Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1854-09-09
Espartero.
"X," of the Baltimore Sun, gives the follow
ng sketch Of Esparteros character and exploits

|
The last arrival from Europe brings us thu
! news that Espartero, Duke de Ia Vttoria, ex
! Regent OF Spain, is once more at the head 0
! the Spanish Government. Instead of idle spec
ulations l will briefly give you few facts from
| the life of the man, to enable you to Judge
whether this event is likely to retard or facili
tate the acquisition of Cuba.
Don Baldamero Espartero is of low extraction
was born in La Mancha in 1892, and from his
weak constitution was first destined for the
church. He left the convent where he ed
ucated in 1905 and entered the army then or
! ganIzing against the French. In 1871 he be
came lieutenant Of engineers; but not being
able to pass his examination, was transferred t.
the infantry at Valladolid, where he resigned
his commission.
In 1915, he joined as captain, the expedition
of Gen. Morillo against the regolted colonies Of
South America, and fought with success and
courage in Peru, where he advanced to the rank
OF colonel After the equalization of Ayacucho
IN 1874, he returned to Spain, where he was
promoted to the rank of Brigadier General.
In 1882 he declared for the succession of the
daughter Of Ferdinand VII, the present Queen
of Spain, and in the civil war which subse-
quently eusued, joined the army of the Christi
nos in Bscay. In 1886 he saved the capital
was made commander of the army OF
the North, Viceroy of the Navarro, and Captain
General of the Bask Provinces. In 1887 he
relieved Bilboa, which had been besieged by
the Carlists. For this feat he was made Count
of Luciano. In 1888 he annihilated the expe-
diton Of the Carlist general Negr.
His unfortunate campaign of 1889 won him
the titles of Grandee of the first class, Duke of
Vittora and Grand Cross of the French Legion
of Honor. His negotiations with Moroto ut last
caused Don Carlos to quit the soil of Spain.
In 1850 he defeated the Carist expedition
under Cabrera, after having previously caused
the resignation of Narvaez as a member of Don
ma Christiana's Cabinet In that year the
Queen Regent having large majority in the
Cortez, ventured to circumscribe the municipalt
tiles (Ayuntementos) of Spain. Espartero add
viszed her in Barcelona not to sign the law, and
when an instruction followed the PRONUNCIATION,
returned to Madrid, where he was elected Pres
ident of the Ministerial council. On the 10th
of October, 1850, the Queen Regent abdicated
and went to France. The Cortez on the Sth of
May, 1851, declared Espartero Sole Regent of
Spain.
AS Regent, Espartero opposed both the pre-
tentions of the Pope and of the Republicans,
crushed the rising O'Donne, who had declared
for the Queen Regent, and prevented the elope-
ment from Madrid Of the present Queen. Of
the two generals involved in the plot, Leon and
Coneha, (the latter subsequently Captain Gene
raj Of Cuba), he ordered the first to be shot.
As Regent, Espartero became the decided
friend and ally of England in the same manner
that the Queen Regent had been that of France.
He remained true to the constitution of 1887,
but at the same time put down Republicanism
wherever it showed itself. The insurrection in
Barcelona, in 1912, was put down by lombard
ing the city. After this act, Progressistas, Mo
derados and Republicans united against him.
He was forced to declare general amnesty,
but when asked to dismiss Gems. Zurbano and
Image, both known to be in the British inter
ests, he dismissed instead both his ministers
and the Cortez.
Catalonia, Andalucia Aragon and Jalicla soon
arose, and on the 1st of July. 1913, the revolu
tionary Junta of Barcelona declared the Queen
of age, and Espartero traitor to the country.
At the head of the instruction stood Narvaez
who entered Madrm on the 22d of July. On
the goth of July, Espartero embarked at Cadiz,
and landed at Falmouth, England, on the 18th
of August following. Though by the Spanish
decree of August 10th, deprived of all his titles
and honors, he was received in Great Britain
with all the distinction due his rank as Regent;
and it is but reasonable, therefore, to suppose
that he has preserved some gratitude for his
hospitable entertainers.
The constitution of 1837-the same which
Espartero maintained as Regent with SO much
vigor against both the Catholic hierarchy and
the Republicans the one now proclaimed in
Madrid, and received with acclamation by the
people, It yet remains for me to state that Es-
partero enjoys the reputation of being free
trader, and that the rumor of his having made
a treaty with England derogatory to the manu-
interest of Catalonia, the chief
cause of the rising of Barcelona in 1913. If,
as, some assert, the revolution in Spain is the
work of Russian intrigue, the return Of Espar-
tero was certainly not in the programme.