The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1843-11-06
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE INQUISlTION
OF MADRID

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE INQUISlTION
or MADRID.
In the course of lecture delivered few years
ago, in the chapel Of Brown University, Col. Leh-
manowsky gave most graphic description of the
capture and destruction Of these establishments
by soldiers under his own command.
In the early part Of the year 1909, Napoleon com
manded all the buildings occupied by the lnquiston
10 be destroyed. Col. L. requested Napoleon to give
him command 10 an expedition against ono of these
dens of vice and cruelty or remember right, u
was the Inquisition of Macrid) my request"
said the Colonel, was complied with, and had
tho command of the ! 18th regiment of the line Upon
approaching the building we saw several soldiers on
the walls. We summoned them to surrender in the
name of the Emperor Of the French; they turned
and bent over as if conversing with some who were
inside, and after carefully scanning our number,
| which was but small they answered our summons
by firing among Several were wounded, and one
man killed. We then procured some heavy timbers,
and by the united strength Of all the men made
breach, and entered within the walls AS soon as
we were inside, we had specimen OF the cunning
jesustry Of these rascas. The whole company OF
priests and nqusitors, came to us in very humble
attitude, with their hands crossed their breasts
and the first we heard these artful fellows were re-
proving the soldiers the wall for having made any
resistance, and for not having politely admitted these
very fine gentlemen, although it was of course,
by the direction of these very that resistance had
been offered. The only answer gave by pla-
eng guard over these now obliging fellows, with
directions to keep sharp look out after them that
none might escape. 81 81
Upon examining the interior Of the building, we
found It beautiful in the extreme, every thing appear
cd quiet and in excellent order. 8
The floor of the principal hall was paved with
slabs Of fine MARBLE and at the end was an altar with
several wax candles burning. The priests appeared
80 humble and submissive, and every thing appeared
20 quiet and crde2ly that my suspicious said Col
1 were lulIad to sbQ 4wktoA as tho effect they in
tended 70 produce and N began 70 suspect that
great many tasspods had beeA told about the cruel
ties practissd in these establishments We could dis
cover nothing Of the secret rooms and underground
cells, OF which we have often heard, aud was upon
the point of retiring with my men, and leaving the
building for the present in the hands of its old occu-
pants when brother officer urged TO most diligent
examination of the whole building We proceeded
to examine carefully the principal hall, to discover,
possible, some trap door other entrance to the
regions below. Some of the soldiers tried to thrust
the points of their bayonets others of their swords,
between the slabs of marble, but all without
was upon The point Of giving up, when it was sug.
gesed that water should be poured over the floor, to
see II 1t would find an outlet through the crevices.-
Alter watching the water carefully, observed one
place where it evidently escaped between the slabs
| An said some, whats here we shall make some
discoveries now'-whie the captive nquisitors stood
by shaking with fear
presently soldier struck heavy blow with the
outt end OF his musket upon side of slab, when
an at once spring seemed to give way, and the slab
at once turned upon pivot by which it was fastened
at Inc two sides, disclosing an opening and stair
case leading down to some dark cavity below
at once walked up TO the altar and seized some of
the lighted candles, when one of the bald-pated
priests stepped up to me and said very sanctmonous-
y, 90, my son, these are holy candies Won must NOT
touch them But said the Colonel my only reply
was very WELL Icani them for holy purpose Iaoant
to see holy things. Below we found an apartment of
considerable size, furnished with settees &c. which
we at once knew by the Internal contrivances TO be
the hall OF torture We went round and soon dis
covered an alley, and on each side of this alley
number OF dark, gloomy cells. In these cells were
large number OF the victims of popsh cruelty young
and old, loaded with chains, and some of them, wo-
men as well as men, literally as naked as their moth
er bare them. The soldiers threw their coats and
cloaks over these poor miserable wretches and loos
ing them from their chains, proceeded to help them
to the hall Of judgment above ground
When the soldiers had provided for the comfort
and safety of these weeping wretches, they turned
their attention to the inquisitors and insisted upon
putting them all to death. In their excited state of
feeling, it would have been vain for me to oppose
their will.
Among their instruments of torture, we found an
image of the Virgin Mary, conrived with spikes.
knives &c, that when person went to kiss it the
arms closed and the victim was pierced with a thou
sand wounds and cut to pieces. The soldier, insist
ed upon the chief Inquisor kissing this image they
prcked him with their bayonets and compelled him 10
do so, when the arms closed and he was cut and
! hacked TO death IN most shocking manner After
taking out the most valuable books and other articles
we placed a number Of barrels Of gunpowder in the
building, and setting fire to the lraip soon had the
satisfaction of seeing this horrid abode of cruelty
1 heap OF smoking ruins
After we had seen the end of the inuusition. we
invited all Of the neighborhood whose relations had
been torn from them 10y the officers of this bloody
tribunal TO come and convey to their homes such Of
them as they could find alive. And, said the Colo
mel, never shall forget that sight. The soldiers
whom commanded were men of blood the sight of
| human misery and slaughter had become so common
10 them that they could eat their meal with none the
less relish because they using tic dead BODY of
a comrade for seat; but when they saw their mise
rabe company of living skeletons standing before
Them, and their anxious relatives pressing around
discover their long lost loved ones-when they saw
nov weeping father and mother embracing, as
though they had recovered him from the dead, be-
loved SON then husband olasping in bis arms the
half-murdered mother Of his children-and then q
weeping wife and mother, turning in despair from
the search after beloved husband and father con-
vnced that he had found grave in these horrid
dungeons when the iron-hearted warriors witnessed
tins sight, said Col. L., they wept and sobbed like
children"
Lieur BORA fine light boat 10 be stationed
on the Brandywine shoals, in the Delaware bay, was
launched In this city on Saturday last This is a most
beautiful vessel, built of the very best materials the
workmanship is Of the very highest character and
the builders, Messrs. Thomas Young & Co. have Civ
another instance Of their excellence in naval ar.
chitccture; none but good work could be expected
fiom the long experience and constant practice OF
these gentlemen, who have done very much TO estsb.
lsh and elevate the reputation Of Wilmington for
good shin. building, We feel bound 10 saw that this