Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-08-16
For the Charleston Courier.]
Historical Notes on the Spanish Revolution
No. ]
BIZ AusUsrIN rs LATAMENDI.


BE AUGUsrIN rs LATAMENDI.
No. i.
AT the end Of the campaign in 1915,
the Spanish nation had an army of "a
bout 100000 men, and, fguratively
speaking, every Spaniard may be said
to have been a soldier, since the COM
mencement of hostilities in 1903, by.
the invading troops of the French en-
pire. The disasters and miseries con-
sequent on this atrocious and bloody
war, were never exceeded. The Span
ish nation, accustomed to submission
from long and inveterate habit, seeing
its King in captivity, looked upon it
self as fatherless; and the miseries OF
their country became school OF In
struction, in which every Spaniard
began to learn his rights in Society,"
natural consequence to those who had
so faithfully discharged their duties to-
wards their country: and it it be no
litical axiom that man cannot know his
rights until he becomes well acquaiat-
ed with his duties, no one could be
more worthy than Spaniard OF enjoy
ing all the guarantees which are afford
ed by a government of civil freedom,
well understood and impartially admit
nistered.
In the year 1910, the Spanish nation
established at Cadiz, place which al,
torded some security as seat Of gov
eminent, Constituent Congress, de-
nominated the Cortes Generates. The
members Of this body consisted Of Re.
representatives. from all the Provinces OF
the Spanish dominions then in both he
mispheres. Almost their first act was
to compile code of the fundamental
laws of tie empire, which was, in 1912,
published under the title of the Potiti-
cal Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy.
1t was under the administration of this
form of Representative government
that Ferdinand the Seventh returned
from his captivity in pdlencey, and en-
tered Spain amidst the greatest trans
ports Of Joy from the inhabitants of all
classes and of every rank, and his re-
storation 10 liberty and his country
was looked upon as the contamination
of happiness to Spain. The first per.
son who announced to the King the
form of representative government
which had been adopted within the
Spanish dominions, was General Don
Francisco de Copons y Navia, who
commanded the first body of the Span
ish army in Catalonia. This worthy
officer accompanied his Majesty from
the Pyrennees TO Vinaros, town in
the boundary Of the fertile Province Of
Valencia, and his subsequent disgrace
takes its date from this period. The
Captain General who commanded the
second body Of the army, DonFrancis-
co Xavier de Elio, came to receive the
King at the boundary of that province
and one Of those who first advised Fer
dinand to destroy the Spanish Consti'
tuition, as being an institution essential
ly popular, and of course depressing
the royal dignity, which, according &c
the Sermles, absolute royaiists,) doe:
not consist in studying the peace anc
prosperity Of the people, but III sup
porting the arbitrary privileges Of the
commanders.
Ferdinand the Seventh, who by ma
tural inclination, propended to the alb
solute domination of his subjects, re,
ceived this advice from his Hatterins
favorites as an heavenly omen, sane.
tioning his ambitious views of govern
ing with unlimited sway, although al
the sacrifice of the blood Of those who
had so courageously contributed to his
restoration, and the national indepen'
dence. The King having arrived al
Madrid, surrounded by criminal fiat,
tcrers and egotistical advisers, put into
execution the notorious, atroclous and
tyranical decree, entitled by the people
de LIS Persas, and in one day the Ma
,ional Representative Congress was a,
polished, its members prescribed and
imprisoned, and their families, from
whose bosoms they had been forcibly
torn, were left exposed to the creates,
miseries, and the caprices of tyrant
Notwithstanding Ferdinand was per.
suaded in some measure, that the illu-
mination had destroyed the work
which had been built up during centu,
ries by the Inquisition, the object Of
which was to keep the nation in igno.
rance and blind submission, in which
the Spanish people bad yegetated, Gfl
may be allowed the expression as soon
as he assembled the throne OF his ances.
tors, promised the people to give them
a Constitution, or political institutions
analogous to the degree Of enlighten'
men, to which Spain had elevated her.
self during his captivity in Valencey.
at the expense Of devastation, misery.
and the effusion Of blood, consequent
on the universal and disastrous war,
that for the period Of six years had de-
solated the nation.