The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-04
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to the CasIilian forces. The royal army marched
upon Saragosss, aud the patriot levies dispersed
without firing shot. The Arragonese were warmly
attached TO their liberties, bat they had neglected TO
cultivate the military virtues, by which alone they
could be preserved. The royal commander took
possession of the capital, and proceeded TO execute
the stern resolves Of his master. The Duke of Viii
iahermosa a descendant of the ancient kings of
Arragon, Count Amanda, and the Grand Justiciary,
were arrested and detained state prisoners, The
latter was called upon to prepare for instant death
He asked who was his Judge; and was answered.
the King On his demanding sight Of the sentence
Of condemnation, he was shown the following hasty
line, in the handwriting Of Philip ii: "You will
arrest Don Juan de Naza and decapiate him. Let
me hear Of his arrest and execution at the same
moment" The unfortunate magistrate exclaimed,
that he only liable to be tried and sentenced by
the Cortes. This appeal to the fundamental laws
OF the kingdom was made in vain, The next morn
ing scaiiold was erected on the public square Of
Saragossa, on which mounted the last of the inde-
pendent justciaries Of Arrogon, clothed in black,
and bound in letters. He fell on his knees in
prayer, and the execuoner struck of his head with
single stroke Of the axe. The following inscrip-
non was placed below the scafod: ."Such is the
justice which the King, our lord, ordains to be in
hiced upon this nobleman for having taken up arms
against his natural sovereign and master, marched
against him with banner displayed and raised IN
nsurrection in this city, and the other cities of the
kingdom, and the neighboring kin doms, under
color of a pretended liberty, The King has there
fore commanded his head TO be cut off his goods 10
be confscated, and his castles 10 be RACED to the
ground"
The summary execution of Don Juan de Naza,
the illustrous descendant of the noble family to
which the sacred Office of ustciary had been con-
hded for hundred and ory-wo years, spread terror
and CONSERVATION throughout Arragon. Perez well
said this OCCASION: "Wth him, Justice herself was
condemned to death and executed" Tie Duke of
Villahermosa shared the same fate The Count
de Amanda died in prison. A great number of other
distinguished victims persisted on the scaffold At
last, pretended act Of clemeney was published,
under the name of an amnesty, from the benefit of
which was expressly excepted every ecclesiasiic
who had taken part in the troubles Of Saragossa,
and who were to be delivered to the holy Office
for trial; the jurisconsults who had given their
opinion that the royal army invading the country
might lawfully be resisted; the captains who had
marched at the head Of their companies, and the en-
signs who had borne the rebel banners; and, beside
all these descriptions of persons, one hundred and
nineteen others, who were expressly excepted by
name. The cruclties of royal justice were aggrava-
ted by those Of the inqusiiion, which tribunal
demncd seventy-nine persons 10 be burnt to death,
besides Perez, who was condemned, by default, TO
be burnt in etfigy This horrible sentence was exc
cuted on the Goth October, 1899. On the morning
Of that day. the seventynine persons were conduct
Saragossa, and the efgy of Perez figured among the
living victims. II was burnt the last in this infernsl
auto dd fe, which commenced at 8 o'clock in the
morning, and was terminated at . o'cl,ek in the
evening" by torch-light
In these flames persisted the ancient liberties of Ar
ragon. The most brave and enterprising of her pa
ros and the most lustrous of her mobiles had paid
the forfeit of their lives for the crime of resistance to
usurpaton, or had found refuge in flight from the
despot who was thus armed with the double terrors
of the civil aud ecclesiastical jurisdiction Those
persons of the middle and inferior classes who had
participated in this resistance, were in like manner
put TO death. The hearts Of the survivors were
struck with dread; and Philip II took advantage Of
this universal terror to conyoke COrtes, in which
all the most important tiieros were abolished the
right of appointing and removing The Grand Justicia
ry was exclusively vested in the crown; the soye-
reign jurisdiction of the Cortes was taken away;
and the kingdom was, in fact, converted into aprov-
ince. aa;4Nass s | NS
Perez escaped from the effects of this fatal reyolu
ton. He escaped from DEATH, but did not reach
the term of his trbulations and his dangers. The,
mplacable vengeance Of Philip ii followed him
wherever he went and though he survived his per-
secutor, he at last died in poverty in foreign land
"Antonio Perez" says M. Mignet, 'swithout being
one of the great ministers of Philip H. like the i'm
perious Spinosa, the adroit Ruy Gomez, the arro-
CANT Alba, the discreet Granvella possessed at one
moment the entire favor of that prince, and was the
most powerful person in the Spanish monarchy.
He rose to power without effort, but knew not how
to maintain his lofty position; and, having become
minister almost by inheritance, he conducted like
mere adventurer. Passionate, prodigal violent, in
sidious, indiscreet, and corrupt, he brought his
irregular habits into court of formal severity, and
disturbed by his agitations prince Of tranquil dig
nifty; offended by his rivalshp in love, and the auda-
cityofhs conduct, master hypocrtica and absolute.
Although he well knew the true character of him he
served although he was possessed Of the secret of
his mysterious passions, of his terrible dissmula-
ton, and that jealousy in regard 10 his own author
ty, which rendered the possession Of his confidence
always uncertain; although he was aware that Philip
III had killed Cardinal Spinosa with single word,
had banished the Duke of Alba from his presence,
and had only retained Ruy Gomez in his service on
account of his dexterity and his complying temper,
Perez daredto deceive him, and thus brought on his
own ruin. In the desperate struggle produced by
his excuses and his faults, he displayed mental
sources so varied and an energy ofcharacter SO
markable, that he became the object of the most
generous attachments, and won universal sympathy.
Unfortunately, the defects which had ruined him in
Spain, discredited him in England and France,
where he compromised his disgrace, and died in
poverty and neglect"
You will certainly learn, with great pleasure, that
M. Mignet has become possessed of the original
manuscripts, referred to in one Of my former letters
relating the residence Of Charles the convent of
ST. Justus after his abdication and which prove that
far from having led there the ascec life attributed
TO him by Robertson, the Emperor was, in fact,
surrounded by numerous suite of courtiers, and
continued powerfully to influence by his counsels
the affairs, both civil and ecclesiastical of the Span
ish monarchy, under the reign of his son and sue
Philip II, until his own death. These docu-
ments will now be given to the world; they will
shed new light upon the religious and political his
tory of Spain; and contribute to SHOW how the pri-
tive character Of her noble people was corrupted
and degraded by these monarchs of the Austrian
lIne That this character still continues to retain so
many fine qualities, after having been exposed for
ages to the blighting influence Of despetc and big
oted rule, is strong proof of its original excellence,
and gives ground for the consoling hope that the
ing government combining freedom with order, by
which its happiness may be effectually secured.
am, ever truly yours,
HENRY WHEATON.
F. MARKoE, jr., esq,
Corresponding Secretary of the
National Institute
WAsuMaroN, Nov. 5, ls45.