Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-12-17
From the Truth Teller

und the formation of corps of the patriotic
Of that vi fated country, who were obliged to fy to
England and France in consequence of the blood
thirsty tyranny of Ferdinand VII, and his stupid ad-
vIsers, now being on the point ofcrossng the Pyren
nees to attempt once moro to hoist the flag of liberty
IN the enslaved Peninsula. short biography of the
Guerilla Chief who Tod her troops to the field may
not be Gnintcres'ing to our readers.
Don FRANcIsco EspozY Nina, one of the most
distinguished of the paush patriots, and who is con-
sidercd as the Lavale;te of Span, native of Ma
varre and was born in 1882 the delightful village
oil doom, about two M les from Pampeluna. By
some he has been bcrally represented as the SON of
mere peasant. circumstances which, if true, would
only enhance his merit; but he is fact of fmly of
some consequences. During the war against the
french. his nephew, Don Xavier Nina, then a stu
dent at the University of SLragnssa, raised Guerilla
corps, with which he performed several spirited ex-
pioits~ Xavier being taken prisoner in March, $780,
the command OF the corps transferred to Francis
c., who soon rendered his name the terror of the
French Brave, active, ndcatigable full of resources
and possessed of an admirable presence of mind
one OIL the hrst requisites for sodier-he necessarily
harrassed and wore down the strength of the enemy,
not only in Navarro, but in the neighbouring provn
ces OF A!ava and Arragon. Such the rapiditv of
his movements, that nothing could escape hirn-uot
convoy, not a detachment of the French could move
from one place TO another that he did not rush upon
It. and in almost every instance he was successful
The loss which the French sustained by this kind of
warfare was incaculable while his was trifng as the
accuracy OF the intelligence which he received preven-
ted hm from being ever surpri ed and when he was
ar outnumbered, his troops dsbanded by signal and
reunited again in few hours, and resumed offensive
operations 1t was in vain that resolving to exter-
inmate his brave corps the enemy poured % 900 men
into Navarre-henoi only stood his ground but eren
tualv remained master of the Provuce he was in fac,
often denominaed Ell Rey de Navarro 1.-THE King Of
Navarre.) In 1911 the Regency gave him the ronk
OF Colonel, in 1919 that OF Brgader GuSHsl. and
soon after that Of General. His force iul8s consis
ted OF 1900 infdntry and $500 cavalry and with
TINS he co-nPsrated in the blockade of Pampeuna,
and recovered Saragossa, Monzon, Tafal!a Jac,
and various other places. When the peace was CON
cluded, he was besieging ST. Jean Pied de Port
Afer having put his division into quarters, he went
TO Madrid asd had the modification To fad that Ie
mad been ebouring only for the re-estsblshment of
despotsm. Disguised with the conduct of Ferd;"
nand VII. and having frui,lessly demonstrated with
h:m Re cndcavoured to persuade the other Sp,nieh
Generals in the capital 10 hin him a nd make on
effort IN the cause of freedom but his Efforts were
rendered abo tive by the baneful influence of his
mons. Nina then fastened to Navarro, with the
In enon OF putting himself at the head of his IL
VISION; but he found that the Captain General
mad dismissed the troops that composed it, He how
ever gained over the garrison of Pampeuna ana
was on the point of proclaiming the Constitution
and dong away with the abomluable Inouisition
when his plan was frustrated by the pusillaninty
OF ma of the officers. He had now no resonrce
put 10 seek an asylum.in France, and he reached
iars IN safety. While he was in Paris he was mr.
rested by a commssary of police whom the Spanish
Ambassador, Count de Casa Flores had nersradoJ
or; more probably, bribd, to commit this &C, of in
science and injustice. On this occasion Lous win
behaved IN manner which was highly honorable 70
him. He turned the c,Inmissary out of bis sit,.
'oH insisted on the Ambassador being recalled, and
of ' amy amy released Nina; but granted him pension
grateful; he refused TO have any intercourse what
ever with Napoleon. Quilted France, and Joined
louis at Ghsnt; and returned with him (after the
mem 'rabe battle of Waterloo and the abdicat;on
OF 'poleonl to Paris Till the army of Ca liz r,;a
cd The standard of freedom, lie continued to live vrry
privately in France e'S
After Ferdinand had submitted to the nex ord..
a. ed 70
Navarro Ills military talents were, however soon
required in the field. a few fanatics and lovers ~
despo:itm, having succeeded in exciting a fornda.
bic Instruction in Catalonia Nina was ent,rstJ
With the command ofan army destined tn aci.,.,;ns,
them. The rugged and mountainous nature of the
country IN which he had to act, the weakness of his
own army and the strength of the rebels rendered
LIS opera: IONS tardy at the outset and the IJr, o.
aSts began t. manifeststhe utmost conf ience and
exultation But they soon discovered that they had
woiuly misca!cuated. Nina was too prudent -
L Jill any thng TO ch1nce Wien repnise nigh!
iavc been productive of disastrous consciousness 5nt
Us soon as he bad fully prepared every thing fo tb
contct, he attacked the bands Of traitors with b;
"onted inpetuoSly and vaour, routed them in sever
al encoun' ers--and drove them before him in tho
utmost confusion, over the Pyrennean frontier in,
the French pr vince Of Roussion These victor;os
laYe increased his well-earned fame throughout En-
rope lie Is regarded as the most experienced span
Ism GENERAL, and the sheet anchor of The e.
stiutlona cause the dread of Ferdinand ami If al
eoe Ir'ests when the cry Of liberty once more
p'oca med itself In 1923 Nina was one of thu fir,
TO tn institutional troops; he took uo his No.
st'on 10 catalonia, and harrassed the French in evo
~ uHectiol' large reward was offered bv IN, |
Oescamisados for him, either dead or alive; by. he
proved himself too good tactician for the Serr;J.
and fortified himself iii Barcelona, where. nftey
long s.ege, he captuated TO the French on cond;
lion that be and his comrades in arms sboud en;nv
MI the honnurs O: war, and allowed to leave e.,
England The capituIation was agreed to, and Nina
sailed Tor Liverpool, where he was received in the
most enthusiastic manner by the inhabitants r,nm
thence he came to London, and took up his residence
at Blackheah there he led a very retired If, TN
The recent events in France CONSIDERING tho nres'
ent crisis favourable to deliver his c11ntrv from
slavery, he left Lon don a few weeks 400. in c,rn
pany with General Quroga and few other defend
erS OF thcir countrys cause, for Paris and from
thence no ID gone to Byonne, where he intends for
ming plan fnT once more restoring liberty to his
native land From such man the greatest enter
prize may be expected, especially as now there are
no French troops 10 impede his undertaking