Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-11-01

fore the accused could defend themselves ;before
they had brought forward witnesses for their ex-
snlpation which is the same as if in England the
accused were condemned upon no other evidence
than that OF the corons,'s inquest for that which
in Spain il called the sitmaiio of process, is
Nothing else but thex,rst Information. ThosS
processes, in which regular course has been
pursued, abound with thousand other invalida-
tory circumstances Among these one OF the most
shocking is, that of the persons accused having
been prevented from defending themselves in
person before the tribunal, which the laws OF
Span authorize them TO do.
1t would, however, require volumes to detail
all the acts of injustice committed in Spain since
the return Of the king, whose ungrateful conduct
towards his best defenders and servants, is well
known throughout all Europe. What has been
said on this head is quite sufficient, and let US
now advert to the political conduct during the
invasion of the Peninsula, pursued by the Judges
appointed by the king. The President, lieut..
gen. Don Joseph Arteaga, was in Ceuta during
almost all that period, and therefore never saw a
single enemy, which is certainly no high compile
ment to his valor and patriotism. He however
might pass for a good patriot by the side of his
COLLEAGUES in the commission, which is composed
of four other individuals besides himself The
first of these is the Condo del Pinar, who at the
beginning OF the insurrection, in 1908. was sent
into the Asturias, in order to preach obedience
and submission 10 tie intritsiue government. tie
fulfilled hia commission with SO much zeal, that
that he was within an inch OF being cut TO pieces
through popular conirnotion in the town of o.
yiedo. which was allayed, among others by Don
Aware Flores de Estrada, who was at that time
procura,or general of the prmcip OF the As
turias, but whose great services, and his having
been the first authority that in Spain declared
war against Bonaparte, have been insufficient to
protect him from the present persecution, and he
is now refugee i'll England.
The second person in the commission, Senior
Glaano, was one of the Judges o.. the criminal
lun,a established at Madrid BY the French goper7-
sne,,. 1t appears that it has always been his fate
to prosecute the patriots In 1899, he persecu-
ted in the name of Joseph Napoleon, the Defend
ers OF the independence This country, as IN 1914
under Ferdinand VII. he condemned as criminals
the patriots who had fought and bied in the same
cause.
Tie third, Senior Iasanea, who, as mentioned
above, appears under the triple character of in.
hrmer witness, and judge, signed an humble
and respectful exposition which the council of
CASTLE addressed to Bonapa-se in which they
begged an individual Of his family for king of
Spain.
The fourth is Senior Nfosquera, Auditor of the
Audiencia of the Caracas who, when news ar
rived in that country ofthe abdcation OF Charles
Nv. ana terQln2lu VII " Dd(OinlS3 0iu All III
power to procure Murats being acknowledged in
the Caracas rs general Yicegerent of the king
dom.
II Unnecessary to observe that these gentlemen
took the oath TO the constitution framed BY the
sortes, the first as member of the council of
CASTLE, the second and third as deputies, and the
fourth AS president of The Regency, which has
given occasion to one of the most singular con-
currences that can be imagined, and which is rs
follows -
On the trial of admiral Valdez, one Of the
questions put to him was, Why did you cause
the constitution to be sworn in Cadlz - to which
The admiral answered, f" because was comman-
Sed to do so by Senior Mosquera, then president
Of the regency, and now judge in my cause!'
Some individuals although not many, have sue
seeded in withdrawing themselves from persecu-
ton, seeking an asylum in foreign Countries
The most distinguished among them is the Condo
Toreno, deputy of the cortes, well known in En-
gland under the title of Vscount Matarosa, as
having been the first diplomatic agent who APP
peared in that country requesting assistance IN
the war against Bonaparte; Seniors Ysturitz, Diaz
del Moral, Quariero, Rodrigo, and Caneja, depu-
ties of the cortes Senior Luyando, minister of
state the governors of Segovia. santander, and
several other individuals without including IN
this list the two generals Nina, of whom the first
raised in Navarro, the division which bore his
name, and the second, succeeded him in the COM
Rand when he was made prisoner. --R.
Times.