The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-01-31

changes and improvements, so full oil promise
for the future welfare of Italy, it can never be
forgotten that the whole fate of that interesting
country depends on the moderation of parties and
the maintenance of peace. Austria wants but q
slight pretext for an armed Eruption over the
whole peninsula but we hope she will find no
such pretext in the disunion of the Italian
princes or the Impotence OF the Italian people.
Interesting Scene In the Spanish COrtes-Mo-
narchy In Mexico, Sc. SC.
The debate which took place on the 10Th OF
December, in Congress, was by far the most i'm.
portant which has occurred since the opening OF
the session. A motion had been signed by Sa-
gasli, San Miguel, Lujan, and other leading
members of the opposition, for official list OF
the payments made by the treasury OF the Ha-
vana since 1914, to government orders and OF
the persons In favor of whom such orders had
Tins the tor
at the Queen mother, the majority rushed to the
defence of their idol, assaillng the Duke of Vic
toria by way of retaliation. So, under these
two names, as standards, the conflicting hosts
bat till half-past eight-three hours beyond the
usual time--when a strong craving for dinner
making itself generally felt, and hostilitles flag
glng as stomachs grew imperious, the house d.
vlded Tor the motion, the votes were ~; against
1t, al.
Senior Sagasti after prefacing his matter with
remarks upon the sacredness OF the obligation,
under all representative monarchies, contracted
of the exp endlture of the nat ion, keeping no
item back, but faithfully entering into all de-
tails, without mystery, proceeded to observe that
he had lately read much in the newspapers about
sums which had been paid by way of arrears to
the widow of Ferdinand VII now Duchess Of
Rianzares and Monmorot; also Of a considerable
sum that had been entrusted to the Spanish repre-
sentative at Nerico for the purpose Of esabiisking
that had been spent Upon the unfortunate expedition
to Ecuador. If the documents for which he
called accredited the delivery of the sums men
toned to the Duchess of Rlanzares, he would
pose of sums which were notset down In the es
Inmates! Was the money to be glventto her as
being the widow of Ferdinand VII. Every
body knew that that i!lustrious lady had con-
tracted second marriage. Was 1t p as queen,re,
voluntarily rcnoun0ed the regency, IN iSae. Ia
bringing forward this motion, he wanted TO see
whether the majority were actuated by the mo-
vengeance, in calling for documents upon which
to found an accusation against the two preceding
ministries. Bertrand de Lis, Minister of Marine,
said the government had no objection to Senior
by the house.
1t being agreed by Congress that the motion
should not pass to the sections, the debate open
Ing, Mon left the Presidents chair to take his
seat among the deputies on the right, and Rios
Rosas, ce-president, took his place Bertran
de Lis admitted that, by decree OF "A, the
Queen mothers pension had been re-estab llshed;
and the arrears of the pension, fro N the time
Victoria, had been paid up. What right had thu
regent to suspend the pension! 1t was not only
illegal to do so it was an infraction of arti-
Gle of the constitution. the arrears had been
paid out of the Havana treasury. Nothing
was more just or proper. The Duke of Victoria's
arrears had been lately paid also The govern.
ment would oppose the motion, as disrespectful
to the throne, and inexpedient for the nation.
Then Mon rose. He read the decree OF the
regent, by which the pension of Christina had
been suspended, aud taxed the Duke of Victoria
with ingratltude, for robbing his benefactor, who
had covered him with honors. (The noise WIS
tremendous at this part of Senior Mons specify
He made an eloquent eulogy of his financial add
been giren by the government to,cards the Equator
srpediti0n Of Gen. Flores.
Sagasti returned to the charge, saying that the
Queen-mother had been abundanty recompensed
for the services which she had rendered to the
State by the blood which had been shed IN de-
fence of her daughters throne. (The uproar
here was tremendous. All the deputies stood
up and demanded the right of speaking at the
same time. The Hon. deputy's words were
taken down by the secretales) Sagastl, alter
a hearing had been obtained, proceeded. There
wa, document In a certain ministerial ofhce,
which he wanted to see, In which the motives
tor suspending the pension OF Donna Maria chris
tina had been consigned. Senior Sagasu then
explained his words, which had been taken
down, which, so far from being dsrespecliu,
were in the highest degree decorous and ne
was as ready as anybody 10 shed his blood Tor
the Queen and the Queens mother. Concern
ing the conduct of General Espdrtero, while he
was at the head of the army, he had been minis
ter during that time and during all that period,
he had observed that ministries had been set up
and pulled down at his nod, and the most lmpor-
tant arrangements of the government had been
entirely subjected to him, and altered according
to his fancy.
Bravo Murillo, in most servile speech, which
reminded his hearers that he had been a triar,
Landed to the skies the Queen-mother, and pro-
missed the governments strenuous opposition to
the enquiry proposed
Sagasti, after explaining the words Of his
speech which had caused so much disorder, Of
tered to withdraw his motion. But congress
agreed to go on with the debate, each party being
in high state of excitement.
Pldal spoke next He used Espavtero worse
than any Of HIS predecessors; but his speech Was
manly and straightforward, No doubt, he said,
the regent and his ministers had acted illegally
and unconsttutionally in suspending pension
which was consecrated IN the marriage capitula-
lions OF Christina with Ferdinand VII: The re-
gent was said TO be irresponsible as the Queen;
That was not true. But was not the mother OF
the Queen an irresponsible person And what
served her responsibility before the man whom
the minority proposed TO them MS model! How
did he behave towards the mother OF the Queen
Why, being at the head of all the armies OF spain,
the commander of even the royal guard, heallow-
ed a miserable mob OF 300 rulfians to tear from
her side the ministers who possessed the conf
dence of the crown and parliament. And when
the Queen called upon this general for succor he
refused IT. THIS general refused to obey his
Queer He did more He printed his refusal
he distributed his printed refusal over all Spain
to inhame the people. He was at a loss to account
for the hostility which Senior Sdgasti had shown
now, and in preceding pariaments, against the
Queen-mother. The resentmcut7of the opposi.
ton had gone to the length that they deprived
her of the the title OF Renal obernadora, call
ing her by names of inferior rank-a poor and
unworthy mode Of showing spite. They could
not, by suppressing her title, wipe out the re-
membrance OF her benefits.
Senior lnfante spoke next, and was replied to
by the Duke OF Valencia, who, in answer to an
expression which had fallen from the last speak
er, that, in the Duke of Victoria's place, any
general would have acted in the way he had