina resides habitually in the
vicinity of Corunna. Her qualities of mind and
heart and her extensive and practical bene-
volence, independent of the prestige attached to
the name she bears, have given her great influence
throughout the province of Gallicia, of which she
is a native. Under the Regency of Espartero
Madame Mina filled the post of governess to Queen
Isabella, having previously had the grandeeship of
Spain conferred on her, which the etiquette of
the Court of Madrid required as an indispen-
sable condition, and to which the title of Con-
desa was attached. It is well known that the
education of the young Queen and her sister had
been neglected by their mother, whose time, dur-
ing the first years of her presumed widowhood,
was too much taken up with other pursuits to
allow of her attending to the mental cultiva-
tion of her children. Whatever little instruc-
tion or accomplishments her Majesty possesses
is owing to the care of the amiable lady whose
tenure of office was too brief. To say that
Madame Mina replaced Queen Christina is not
sufficient. In her governess Queen Isabella had
before her the model of every virtue that can adorn
a woman. The virtues that distinguished Queen
Christina it is superfluous to dwell upon ; they
have been long known to, and appreciated by, the
Spanish people.
The patriotic chieftain whose name Madame Mina
bears, and whose memory she cherishes with undi-
minished affection, was the elder of the two soldiers
of the guerilla bearing the same name. The one
who first began the warfare of the mountain
against the French, and which so often decimated
their ranks and cut off their supplies, was Javier
Mina. He was a student in theology in the
University of Pampeluna when the French invaded
Spain. Having assembled a small band of young
men like himself in his native village, not far from
the capital of Navarre, he raised the standard of
revolt against the enemy. It was he who first
made the name of Mina known. He was soon
joined by Francisco Espoz y Mina, who served
some time in an inferior capacity under his
nephew. After a year or two of successful adven-
ture Javier was taken prisoner by the French. The
uncle, Espoz, succeeded to the command of the
guerilla band, whose numbers he greatly increased,
and whose operations lie extended over the greater
part of the Basque provinces as well as at Navarre.
He was at one time in command of not loss than
10,000 hardy mountaineers. After the restora-
tion of Ferdinand Mina was treated with
the same ingratitude which that miserable sovereign
manifested towards the people who had made so
many sacrifices in his cause. The reaction which
set iu was terrible, for Ferdinand heaped perjury
on perjury. An unsuccessful attempt at insurrection
was made in Navarre, in which both the Minas
were concerned. They succeeded in escaping,
and lived for some time in France and England.
Javier, the nephew, emigrated in 1816 to South
America, then engaged in effecting its independence
of the mother country. The guerilla chief took
part with the patriots, was defeated in au encoun-
ter with the Royalists in Peru, was taken pri-
soner, and shot instantly by order of the
Viceroy. The elder Mina returned from exile
after the death of Ferdinand, for Queen Christina
had then need of e very one to save the crown
of her infant daughter. He commanded the
army of operations during the first year of the
civil war in the northern provinces. His health,
however, did not allow of his enduring the fatigues
of campaigning. Ho was appointed Captain Gene-
ral of Catalonia. Ho died in Barcelona in, I think,
the beginning of 1836. It is of this distinguished
man, Francisco Espez y Mina, that Madame Mina
is the relict, and it is his memory which the Navar-
rese people are now honouring.