Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-06-28
MISCELLANEOUS.
Destruction Of the InquisitiOn at Madrid


Col Lemanouski, formerly an officer under Ma
poleon, now Lutheran Minister in this country,
and man of remarkable qualities, recently gave,
in lecture, the following vivid sketches of scene
of which he was an eyewitness:
In the year 1909, being then at Madrid, my at
tention was directed to theInquistion in the neigh
borhood of that city. Napoleon had previously
issued decree for the suppression of this insttu-
ton, wherever his victorious troops should extend
their arms. reminded Marshal Soult, then Gov
ernor of Madrid, of this decree, who directed me
to proceed to destroy it. | informed him that my
regiment, the 9th of the Polish lancers, were in
sufficient for such service, but that if he would
give me two additional regiments, would under
take the work. He accordingly gave me the two
required regiments one of which, the 117th, was
under the command of Col. De Lille, who is now
like myself, minister of the gospel. He is pas
tor of one of the evangelical churches in Mar
sellles With these troops proceeded forthwith
to the inquisition, which was situated about five
miles from the city. The iuquistion was surroun-
ded by wall of great strength, and defended by
about four hundred soldiers. When we arrived at
the wallis addressed one of the sentinels, and
summoned the holy fathers to surrender to the inn
perial army, and open the gates of the nqusition.
The sentinel who was standing on the wall, APP
peared to enter into conversation for a few mo-
ments with some one within lat the close of which
he presented his musket and shot one Of my men.
This was signal for attack, and | ordered my
troops to fire upon those who appeared on the
wall.
1t was soon obvious that"t was an unequal war
fare The walls of the inqulsltion were covered
with the soldiers of the holy Office there was al
so breastwork upon the wall behind which they
kept continually, only as they partially exposed
themselves as they discharged their muskets. Our
troops were in the open plain, and exposed to a
destructive fire. We had no cannon, nor could
scale the walls, and the gates successfully re-
sisted all attempts at forcing them. saw that il
was necessary to change the mode of attack, and
directed some trees to be cut down and trimmed
and brought the ground, to be used as battering
rams. Two Of these were taken up by deatch-
mentS of men, as numerous as could work to adj
vantage, and brought to bear upon the walls with
all the power which they could exert, regardless
of the fire which was poured upon them from the
walls. Presently the walls began to tremble, and
under the well-drected and persevering applica-
ton of the ram, breach was made, and the i'm
perial troops rushed into the nqusitIon. Here
we met with an incident which nothing but Jesu-
itical effrontery is equal to. The inqusitor gen
eral, followed by the father confessors in theil
priesly robes, all came out of their rooms, as we
were making our way into the interior of the in
QUESTION, and with long faces, and their arms
crossed over their breasts, their fingers resting or
their shoulders, as though they had been deaf tt
tjust learned what was going on; they address
ed themselves in the language of rebuke to the
own soldiers, saying; "Why do you fight ou
friends, the French?''
Their Intention, apparently, was to make u
think that this defence was wholly unauthorized
by them, hoping, if they could produce in on
minds belief that they were friendly, that the,
should have better opportunity in the confusion
and plumber of the inquisition to escape Thei
artifce was too shallow and did not succeed,
caused them to be placed under guard, .and all o
the soldiers of the nqustion to he secured as pri
soners. We then proceeded through room ate
room, found affairs and crucifxes and wax candle
in abundance, but could discover no evidence G
iniquity being practced there, nothing of thos
peculiar features which we expected to find in a
inquisition. Here was beauty and splendor an
the most perfect order on which my eye had eve
rested. The archtecture--the proportions wer
perfect The ceiling and floors Of wood wer