The Minnesotian. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1851-1852, 1851-10-08

Iate. In The midst OF this anxious unccr
tainty, Lopez seized the difficulty il
mode little hkely to occur to another, b,
proposing to mount himself behind the In
dian, on the powerful and fresh horse o
the latter, and to go at the utmost speet
IN search OF the water, to verify what wa.
understood from the signs Of the Indian
telling the commander that if he returned
all would Of course be well, while if he
dld not return, it would prove that he was
kllled-that the Indian was playing false
and that, by pushing on in the direction
they We're going they would probably find
relief. The offer was accepted, and his
companions remained on the spot to await
the result, all the bands Of discipline being
meanwhile wholly relaxed. As it result
ed the Indian conducted him truly, though
of course Lopez had to plunge into the
depths of the forest and Of. the night,
mounted behind guide who might lead
him only into the midst of enemies. He
reached the water, returned, and by con-
ducting them to it, saved the lives of the
whole expedition. 1t proved that the IN
dian was of tribe hostile to those against
whose territory the expedition was march
ing. Some Of his wives had been carried
off on foray and he was in pursuit of
them when he came upon the strangers
whom he supposed of course the enemies
of his enemies and therefore his friends.
The Indian Orpheus was rewarded not
only by the recovery of his two or three
lost Eurydices, but by liberal presents,
and he afterwards proved scrviceable
guide.
From 1922 he was a Cuban, having
married and established himself in the Is
land. The re-establishment of absoIutism
in Spain, by the aid of the French inter-
vention, overthrowing, for the second
time, the constitution of 1912, wholly
preventing his resumption of service,
though retaining his nominal rank. The
system then adopted was, to require a
''purifcation" from oil the officers of the
army, especially those suspected of too
much liberalism, process consisting in
the adjuration Of such sentiments, and in
an oath of devotion and support of the
new order of things. Always not only
liberal, but democratic, in heart as well
as in principle, he would never consent
to compromise with his conscience in that
respect; and accordingly remained in re-
tirement until on the death of the old
King, Ferdinand VII, the long smothered
liberal party broke out from under the
despotic incubus which had pressed it
down, and assumed the ascendant in the
government the country. Maria Chris
tina, the brilliant, bold and unprincipled
widow Of the old King, after having caus-
ed the latter by his will to devise the
crown to her infant daughter Isabel, in
disregard of the Sale law, which had
heretofore regulated the succession of the
throne Of Spain, and therefore to the ex-
clusion of the rights of Don Carlos, the
Kings brother and next male heir, threw
herself on the liberal party for support,
and even resuscitated from its grave the
constitution of 1911. The absolute or
royalist party soon prepared to rise for
the maintenance of the right Of Don Car
los, whose character and views made him
moreover their natural head. Christina,
in anticipation Of the severe civil struggle
which all knew to be about to ensue,
adopted the vigorous measure of disarm-
ing at blow the whole royalist party
throughout the kingdom, so far as it was
practical; service to which the people
were summoned and came forward eager
ly enough to perform, with the aid of the
troops that could be counted upon by the
government. This movement, beginning
at Madrid, was at each important point
the work of day, and by its suddenness
so successful, that throughout the king
dom, six hundred thousand stands Of arms
were wrested from the hands in which
they would otherwise have soon been en-
ployed for the re-establishment of Don
Carlos, the priests and absolutism. Ii
was in the midst of the tumult of this
memorable day at Madrid, that Colone!
Lopez, (who happened to be at the capi-
tai with his wife, to reclaim large sum
of money arbitrarily seized from the fam
lily Of the latter by the government in
Cuba, re-appeared on the scene signally
distinguishing himself by the activity and
boldness which he exhibited in heading
bodies Of the people in this operation Of
disarming the royalists. Always thor
ough republican in heart and conviction.
he was one of the most enthusiastic to be-
come the revival of the constitution, and
the constitutionalist party, and his joy
took the natural form of jealous daring
in the performance of this practical SER
vice to the cause Of his principles-a SER
vice which was not at all oue-sided a
considerable part of the national guard
and some Of the troops being royalist, and
several attempts being made by the latter
party to rally, and make stand against
the tide Of popular enthusiasm that rose
and ragged round them, and finally over
bore all resistance. More than once ir
the course of the day, Lopez was seer
driving before him, singly, with his sword
considerable bodies of the royalists, arm
ed with their guns, to the principal guard
house, to deliver up their arms, treating
In IL