The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-04


tention, TO his complaint, and solemnly promised
redress, should the assassins be discovered. At the
same time, he secretly assured Perez Of his royal
protection, and pledged the honor Of gentleman
never TO abandon him. Perez, who well under
stood the character of Philip H. al once irresouie
and periidious, did not conceal his apprehensions
that his enemies might ultimately induce the King
to deliver the instrument Of the crime, of which he
was the principal author up TO public justice. AT
last his evil star prevailed Philip having been in
formed Of the criminal connection which existed be-
tween Perez and the Princess Ebo, and Of the public
rumor which prevailed as TO the real causes Of the
assassination of Escovedo, concluded that he had
been deceived by them He therefore determined
TO rid himself Of Perez his successful rival in
criminal love, and an nstrun ent Of his policy
which had become useless. On the evening Of the
26th July, 1879, Perez and the Princess Eboi were
both arrested by order of the King; and the latter
was conducted TO the fortress of Pinto. Philip
himself Witnessed the arrest of the princess from
the portico Of the church Of Santa Maria Mayor,
situated in front of her house, where he anxously
waited the execution of his orders. He then re-
turned to his palace, and continued to pace his
chamber in extreme agitation until o'clock in the
morning.
The TALL of Perez was followed by that of the po-
litica party founded by the Prince Of Eboli It
was succeeded in power by the faction headed by
the Cardinal Granville, whose counses led Philip
ii into that violent course Of measures which
marked the latter years of his reignhe invasion Of
Portugal, the plots against the life Of Elizabeth
of England, the disastrous expedition Of the
Spanish Armada against that country, and the all-
ance with the faction of the Catholic league in
France. These measures weakened the Spanish
monarchy wasted its resources, and inflicted upon
1t those fatal wounds under which it continued to
llnger until the Austrian line became extinct with
Charles ii.
Perez was committed to the custody of one of the
alcaldes of the court and instead Of being brought
TO trial, was continually fattered with the hope OF
being set at liberty. He was at first merely con-
fined in his own house, where he continued to lead
his accustomed life of luxury and dissipation This
imprudent conduct induced Philip II, instigated by
the enemies of Perez, TO direct inquiry into the
sources Of his inordinae wealth, when it ascer-
tanned that he had been guilty of gross corruption
in selling his influence to oifce-seekers about the
court. Having been convicted ON this CHARGE he
was sentenced to two years. detention in fortress
to Punishment from court for ten years, and to an
enormous fine His wife and children were also i'm
prisoned, in order to compel Donna Juana to de-
liver up his papers, which the King was extremely
anxious to obtain, they contained proofs, under
his own hand of his participation in the murder Of
Escovedo. The boxes supposed to contain the
papers were accordingly delivered up; but Perez
had contrived to abstract the most important docu
ments and especially the original letters of Philip
H. which he afterwards produced in evidence on his
trial before the Grand Jusciary Of Arragon. He
was now removed from the fortress, in which he
had suffered an imprisonment Of two years, "a
Madrid, where he was detained in private house
under strict guard of alguszils. In the mean time
the friends of Escovedo were permitted by the King
to pursue the proceedings against his assassins
which finally resulted in the formal accusation Of
Perez as accessory to the murder. The proofs af
forded strong presumption of his guilt, but were
far from being sufficient for judicial conviction
Their defect was attempted to be supplied in man.
oh he Ill
sibility for the crime committed by his orders
In this state of things, the confessor Of Philip II
once more appeared upon the scene, and exhorted
Perez to complete the proofs by frank confession
of his guilt. In order to determine him to adop,
this course the confessor brought forward the casu
stical theory before referred to- of the innocent
character of an assassination committed by the COM
mand of sovereign prince. "Well-knowing, >
said he, "ihe tribuations in which you and your
family have been SO long involved deliberated with
in myself whether Christian charity required that
should give advice to one by whom ii. was moi
asked. at hast resolved to do il; and now declare
that since in fact you have peremptory plea which
will completely excupate you, supposing the facts
on which it is founded to he established, you ought
to make that full confession which is required oil
you, as the only means of extricatng you from the
painful situation in which you are placed. Thus
every one will be left to answer for himself. May
God preserve your lordship for many years in tina
health so necessary for your family" Perez was
by no means disposed to follow this advice, which
under the appearance of compassion, evidently
concealed snare He refused to make the required
confession, alleging that itwould even he against the
will of the King, who had written to him: tDo moi
be uneasy as to what your enemies may practise,
nor as to what may permit them to do. Twill moi
abandon you, and you may be assured that their
animosity will not avail against you, But you
must take that it be not discovered that this
murder was perperated by my order" Perez,
Al. n. IL
bishop of Toledo, replied TO the Kings conessor,
that to condemn himself in such serious case,
would be 10 act against his conscience, especially
when so many innocent. persons might be compro-
missed by such course; that it would be unwise to
reveal what the King himself wished to be kept a
secret and that, after ALL the safest course he could
adopt, would be to compound with Escovcdo's son.
Accordingly, at the very moment when the royal
confessor doubtless at the King own instigation)
thus suggested to Perez to make full acknowledge
ment of his guilt with the intention of thus destroy
ing him, It was not believed that he still had in
his possession any documents sufficient to implicate
Philip ii, Perez insnuated to the younger Escoyedo
that his proceeding any further in the business
would be disagreeable to the monarch who wished
to draw over il the veil of state mystery. The SON,
therefore, compounded with his fathers murderer,
and sold his right of vengeance for the price of 600
ducats. This compromise was approved of by the
royal confessor who wrote to Perez: "The other
expedicui Of which you speak-that Of a compro-
mise with Escovedo--is not bad one, and might be
resorted to without mixing up his maiesty's name
in the business, who detests this man, both his
account, and that of his father"
The obstinacy of Philip II, in thus requiring from
Perez avowal of his guilt, and of the reasons
which had induced him to cause the assassination Of
Escovedo by the Kings Order can only be accounted
for by the blindness of passion and the thirst of
revenge. He doubtless believed that Perez, de-
prived Of his papers, would not be able to furnish
any proofs of the political motives to which he at
tributed the assassination, and would be thus easily
convicted Of having deceived and illuminated his
royal MASTER whilst his death would terminate the
whole affair in manner the most satisfactory to
the King. The documents of the criminal proceed
ings accordingly show that Philip II, after the above
compromise, stll continued to require that Perez
should confess that he had acted by his commando
gin order that such confession may avail for the
discharge of the said Perez, and also that he should
declare the motives Of the said command to the end
that the honor Of the prince and his Christian char
acter may suffer injury since it is the said Perez
who is alone conusant of these motives, and who
supgesled them TO his maiestyn IL was added by