The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-01 00:00:00

Obirnin

LONDON, MONDAY, APRIL 1 ,1844.

The first act of the Spanish tragedy is accomplished.
The Constitution is destroyed, and. Queen CRRISTINA
ECM reigns at Madrid. During the eventful and
distressing scenes of the last three years, we know
not whether to impute greater blame to the authors of
the movements, or to the mercenary, treacherous and
degraded individuals who performed the offices of
spies, and renegades. The concocter and ring-
leader of a plot for wicked purposes is, no doubt, a
greater criminal than the dupes or even the willing
agents who carry his designs into execution ; but the
vile work performed by the latter, the want of prin-
ciple, and the cold-blooded deeds of cruelty to which
they lend themselves render them more odious in
the eyes of mankind. This character attaches and
will ever attach to those Spaniards who have
made themselves a by-word in Europe, who have
sad the liberties of their country, and shed the
blood of their countrymen like water. One thing is
certain—the late revolution had its origin in France;
but whether it was planned by GUIZOT or Souvr, or
by.. the Cabinet, -or by the " chateau," we will tot
take upon ourselves to decide. Queen CHRISTINA,
about the year 1841, in the character of Regent,
issued an ordonnance at Barcelona, against the muni-
cipal rights of the tOverfs in Spaiu, which' ex-
cited almost universal indignation, and compelled her
to . take refuge in France. Her intention was to re-
tire to her native city, but, whether for the purpose of
carrying on intrigues against her adopted country, or
living in retirement, with her paramour, at Naples,
we have no means of judging. That intention, how-
ever, was disapproved of at head-quarters ; she was
indbeed.to come to Paris, and her little Court from
that time to her departure, formed a sort of refuge foi
the,discontented and unprincipled men of Spain. The
enemies of ESPARTERO looked to her and the Court
of Fratice as their last hope, and they were soon gra-
tified.. M. Saevasnr contrived to pick a quarrel
wig.' the REGENT, because the REGENT would not
suffer the emissaries of CHRISTINA to sow the seeds
ofdtssension and rebellion in the Court of the young
QUEEN. SALVANHY was recalled, political relations
between the two .countries were- broken off, and then
followed the most barefaced, wicked, and successful at-.
tempts to destroy a system of rational government, for
whiCh Spaniards had waded through seas of 13lood.
The. matter at Pampeluna miserably failed, because the
leader found no, sympathy among the people or the
army; but those who undertook the work were men
of strong nerves, of deep design, of great perseverance;
and not to be deterred by one coup manque. It is need-
less to 'recite in detail the schemes that ensued, further
thanto say that the affair ofßarcelona, the revolutionary
speechea in the Cortes, the venality of the army, and
file expulsion of ESPARTERO completed the work.
The editor of a disreputable journal was made Prime
Minister; NARVAEZ, known only for his joint ser-
vices. with ESPARTERO in putting down absolutism,
I;e*',Ake Dictator ; and this duumvirate speedily abo-
lished :the Cortes, disarmed the National Guard, and
estabyglied a military despotism. What man of corn-
men sense can have the slightest moral doubt as to the
mainespring of this revolution ; and in what light are
We td view a people, possessing the finest country in
the world, who can thus suffer themselves to be
bribed and betrayed ? Not satisfied with selling
themselves to. an enemy, the traitors are:daily imbru-
ing their hands in the blood of their fellow-citizens,
and the cries, of the victims and the lamentations of
their :friends are mingled with the shouts of rejoicing
which welcome the principal actors in this bloody scene.
Though thou•sanda raised their voices against the
mild and constitutional government of ESPARTERO,
the country almost .unanimously acquiesces in the
tyrano ical deeds of NARVAEZ. They see the Con-
.stitutibir destroyed without a murmur. From the
Prince to the peasant there is no class that evinces
any feelings of honour, or love of country. The
QUEEN and her Prime Minister, in the Assembled
• Stetes:Of the nation, give each other the lie, men
of the same political principles betray their friends,
withoqt remorse, and the very peasants hunt to
. death the fete leaders that would awaken the country
to- its degradation. Never was a people so fallen.
They acknowledge only two states of society—
rebellion and slavery. They prefer the latter, and
let *fie enjoy it.- The horrible crimes of Spaniards
in-the New World, are visited upon the present race,
and the. Divine denunciation against a profligate
natioffws fulfilled---" I ,will give children to be their
RAFtiVialiTit-bis shall rule over theui."

--,
A
1-'. „ : Ye .recess will intervene before the
tlliajogitieii ,.: ho.',k of England Charter renewal can
LAf•-.."4"' l'i:''for discussion in Parliament, we
.0 rcwrT • *** 4
.- e-i" 47 cl Members who propose to tole
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. .
1 )eedings which may be submitted for
Lk sanction e Legislature, on a question of loch
...